Columbia's grant-seeking activities are supported by the Development Office. Since
2015, the college has been awarded a number of significant multi-year state, federal
and private grants, totaling more than $7 million.
Columbia was awarded a $1.1 million TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant from
the United States Department of Education (USDE) to improve support services for disadvantaged
students. This five-year grant allowed the college to continue services with staff
and student peer mentors to work directly with students that are low-income, first
generation college students, and/or students with disabilities. TRiO SSS is a structured
academic support program that involves field trips to four-year universities, various
informational workshops, instructional supplies, and grant aid to participants, with
the goal of improving student retention, success, graduation, and transfer rates among
the target population.
Columbia College was awarded a $1.18 million five-year grant to support outreach and
support services to encourage adults in the foothills to apply for college or vocational
programs. Transition specialists provide clients with tailored assistance with admissions,
financial aid, career counseling and more.
Columbia in partnership with Lake Tahoe Community College received a $3.25 million
Title III Cooperative Grant from the US Department of Education. This five-year grant,
which provides more than $2 million to Columbia, will be used to increase institutional
research capacity and effectiveness among the colleges by increasing access to user-friendly
data analysis tools and building a culture of inquiry.
The Columbia College Apprenticeship Initiative to date has received four grants totaling
more than $2.5 million from the California Community College Chancellor's Office.
This program provides its students with on-the-job training in Hospitality, Child
Development, and Forestry and Natural Resources, as well as a pre-apprenticeship program
in fire science. Students have the opportunity to complete related coursework at Columbia
College while working as paid apprentices at one of the local approved apprenticeship
employers, resulting in a Certified Apprentice certification through the California
Department of Apprenticeship Standards as well as Certificates of Achievement and/or
Skills Attainment Certificates through Columbia College.
Columbia College, through the Columbia College Foundation, received a two-year $20,000
donation from AT&T's Aspire program for student support services for former foster
youth.
Columbia College has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the California Community
College Chancellor's Office, which will support expansion and improvement of the college's
programs serving currently and formerly incarcerated students both on campus and at
the Sierra Conservation Center. The grant will also enable the college to serve additional
students from inmate firefighting camps, local jails, and day reporting agencies.
Activities to be funded by the grant include: training for faculty and staff with
training related to the specific needs of justice-involved students; expanding transition
services, such as college and career counseling; and expanding peer tutoring and mentoring
programs serving justice involved students.
