Ford Driving Dreams Grants

In 2020, LULAC and Ford Motor Company Fund celebrate their 10-year anniversary of partnering to support education through the Ford Driving Dreams Grants program.

LULAC and Ford Fund believe that education is the gateway to opportunity and strive to support programs that help Hispanic students achieve on-time graduation and provide a pathway to obtain a higher education.

Educational initiatives and investments, such as Ford Driving Dreams, have contributed to the declining high school dropout rates and increasing college enrollment rates among Hispanics. From 1996 to 2018, high school dropout rates decreased significantly from 34% to 10% respectively. During this time, the share of Hispanic high school graduates who enrolled in college increased form 32% in 1999 to 47% in 2016. While these improvements in educational attainment among Hispanic students are notable, high school dropout rates remain higher at 10% compared to their White (5%), Asian (3%), and Black (7%) counterparts.

Through this initiative, LULAC Councils and their educational partner organizations work in their local communities to achieve education equity across the United States. To date, the Ford Driving Dreams Grants Program has funded over 82 programs across 25 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, supported the education of more than 2,800 students, and served as a convener and facilitator of the growth of LULAC councils.

2020-2021 Ford Driving Dreams Grants Request for Proposals

Eight winning proposals will receive up to $5,000 each from Ford Fund to support the implementation of their proposed projects from January 2021 through August 2021. Through this initiative, Ford Fund and LULAC Institute, Inc. will support innovative top-notch programs that help stimulate STEAM academic achievement, high school completion, and promote college enrollment.