Case Study
About National Trade Institute
National Trade Institute is a career training school focused on hands-on education and strong student outcomes. For years, nearly 100% of their students came through the WIOA grant program. But when they set their sights on expanding access through self-pay options, they needed a partner that could help them transition — without sacrificing either the student experience or their school's revenue.
The Challenge
With most students funded through grants, the school had never needed a financing solution. But as demand grew and WIOA support became less predictable, they saw the need to offer a self-pay option.
The problem? Traditional private lenders only approved a small percentage of students — usually 1 or 2 students per class — and required deep discounts on tuition, forcing the school to give up a meaningful portion of their revenue for very little return.
They needed a solution that allowed them to take control of the financing process, approve more students, and maintain the level of care and personal attention they pride themselves on.
Instead of giving up revenue or turning students away, they’ve built their own performing loan portfolio — backed by a partner who understands their mission.
Fortify’s biggest selling point today is the personal attention that we get from them. I can send an email at 10:30 at night hoping to get something back in the morning — but end up getting an email 5 minutes later.
Kevin Watts | CEO of National Trade Institute
For NTI, the student experience is everything. With Fortify, they didn’t just gain a platform — they added a partner that cares as much about their students as they do.
Looking Ahead
With a strong foundation and a growing loan portfolio, National Trade Institute is well-positioned to scale their self-pay program while delivering on what matters most: student success.
