History & Mission

The Imagine America Foundation (IAF), formerly the Career College Foundation, was established in 1982 as the research, scholarship and training provider for the nation's career colleges. IAF's mission is to:

1. Establish scholarship award and grant programs;
2. Demonstrate the value of specialized career education and improve public understanding of the role of career colleges and schools;
3. Prepare reports and other up-to-date information on various aspects of career education for the use of schools, educators, researchers, government officials and the public;
4. Conduct technical studies and surveys, either directly or by grant, dealing with the technical, legal, administrative and economic aspects of career education;
5. Present instructional opportunities for career school staff training and development; and
6. Recognize individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the field of career education.

IAF sponsors various scholarship and award programs, including:

• Imagine America®, for graduating high school students;
• Imagine America Promise, for continuing students;
• Imagine America Military Award Program, for active duty, reservist, or honorably discharged U.S. military veterans; and
• Imagine America Adult Skills Education Program (ASEP), for adult learners.

The Foundation, through its supporters, also sponsors the LDRSHIP Award and the Martha Frances Crigler Byrne Memorial Scholarship, which each offer up to $5,000 in grants.

More than $37 million in scholarships and awards have been provided for career college and university students in the last seven years! In addition to the Imagine America scholarship and award programs, IAF also coordinates special award programs like the Gail Benjamin Fellowship, which offers grants for women and minorities to attend CCA’s annual Leadership Institute, and the Pioneer Award, which honors achievements of career educators in the postsecondary sector.

IAF publications include the annual Student's Guide and the Imagine America's Guide to Career Colleges, which contains descriptions of almost 1,300 career college institutions and a compilation of programs and courses offered by more than 500 career colleges participating in the Imagine America scholarship and award programs. The Foundation also publishes the biannual Fact Book: A Profile of Career Colleges and Universities, which contains important career college statistics and trends about the postsecondary education sector. Both government and non-government agencies make use of our widely distributed publications.