Come to Believe Receives $2M Grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation

New York—On September 17, 2026, The Andrew Carnegie Foundation, formerly Carnegie Corporation of New York, announced a $2M grant to Come to Believe (CTB), a nonprofit that assists higher education institutions in developing and launching embedded two-year colleges. The grant, to be distributed over three years, is one of 44 awards totaling over $42 million announced by the foundation in September.

CTB colleges are transfer-focused, associate degree-granting programs embedded within four-year universities, designed to provide students with rigorous academics and holistic supports without the burden of student loans. First developed at Arrupe College at Loyola University Chicago (IL), the model has been replicated three times: at Dougherty Family College of the University of St. Thomas (MN), Founder’s College of Butler University (IN), and Seton College of the University of Mt. St. Vincent (NY). In August, Texas Woman’s University (TX) announced the launch of a CTB model college opening in Dallas in Fall 2027.

Carnegie’s $2M grant to CTB extends a relationship that first began in 2022, when the foundation sponsored the inaugural cohort of CTB’s Design Grant program, now in its fifth iteration. In 2024, Carnegie made another programmatic innovation possible through its support for CTB’s Innovation Grant program, which provided funding for promising pilot programs at existing CTB colleges including Arrupe College (IL), Dougherty Family College (MN), and Founder’s College (IN). 

Now, the $2M grant from Carnegie will provide funding for four $500,000 seed grants to be awarded to new CTB colleges, providing them with critical support as they launch and recruit their first classes of students. New CTB host institutions are eligible to apply for CTB seed funding grants upon successful completion of the Design Grant program, which includes extensive due diligence and customized support from Come to Believe.

“We at CTB are humbled and deeply grateful to receive Carnegie’s extraordinarily generous support," says Fr. Steve Katsouros, SJ, the President and CEO of CTB. “Because of Carnegie, new colleges will receive seed funding. Because of Carnegie, new colleges will enroll and graduate new students who otherwise would be left out of high-quality higher education.  Because of Carnegie, CTB’s mission is extended to new campuses and new regions.”

The Andrew Carnegie Foundation’s continued support for Come to Believe reflects deep alignment between the organizations’ respective goals. Each new CTB college model reflects a substantive institutional investment to access, affordability, and student success, thereby advancing one of the foundation’s primary objectives: helping students of all ages and backgrounds access learning opportunities that lead to meaningful careers, upward mobility, and civic participation.

"Too many people think the best universities are the ones that turn away the most students, says James Kvaal, Vice President for the National Program at Carnegie. "Come to Believe believes that great universities should open up their doors and change expectations about who belongs there.”

About The Come to Believe Foundation

The Come to Believe Foundation (CTB) assists higher education institutions in developing and launching a two-year college model that provides a pathway for underserved students to receive four-year degrees. CTB operates as an accelerator within the higher education ecosystem: identifying, supporting and investing in institutions that can successfully replicate CTB’s model on their campuses. To learn more, visit ctbnetwork.org.

About The Andrew Carnegie Foundation

The Andrew Carnegie Foundation was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. Today the foundation works to reduce political polarization through philanthropic support for the issues that Carnegie considered most important: education, democracy, and peace. To learn more, visit Carnegie.org.

Media Contact:

For Come to Believe: Sam Adams (sadams@ctbnetwork.org)

For Carnegie: Angely Montilla (AEM@carnegie.org)

###