Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) continues to secure additional resources that allow the College to serve the community and fulfill its mission while navigating the challenges of the pandemic.
The College has received several major federal and state of Iowa grants, more than $4.2 million, with much of the funding made possible by strong partnerships with local private and public sector organizations.
NICC received a federal Strengthening Institutions Title III grant to support its facilitation of competency-based education, a student tracking and communication system, and data and reporting. The $1.69M in funding will create institutional processes, policies and procedures to facilitate the integration of competency-based programming. Competency-based programming identifies individual students’ skills and customizes learning to better prepare graduates for high-demand, skilled occupations.
The funding will also assist NICC in its efforts to advise students throughout the academic and job placement process, improve access and communication with students, support College staff implementing and assessing these efforts, and invest in hardware and software upgrades.
Other grants awarded to the College and its partners include:
- $142,361, Iowa Department of Education: GEER Component 1 and 3 funding to help with technology for students and for internal systems to enhance online programming.
- $1,375,525, US Department of Education: Trio SSS, assisting first-generation, low-income and/or students with disabilities to complete degree at NICC and transfer to four-year colleges.
- $192,572, Iowa Department of Education: Adult literacy funding for basic education and High School Equivalency Diploma programming.
- $296,667, Iowa Department of Education intermediary grants to support the College’s participation in the Iowa Intermediary Network. Network partners connect high school students to career exploration opportunities in Iowa by offering work-based learning opportunities with local employers. Areas funded include work-based learning programming for high school students, providing state guidance and outreach services to special populations.
- $250,000, Iowa Workforce Department, in partnership with several businesses, to support a Registered Truck Driving Apprenticeship program and to make enhancements to the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) and Industrial Maintenance programs.
The College and its partners have also received three Innovation Grants from the state including one with Greater Dubuque Development Corporation (GDDC) for short-term training via the Opportunity Dubuque program, $100,000; with JB Holland for heavy equipment training, $100,000; and with Four Mounds Foundation to provide construction training for adults with barriers to employment, $97,400.
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