U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York) this month presented a $357,000 Community Project Funding award to the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) for its Project Impact program, which aims to increase student success and reduce recidivism among justice-impacted students.
Founded in 2019, Project Impact provides students with the tools, credentials, skills and pathways necessary to break from their past involvement in the justice system.
With the funding — the program’s first federal grant — BMCC will pilot a cohort-based effort that will serve 50 justice-impacted students, providing them with structured academic support, advising and wraparound services.
“The funding will be transformative for our students who are trying to turn their lives around and will also increase public safety and resilience in the communities where they live,” said BMCC President Anthony Munroe.
Massachusetts
Holyoke Community College’s (HCC) Itsy Bitsy Child Watch program will benefit from a $245,000 grant from the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation.
Itsy Bitsy Child Watch is a free center on HCC’s main campus for parents in need of short-term childcare while they attend class, study or meet with tutors and advisers. It opened as a pilot program in fall 2022 and quickly reached capacity in its original location.
The new grant will cover hiring two more staff workers, allowing the center to increase capacity by operating a second classroom during its busiest daytime hours and adding evening care hours for students taking night classes.
Last fall, the center opened in larger, newly renovated space funded by a previous $600,000 grant from the Davis Foundation.
“It’s a beautiful space,” said HCC President George Timmons, “but it isn’t just about square footage. This is about possibility and removing barriers. This is about saying to student parents: We see you; we support you; and we want you to get to the finish line.”
New Jersey
A $150,000 grant from the Gilead Foundation — the nonprofit arm of Gilead Sciences Inc. — will support the new Center for Health Professions at County College of Morris (CCM).
Set to open in winter 2027, the new center is funded through support from the state and county. Philanthropic support from partners like the Gilead Foundation will help equip the 80,000-square-foot facility with the latest technology and equipment.
Mississippi
Mississippi Delta Community College’s (MDCC) Greenville Higher Education Center (GHEC) has received a $50,000 grant from Delta Compass for vocational programs, including new program offerings in industrial electricity and HVAC.
Delta Compass, a Greenville-based nonprofit, partnered with MDCC through a grant agreement signed earlier this year. The one-time, upfront investment will furnish vocational buildings at GHEC with the tools, machinery and equipment students need to train on industry-ready technology. Additionally, 5% of the total budget will support marketing and promotional materials for the Greenville campus.
North Carolina
Randolph Community College’s (RCC) automotive systems technology program has received a $180,000 STEPS4GROWTH Grant and a new partnership with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) to expand electric vehicle (EV) training capacity.
The new funding will support the purchase of equipment and strengthens EV instructional capabilities at RCC’s automotive training facility, allowing it to meet the growing workforce demand in electric and hybrid vehicle technology.
As part of this expansion, RCC has added new electric and hybrid vehicles to its training fleet, including a Rivian R1T, an all-electric pickup truck, and a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, providing students hands-on experience with hybrid-electric powertrain systems.
Grant funding also supported the purchase of advanced diagnostic equipment.
