ATD was conceived as a national initiative in 2004 by Lumina Foundation for Education and seven founding partner organizations: American Association of Community Colleges (AACC); Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas-Austin (CCLP); Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University (CCRC); Jobs for the Future; MDC; MDRC; and Public Agenda. Over the last six years, ATD has demonstrated that innovative, evidence-based community college programs and interventions can produce and sustain improved student success. As a result of this early success, the Founding Partners established, effective July 1, 2010, an independent national nonprofit organization – Achieving the Dream, Inc. – to help more community college students succeed, particularly low-income students and students of color. (http://www.achievingthedream.org/aboutatd/default.tp)