Future Ready Bexar County: A Year of Partnership, Progress and Possibility  

Future Ready Bexar County: A Year of Partnership, Progress and Possibility  

 

When Dr. Cathy Jones joined UP Partnership as Chief Executive Officer in July 2025, she stepped into an organization with a clear purpose: helping Bexar County transform a bold vision for young people into measurable, community-wide action.  

Improving outcomes for young people requires more than great individual programs; it requires schools, nonprofits, employers, higher education, philanthropy, and government working together toward a common purpose. That’s the idea behind the Future Ready Bexar County Plan, a countywide initiative that brings together more than 100 partner organizations. Guided by four focus areas — Healing, Access, Voice, and Systems Support — Future Ready transforms a shared vision into a shared way of working, recognizing that every young person’s success is shaped by the relationships, opportunities, and systems around them.   

Together, these organizations are working toward the Future Ready Bexar County North Star goal of increasing the percentage of Bexar County high school graduates who enroll in a postsecondary degree or credential program to 70% by 2030. 

UP Partnership serves as the backbone organization for Future Ready Bexar County. Rather than replacing the important direct service work of schools or community organizations, it helps connect partners, coordinate efforts, measure progress, and strengthen accountability so that individual contributions lead to lasting, community-wide results.  

Over the past year, that shared way of working produced measurable results across Bexar County. Regional outcomes also improved, with College, Career, and Military Readiness increasing to 71% and dual credit completion rising 3% over the previous year. Since the 2022–23 baseline year, TSI Reading has improved 6% and TSI Math has increased 11%. 

Future Ready also expanded opportunities for young people to shape the systems that affect their lives, engaging 20 young leaders in leadership development, supporting 16 civic engagement opportunities, engaging in 12 policy advocacy actions, and helping register more than 100 young people to vote. 

These milestones—alongside expanded college and career advising, stronger youth-serving organizations, new national investments, and better alignment of public resources—demonstrate how Future Ready is turning a shared way of working into measurable systems change that improves outcomes for young people. 

Aligning an Ecosystem Around Shared Accountability 

One of the most significant milestones of the past year wasn’t the launch of a new program; it was strengthening the framework that helps partners work together toward shared outcomes. 

Designed to strengthen accountability across the Future Ready network, the Institutional Agreement process invited partners to identify the specific strategies within the Future Ready Bexar County Plan that their work advances, select shared Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), establish baseline data, and commit to measurable outcomes through 2028. By creating a common framework for measuring progress, the process helps partners see how their individual contributions connect to a larger, countywide effort to improve outcomes for young people. 

Throughout the process, UP Partnership staff served as partner coaches, helping organizations align their priorities with the Future Ready Plan while identifying opportunities for deeper collaboration, shared learning, and coordinated action. 

The Institutional Agreements also laid the foundation for the Future Ready Ecosystem Map, an interactive tool that illustrates how organizations across Bexar County are connected through shared strategies and action commitments. More than a directory of participating organizations, the map helps partners, funders, policymakers, and community members better understand who is contributing to Future Ready, how organizations are aligned around the plan, and where opportunities exist to strengthen collaboration and collective impact. By making those connections visible, the Ecosystem Map reinforces that improving outcomes for young people is a shared responsibility, one that depends on coordinated action across the entire community. 

Building a Countywide Advising Ecosystem Through Advise Me 210 

For a middle school student, preparing for life after high school can feel a long way off. Yet the decisions students make as early as sixth grade, from choosing courses and exploring career interests to preparing for college entrance requirements, can shape the opportunities available to them years later. Just as important, students and families need access to trusted guidance that helps them understand those decisions and navigate them with confidence. 

That’s the vision behind Advise Me 210. 

Over the past year, Future Ready Bexar County continued to strengthen a coordinated advising ecosystem designed to ensure students receive consistent, high-quality guidance no matter where they seek it. Rather than creating another standalone advising program, Advise Me 210 is helping transform advising into a countywide system of support. 

Over the past year, that work included: 

  • Redesigning the Advise Me 210 Guide for middle school students in grades 6–8, giving schools and youth-serving organizations greater flexibility to deliver advising through classroom instruction, small-group discussions, or one-on-one conversations. 
  • Launching the 2026 Advising Pilots, which expanded personalized advising and family engagement across participating school districts and community organizations. Led by five institutions across Bexar County, the pilots reached nearly 1,900 students through locally designed advising strategies tailored to their communities’ needs. In East Central ISD alone, advisors conducted more than 860 advising sessions, and 98% of participating seniors completed a college application, demonstrating the impact coordinated advising can have on students’ postsecondary success.  
  • Beyond the Advising Pilots, Advise Me 210 and the region’s broader advising ecosystem facilitated more than 700 advising sessions through collaborative efforts among advising partners and communities of practice. 
  • Using lessons from the pilot to continue refining Advise Me 210 as a scalable, countywide advising ecosystem that can continue to grow with community needs. 

