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Our History
From our beginnings as a small program supporting a handful of students navigate the path to college, Bottom Line has grown into a nationally recognized organization. Today, we proudly serve 7,000 students across Massachusetts, Chicago, New York City, Ohio, Detroit, and now Houston, providing the personalized support they need to get into college, graduate, and launch successful careers. Our evolution reflects our unwavering commitment to educational equity and our mission to transform communities by empowering the next generation of leaders.
2026
- We announced our expansion to Houston, Texas, marking the next phase of Bottom Line’s regional growth.
2025
- Bottom Line Ohio celebrated its inaugural College Access program graduates and launched their College Success program.
- Bottom Line Detroit began serving students through its College Access program, partnering with degree-aspiring high school students starting in Summer 2025.
2024
- We announced our expansion to Detroit, MI with services set to launch in summer 2025 to support first-generation college students with resources, guidance, and mentorship
- Our Ohio office opened and began serving its inaugural class of Access class, marking Bottom Line’s expansion into Ohio.
2022
- Awarded $15 million grant from MacKenzie Scott to support a return to pre-pandemic plans for growth and sustainability.
2021
- Our advising model is academically published by Dr. Ben Castleman and Dr. Andrew Barr outlining how through a 7-year, randomized control trial, Castleman and Barr found large increases in degree attainment based on our advising model.
- Received a multi-year grant to expand Bottom Line into Ohio.
2017
- Bottom Line advising guides students toward enrolling in four-year colleges that are less expensive and have higher graduation rates, according to research from Dr. Benjamin Castleman and Dr. Joshua Goodman.
2016
- Bottom Line took part in the White House’s My Brother’s Keeper panel in Washington, D.C. Our staff and an alumnus participated in a showcase with 32 other organizations who show rigorous evidence of impact for all youth, including boys and young men of color.
- Randomized Control Trial evaluation of our programs from Dr. Ben Castleman finds that Bottom Line has a positive effect on both rate and quality of student enrollment.
2015
- Two students from our Chicago office were invited to attend the “Beating the Odds” Summit hosted by the First Lady at the White House.
- Our Massachusetts office secured a $4M grant from the State Street Foundation’s Boston WINS Initiative.
- The first class of students from our New York City office graduated college.
2014
- We began a long-term Randomized Control Trial evaluation of our programs, the gold-standard of scientific research.
- Dr. Ben Castleman, Assistant Professor of Education and Public Policy at the University of Virginia is selected to lead the study.
- Our Chicago office opened an immediately began serving an inaugural class of 75 high school seniors and 75 first year college students.
- We celebrated our 1,000th college graduate.
2013
- We achieved our highest college graduation rate to date: 87% of the most recent class of high school students graduated from college.
- 166 students from Massachusetts graduated in the spring, bringing the total number of graduates to nearly 900.
2012
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We launched a $5 million growth campaign in Massachusetts, focused on increasing college graduation rates for students from Boston’s historically under-resourced neighborhoods. This effort was bolstered by a $2.5 million gift from the Lewis Family Foundation, the largest in our history.
- Our National Office opened to improve efficiency and support additional expansion.
2011
- Our New York office opened and served an inaugural class of 121 high school seniors.
- We secured our first $1M Grant from USA Funds in support of national expansion and College Success.
2010
- We celebrated the graduation of our largest class to date, with 93 students completing their college journeys, and supported nearly 1,400 students overall.
- Bottom Line received the 2010 College Access Organization Award of Excellence from the National College Access Network, recognizing our impact and commitment to student success.
2009
- 100% of the inaugural Worcester class achieved college acceptance, marking a significant milestone in Bottom Line’s impact.
- To support our expanding programs, Bottom Line relocated to a larger office on Amory Street in Jamaica Plain.
2008
- Our Worcester office opened, and we supported 1,100 students across both locations.
- Bottom Line was selected as an official charity of the Boston Marathon, increasing awareness and support for our mission.
2007
- We grew to 14 employees, supported 880 students, and celebrated 265 alumni.
2006
- Bottom Line hosted our first Get In, Graduate, and Go Far spring fundraising dinner, a cornerstone event for community engagement and support.
2004
- 80% of our first high school class graduated college within six years, setting a high standard for future success.
2003
- 32 additional students graduated from college, further demonstrating the impact of Bottom Line’s model.
- Greg Johnson became the Executive Director, leading the organization into its next phase of growth.
2002
- Our first 10 students graduated from college, a monumental achievement in our early history.
2000
- Bottom Line expanded to four full-time employees and served 250 students.
1998
- Dave Borgal supported the inaugural 25 students during their freshman year of college and helped 50 new high school seniors apply to college.
1997
- Founder Dave Borgal secured a small office on the ground floor of New Mission High School in Boston and helped 25 high school seniors apply to college, laying the foundation for Bottom Line’s mission.
Help Us Open Doors for More Students
By expanding into new regions, Bottom Line can partner with more first-generation students from under-resourced communities to reach their college dreams. Let our team know if you want to support our growth.
