First Graduate Selected for Epic Foundation's Inaugural Donor Portfolio

San Francisco, CA, September 28, 2015 (Newswire.com) - First Graduate, a San Francisco-based college success program that helps students become the first in their families to graduate from college, has been selected as one of the 20 non-governmental organizations to be included in the Epic Foundation’s first global donor portfolio.

The Epic Foundation team reviewed 1,400 applications from across the world using a three-stage process that included in-depth analysis, interviews with management and field evaluations.

First Graduate is a great example of an innovative NGO, led by a competent, dynamic team and focusing on a great cause.

Nicola Crosta, Executive Vice-President, Epic Foundation

 “We have used our passion, our energy and one of the most advanced selection methodologies to review applications” said Nicola Crosta, Epic Foundation’s Executive Vice-President “and I am confident that the resulting 2015 Epic Portfolio includes some of the finest NGOs and social enterprise around the World”.

“First Graduate” he went on  “is a great example of an innovative NGO, led by a competent, dynamic team and focusing on a great cause”.

“We are thrilled and honored to have been selected by the Epic Foundation after such a rigorous selection process” said Thomas Ahn, Executive Director at First Graduate. “For us it represents validation of the work we are doing to help close the achievement gap in San Francisco public schools, and ensure that every student in our city has a fighting chance to go to college.

“Funding and exposure from being in the Epic Foundation portfolio also represents a unique opportunity for First Graduate to jump into our 5-year strategic growth plan with both feet. Our goal is to scale our program to serve 2,000 students by 2020 so that we can go beyond impacting individual students to fundamentally changing entire schools, neighborhoods, communities, and San Francisco”.

Over the next four months the Epic Foundation will travel the world to present the portfolio to its community of entrepreneurs, private banks, family offices, "voices" (e.g. entertainers and athletes), startups and corporate donors, through a "global roadshow" in order to attract large donations for the portfolio of organizations. Epic will distribute 100% of the funds it receives from donors to the portfolio of organizations.

“The 2015 Epic Portfolio will appeal to donors passionate about supporting organizations that are fighting inequalities faced by children and youth around the world,” said Epic Foundation Founder & CEO Alexandre Mars.

About First Graduate

Founded in 2001, First Graduate currently coaches 430 San Francisco-based students in middle school, high school and college with the academic tutoring, high school guidance, mentoring, career exploration, college counseling and support they need to become first generation college graduates. 100 percent of First Graduate’s high school seniors have enrolled in colleges and universities nationwide and four cohorts of students have successfully earned their college degrees and are either pursuing careers in their chosen fields or are enrolled in graduate school. Learn more at www.firstgraduate.org. Our Students. Our Future. #OurSanFrancisco.