Goldman Sachs and Let's Get Ready

In 2006, Let’s Get Ready launched the New England Project with a three-year, $400,000 grant from the Goldman Sachs Foundation. This significant investment made it possible for Let’s Get Ready to create a Boston office and expand its programs exponentially in the region. The Foundation renewed the grant to continue providing key funding to Let’s Get Ready’s New England programs. Because of the Foundation’s investment in Let’s Get Ready’s growth, in 2010 Let’s Get Ready provided SAT and college-going support to almost 1,200 high school students (more than four times as many as in 2006) and engaged 563 college student volunteers in 29 New England programs.

In total, over five years Goldman Sachs funded Let’s Get Ready programs have provided 3,453 low-income and first-generation college-bound high school students with intensive SAT and college preparation over the past five years. This was done in a cost-efficient manner, leveraging the efforts of over 1,600 college student volunteers, hundreds of community partners, and other funders. Students in the New England Project have increased their SAT scores by an average of 115 points, and (to date) 93% of participants have gone directly to college after high school.

Let’s Get Ready is also a part of Goldman Sach’s Community TeamWorks program. In June, Goldman Sachs volunteers led a one-day career workshop with Let’s Get Ready students which included networking activities, practice job interviews, and a panel presentation. This workshop was led by Andrea Belalcazar who serves on the Steering Committee of Let’s Get Ready’s Professional Network.

LGR is proud to announce a $400,000 renewal grant from The Goldman Sachs Foundation to support and expand LGR programs in New England in 2009 and 2010. The renewal grant will sustain existing programs, make possible program improvements, and help to form new programs like this spring's Holyoke LGR program, which is run in collaboration with Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, Amherst College, ENLACE, Holyoke High School and other local school partners.

With the support of Goldman Sachs, LGR will be able to provide 900 New England high school students with SAT and college preparation this year! This grant is a continuation of Goldman Sachs' support, with which LGR has forged new partnerships with colleges and high schools in New England since 2006.

The Goldman Sachs Foundation:

The Goldman Sachs Foundation is a global philanthropic organization funded by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. The Foundation's mission is to promote excellence and innovation in education and to improve the academic performance and lifelong productivity of young people worldwide. Let's Get Ready is part of its signature initiative, Developing High-Potential Youth. For information about The Goldman Sachs Foundation, .