At CrossPurpose, participants aren't called students or clients. They're called Leaders — a deliberate choice that signals the organization's philosophy from day one: the people walking through the door aren't problems to be solved. They're neighbors ready to do the work.
That philosophy is showing up in the numbers. Six months into its first year as a Boundless Opportunity Scholarship (BOS) grantee, CrossPurpose was approved for 95 scholarships at $1,000 each and has already awarded 123 — stretching its $100,000 BOS allocation by matching it with funding from Opportunity Now, the Colorado Pay It Forward Fund (COPIFF), the Prosperity Denver Fund, and additional competitive grants and awards from the State of Colorado. Of those 123 scholars, 68 are still active in the program and 30 have graduated, with CrossPurpose tracking an 80% retention rate – right in line with its BOS commitment. The organization carries a 100% historical employment rate.
What the Program Delivers
CrossPurpose runs a free, six-month career and community development program from locations in Denver, Arvada, Englewood, and Aurora. What makes it unusual is the breadth: Leaders choose from eleven career tracks spanning healthcare (CNA, dental assistant, medical billing, medical administrative assistant), skilled trades (construction pre-apprenticeship, HVAC, electrical), transportation (CDL), IT, bookkeeping, business development, culinary arts, and administrative services. Each track leads to an industry-recognized credential, and the program pairs certification training with personal development, career coaching, mock interviews, and resume workshops.
Leaders don't pick a track at random. Coaches and staff work closely with each Leader to identify the right pathway based on their background, experience, assessments, and strengths — a process grounded in the team's deep understanding of each person’s goals and capabilities.
Early data suggests the highest-demand tracks in the current BOS cohort are CNA, HVAC, electrical, and medical and administrative assistant pathways.
But the real differentiator is the wraparound support. Every participant receives a $200 monthly stipend to offset the costs of housing, transportation, and childcare — expenses that often derail working adults before they can finish a program. Leaders are also matched with volunteer "Allies" who meet weekly over shared meals to build the relational support networks that sustain long-term change.
"Poverty is multi-dimensional and requires a holistic approach,” says Brenda Pearson, Vice President of Development for CrossPurpose. “We complement technical training with a stipend, a dedicated volunteer partner, and personal development support to address the economic, relational, and spiritual dimensions of poverty. Without this full support, the roots of poverty can maintain their stronghold. But when we come alongside people and invest in all of these areas — that's when we see them experience lifelong transformation."
Why It Matters
Denver's workforce needs don't fit neatly into a single industry pipeline. Employers across healthcare, construction, transportation, and tech are all competing for the same pool of entry-level talent — and opportunity youth, young adults aged 16 to 24 who are neither in school nor employed, represent one of the largest untapped segments of that workforce.
CrossPurpose's model is designed for exactly this population. Rather than training everyone for the same career, it helps each Leader identify the pathway that fits their circumstances, interests, and earning potential. The result is a 100% historical employment rate, with graduates earning a median of $47,320 — well above the program's target and a transformative jump for individuals who entered the program unemployed or underemployed.
What makes the BOS partnership notable is how it catalyzed additional investment. The original investment of $100,000 didn't just fund scholarships — it inspired contributions from other grant partners. Combined with COPIFF funding and state contracts, that ecosystem of support is what allows CrossPurpose to offer every Leader a stipend, free childcare, career coaching, and credentialing at no cost.
For Leaders who walked in wondering whether something different was possible, CrossPurpose is proving that the answer depends less on the industry they choose and more on the system of support built around them.
This is the second in a series profiling the BOS grantees.
Read about The Master’s Apprentice here.
The 2025 Boundless Opportunity Scholarship was seeded by $1 million from the Daniels Fund and administered by FutureRise. In 2025, BOS supported 14 organizations across Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, awarding more than 525 scholarships to non-traditional students pursuing workforce credentials in high-demand fields.
Reminder: FutureRise is now accepting applications for Boundless Opportunity Scholarship funding. We are committing up to $2 million in grants to Colorado learning providers who are moving non-traditional students into credentials that lead to economic mobility.
Applications are due on Friday, March 27 by 5pm MT.
Get more details and access to the application here.
Questions? Reply to this newsletter, or reach out to us: [email protected].
WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
A Framework for Understanding Non-degree Programs: The American Council on Education and the team supporting the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education has released a four-part brief series examining the growing ecosystem of college nondegree programs — the certificates, micro-credentials, and short-term training programs that are central to how many providers serve learners. The series is organized around five domains: program structure, institutional providers, external partners, the policy environment, and how success is measured. Read the series here.
Outcomes Data: From Grief to Action In Washington Monthly, Michael Itzkowitz, founder and president of The HEA Group argues that higher education is moving through a “grief cycle” when it comes to post-graduation earnings data — from denial and anger to, finally, acceptance and action. The piece highlights institutions and systems that are already using wage outcomes to redesign programs and improve advising, including Colorado Mountain College, which Itzkowitz cites as actively aligning program offerings with regional labor market needs. CMC is also a BOS grantee — currently supporting 16 scholars pursuing credentials in nursing, paramedic, law enforcement, fire science, and dental hygiene across Colorado's mountain communities. The same outcomes infrastructure Itzkowitz describes at the national level — program-level wage data, transparent ROI, alignment with employer demand — is what Colorado has been building through initiatives similar to Colorado WORC through CEEMI and the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab at the University of Denver.
FROM THE FIELD
The Rise Report welcomes updates from our colleagues across Colorado. Think of this as your one-stop-shop for conference updates, new research + reports, job postings, and career moves.
Colorado Workforce Pell Status Webinar: Join a conversation with state leaders about Colorado’s preparedness to participate in the new federal Workforce Pell program. The webinar will be held on Monday, March 23 at 2pm MT and includes insights from colleagues in Governor Polis’ office and from the Colorado Department of Higher Education. We will record and distribute the webinar for those who are unable to join. Register here.
New Report: The Lumina Foundation’s FutureReady States Initiative examines how twelve states are working to strengthen their short-term credential ecosystems to expand access, employment, and economic mobility. Read the latest on lessons learned (so far!) from the team at HCM Strategists, which includes insights about Colorado.
The Colorado Business Roundtable (COBRT) will host its annual Future of Work Convening on May 19 from 1-4pm MT at Empower Field at Mile High. Reserve a ticket here.
Apprenticeships for America Summit on May 19-21 in Washington, DC. Register here.
Call for Proposals: CBExhange by C-BEN brings together leaders from higher education, K12, workforce, industry and policy to share practical strategies for advancing competency-based education, skills-based talent pathways, apprenticeship and credential innovation. Call for Proposals closes on March 31. CBExchange will be held from September 30-October 3 in Orlando, FL. More here.
WHAT'S NEXT
If you’re like me, you know March Madness is right around the corner and who can refuse an opportunity to engage in some friendly competition?
The team at Colorado Thrives is hosting a friendly bracket competition for colleagues across the Colorado education and workforce ecosystem. As Christine Heitz, CEO of Colorado Thrives reminded me, “...there’s no cost to buy in other than your pride.”
To join, complete the men’s and women’s bracket before the tournament tips off tomorrow, Thursday, March 19 at 10am MT.
Until next week,
Alison