How the Smart Family Fund Helped Per Scholas Transform Training Models and Scale Impact
The tech industry has a persistent problem: a lack of equitable access to careers that offer upward mobility. Per Scholas, a nonprofit providing tuition-free technology training, has been tackling this challenge for over 25 years. However, the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic required them to innovate quickly to sustain and expand their impact. Enter the Smart Family Fund (SFF).
What Angel Philanthropy Means for Us
Angel Philanthropy is about strategic, early investment—fueling visionary organizations when they are at a pivotal crossroads but lack the resources to leap forward. For SFF, this isn’t about long-term operational support; it’s about stepping in at a critical moment to create momentum. That’s what we did for Per Scholas, helping them not just adapt but evolve during an unprecedented global crisis.
Where Per Scholas Was When We Found Them
Per Scholas was already a proven leader in workforce development, connecting underrepresented groups to tech careers. By 2020, they had launched programs to upskill learners and partnered with major corporations, but the pandemic created immediate operational challenges. All 12 campuses were shuttered, forcing the migration of approximately 200 learners in New York to a virtual platform within weeks.
Despite the challenges, they leveraged the crisis as an opportunity to reimagine their programs. The organization invested in technology, introduced new tools like Tech Toolkits (laptops, headsets, and WiFi hotspots), and expanded learner support services, addressing financial, emotional, and logistical barriers for their communities. These actions showed resilience, but more investment was needed to scale these solutions sustainably.
How We Helped Per Scholas Adapt, Innovate, and Scale
In 2020, the Smart Family Fund provided funding, targeting innovations that could catalyze Per Scholas’ next phase of growth in a world transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This strategic funding allowed them to pilot several new initiatives:
Remote and Hybrid Learning Models: Per Scholas scaled its virtual training capabilities while launching hybrid options to offer flexibility as in-person restrictions lifted in 2022.
Brooklyn Campus Expansion: Our support enabled the expansion of the Brooklyn campus, increasing capacity by 60 learners annually.
Satellite Partnership Model: This innovative initiative allowed instructors to simultaneously teach in-person cohorts and remote learners across community partner sites using advanced video conferencing. Within its first year, the program expanded to four boroughs and now reaches all five.
Per Scholas Strives in a Changed World
By 2022, the groundwork laid with SFF support began paying dividends. The Satellite Partnership Model celebrated its largest-ever graduation, with 60 learners completing IT and Cybersecurity training through this system.
Other major wins included the launch of Women in Tech Workshops to foster community and mentorship among women learners and alumnae, addressing gender disparities in tech. These workshops, supported by both SFF and external donors, equipped learners with the networks and skills needed to thrive in competitive fields.
Today, Per Scholar enjoys support from several major institutions PwC, Comcast NBC Universal, and the Truist Foundation.
Looking Ahead
Propelled by SFF’s catalytic investment, Per Scholas is on track to enroll 900 New Yorkers in 2024, doubling its pre-pandemic capacity. They’ve successfully reimagined their delivery model, strengthened their community impact, and positioned themselves for sustainable growth.