Future Ready partners also collaborated through the Advise Me 210 Policy Taskforce, bringing together K–12, higher education, and community leaders to identify policy recommendations that strengthen postsecondary readiness across the region.  

To further strengthen coordinated support, advising information from Advise Me 210 sessions was integrated into the Future Ready Alert System (FRAS) Individual Dashboard, a secure tool available to participating advising partners through the pilot. Supporting 11,254 students across 32 campuses and 9 youth development organizations, the dashboard brings together attendance, behavior, grades, and advising history in one place, helping partners identify student needs earlier, coordinate support more effectively, and ensure young people receive the guidance they need at the right time. 

These efforts culminated in the launch of AdviseMe210.org, a centralized resource designed to help students, families, educators, and advisors navigate every stage of the postsecondary journey. The website brings together videos, planning tools, and community resources into one easy-to-access platform, making it easier for young people to explore college, career, and military pathways while connecting them with the support available throughout Bexar County. 

This work has also been strengthened by philanthropy aligning its investments with the Future Ready Bexar County Plan. As an Anchor Partner, the San Antonio Area Foundation committed $25 million to advance Future Ready priorities, including advising, recognizing that lasting change requires coordinated investment—not just individual programs—to create greater impact for young people across Bexar County. 

This work advances Future Ready Access Strategy 3a: Build a Community of College and Career Advising and Strategy 3b: Expand Best Practices in College Access. By creating a more coordinated approach to advising, Future Ready partners are helping ensure that students receive consistent information and support regardless of where they attend school or where they seek guidance. 

By aligning partners, tools, data, and resources around a common approach to advising, Future Ready Bexar County is making it easier for students and families to navigate important decisions with confidence. More than a collection of advising resources, Advise Me 210 represents a coordinated ecosystem of support designed to help more young people successfully pursue the postsecondary pathway that best reflects their goals, strengths, and aspirations. 

Connecting Education to Workforce Opportunity 

Future Ready Bexar County recognizes that there is no single path to success after high school. While some students choose a four-year university, others pursue community college, technical education, industry-recognized credentials, apprenticeships, military service, or direct entry into the workforce. What matters is that every young person has access to a pathway that prepares them for long-term success. 

Helping students navigate those pathways requires more than strong advising; it also requires a clear understanding of where future opportunities exist. That understanding inspired the launch of the Bexar County Workforce Needs Assessment, a collaborative effort designed to strengthen the connection between education and workforce development across the region. 

Led by UP Partnership in collaboration with greater:SATX, Alamo Colleges District, school districts, employers, workforce leaders, and community partners, the assessment provides a shared understanding of the industries, occupations, and skills that will shape Bexar County’s future. Rather than asking education and workforce systems to operate independently, the initiative creates a common foundation for planning, helping partners better align education pathways with regional workforce demand. 

The assessment is intended to serve as more than a snapshot of today’s labor market. It provides community leaders with the information needed to make more strategic decisions about where investments, partnerships, and educational opportunities can have the greatest impact. By identifying emerging workforce trends and aligning them with student pathways, the region is better positioned to prepare young people for success in high-demand, high-wage careers. 

This work advances Future Ready Access Strategy 3b: Expand Best Practices in College Access by strengthening the connection between postsecondary pathways and career opportunities. Whether students pursue a college degree, an industry-recognized credential, technical training, military service, or another postsecondary pathway, the Workforce Needs Assessment helps ensure those options are informed by regional workforce demand and connected to meaningful career opportunities. 

Accelerating Opportunity for Boys and Young Men of Color 

Strong partnerships don’t just create local impact; they also create opportunities to attract new resources, strengthen collaboration, and accelerate change. 

This year, Bexar County was selected by the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBK Alliance) as one of its newest Accelerator Communities, recognizing the region’s collaborative commitment to improving outcomes for Boys and Young Men of Color. The designation reflects years of work by school districts, higher education institutions, community organizations, employers, philanthropy, and youth leaders working together through Future Ready Bexar County to expand opportunity, foster belonging, and remove barriers to future success. That work has already produced measurable results, including training more than 120 educators across 12 campuses to strengthen restorative practices, increasing the use of relationship-centered and peer-led restorative approaches while contributing to declines in student suspensions. 

As the backbone organization for My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio (MBKSA), UP Partnership works alongside partners including Edgewood ISD, Harlandale ISD, San Antonio ISD, Southwest ISD, Alamo Colleges District, greater:SATX, United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, the San Antonio Area Foundation, and numerous community organizations to align strategies, share accountability, and improve outcomes for Boys and Young Men of Color. Together, these partners are strengthening advising, expanding postsecondary pathways, increasing access to work-based learning opportunities, and creating environments where young people are supported to thrive academically, personally, and professionally. 

