Maryland Higher Education Commission

January 2009 Press Release

 

 

For immediate release: January 13, 2009                                          Media Contact: Christopher Falkenhagen
                                                                                                                     Communications: (410) 260-4511

 

 

College awareness grant available for low-income students in Baltimore City and Prince George's County

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 13, 2009) – The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) is accepting applications for the Maryland College Access Challenge Grant Program (MCACGP). The MCACGP is a federally-funded program designed to conduct outreach activities and services to improve preparation for and access to college for low-income students. This program funds projects to provide information to students, who are at risk of not enrolling in or completing college, and their parents on postsecondary benefits, opportunities, and career planning and preparation.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for nonprofits to develop programs to inform middle school students and their parents of postsecondary education options and to spread the message that college is possible for low-income students,” said Higher Education Secretary James E. Lyons, Sr.

The Request for Applications (RFA) can be found on MHEC’s website at http://www.mhec.state.md.us/Grants/MdCollAccessChallGrant/MdCollAccessChallGrant.asp. Grant funds will be used for project services in two areas of greatest poverty and lowest achievement in the State. Twenty-five (25) middle schools in Baltimore City and Prince George’s County have been identified as eligible to receive services under the MCACGP. A list of the schools identified as eligible to participate in this program can be found in the RFA.

Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis to eligible non-profit organizations, including institutions of higher education, or partnerships of organizations to provide outreach services. To qualify for funding, nonprofit organizations must have been in existence on or before September 27, 2007, must provide activities and services related to increasing access to higher education, and must be currently registered with the Maryland Office of the Secretary of the State Charitable Organization Division.

Technical assistance meetings will be held on January 29, 2009 and February 5, 2009 at the Charles I. Ecker Business Training Center (Gateway Building), 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia MD. Both meetings will cover the same material: an overview of the MCACGP and a review the RFA. For more information, contact Cheryl V. Edwards at 410-260-4520 or cedwards@mhec.state.md.us.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission is a 12-member coordinating board responsible for establishing statewide policies for Maryland public and independent colleges and universities and private career schools. It serves as an advocate for more than 326,000 college students in Maryland, for the State and its needs, and for business and industry in Maryland.

 

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