The U.S. Department of Education offers the Strengthening Institutions Program grants as a means for community colleges to attain self-sufficiency and strengthens its capacity to provide a high quality academic experience to low-income students. Eligible schools use grant funding for a wide range of projects, including planning, construction and maintenance, in addition to development and instructional programming. Priority consideration is given to applicants that tie their initiatives to improving graduation rates, tracking measures of success, increasing course completion rates and developing dual enrollment programs. Grants are awarded for as much as $500,000, with no cost-share or matching funds required.
As part of its renewed emphasis on higher education and workforce development, the federal government has made $2.5 billion available to the Community College Modernization and Construction program for the 2011 fiscal year. These funds, administered by the states, are intended to enhance the internal capacity of community colleges. Eligible initiatives include reducing financing costs of construction, renovation or repair loans; creating matching grant programs to attract private capital; and establishing revolving loan funds to finance modernization projects.
For community colleges looking to reduce their environmental impact, while saving on resource use and utility bills, nonprofit organization Second Nature offers small grants for "green" facility infrastructure. The nonprofit targets the $2,000 awards towards historically under-resourced institutions and selects awardees based on level of need, statement of interest and sustainability capacity. The grant program is intended to boost the capacity of colleges to plan and carry out sustainable building projects, and to offer them smart, effective means for reducing both their operating expenses and environment footprints.