Americas Promise Alliance

America’s Promise Alliance is devoted to helping to create the conditions for success for all young people, including the millions currently being left behind. Our work is powered by our belief that all children are capable of learning and thriving, and that every individual, institution and sector shares the responsibility to help young people succeed.

We are the nation’s largest partnership of our kind, bringing together hundreds of national nonprofits, businesses, communities, educators and ordinary citizens behind the idea of making the promise of America accessible to all young people.

Far too many young people are growing up without the support they need to succeed in school and life. More than 20 percent of high school students do not graduate on time. Moreover, the most recent estimate is that 5.8 million young people between age 16 and 24 are neither in school nor employed. This lack of opportunity for young people is morally untenable, economically unsustainable, and fundamentally inconsistent with our values and aspirations as a nation. 

We frame our work around Five Promises that we believe must be made and kept to every young American – caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, an effective education, and opportunities to serve. With the supportive environment of these promises at work for young Americans, we believe we can reach a more tangible goal: a 90 percent graduation rate by 2020. Our GradNation campaign is focused on putting this critical milestone – and therefore a shot at the American Dream – within reach for young Americans. 

At our founding in 1997, we set forth Five Promises that create the essential conditions for all young people to have a real chance of success. Research shows that young people who experience at least four of the promises are far more likely to succeed academically, socially, economically and civically. That’s why, our Alliance works to keep the Five Promises to as many young people as possible.