Selection as an Accelerator Community also brought a $200,000 implementation investment from the MBK Alliance to help advance locally identified priorities. Rather than prescribing a single solution, the investment builds the work already taking place across Bexar County, providing additional resources to deepen collaboration, strengthen regional capacity, and accelerate progress toward shared goals. Additional support from the Enterprise Mobility Foundation’s ROAD Forward initiative further reinforced national confidence in the collaborative work underway across the region. 

This work advances both Future Ready Healing Strategy 2a and Access Strategy 3b by strengthening the relationships, opportunities, and systems that support Boys and Young Men of Color as they prepare for life after high school. At its core, the initiative is ensuring that every young person has access to the relationships, resources, and opportunities they need to reach their full potential. 

Strengthening the  Organizations and Investments Behind Student Success  

 Helping more young people succeed requires more than expanding opportunities, it requires strengthening the organizations, partnerships, and investments that make those opportunities possible. Over the past year, Future Ready Bexar County continued building a stronger support system for young people by investing in organizational capacity, aligning philanthropic resources, and coordinating public investments that support children and youth across Bexar County. 

One of the year’s most significant investments in organizational capacity was the Catalyst Exchange Network Support Pilot (NSP), a national initiative that equips organizations across education and the social sector with the expertise, tools, and hands-on support needed to strengthen their long-term impact. Through a six-month co-investment, ten Future Ready Youth Development Organizations received $30,000 each from UP Partnership and Catalyst Exchange to pursue projects tailored to their unique needs. Together, participating organizations completed 12 organizational improvement projects focused on strategic planning, financial sustainability, technology, leadership development, and other critical areas that strengthen long-term effectiveness. Every participating organization achieved its project goals. 

Future Ready’s commitment to organizational capacity extended beyond Catalyst Exchange investment. Through New Opportunities and Horizons, the San Antonio Area Foundation invested in organizational assessments, strategic coaching, implementation support, flexible funding, and leadership development for 16 organizations, strengthening the infrastructure needed to better serve young people and families. United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County further advanced Future Ready priorities by investing nearly $6 million in organizations supporting math, reading, absenteeism, TSIA readiness, and opportunity youth. Together, these investments demonstrate how Future Ready partners are aligning resources to strengthen the organizations that make student success possible. 

Future Ready also invested in helping organizations strengthen how they use data to inform decisions and demonstrate impact. In partnership with UT San Antonio, Future Ready launched the UTSA Data Capacity Building Cohort, providing youth-serving organizations with hands-on learning, technical assistance, and peer collaboration to strengthen data collection, analysis, and evaluation practices. Beyond building technical skills, the cohort created a community of practice where organizations could share ideas, learn from one another, and improve how they measure and communicate their impact. 

While these efforts strengthened the capacity of individual organizations, UP Partnership also developed a Public Investment Tracker, which provides a shared view of city, county, state, and federal investments supporting children and youth across Bexar County, helping partners identify funding gaps, strengthen accountability, and align future investments with the Future Ready Bexar County Plan. By combining shared data with coordinated advocacy, Future Ready is helping ensure public resources are invested where they can have the greatest impact on young people. 

The Future Ready Public Investment Tracker found that partners helped unlock millions in public funding since 2023 toward Future Ready’s goal of aligning $333 million in investments that support young people, which is strategy 4a: Grow public investments in children and youth.  

Through intentional advocacy by Future Ready partners, the collaborative effort has helped unlock $49.1 million in public funding from the City of San Antonio and state funds since 2023.  Despite deficits in the City’s budget, those advocacy efforts also contributed to the Department of Human Services’ proposal to sustain delegate agency funding for FY2027—a decision that could preserve services provided by 55 nonprofit and youth-serving organizations, including 22 new agencies and 26 new programs. 

Together, these efforts demonstrate that improving outcomes for young people requires more than investing in individual programs. It requires strengthening the organizations that serve them, aligning public and philanthropic resources around shared priorities, and equipping partners with the tools, data, and relationships needed to work together. By building organizational capacity, coordinating investments, and supporting collaborative decision-making, Future Ready Bexar County is creating a stronger, more sustainable ecosystem where every young person has greater opportunities to succeed. 

Looking Ahead 

The accomplishments of the past year represent more than individual initiatives or organizational milestones. Together, they reflect a continued commitment to strengthening the Future Ready Bexar County ecosystem—aligning partners, expanding opportunities, investing in organizations, improving transparency, and building the systems needed to support young people at every stage of their journey. 

