Founded in 2011, CARA (College Access: Research & Action) is a college‑access nonprofit based at the City University of New York (CUNY). CARA is known for its peer‑to‑peer student advising initiatives in collaboration with CUNY institutions. Its mission is to support first-generation, low‑income, and underrepresented students in higher education by combining research, policy engagement, and practical peer-to-peer advising to bolster college access, matriculation, and persistence.

CARA partners with high schools, community-based organizations, and higher education institutions to transform access and success guidance from an ‘enrichment for some’ to an ‘entitlement for all’. Work focuses in the areas of:

• Institutional Capacity Building: Building the capacity of high schools, colleges, school districts, and nonprofit partners through both whole school and peer-to-peer models.
• Original Research & Policy: Conducting original research on postsecondary access and success, with a focus on policies for institutional change and peer-to-peer advising.

Examples:

• College Allies is CARA’s signature peer-to-peer advising model. It trains undergraduate peer leaders (often first-generation and transfer students) with over 70 hours of training in advising systems, policies, communications strategies, and student retention practices. These peer leaders then guide new and transfer students through academic transition challenges, using both relational and navigational support strategies.
• In Spring 2019, CARA and CUNY launched the CUNY College Connect pilot at Brooklyn College and Borough of Manhattan Community College. The program has since expanded to include Hunter College, City College of New York, and Queens College. It has supported more than 7,500 students across participating campuses through peer-led advising during their first year and transfer transitions.
• In 2020, the Gates Foundation awarded $175,000 to expand the College Allies model during the COVID‑19 crisis. Peer leaders were deployed at several community colleges to support incoming first‑year students both during summer bridge and through fall/spring semesters.
• In 2021, Carnegie Corporation awarded a $100,000 to support 40 peer mentors, each paid to serve incoming students during summer and academic year, earning approximately $7,200 for around 480 hours of work. This funding expanded mentoring at seven CUNY campuses, including developing data‑driven practices and leadership pathways for peer leaders.
• With CARA support, since 2021 Queens College has launched an on-campus Peer Leader Advising Center. The number of peer advisors grew from 3 to 16, collectively supporting over 1,600 students in one fall semester alone. Peer Leaders are embedded in the Academic Advising Center to provide drop-in support, workshops, and referral guidance.

See Initiative: https://learnworkecosystemlibrary.com/initiatives/unlocking-the-power-of-peers-report-college-access-research-action-cara/