First Recipients of College Access Challenge Grants Announced

HESC named as lead agency to administer the $8.2 million federal grant

The first awards for a two-year, $8.2 million federal grant program focusing on motivating New York’s at-risk youth to prepare for, attend, and graduate successfully from college have been recently announced. Governor David Paterson designated the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) as lead agency in administering the College Access Challenge Grant Program.

The Governor said: “Public school districts, along with New York’s colleges, financial aid professionals, community-based organizations, and government agencies, will partner together to bring high-need students, especially those in below-poverty-level families, to education success.”

“And with no new program expenses to the State and an attractive public and private partnership, the College Access Challenge Grant’s achievements will be a win-win for New Yorkers,” he continued.

Selected through a competitive process, the 30 awards provide targeted support to local schools, agencies, and community-based organizations statewide through a series of small-scale sub-grants of less than $50,000 each. These sub-grants will support specific services the grantees will provide to high-need students and families. Grantees will meet measurable goals and objectives in bringing disadvantaged students to higher education.

Through the sub-grants, a variety of projects are supported which will:

provide information to students and families to help them understand college and career choices;
promote financial literacy and debt management;
conduct college and career planning outreach activities;
assist students with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and
conduct professional development for guidance counselors at middle and secondary schools, and for college financial aid administrators and admissions counselors.

HESC President James Ross said: “The Governor has made education a priority for New York State students. The College Access Challenge Grant, his call on all New Yorkers to join together in fighting the drop-out epidemic with the “New Vision for Student Engagement” Summit, and the proposed NY Higher Education Loan Program (NYHELPs) for college students demonstrate that. These initiatives recognize that graduation from high school and a higher education are critical for the state’s long-term success and emergence from the fiscal crisis.”
On Point for College, Inc., a non-profit agency that works with 15 Syracuse-area community organizations and the local school district to help students go to college, is one of the College Access Challenge Grant recipients. Ginny Donahue, On Point for College executive director said: “The projects funded by this grant will bring together agencies and organizations serving high-need populations. The coordinated efforts of these partners will substantially increase the number of students in high-need communities in New York State who are aware of college and financial aid opportunities, and are prepared to enter and succeed in college.”

The federal grant awarded to New York by the U.S. Department of Education will run through 2010. HESC will solicit proposals for large sub-grants (up to $200,000) early this spring.

Prospective bidders that are interested in, and capable of, providing the required services must contact Chet Fiske, Contracts Management Specialist, at HESC, 99 Washington Avenue, Room 1500, Albany, NY 12255, phone: 518-402-3662, or by e-mail at cfiske@hesc.org.

The current recipients are:

ASPIRA of NY, Inc., New York, NY
Brooklyn College Community Partnership / RF CUNY, New York, NY
Central Park East High School, New York, NY
City School District of Albany, Albany, NY
City School District of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY
College & Community Fellowship, New York, NY
Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU), Albany, NY
Goddard Riverside Community Center, New York, NY
Harlem RBI, Inc., East Harlem, NY
High School for Law, Advocacy & Community Justice, New York, NY
Hispanic Scholarship Fund, New York, NY
Institute for Student Achievement, Lake Success, NY
Jamestown Community College, Jamestown, NY
Learning Leaders, New York, NY
New Settlement Apartments, Bronx, NY
New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY
New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association, Inc (NYSFAAA)
On Point for College, Inc., Syracuse, NY
Research Foundation of the CUNY, New York, NY
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
Si, Se Puede, Huntington, NY
SNAP Long Island, Patchogue, NY
St. John’s University, Queens, NY
Sunnyside Services, Sunnyside, NY
SUNY Cobleskill, Cobleskill, NY
Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
The College Initiative, Bronx, NY
The Facing History School, New York, NY
Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Teachers, Elmsford, NY
Young Women’s Leadership Network, New York, NY

Read more about the College Access Challenge Grant Program