None of this work happens in isolation. It is made possible by school districts, higher education institutions, youth-serving organizations, employers, philanthropy, government agencies, and countless community partners who have chosen to work toward a shared vision for Bexar County’s future. Their collaboration demonstrates that lasting change is not the result of any one organization, but of a community willing to align around common goals and shared accountability. 

The Future Ready Bexar County Plan set an ambitious North Star: increasing postsecondary enrollment among Bexar County high school graduates to 70 percent by 2030. Achieving that goal will require continued collaboration, innovation, and investment. More importantly, it will require a community that believes every young person deserves the opportunity to build a future that reflects their goals, strengths, and aspirations. 

The first year of Dr. Jones’ leadership has been defined not by changing the direction of Future Ready Bexar County, but by building strategically on its momentum—strengthening the partnerships, systems, and shared accountability that make collective impact possible. As that momentum continues to grow, so does the opportunity to ensure that every child and young person in Bexar County is future ready.

 

My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio Selected for an Obama Foundation Communities Program 

My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio Selected for an Obama Foundation Communities Program

Designation recognizes San Antonio’s collaborative efforts to increase postsecondary success for Black and Latino young men.

San Antonio, TX (June 18, 2026) — My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) San Antonio has been selected as one of five communities nationwide to participate in the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Accelerator Communities.

The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBK), a program of the Obama Foundation, leads a national call to action to build safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color. The Alliance works with local leaders and cross-sector partners to address opportunity gaps and improve life outcomes through community-driven strategies.

MBK Accelerator Communities represent a select group of MBK Certified Communities best positioned to achieve population-level impact on one of MBK’s six key milestones within the next three years. These milestones represent pivotal moments in the lives of boys and young men of color, which research proves to be predictive of long-term success. They include: entering school ready to learn, reading at grade level by third grade, graduating from high school, completing postsecondary education or training, securing employment for out-of-school youth, and ensuring youth remain safe from violent crimes.

MBK San Antonio, a collective impact network convened locally by nonprofit UP Partnership, was selected for its work advancing Milestone 4: Complete Postsecondary Education or Training, which focuses on ensuring young people have access to the education and training needed for quality jobs and long-term economic opportunity for boys and young men of color in Harlandale, Southwest, and San Antonio ISD. This designation recognizes the work already underway in San Antonio in alignment with the Future Ready Bexar County Plan, a community-wide initiative advancing college and career readiness through cross-sector collaboration among education, nonprofit, civic, and community stakeholders committed to improving outcomes for young people.

“We are honored to be recognized as an MBK Accelerator Community,” said John Jacobs, UP Partnership’s Director of K12 and Justice. “This designation reflects the dedication of partners across San Antonio who are working together to expand opportunity and improve outcomes for boys and young men of color. Through this partnership with the MBK Alliance, we will continue strengthening pathways to postsecondary education and training in school districts that have put in the work for years to ensure that boys and young men of color have the support they need through restorative practices.”

“Completing postsecondary education or training is a key milestone to ensure that our young people are on a trajectory for a prosperous future,” says MacArthur Antigua, Director, Community and Network Impact, MBK Alliance. He continues, “MBK San Antonio has shown great promise in facilitating an ecosystem where students can achieve that before they cross the stage to receive their high school diploma. By selecting them for the Accelerator cohort, we are not only confident in their ability to scaling up that success, so more of Bexar County’s young men of color can achieve that milestone but also codifying their strategies and best practices to inform the rest of our network who are also pursuing that milestone.”

As an MBK Accelerator Community, MBK San Antonio will receive MBK Alliance coaching, funding, evaluation support, and peer-to-peer learning to deepen partnerships, expand effective strategies, and track progress toward population-level impact.

As the nation marks the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, a landmark dedicated to inspiring civic engagement, leadership, and community-driven change, and prepares to celebrate Juneteenth, a day that commemorates freedom and the ongoing pursuit of opportunity for all, this designation serves as a reminder that meaningful progress is built through sustained investment in young people and communities. The selection of MBK San Antonio recognizes local efforts to expand access to postsecondary education and training and reflects a broader commitment to helping boys and young men of color achieve long-term success and economic mobility.

Over the next three years, MBK San Antonio will leverage the resources and national network of the MBK Alliance to continue expanding opportunities and building brighter futures for boys and young men of color in the region.

About My Brother’s Keeper Alliance:

The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance is a program of the Obama Foundation that leads a cross-sector national call to action focused on building safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color. The initiative works to mobilize communities across the country to address opportunity gaps and improve life outcomes through collaborative action.

