Contact: Allen Spelce
R.J. DeSilva
(512) 463-4070
For Immediate Release
September 29, 2010
Texas Comptroller Awards $388,000 in Equipment Grants
to Nine Community Colleges
(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller Susan Combs will award nine community colleges across the state more than $388,000 in grant funds to help finance equipment purchases for new career and technical education programs that support fast-growing industries. The grant money from the Job Building Fund helps Texans attain technical training for careers in high-demand occupations.
“I look forward to seeing how this final round of Job Building Fund grants will strengthen vital educational programs across the state,” Combs said. “The types of in-demand programs receiving funds often face increasing enrollment, creating strains for institutions that these grants will help alleviate.”
This is the fourth and final round of awards from the $10 million Job Building Fund grant program created by the 2009 Legislature. Combs previously awarded approximately $3.84 million to 22 colleges in June 2010; $3.51 million to 17 colleges in March 2010; and $2.26 million to 13 schools in December 2009.
The nine following community colleges will receive a total of $388,067 in funding:| Applicant | Location | Related Training Program | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamo Community College | San Antonio | Manufacturing Technician | $33,605 |
| Austin Community College | Austin | Biology/Biotechnology Lab Technician | $42,450 |
| Coastal Bend College | Beeville | Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | $45,000 |
| Galveston College | Galveston | Industrial Technician | $44,985 |
| McLennan Community College | Waco | Associates Degree Nursing | $45,000 |
| North Central Texas College | Gainesville | Engineering Technician | $44,373 |
| Texarkana College | Texarkana | Associates Degree Nursing | $43,400 |
| Texas State Technical College Harlingen | Harlingen | Associates Degree Welding Technician | $45,000 |
| Tyler Junior College | Tyler | Associates Degree Nursing | $44,254 |
Total requested |
$388,067 |
||
“These programs prepare Texans for high-paying, in-demand jobs that are vital to the state’s economy,” Combs said. “Students are able to augment their earning potential, and communities benefit from a better-trained work force.”
View more details about the Job Building Fund at http://www.everychanceeverytexan.org/funds/job_building/#award.
Schools that receive Job Building Fund grants must provide matching funds in the form of cash, equipment, materials, supplies and/or personnel costs. The Comptroller’s office selected grant recipients based on each project’s potential economic return to the state and on endeavors that involve dual-credit programs with local high schools or cooperative arrangements with other colleges. Priority was given to projects that target high-demand occupations and new or emerging industries.
The Job Building Fund is a component of the Comptroller’s $25 million Every Chance Funds program. The program also includes the $5 million Career and Technical Scholarship Fund, which allocates money for approved training programs for high‐demand occupations, and the $10 million Launchpad Fund, which supports and expands existing nonprofit programs with a proven track record of good performance.
For more information about Every Chance Funds, visit www.everychanceeverytexan.org/funds.—30—
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