‍Getting Ahead is more than a curriculum, it is a comprehensive pathway to stability and upward mobility. Through our Getting Ahead Program, Bridges to Prosperity Northern Illinois equips under-resourced neighbors with the tools, relationships, and strategies needed to build stability, strengthen financial well-being, and move toward long-term self-sufficiency.

‍For communities and organizations seeking meaningful poverty reduction solutions, Bridges to Prosperity serves as a trusted implementation partner, providing far more than curriculum delivery. Our comprehensive program model includes facilitator training and certification support, ongoing coaching and fidelity guidance, post-graduation engagement through our Staying Ahead alumni support program, proprietary systems for tracking participant and organizational outcomes, and strategic assistance in identifying sustainable funding mechanisms to offset program costs.

Together, these components create a scalable, measurable, and community-centered framework that helps organizations build sustainable cohorts and produce lasting impact for individuals, families, and communities. Bridges to Prosperity Northern Illinois implementation and program support includes: ‍

Curriculum Implementation
Based on your organization’s unique needs and timeframe to host Getting Ahead classes, we create a customized syllabus to ensure the fidelity of the curriculum.

Participant Screening
If needed, we are able to provide assistance in screening potential class participants.

Program Promotion
If needed, we can provide brochures, flyers and other materials to help your organization promote the class to potential participants.

Funding Support
In most cases we are able to provide support to identify funding sources to support the program.

Facilitator Training, Coaching & Ongoing Support
We provide the training of facilitators as well as ongoing coaching and support including a Community of Practice of those serving as facilitators across the community which meets annually. A bi-monthly newsletter is also provided to facilitators as well as a dedicated page of facilitator resources on our website.

Staying Ahead Network
A network of available programs, services and resources which provides graduates with info they need to continue their journey to self-sufficiency.

Cohort Results Report
A results report is provided to at the conclusion of the classes to the host organization to understand the participant profile and outcomes achieved.

Participant Results Report
A results report is provided to each participant to understand the outcomes they have achieved, as well as goals to work toward.

Organizations that we have partnered with to implement Getting Ahead Classes include: Bergstrom, City of Rockford Community Action Agency & Head Start, Goodwill Excel Center, Jackson Charter School, Life Church, Life Decisions, Rockford Housing Authority, Saint John’s Church, Winnebago County Housing Authority, YMCA Rock River Valley.

To learn more about the program, please contact our Getting Ahead Coordinator, Jinny Swedberg, by email at: JinnyS@BridgesNorthernIL.com. You can also find additional information on our website at: www.BridgesNorthernIIL.com.