About My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio:

My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio is a cross-sector initiative led by UP Partnership as part of its broader effort to align systems and improve outcomes for young people across Bexar County. Through partnerships with school districts, community organizations, and civic leaders, MBK San Antonio focuses on expanding opportunity and strengthening pathways to postsecondary education and training for boys and young men of color.

More about UP Partnership:

Founded in 2009, UP Partnership’s mission is to ensure all young people in Bexar County are ready for the future. We are a San Antonio-based nonprofit social impact organization that coordinates data, aligns pathways and promotes policy change that can help to unlock the full potential of young people ages 0-24 years in our region. Learn more about UP and the Future Ready Bexar County Plan – a strategic plan to guide shared action, language, goals, metrics, and practices that drive progress – at uppartnership.org.

UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship Applications Now Open for 2026–2027

UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship Applications Now Open

for 2026–2027  

 

Are you ready to make your voice heard and create change in your community? Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship, a paid leadership and civic engagement opportunity for young people across Bexar County.

The UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship is designed for young people ages 16–24 who want to better understand how decisions are made and how to influence them. You do not need prior experience in leadership, policy, or advocacy. You just need curiosity, commitment, and a desire to make things better for yourself and your community.

What is the UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship?

The UP Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship is a nine-month, paid fellowship running from September 2026 through May 2027. Fellows will explore how systems such as education, local government, and public policy impact young people and communities while building the skills needed to advocate for change.

Through hands-on learning, mentorship, group discussions, and real-world experiences, fellows will:

  • Build confidence as civic leaders
    Learn how to speak up about issues that matter to them
    Understand how decisions are made  and how to influence them
    Connect with other young people passionate about making a difference

This program is especially intended for young people who have experienced barriers in education, access, or opportunity and want to help create solutions for their communities.

Fellowship Commitment

Fellows should expect to commit approximately 5–8 hours per month, including:

  • One virtual Tuesday meeting each month (1 hour)
    One in-person Saturday meeting each month (4 hours)
    Optional community events, civic meetings, and youth-led activities throughout the fellowship

Why Apply?

Training, Mentorship & Experiential Learning

Gain practical skills in leadership, civic engagement, advocacy, and policy, no prior experience required.

$2,500 Fellowship Stipend

All fellows will receive a $2,500 stipend to support participation in the program. 

Amplify Your Voice

Share your experiences and perspectives while helping shape conversations and decisions that impact young people and communities across Bexar County.

Continue Your Leadership Journey

Build relationships, strengthen your leadership skills, and gain experiences that can support your future educational, professional, and civic goals.

Who Should Apply?

We encourage applications from young people ages 16–24 who live, work, or attend school in Bexar County, especially those who:

  • Feel decisions are often made without youth voices at the table
    Care about issues impacting their schools or communities
    Want to better understand how change happens
    Have not always had access to leadership or civic opportunities

You do not need to have all the answers, just a willingness to learn, participate, and grow.

Important Dates

  • Application Deadline: July 31, 2026
    Interviews & Selection: August 10–19, 2026
    Fellows Announced: August 21, 2026
    Orientation & Kickoff Celebration: August 27, 2026
    Programming Timeline: September 2026 – May 2027

Apply Today!

This is more than a fellowship, it is an opportunity to grow as a leader, connect with peers, and help shape the future of Bexar County.

Apply Here: bit.ly/UPLeadersApp2026

Applications are due Friday, July 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT.

Questions?

For questions about the fellowship or application process, contact Andrea Ramirez, Youth Leadership Manager, at andrea@uppartnership.org.

Powering Future Ready: Building Capacity for Impact

Powering Future Ready:
Building Capacity for Impact  

 

At UP Partnership, we know that improving outcomes for young people in San Antonio requires more than strong programs, it requires strong, sustainable organizations positioned to grow. That’s why our work focuses on strengthening both the quality of relationships young people experience and the capacity of the organizations that serve them. 

That’s why we’re proud to share the results of our co-investment in the Network Support Pilot (NSP), a national initiative led by Catalyst Exchange, a nonprofit that provides organizations across education and the social sector with the tools, expertise and hands-on support needed to drive transformational outcomes. 

Through this six-month pilot, 10 Future Ready Youth Development Organizations (YDOs) strengthened the systems behind their work by building clearer strategies, stronger infrastructure, and more sustainable revenue models. These organizations included Culturingua, Empower House, Healthy Futures of Texas, The Magik Theatre, Students of Service – San Antonio, Girls on the Run Bexar County, SA Youth, Sporti Transforming Lives, First Tee – Greater San Antonio and Youth Orchestras of San Antonio. 

Each organization received a $30,000 investment, co-invested by Catalyst Exchange and UP Partnership, to address their most pressing needs. In total, partners completed 12 capacity-building projects spanning strategic planning, finance, technology and leadership development, walking away with tangible tools and a clearer path forward. 

