Community Action Agencies were established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight Americas War on Poverty. In response to this Act, the Greater Erie Anti-Poverty Action Committee, later renamed the Greater Erie Community Action Committee, was incorporated in March 1965. Sponsored locally in the School District of the City of Erie by the Greater Erie Community Action Committee (GECAC) at East High School, Gannon University at Strong Vincent High School and Northwest Tri-County Unit (IU5) at Central Tech High School. GO College is an initiative of the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) based in Washington D.C., funded through grants from the U.S. Department of Education Investing in Innovation Fund and General Electric Company (GE).

The goal is to provide academic assistance and career advisement to cohorts of 9th graders of each of the three high schools, to continue throughout their high school careers, so that all participants will be successful in planning for college, enrolling in college and completing college. Once participants graduate from college, the ultimate program outcome is for the participants to enter a career field which is both rewarding and meaningful. Each sponsoring organization provides two College Coaches at their respective high school to work not only with these individual students, but also with the whole school on college enrollment services.