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For the working adult learner, the path to a better career is often blocked by a wall of “what-ifs.”

What if child care falls through? What if the tuition isn’t worth the debt? What if the job market doesn’t deliver after the investment? There are few education models that give learners the support to manage these risks. One model, outcomes-based financing, presents a way to offer flexible cash that acts as a “tuition-plus loan,” in which learners repay the loan only after they achieve a specific income threshold. This case study highlights the work of three organizations, Social Finance, The Forward Fund, and Third Sector, that are all working to develop outcomes-based financing programs across the country. This student-friendly approach ensures that if the promised economic outcome (a higher-paying job) does not materialize, the debt burden does not fall on the learner.