Through our Future Ready Bexar County strategies, we are scaling developmental relationships so more young people have access to consistent, meaningful connections with caring adults, which is an essential driver of long-term success. At the same time, we are building the capacity of YDOs to advance Future Ready Action Commitments, ensuring they have the infrastructure, strategy, and resources needed to deliver and expand high-impact work. 

The results speak for themselves—100% of organizations met their project goals, and 90% reported high satisfaction with their outcomes. 

This work reflects a core belief: when we invest in the strength and sustainability of organizations, we expand their ability to build meaningful relationships with young people and deliver lasting impact at scale. This pilot reaffirmed that when we invest in organizations serving young people, we invest in young people themselves, creating a stronger future together. 

Stronger Together: A New Era for Institutional Agreements

Stronger Together: A New Era for Institutional Agreements  

Future Ready Bexar County has always been powered by partnership.  

More than 120 organizations. One shared North Star: to increase postsecondary enrollment to 70% in Bexar County by 2030.  

Now we’re taking the next step, as we have done since the beginning; together through new Institutional Agreements that will be valid between 2026-2028.  

These Agreements are designed to move us from broad alignment to measurable, collective impact.  

Why This Shift?  

Because collective impact requires clarity.  

In the initial iteration of Future Ready, partners committed to powerful actions aligned to Voice, Healing, and Access.  

But we didn’t have a consistent way to measure our shared progress, nor did we have clear guidelines to provide Systems Support to ensure our collective success. 

With these new Institutional Agreements, each partner will set one to five measurable targets aligned to Future Ready KPIs or alternate metrics — targets that reflect the real contribution the organization will make by 2028, so that we can transparently keep each other accountable toward ensuring a bright future for our young people.  

This is not more work.  
It is more focused.  
It is intended to promote visibility and transparently show and measure our collective impact.  

What This Means: 

  • You choose targets aligned to work you’re already doing.  
  • We report progress twice a year.  
  • We build a clear picture of our collective momentum.  

When we can measure and show our impact, we:  

  • Strengthen collaboration across the network  
  • Identify where support is needed  
  • Make a stronger case for funding and policy change  
  • Demonstrate what’s possible for young people ages 0–24 

This Is Collective Impact in Action.  

These agreements aren’t about compliance.  

They’re about shared accountability. Shared ambition. Shared results.  

If we want to move the Future Ready North Star, we have to move together — with clarity about what each of us is contributing.  

We’re excited to take this step with you. And we’ve created a myriad of tools to support each organization’s ability to navigate this new process.  We are also offering several virtual information sessions you can register to attend an upcoming one here:  https://bit.ly/IAInfoSession2026  

Let’s measure what matters — and build a Future Ready Bexar County, together.   

For more guidance on how to complete your institutional agreement, you can read the following resources:

2026–2028 Institutional Agreement KPI Guidance Doc

Future Ready Partner Portal Guide

Restorative Practices Collaborative held its Principal Kickoff for the 2022-2023 school year

Restorative Practices Collaborative holds its Principal Kickoff for the 2022-2023 school year

On Sept. 1, 2022, the Restorative Practices Collaborative held its Principal Kickoff for the 2022-2023 school year at the San Antonio Area Foundation’s Wells Center located in historic Pearl. We brought together principals and community partners including Judson ISD’s Chief of Equity and Diversity Dr. Paula Johnson and Dawn Kulpa, Director of Restorative Practices for San Antonio Independent School District.

Through a check in process, partners came to consensus that they hope to change systems to scale restorative practices in both classrooms and the community to increase a sense of belonging, which will help foster better practices in the classrooms and decrease unfair disciplinary practices that disproportionately impact young men of color through their efforts in the Restorative Practices Collaborative.

There are two components of the Restorative Practices Collaborative, the first of those being community building, through partnerships with organizations like American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AITSCM) and Empower House. Both organizations practice and teach community partners about restorative practices such as peace circles and peace corners and how to incorporate these best practices into their own organizations, including many campuses from the previously mentioned school districts.

Those campuses that have this knowledge can help further build campus capacity in these restorative practices, Ramon J. Vasquez, Jr., said, particularly within other schools in the participating school districts.

A major obstacle the Restorative Practices Collaborative sees is that not all schools within a district carry out restorative practices, which can particularly be challenging for students that are in participating alternative schools who gain some skills to help with the transition back to a home school, but may not necessarily be enough to ensure their success, Vasquez added in a conversation during the event on trying to engage entire school districts, rather than on an individual campus basis.

