Achieve Twin Cities

At Achieve Twin Cities, we believe in the power of career and college readiness support to enable young people in Minneapolis and Saint Paul to imagine and live rewarding lives. We help ensure that all students have the personalized guidance, resources and connections they need to secure meaningful careers, achieve long-term financial independence and contribute to a strong and vital community and economy. 

Achieve's programs also provide powerful tools to address our community's wide disparities in education, college access and employment. They are grounded in our vision that all young people have full and equitable access to postsecondary education and career opportunities, resulting in a more just and vibrant community. Since 2002, we've offered support and resources to inspire and equip over 90,000 students for careers, college and life. 

Your gift supports: 

• School-based Career and College Readiness Program: As a universal career and college readiness provider, we work in partnership with Minneapolis Public Schools and Saint Paul Public Schools to help students develop individualized plans for life after high school. We collaborate with counselors in 27 high schools to provide one-on-one guidance and connect students with a wide range of postsecondary and career opportunities to help them discover, explore and plan for purposeful, life-sustaining careers. Our services are open to 17,000 students each year, with over 10,000 participating in our activities. 
• Step Up Youth Employment Program: Through Step Up, hundreds of Minneapolis youth (ages 14-21) explore and prepare for great careers through paid internships, work-readiness training, on-the-job experience and mentors who help them discover new careers, make professional connections and build their resumes. Step Up has created over 34,000 career opportunities since 2003 in collaboration with employers in 15 industries, helping to build a more diverse, skilled and equitable workforce. Step Up is a partnership of the City of Minneapolis, Achieve Twin Cities, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, and Project for Pride in Living. 
• Career exploration events: Achieve school-year career events inspire and inform students about a wide range of career opportunities as they plan for life after graduation. Professionals from the trades, business, healthcare, the arts, STEM, government and other sectors share their personal career journeys and insights with young people. Local employers provide information on internships, jobs and training opportunities. Step Up mock interviews help youth participants prepare for summer internships and future career opportunities. 
• Minneapolis Public Schools resource support: Achieve Twin Cities also serves as the nonprofit foundation for Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), administering major grants for STEM programs, educator pathway programs and other district priorities. We manage $4-5 million in private funds for MPS schools and departments, administer college scholarships for MPS graduates and award mini grants for district staff development and classroom projects. 
• Community Engagement Events: Principal Partner Day, Lunchbreak with Achieve Twin Cities and other public engagement events inform and spark conversations and connect our community with great opportunities to support and advocate for our students and schools. 

 We know what works: 

• 93% of students who utilize our high school career and college readiness services graduate with a career pathway plan.
• Students of color and low-income students who use our services enroll in college and other postsecondary programs at 50% and 57% higher rates respectively than those who do not. 
• Youth who participate in Step Up internships enroll in college at rates that are 50% higher than their peers who do not.
• 78% of Step Up youth participants say their internships helped them prepare for success in the workplace.

Thanks in advance for your generous support, which helps ensure that ALL students have full access to the support, resources and connections they need to attain purposeful, life-sustaining careers and financial independence!