On Nov. 7, the Lumina Foundation, a private foundation based in Indianapolis, announced grants worth $7.2 million to coalitions in states with growing Latino populations. The North Carolina project, called The Triangle for Latino Student Success, will receive $600,000 over four years.

The money will help provide afterschool college preparation and leadership training for high school students and their families in Durham, Johnston and Wake counties. The project also will provide mentors and deliver training to school administrators and teachers on the challenges facing the Hispanic student population. The program will then track high school graduation rates, college enrollment and degree completion of Latino students.

On a larger scale, the project will convene a statewide leadership council to consider policies that promote Latino student success.

The effort is a partnership between Hispanics in Philanthropy, a transnational network of donors, and the Adelante Educational Coalition, a dozen Triangle groups that want to expand educational access for Latino and migrant youths.

Coordinators estimate the project will reach 2,000 students at a dozen Triangle high schools, as well as students at Durham Technical Community College, Johnston Community College, N.C. State University, Meredith College and Wake Technical Community College.

Latinos make up 8 percent of the state's population and 14 percent of the under-18 population, the group said. But in the three target counties, Latinos have a high school dropout rate of 50 percent.

"We want to make sure we're growing our own talent right here and using the resources we need to grow all of our students," said Althea Gonzalez, North Carolina program manager for Hispanics in Philanthropy.

Nationally and in North Carolina, Latinos are the fastest-growing population group, and some estimates show half of the nation's workers in 2025 will be of Latino descent. The Lumina Foundation said increasing higher education among Latinos is the key to raising the overall proportion of college graduates in the United States.

"Latinos are emblematic of today's 21st century student," said Lumina President Jamie Merisotis, adding that many attend community colleges, have family responsibilities and are the first in their family to pursue higher education.

The new project will be aimed at U.S.-born Latino students and students who came to the United States illegally.

"We are concerned about success for all Latino students, regardless of documented status," Gonzalez said.