This article provides sample language from an iMentor school fee-for-service proposal. Please contact your Partnership Manager to discuss any questions related to this resource.  

For a Word version of this article, click here.

Overview

iMentor facilitates mentoring relationships that ensure more students from low-income communities enroll in college and graduate with a degree. Since 1999, iMentor has matched more than 11,000 students with mentors. By partnering with public schools and matching every student in the school with a college-educated mentor, iMentor leverages the community to reimagine how public high schools support students through the college process.  

Program Model

iMentor partners with high schools in low-income communities and matches every 9th grade student with a mentor. Mentors commit 4 years to a single student, from 9th – 12th grade. After this initial commitment, all pairs have the option to continue their match through college completion. A full-time iMentor staff member is responsible for the success of each relationship. Each case manager supports ~100 students. All students and mentors complete a 4-year college readiness curriculum that structures each weekly interaction, creating a baseline of conversations and experiences for all pairs. Over the course of 4 years, iMentor adds 400+ mentors and 4+ full time staff members to each partner school.  

Impact

iMentor students demonstrate higher college entrance and persistence rates than comparable peers.  

• In 2016, 66% of iMentor’s high school graduates enrolled in college. The national college enrollment rate for low-income students is 52%.  
• 77% of iMentor students who entered college successfully persisted into their 2nd year. 2nd year persistence at these schools prior to iMentor was 69% (2010-2011). 2nd year persistence nationally for low-income students is 72%. 
• 42% of iMentor’s 2009 college entrants graduated college within 6 years.  

Value Proposition for [DISTRICT] Schools   

• A full-time iMentor staff member for every ~100 students.  
• A college-educated mentor for every student in 9-12 grade, each mentor making a minimum 4-year commitment. 
• Transition support between high school and college. Mentors who enroll into our Post-Secondary Success Program continue to work with their student weekly and iMentor case managers provide additional counseling and support through college completion.  
• A meaningful opportunity to engage professionals in the broader [CITY] community to support the students and schools that need this support the most.  

Partnership Proposal With [SCHOOL DISTRICT]

iMentor is requesting a 4-year partnership agreement with [SCHOOL DISTRICT] that provides [$300] per student annually in public dollars. This would include a [$150] per student allocation from the district and [$150] per student allocation from individual school budgets. iMentor raises the remaining 80% of the cost of the program from private sources, providing over [$130,000] in private funding to support the program’s work in each school partner each year. See below for a breakout of contributions each year1.  

Partnering with the CPS Mentoring Program

iMentor has been inspired by [SCHOOL DISTRICT]’s commitment to mentoring and would be honored to engage your employees as mentors in our program. Professionals who have dedicated their career to education are well-positioned to be effective mentors. Additionally, the perspective that comes from helping an individual student prepare for and succeed in college has the potential to add value to the work [SCHOOL DISTRICT] employees are already doing for the district.  

Supporters & Recognition

iMentor has been supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, New Profit Inc., and the Kresge Foundation.