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Recent Grants

Funding secured under

President Grant's leadership

In 2005, President Grant announced the largest public grant in the College's history, as MCLA was selected by the U.S. Department of Education to receive a Title III "Strengthening Institutions" grant, totaling $1.8 million over five years. This initiative was designed to support increased implementation of technology throughout campus, development of new academic programs, faculty development, and other endeavors.

Also in 2005, in cooperation with MCLA's environmental studies program, the College secured $160,000 in federal funds to spearhead the Berkshire Environmental Resource Center (BERC).  In 2008, MCLA was awarded another $239,000 in federal funds to continue BERC initiatives.

In fall 2006, President Grant announced a    $1 million pledge in private monies to fund endowed professorships in the education department.

President Grant also has worked to strengthen community and public school collaborations throughout the Berkshires, leading to the Colleges being awarded more than $500,000 in new grants to help sustain these partnerships - an important and unprecedented step for MCLA. Many of these new resources are being used to advance science, math, and technology.

And, under President Grant's direction, MCLA's federal Student Support Services grant - which funds the Individual Enrichment Program for students needing extra assistance preparing for college - was renewed with an increase in funding while, across the nation, similar programs are being scaled back.

Other grants funded under Dr. Grant's leadership include those from the following organizations:

  • Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Pipeline fund for STEM initiatives in Berkshire County
  • Nellie Mae Foundation for Berkshire Compact for Higher Education research initiatives
  • National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in support of African American curriculum development
  • Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) in support of the Berkshire County Resource Council at MCLA Gallery 51
  • Davis Educational Foundation for faculty support in academic technology
  • Rep. John W. Olver's Northern Tier Initiative, federal appropriation for Environmental Studies
  • Massachusetts Department of Education Title IIB grants to support professional development opportunities for math and science teachers
  • Research Corporation's Cottrell College Science Awards Program to support a faculty member's participation in a national research project at Fermilab, in Illinois
  • Title III Strengthening Institutions Program Grant
  • Academic and Technology Infrastructure Enhancement as a Foundation for Professional and Curricular Development

What is Title III?

The Title III Part A Strengthening Institutions Program is part of the Higher Education Act of 1965. It is administered by the United States Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education and provides competitive five year development grants to institutions of higher education. A development grant is used to help strengthen an institution's academic quality, management capabilities, or fiscal stability. To be eligible, an institution must offer the associate and/or baccalaureate degree and demonstrate financial need, according to given criteria.

The application process involves creating a Comprehensive Development Plan, which identifies the institution's strengths, weaknesses and areas in need of improvement. Long-range goals are developed and the grant helps address those goals by funding long-term strategies (activities) to achieve them, such as building faculty training and development programs, developing more efficient and effective institutional management processes, and improving academic programs.