With Congress wrapping up the fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations process late last month, dozens of community colleges across the country are set to receive thousands of dollars for special projects, ranging from child-care centers to equipment for space beach research.
Lawmakers are sending a total of $201 million back home to the community colleges in their districts via “Congressionally Directed Spending” (formerly known as earmarks). The money will fund 158 projects at 136 institutions, based on an American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) analysis of the final appropriations bills. These community colleges will receive an average of about $1.3 million per project.
Unlike the previous few fiscal years, earmarks for community colleges were not as easy to come by for FY 24. Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee banned requests for the FY 24 Labor-HHS-ED Appropriations bill, which had typically been the most lucrative source of earmarks for higher education institutions. For FY 23, more than half of the earmarks for community colleges originated in the House and accounted for $108 million of the $183 million allotted to college projects.
Earmarks through the appropriations bill for the departments of Education, Labor and Health and Human Services continued to be accepted in the Senate for FY 24. Some House members were still able to send funds to their local community colleges through other appropriations bills, including those funding the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Justice.
The projects for community colleges originated from all political parties represented in Congress, with 115 projects initiated by Democrats, 53 projects initiated by Republicans and seven projects initiated by Independents (Some projects were originated by multiple members and in both chambers).
Southeast Technical College (South Dakota) received the largest earmark, with $6.5 million requested by Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota) for a workforce training facility. Midlands Technical College (South Carolina) and Alamance Community College in (North Carolina) received $6 million and $5.7 million, respectively, to round out the top three amounts.
Sixteen community colleges received funding for more than one project, with Hinds Community College (Mississippi) having a total of five — the most projects funded for a single institution.
Other earmarks received by community colleges include:
- Clark College (Washington) will receive $1 million through the Department of Labor to develop a clean energy technical education program.
- Northwestern Michigan College will receive $550,000 through the Department of Education to purchase student aviation equipment.
- State Technical College of Missouri will use $3 million from the Department of Agriculture for an agriculture technology center.
- BridgeValley Community & Technical College (West Virginia) will receive $400,000 through the Department of Justice to purchase gunshot detectors equipment
- San Diego Community College District will use $1.5 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for family-friendly study centers.
A list of funded projects for AACC-member community colleges can be found here.
At a glance
Below are are some quick facts pertaining to Congressionally Directed Spending grants to community colleges in FY 2024.
Overall:
- $201 million for community colleges
- 158 projects
- 136 community colleges
- Median Amount: $974,500
- Average Amount: $1.3 million
- Highest Amount: $6.5 million for Southeast Technical College (South Dakota)
- Lowest Amount: $20,000 for Copiah Lincoln Community College (Mississippi)
A Little Deeper:
- 12 agencies/departments
- Commerce: 4 projects, $3.6 million
- DOJ: 10 projects, $5.8 million
- ED: 50 projects, $48.6 million
- Energy: 1 project, $128,000
- HHS: 12 projects, $23 million
- HUD: 50 projects, $84.3 million
- Labor: 12 projects, $17.7 million
- NASA: 1 project, $963,000
- National Archives and Records Administration: 1 project, $353,000
- Office of National Drug Control Policy: 1 project, $230,000
- SBA: 3 projects, $1.7 million
- USDA: 13 projects, $14.7 million
Top five amounts:
- Southeast Technical College (South Dakota), $6.5 million for a workforce training facility, requested by Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota)
- Midlands Technical College (South Carolina), $6 million for a workforce development program, requested by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina)
- Alamance Community College (North Carolina), $5.7 million for a public safety training center, requested by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina)
- Hawkeye Community College, $5 million for a smart automation and robotics center, requested by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa)
- Haywood Community College (North Carolina), $5 million for renovations to the Workforce & Industry Center, requested by Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-North Carolina)
- Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (North Carolina), $5 million for Phase III of the Rowan-Cabarrus Fire Training Center, requested by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina)
Multiple projects funded:
- Blue Ridge Community & Technical College (West Virginia), 2 projects, $746,000 total
- BridgeValley Community & Technical College (West Virginia), 4 projects, $2.4 million total
- Central New Mexico Community College, 2 projects, $1.4 million total
- Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College, 2 projects, $1.6 million total
- Great Basin College (Nevada), 2 projects, $2.2 million total
- Hinds Community College (Mississippi), 5 projects, $8.6 million total
- Kennebec Valley Community College (Maine), 2 projects, $1.3 million total
- Long Beach City College (California), 2 projects, $2 million total
- Miami Dade College, 2 projects, $3.5 million total
- Northern Maine Community College, 3 projects, $1.5 million total
- Richland Community College (Illinois), 2 projects, $1.6 million total
- Southern Maine Community College, 2 projects, $4.6 million total
- Southern West Virginia Community & Technical College, 2 projects, $2.1 million total
- Harper College (Illinois), 2 projects, $1.5 million total
