On December 8th, 2008, The Gates Foundation announced a new initiative focused on helping low-income colleges students complete their studies. The focus is on getting youth to and through college. In addition to the student funding, Gates has also granted MDRC to serve as an evaluator of the Performance-Based Scholarship Demonstration initially piloted in Louisiana. Read more at: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/press-releases/Pages/low-income-postsecondary-degree-081209.aspx