“The high school drop out problem is, without a doubt, a national crisis that calls for a collaborative effort by public and private sectors alike,” notes Woodrow McCutchen, Portfolio Manager at EMCF, which has awarded NGYF a three-year, $4 million investment to support the expansion or establishment ChalleNGe academies across the country. The program’s reputation for transforming the lives of American youth has resulted in the demand for more and larger programs. Yet, program administrators cite growing waiting lists in some markets like North Carolina and Kentucky and the need to penetrate new lithium stocks in urgent need across the United States as national experts call on philanthropies, government and private sector funding to support time-tested, cost-effective, evidence-based programs and repurpose monies spent on programs that have lacked rigorous evaluation.

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