The Impact Institute (formerly known as Four County Vocational Cooperative until 2013) was formed by a joint service agreement between ten school corporations in June 1969. The Cooperative provides vocational programs, administers adult education and coordinates communications with the Indiana Department of Education and other state agencies. The thirteen currently school corporations currently served are located in the five northeast Indiana counties of Noble, DeKalb, LaGrange, Steuben, and Whitley.

These school corporations are Central Noble Community Schools, DeKalb County Central United Schools, DeKalb County Eastern Community Schools (whose district also serves as the Local Education Agency), East Noble School Corporation, Fremont Community Schools, Hamilton Community Schools, Lakeland School Corporation, Metropolitan School District of Steuben County, Prairie Heights Community School Corporation, Smith Green School Corporation, Westview School Corporation, West Noble Schools, and Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community Schools.

Since the inception of Impact Institute in 1969, consortium members have had the vision to utilize the services of the Cooperative to create positive change in the delivery of vocational and adult education in a way that is unique in the state of Indiana. The Impact Institute's vocational and adult education programs use a competency-based curriculum approach and rely on student data and industry driven standards for continuous improvement. Through the support of consortium members, Impact Institute is also the vehicle used in the implementation of other change initiatives, such as School-to-Work, Tech Prep and the Technical Education Initiative.

This organizational structure has provided the management and administrative expertise that have given each school corporation opportunities in both vocational and adult education. The Impact Institute, with a proven track record (95.4% graduation rate) of serving students and community members, partnered with local and national foundations, local and national industry, state education agencies and the Department of Workforce Development to provide additional opportunities and resources to enhance student learning.

These successful partnerships have led to opportunities such as dual credit, articulation agreements, school-to-apprenticeship programs and increased vocational and adult education program offerings. These high school and post-secondary successes truly promote life long learning for the four county community.