Strada announces $4 million commitment for 11 community college and employer partnerships working to connect learners with opportunity

Two-year grants will support proven partnerships that connect learners to education and in-demand employment opportunities and strengthen regional economies. 

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Strada Education Network announced the recipients of its $4 million Employer and Community College Partnership grants. These two-year grants of up to $400,000 each were awarded to innovative collaborations across the country between community colleges and employers in their region. Recipients also will participate in opportunities to learn from other community college and employer partnerships, through a community of practice and building connections across regions.

Strada Education Network created this grant-making initiative as the first step in a strategy to partner with community colleges to support stronger regional economies and communities. This represents Strada's first major investment in the community college sector and a recognition that community colleges have a unique capacity and proximity to support learners and to address changing regional workforce needs. The initiative aims to improve employment and socioeconomic outcomes after completion of a degree or credential for students who historically have faced significant barriers to economic mobility. The recipients of these two-year grants are listed below.

Broward College, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Carl Albert State College, Sallisaw, Oklahoma
Community College of Rhode Island, Warwick, Rhode Island 
Green River College, Auburn, Washington
Honolulu Community College, Honolulu, Hawaii
Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, Indiana
MiraCosta College, North San Diego County, California
Pima County Community College, Tucson, Arizona
Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, Utah
Surry Community College, Dobson, North Carolina
West Georgia Technical College, La Grange, Georgia

"At Strada, we believe in investing in innovative solutions that deliver results beyond completion," Strada Education Network President and CEO Stephen Moret said. "Community colleges have long played a critical role by serving the dynamic needs of both learners and employers in their communities. We are thrilled to have the chance to support college leaders and employers who are coming together to provide timely opportunities for learners."

Many industries face talent shortages at a moment of great change in education and the workforce. As a result, employers are increasingly learning the value of strengthening their talent pipeline through coordinated investment with local community colleges. This national program will build upon these efforts and provide new opportunities for learners, including financial assistance, paid internships and apprenticeships, and support for supplies and curriculum. As Strada seeks to put post-education employment, earnings and noneconomic outcomes at the core of how we view and value learning after high school, the partnerships in this program will provide important insight into what works in local communities.

"Community colleges are engines of opportunity with unique insight into local dynamics and needs," Strada Impact President Ruth V. Watkins said. "We're honored to both support and learn from these programs as we work to align measures of success beyond completion with the things that matter most to learners: career mobility and earning potential, meaningful work and the chance to contribute to their communities."

Strada Education Network is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping people take advantage of education and training after high school that helps them secure a good job, do meaningful work, contribute to their communities, and lead a fulfilling life. Strada helps students succeed beyond completion of a certificate or degree through its research, charitable grants, and social impact investments, as well as through the work of Strada-supported nonprofit organizations CAEL, Education at Work, InsideTrack, and Roadtrip Nation, which directly serve learners and workers. Learn more at stradaeducation.org.

SOURCE Strada Education Network