ACCESS Named a 2009 Social Innovator by the Social Innovation Forum

December 10, 2008– ACCESS, Boston’s leading provider of financial aid advising services, has been selected as a 2009 Social Innovator by the Social Innovation Forum (www.socialinnovationforum.org) in recognition of its vision for social change, commitment to building a stronger organization and its innovative and results oriented approach “to ensure that low-income Boston students can get to and finish college successfully”. The Social Innovation Forum annually invites area nonprofits to embark on an intensive application and selection process designed “to help organizations begin to think critically about how to present its vision, core competencies, and revenue model.”

The Social Innovation Forum spotlights six critical social issues and with a partner sponsor selects and awards one nonprofit whose mission and work is best in helping combat that issue.  ACCESS has been chosen as the 2009 Social Innovator for the Social Issue Track, “Making College Graduation a Reality: Preparing & Supporting Low Income Students“, sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation and will receive over $100,000 in cash and in-kind services.

“We believe that ACCESS is demonstrating an innovative and highly effective solution to making college graduation a reality by ensuring that financial barriers do not prohibit young people from matriculating fully through college,” said Susan Musinsky, director of the Social Innovation Forum. “We are thrilled to have the chance to help them refine their model and make a lasting impact in Boston.”

“We are delighted and honored by this special recognition from this important Boston-area organization and we are grateful to the Highland Street Foundation for sponsoring this particular award which helps us in our work to get more Boston high school students to college,” says Bob Giannino-Racine, ACCESS Executive Director.  

As described by the Social Innovation Forum, Social Innovators are “innovative, resourceful and results oriented. They are bold, inspired and visionary—people who are not content to give a fish or to teach someone how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.”  Blake Jordan, Executive Director of the Highland Street Foundation says “ACCESS is on an exciting path to help Boston's young people reach their fullest potential. We are proud to support their innovative approach to ensuring college success for all of Boston's youth.”

ACCESS serves 39 of the city’s high schools and young people and families from every neighborhood in Boston.  In just the past three years, ACCESS has quadrupled the amount of financial aid secured by ACCESS advisees – from $8.3 million to $34 million – and more than tripled the number of one-to-one advising sessions held with high school seniors from 2,345 to 8,920. 

The Social Innovation Forum was launched by Root Cause in 2003 to help organizations like ACCESS who have the field expertise, innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit develop the business frameworks and skills required to make a lasting social impact and grow to capacity.  Root Cause is a nonprofit organization that advances enduring solutions to social and economic problems by supporting social innovators and educating social impact investors. Root Cause does this work through business planning and implementation, leadership development, research, and the creation of networks that unite the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.