The Posse Foundation is a
nonprofit organization that partners with select colleges and universities in the United States to provide student scholarships and leadership training. The organization is centered on a cohort-based model that admits students to attend college as part of a "Posse" of 10 peers.
History
Posse was founded in 1989, first partnering with
Vanderbilt University. After initially recruiting students solely from
New York City, the program has expanded to serve students from more than 20 U.S. cities.[1][2]
In 2021, Posse announced the launch of the Posse Arts Program, a new initiative committed to supporting cohorts of students in the creative arts, conceived in collaboration with
Lin-Manuel Miranda,
Luis A. Miranda Jr. and the Miranda Family Fund.[7]
Posse connects a network of more than 10,000 scholars and alumni.[8][9]
In 2013,
Google awarded Posse a Global Impact Award with a $1.2 million grant to launch the organization's Posse Veterans Program, an initiative to support post-9/11 U.S. veterans in higher education and beyond.[12]
In June 2020,
Netflix selected Posse for a $350,000 grant, part of the media company's commitment to donate $5 million to organizations creating opportunities for Black creators, Black youth, and Black-owned businesses.[13]
In December 2020, Posse received a $10 million gift from writer and philanthropist
MacKenzie Scott.[14]
The Posse Foundation frequently loses its status after being established due to an inability to recruit veterans.[15]