Gov. Hickenlooper and Lt. Gov. Garcia Announce Award of $3.4 Million in Grants to Assist Colorado Students

Press Release

Gov. John Hickenlooper and Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia today announced the award of $3.4 million in grant funds aimed at supporting Colorado students -- especially those from low-income and/or underrepresented backgrounds -- on the path to and through college and into the workforce.

The General Assembly last year designated $3.4 million to the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (Initiative) as a seed investment to create a network of student support and scholarship programs throughout the state. This historic state investment aims to address workforce readiness, the degree attainment gap, and affordability issues that put a college degree out of reach for too many Coloradans.

"The goal is to increase post-secondary education while better preparing Colorado students to earn a livable wage, graduate with less debt and positively contribute to the growth of our state's economy," said Garcia, who is overseeing the Initiative. "We believe by partnering with philanthropists, business leaders and community groups we can bolster Colorado's talent pipeline."

The first phase of the Initiative involves increasing the availability and quality of student success programs for Colorado's high school students and graduates through $3.4 million in multi-year grant awards, which will offer support to 20,380 students.

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