American Student Assistance Awards Grant to NAF to Strengthen and Expand Career-Based Education for High Schoolers Nationwide

Call to Action: Join NAF in Unlocking $14M in Matching Funds to Expand Access and Opportunity for Students to Be Future Ready

BOSTON, Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- American Student Assistance® (ASA), a national nonprofit changing the way kids learn about careers and prepare for their futures, and NAF, a national education nonprofit committed to preparing high school students for future success, are proud to announce a seven-year strategic partnership to advance their shared mission of strengthening and expanding career-based education nationwide.

This collaboration kicks off with a two-year, $5 million grant—a bold investment that will accelerate high-impact initiatives, including a new five-year strategic plan—and positions the partnership to unlock up to $14 million in matching funds over the next seven years.

For 45 years, NAF has championed a movement for immersive, career-focused teaching and work-based learning in high school, enabling over 650,000 students to explore career pathways, gain real-world skills, and graduate future ready. Today, over 112,000 students attend more than 600 academies across 34 states and U.S. territories, graduating at a 99% rate with a majority going on to college or career training.

ASA's generous investment will propel NAF's strategic growth—deepening work-based learning, expanding career exploration, and advancing educator professional development. Drawing on ASA's expertise in early exposure to career-connected learning starting in middle school, career experimentation in high school through real-world learning, postsecondary pathway navigation, and student agency, this partnership will open new doors to employers, community partners, and policymakers. Together, these mission-driven organizations will ensure NAF's proven design reaches students, teachers, and districts nationwide.

"We are thrilled to take this bold step forward with ASA," said Lisa Dughi, Chief Executive Officer of NAF. "This partnership is grounded in a shared commitment to purposeful innovation, and it positions us to reach even more students with the opportunities they need to become Future Ready. With ASA's support, we are scaling a more powerful and sustainable design for career-connected learning. But lasting change requires all of us. This is a call to action—for funders, partners, and industry leaders—to join us in transforming the high school experience and unlocking the full potential of the next generation."

"Research tells us that less than half of Generation Z said they had enough information to decide what post-high school pathway was best for them. ASA is honored to extend its strategic partnership with NAF, as their unique approach to providing school-integrated, career-track curricula has provided transformative outcomes for more than tens of thousands of students," said Julie Lammers, President and CEO, ASA. "Through our collaborative efforts, we will empower every young person with the information and experiences needed to make informed, confident decisions about what comes next after high school."

NAF and ASA are calling on school districts, employers, community organizations, and philanthropic partners to step forward—by joining our national network, hosting student internships, providing educator professional development for career readiness learning, sharing expertise, or matching funding. Every action, every dollar, and every partnership moves us closer to a future where all students have access to the experiences, resources, and support they need to thrive.

NAF first became an ASA grantee in 2023, with a two-year $800,000 grant to support Outcomes-Driven Work-Based Learning (ODWBL) initiatives. That investment has already powered interactive educator training sessions, comprehensive resource collections, and a suite of tools now used across all 634 NAF academies nationwide. This next chapter builds on that momentum—and invites others to be part of a national movement to transform high school education.

For more information on NAF and how to support or get involved, contact development@naf.org.

About NAF

Since 1980, NAF has led a movement for immersive, career-focused teaching and work-based learning in high school. With the support of NAF community-based advisory boards, schools connect with the workforce to fuel shared progress—from creating paid internship opportunities to fostering innovation and building future-ready businesses. NAF helps students explore career options, create a plan for the future, and take part in hands-on, work-based learning unlike anything traditional public education systems can offer. NAF puts students on a path to achieving their full potential.

NAF has grown from one NAF Academy of Finance in New York City to hundreds of academies across the country focusing on growing industries including finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences; and support programs of study that are aligned with the National Career Clusters Framework. During the 2024-25 school year, over 112,000 students attended over 600 NAF academies across 34 states and territories. In 2024, NAF academies reported 99% of seniors graduated with 90% of graduates planning to go to college. Learn more at naf.org and follow us on social @NAFCareerAcads.

About American Student Assistance® (ASA)

American Student Assistance® (ASA) is a national nonprofit at the forefront of changing the way kids learn about careers and prepare for their futures through access to career readiness information and experiences for all. ASA helps middle and high school students to know themselves—their strengths and their interests—and understand their education and career options so that they can make informed decisions. ASA fulfills its mission–in schools and beyond the classroom–by providing free digital experiences, including Futurescape® and EvolveMe®, directly to millions of students, and through advocacy, impact investing, research, thought leadership, and philanthropic support for educators, intermediaries, and others. ASA fosters a generation of confident, crisis-proof young people who are ready for whatever path comes next after high school. To learn more about ASA, visit www.asa.org/about-asa.

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SOURCE American Student Assistance (ASA)