The second component is collaborative improvement which is led by the work that we do at UP Partnership as the collective’s backbone organization, which includes making space for these organizations to meet and further collaborate and holding partners accountable to the community framework laid out in the Future Ready Bexar County Plan. Through that plan, there is a keen focus on the equity pillars of healing, voice and access—the must HAVEs for equity amongst Bexar County’s young people. Falling under the equity pillar of HEALING— Young people will be future ready when they all have the developmental relationships and healing they need— is the vital work of the Restorative Practices Collaborative.

Overall, this work feeds into the Future Ready North Star goal of increasing the percentage of Bexar County High School graduates enrolling in postsecondary degree or credential programs to 70% by 2030 (currently, this number sits at around 50%).

If your organization is ready to join the Future Ready movement or the Equitable Enrollment Collaborative, please contact admin@uppartnership.org to find out more information on how you can become a Future Ready partner or donate to the work here.

You can also follow our progress by signing up for our newsletter and following us on social media.

UP Partnership executive chosen to be part of national leadership class by The Allstate Foundation

UP Partnership executive chosen to be part of national leadership class by The Allstate Foundation

UP’s Chief Impact and Strategy Officer, Dr. Emily Calderón Galdeano, is one of 35 leaders accepted nationally

UP Partnership’s Chief Impact and Strategy Officer, Emily Calderón Galdeano, Ed.D., will be a part of The Allstate Foundation’s Nonprofit Leadership Center Executive Leadership Program’s Class of 2023, a national leadership program aimed toward augmenting the skills of nonprofit leaders to further transform their organizations, their communities and the nonprofit sector.

Dr. Calderón Galdeano is one of the 35 leaders nationally selected to be a part of the highly selective program’s 2023 class. Leaders chosen represent a variety of nonprofit sectors roles, locations, experiences and perspectives. Dr. Calderón Galdeano is one of two nonprofit leaders from Texas that was chosen for the class.

Launched in 2014, the Executive Leadership Program is administered in partnership with the Northwestern University’s Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management. Through the program, academic practitioners provide in-person training to thought-leaders through classroom training, executive coaching and peer-to-peer training. Program participants build leadership skills including personal leadership, organizational leadership and nonprofit management.

In addition, the cohort will discuss different topics such as developing high-performing teams, negotiating for mutually beneficial outcomes, guiding difficult conversations and understanding a nonprofit’s financial position.

“I look forward to bringing back ways to further transform our community as we work toward our Future Ready Bexar County Plan’s collective North Star goal,” Dr. Calderón Galdeano, said. Through the Future Ready Bexar County Plan, launched in April 2022, UP Partnership is working with a collection of partners, across varying sectors, in a collaborative effort to increase the percentage of Bexar County High School graduates enrolling in postsecondary degree or credential programs to 70% by 2030.

Annual Collaborative Social convenes partners from My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio and Diplomás networks to celebrate progress made in increasing equitable outcomes for students of color

Annual Collaborative Social convenes partners from My Brother's Keeper San Antonio and Diplomás networks to celebrate progress made in increasing equitable outcomes for students of color

In April, we launched the Future Ready Bexar County Plan which includes the collective North Star of increasing the percentage of Bexar County High School graduates enrolling in a postsecondary degree or credential program to 70% by 2030. Currently, this number sits at around 50% in Bexar County.

The plan centers around three equity pillars — healing, access and voice — the must HAVEs for equity amongst Bexar County’s young people.

Specifically, institutions will assess and develop a strategic framework to align and improve goals, partnerships and strategies for postsecondary success with a focus on young people of color. Institutions have also agreed to revamp fund initiatives and policies to close disparities for students of color, track real time application and financial aid data to monitor current strategies and build a data infrastructure between secondary and postsecondary institutions for more efficient data sharing.

Rooted in the Future Ready Bexar County equity pillars of access and healing, the Equitable Enrollment and the Restorative Practices Collaboratives, two collaboratives that incorporate partners from My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio (MBKSA) and Diplomás, respectively focus on ensuring the uptake of enrollment and students of color — especially young men of color and Dreamers—and instilling restorative practices such as peace circles and peace rooms to help diminish the school-to-prison pipeline in Bexar County.

On Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, we convened partners from these collaboratives for the annual Collaborative Social at Weathered Souls Brewing Co. where they were able to mingle, enjoy some great food and drinks, and learn more about My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio, Diplomás, and each other. We also honored our network chairs with a certificate of appreciation and a unique glass art piece from Garcia Art Glass.

UP Partnership extends its gratitude once again to those chairs: Rebecca Alejos-Sharadin, Dr. Edwin Barea-Rodriguez, Melissa Flores-Valencia, Dr. Abel Gonzales, John Martin, Kimberly Nanez, Elizabeth Ozuna, and Ramon D. Vasquez for their hard work and dedication in leading MBKSA and Diplomás work groups. We enjoyed sharing space and breaking bread with our community.

