Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce

As a part of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s economic development strategy, several programs are focused on improving post-secondary degree and credential attainment. These programs include: Detroit Drives Degrees, the Detroit Promise, and the Detroit College Access Network. The Youth Policy Lab serves as the strategic data partner to the Chamber, analyzing data for their State of Education and Talent annual report and supporting their vision of improving the talent pipeline in southeast Michigan region by increasing postsecondary access and success.

Many Detroit-area students encounter significant barriers to completing a college degree, such as food insecurity, housing instability, and unexpected financial emergencies. In response, the Detroit Regional Chamber launched the Detroit Area Talent Fund (DATF) in 2023 to provide just-in-time emergency grants to students navigating time-sensitive financial challenges. The Youth Policy Lab is partnering with the Partnership for Education Equity and Research (Detroit PEER) at Wayne State University and Education Policy Initiative (EPI) at the University of Michigan to assess the implementation an...