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Read. Follow. Verify.North Carolina Establishes $5 Million Workforce Grant Program for Community Colleges and Hurricane-Affected Areas
Last action · April 16, 2025: Re-ref Com On Appropriations (House action)Sponsors: David Willis and 14 others
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What This Bill Would Do
North Carolina creates the Career and College Pathways Innovation Challenge Grant Program, appropriating $5 million in recurring annual funds for community colleges to boost postsecondary enrollment, align education with labor markets, and close opportunity gaps starting July 1, 2025.
Community colleges and regional partnerships can apply for up to $200,000 per grant to fund non-tuition student supports and workforce initiatives, with a guaranteed $2 million allocation across 40 specified counties and tribal lands affected by Hurricane Helene for the 2025-2027 fiscal years.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Participating community colleges
Community colleges may apply for competitive grant awards up to $200,000 and must report on fund expenditures and program progress.
Students enrolling directly from high school and adults returning to education
Students receive expanded work-based learning opportunities and potential financial support covering expenses beyond tuition and fees.
Community colleges in Hurricane Helene-affected areas
Community colleges in 39 designated counties and tribal lands are targeted for a portion of a $2 million allocation across two fiscal years.
Key Facts
- Appropriates $5 million in recurring funds from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to implement the program.
- Establishes the Career and College Pathways Innovation Challenge Grant Program to boost postsecondary enrollment, align education with labor markets, and close opportunity gaps.
- Limits individual community college grant awards to a maximum of $200,000 or the actual cost associated with the application, whichever is less.
- Allocates $2 million total across the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 fiscal years to participating community colleges in 39 specified counties and tribal lands affected by Hurricane Helene.
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- Permits up to 4% of appropriated implementation funds to be used annually by the Community Colleges System Office for administrative costs.
- Permits up to 10% of appropriated funds to be used annually for marketing and communications, including contracts with non-State entities.
- Requires the State Board of Community Colleges, in collaboration with the Department of Commerce, to report annually by July 15 to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to receive grant awards under this program?
How much funding is allocated specifically for areas affected by Hurricane Helene?
What can grant funds be used to cover for students?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
5 actions- Apr 16, 2025HouseRe-ref Com On Appropriations
- Apr 16, 2025HouseReptd Fav
- Apr 3, 2025HouseRef to the Com on Higher Education, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Apr 3, 2025HousePassed 1st Reading
- Apr 1, 2025HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 10 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Targeted Post-Disaster Educational Funding
The legislation integrates specific disaster-recovery set-asides for 39 counties and tribal lands affected by Hurricane Helene into a statewide workforce development program.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.ncleg.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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