Rising Scholars is committed to helping the California Community Colleges reach and welcome new students, and support them to success. The team works directly with students and the California Community Colleges to expand opportunities within prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities, and to build strong pathways from incarceration to the community college campus. This work includes supporting students through responsive student services and advising, peer mentor programs, and student-centered outreach and training for college faculty and staff.

The Rising Scholars Network, formerly part of the Opportunity Institute as the Corrections to College California program, is now housed at the Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Chancellor's Office, with philanthropic funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ballmer Group, Bank of America, ECMC Foundation and Michelson 20MM Foundation.