UPchieve launches school grant award with Andrew Carnegie Foundation support

UPchieve is opening the Level Up Award, a new program that will give up to 10 schools $5,000 grants and a year of free 24/7 tutoring, SAT/ACT help and college prep. Nominations are open now through Nov. 8 for eligible middle and high schools in low-income communities.

Why it matters: - The Level Up Award could expand academic support for students in schools where families and districts often cannot pay for tutoring after school hours. - Each selected school gets free access to UPchieve’s tutoring and college-prep services, plus funding and internet support for students who need it most. - The program is backed by a $500,000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.

What happened: - UPchieve launched the Level Up Award to provide grant funding and free academic support to up to 10 schools. - The program is aimed at middle and high schools in low-income communities. - Eligible schools must be Title I schools or have at least 40% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. - Nominations are open now through Nov. 8, 2026, at upchieve.org/levelup.

The details: - Each selected school will receive a full UPchieve school partnership. - The package includes free, 24/7 tutoring in math, English, science and social studies. - The package also includes SAT/ACT tutoring and college prep. - Selected schools will receive a $5,000 grant to support academics. - Schools will also get Wi-Fi hotspots that provide free internet access for eligible students. - Teachers and students at eligible schools can nominate their schools. - Selected nominators will receive a $500 award. - Teachers get a DonorsChoose gift card for a classroom project. - Students get a micro-scholarship for academic goals. - UPchieve school partnerships include in-person student presentations, teacher training and incentive programs designed to drive usage. - UPchieve said a third-party randomized controlled trial by Mathematica found that more tutoring sessions improved students’ math test scores, confidence and motivation.

Between the lines: - The award targets a common gap in school support systems: access to consistent, on-demand help outside the classroom. - The Carnegie Foundation’s involvement signals philanthropic interest in tutoring as a lever for educational equity. - UPchieve is pairing funding with service adoption tactics, suggesting the program is designed to turn access into measurable student use.

What's next: - UPchieve will select up to 10 schools from the nomination pool after the Nov. 8 deadline. - Winning schools will begin receiving the grant and school partnership support as part of the inaugural cohort. - UPchieve may use the program to expand its footprint among high-needs schools and districts.

The bottom line: - UPchieve is using outside funding to make year-round tutoring and college guidance available at no cost to schools that may not otherwise afford it.