CCRI receives federal grant funding

WARWICK – Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) has been awarded $781,718 from the U.S. Department of Education to help Rhode Islanders pursue postsecondary education. CCRI will use the funding to continue the work of its Rhode Island Educational Opportunity Center, which provides support and assistance to lowincome and first-generation students seeking postsecondary education and training.

The funding will help the Educational Opportunity Center deliver services to an estimated 2,900 eligible participants in Rhode Island, including assistance with applying for financial aid and college admissions and general guidance on achieving educational goals.

“In its 37-year history, the Rhode Island Educational Opportunity Center program at CCRI has helped thousands of Rhode Islanders improve their lives through postsecondary education,” said Meghan Hughes, CCRI president. “We are thrilled RIEOC has been funded for another five-year cycle so it can continue providing vital services to over 3,000 adults each year, most of whom are the first in their family to attend college.”

The funding comes through the Department of Education’s Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) grant program, which provides funding to support counseling and guidance on college admissions to qualified individuals seeking a postsecondary education. In addition, EOC provides services to improve participants’ economic and financial literacy, including instruction on basic personal income, household money management, and financial planning skills.