NJAE was founded in 2004 to help high school graduates from Newark, East Orange, Irvington, and Orange earn college degrees by providing academic and financial support. It has awarded over $2 million in scholarships to 200+ students to attend 4-year colleges in NJ or historically black colleges. Students must meet GPA, income, and residency requirements to qualify for renewable scholarships of up to $7,000 per year. NJAE also pairs each student with a success coach and provides advising to help them complete their degree.