Founded in 1999, Capital IDEA offers financial support to adults pursuing higher education. Our mission is to lift working adults out of poverty and into living wage careers through education. Capital IDEA accomplishes this by connecting with local employers and supporting adults in targeted, career oriented fields. We aim to help our participants overcome common barriers that prevent low-income adults from entering skilled occupations. The inability to pay for the necessary education is only one barrier. Other common barriers include a lack of familiarity with college and financial aid systems, and being academically unprepared for college level courses. Our ultimate goal for our participants is employment.