If your organization is ready to join the Future Ready movement or the Equitable Enrollment Collaborative, please contact admin@uppartnership.org to find out more information on how you can become a Future Ready partner or donate to the work here.

You can also follow our progress by signing up for our newsletter and following us on social media.

Diplomás network has tangible impact on Latinx students in Bexar County

Diplomás network has tangible impact on Latinx students in Bexar County

Today we kickoff Hispanic Heritage Month—a month to appreciate and celebrate the culture, history and diversity of Latinx communities. Introduced in June 1968 by Congressman George E. Brown, the celebration was originally only one week long. It was extended to the now 30-day celebration by President Ronald Reagan and was formally adopted into law on Aug. 17, 1988.

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 every year. While the Sept. 15 start day may seem odd, it is important and relevant considering Sept. 15 is the day of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, followed by Mexico’s independence day on Sept. 16 and Chile’s independence day on Sept. 18. The month ends three days after Día de la Raza (“Race Day”), held Oct. 12, a prominent holiday celebration in many Latin countries that honors the rich history and culture of a pre-colonized America. 

As we begin this month of celebration of the Hispanic culture, we would be remiss to acknowledge the difficulties and disparities that continue to impact our Latinx communities.

At UP Partnership, our network, Diplomás, is a collective impact effort that unites 23 cross-sector partners to increase the college attainment and quality of life of San Antonio’s Latinx youth. 

Diplomás’s core beliefs center around economic viability as it ties to the success of Latinx students, college access for everyone and shared responsibility between community partners in student success. Therefore, at UP Partnership, we  focus on creating alignment between community partners, streamlining college admissions resources and supporting Dreamers in getting into, and completing, college. 

Providing ACCESS to postsecondary opportunity is the foundation of Diplomás, and is one of the three equity pillars, along with HEALING and VOICE, that our recently  launched Future Ready Bexar County Plan is rooted in. Those equity pillars have been identified as the must HAVES for equity amongst Bexar County’s young people.  As we work toward our collective North Star goal, to increase the percentage of Bexar County High School graduates enrolling in postsecondary degree or credential programs to 70% by 2030, the work that Diplomás does is integral to reaching our goal. This work will take every member of our community, working together, to ensure the success of young people through the Future Ready Plan.

If your organization is ready to join in on the Future Ready movement, please contact admin@uppartnership.org to find out more information on how you can become a Future Ready partner or donate to the work here.

You can also follow our progress by signing up for our newsletter and following us on social media.

Walking with a Future Ready Coach

Walking with a Future Ready Leadership Coach

UP Partnership's CEO discusses the benefits of coaching sessions to support organizations with Future Ready action commitments

There is a large, framed photograph in my family’s home that I absolutely love. It was taken years ago by a friend of mine while walking through a forest. The picture shows sunlight arriving at the forest’s edge, breaking through a thick collection of trees.

When looking at the photo, you can see yourself as the walker, as someone who pressed on even when light was hard to find, knowing it would appear again if only you kept advancing.

Similarly, leadership, almost by definition, requires walking into the unknown. To discover new possibilities, all leaders must enter the forest. They must leave behind the safety of the meadow, stepping beyond comfort zones to emerge on new ground.

At its core, coaching gives leaders someone to walk besides them to stay on course, especially when the woods grow increasingly dense.

However, it is key to not get stuck in the darkness.

This is why UP Partnership has trained several leaders in our organization as leadership coaches and started to provide coaching supports to our partners. It is also why we are offering coaching to institutions that have signed onto the Future Ready Bexar County plan, partners who are working together to make sure all young people are ready for the future. This offering is for executives, senior leaders and/or leadership teams.

UP Partnership is offering three free sessions per organization to support your organization with your Future Ready action commitments. Your designated leader or team could begin either this Fall or in the Spring. Sessions will focus on: individual leadership growth, strengthening team relationships, working together across departments, strategic planning, operational planning and/or organizational development. If this offering would be helpful, fill out this form to express your interest. Importantly, we will continue to offer coaching for youth development professionals through Excel Academy, which helps them to strengthen their program quality.

By creating space for intentional reflection, coaching helps leaders to navigate the unknown conditions around them as well as the many unknowns within themselves. It can help you to spot pitfalls, recognize patterns, understand biases, and integrate relevant feedback. Without this awareness, these are all forces that can keep you walking in circles for years.

At its core, coaching gives leaders someone to walk besides them to stay on course, especially when the woods grow increasingly dense. A great coach is a partner that helps leaders to step towards the forest’s edge; provoking new awareness until the light starts to shine through.

— Ryan Lugalia-Hollon, Ph.D.
CEO of UP Partnership