GEAR UP Coordinator Toolkit

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Who is this for?

GEAR UP practitioners who support program development, provide direct services, and manage student data are integral to the GEAR UP ecosystem. This toolkit introduces tools and resources to support the important work of GEAR UP coordinators.

listen to nccep’s on the ground podcast. a podcast that tells the story of gear up, shares best practices, and highlights the amazing work of gear up coordinators.


Explore the Collection


Juggling multiple schools, large cohorts, and implementing student support programs are common place to most coordinators. A solid action plan for your school year will enable you to align activities to GEAR UP objectives, project costs, and delegate tasks. Click below to explore action planning tools and resources!

This action plan template can be adapted to support the programmatic needs of any GEAR UP grant.

This document will help programs to think deeper about the purpose and goal of every activity.

What are the essential components of school success? This document explores key components that can be included in every action plan.


Working with school staff members, aligning GEAR UP supports to the goals of each school, and understanding school culture is essential to the work of GEAR UP programs. Click below to explore tools to help you navigate your GEAR UP schools.

Collaboration and partnerships will be key to GEAR UP success. Explore these 10 steps for initiating, managing, and sustaining school partnerships.

Read this Edutopia article to learn about the steps you should take to secure partnership buy-in.

We can do more when we know more! Use this document to assist you with understanding your community better.


How are you engaging your students? Is it effective? How do you know? Program design begins with considering every facet of your student population and then implementing programs that speak to the needs of your students, while also satisfying the objectives of your grant. Explore the tools below to assist you with program design.

Effective program design considers the population you are serving. Use this template to get to know your students and their interests.

Event preparation can be challenging. Use this template to help you plan, prepare, and launch your program/event.

How did it go? Use this template to conduct an internal debrief. This template can guide your team as you discuss successes, challenges, and goals.


Additional Resources

For additional resources, please consider NCCEP’s Study Lab. The Study Lab offers online courses for GEAR UP professionals. Courses cover key topics for every role and level of experience. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to serve GEAR UP students, families, and communities. Therefore, our courses encourage you to reflect on the work you currently do, what you would like to do in the future, and how you can apply what you learn to your local GEAR UP program.