GRANTS
STRONG WORKFORCE PROGRAM
More and Better Career Technical Education to Increase Social Mobility and Fuel Regional Economies with Skilled Workers
In 2016, at the recommendation of the California Community College Board of Governors, the Governor and Legislature approved the Strong Workforce Program, adding a new annual recurring investment of $248 million to spur Career Education (CE) in the nation’s largest workforce development system of 116 colleges.
This state economic development program is driven by “more and better” CE. The “more” is increasing the number of students enrolled in programs leading to high-demand, high-wage jobs. The “better” is improving program quality, as evidenced by more students completing or transferring programs, getting employed or improving their earnings.
The Strong Workforce Program focuses on data-driven outcomes rather than activities, along with an emphasis on innovation and risk-taking. In this way, colleges can be more responsive to labor market conditions and student outcomes.
This ongoing Strong Workforce Program funding is structured as a 60% "Local" share allocation for each community college district and a 40% "Regional" share determined by a regional consortia of colleges to focus on the state’s seven macro-economic regions.
SWP Round 8 Funding Data (July 2023 - June 2025)
- Local
SRJC received $2,278,961 in SWP Round 8 (2023-25) Local grant funds. As of July 1, 2024, 86% of this amount has been allocated to 13 specific programs and 14% to across program services and projects.
Program Specific:
$1,951,385
Across Programs:
$327,576
Total
$2,278,961
Expenses through FY 2023-24 (6/30/24)
- Regional
SRJC received $1,139,749 in SWP Round 8 (2023-25) Regional grant funds. As of July 1, 2024, 74% of this amount has been allocated to 6 specific programs and 26% to across program services and projects.
Program Specific:
$841,242
Across Programs:
$298,507
Total
$1,139,749
Expenses through FY 2023-24 (6/30/24)
SWP Round 9 Funding Data (July 2024 - June 2026)
- Local
SRJC received $1,743,926 in SWP Round 9 (2024-26) Local grant funds. As of July 1, 2024, 81% of this amount has been allocated to 8 specific programs and 19% to across program services and projects.
Program Specific:
$1,415,880
Across Programs:
$328,046
Total
$1,743,926
No expenses to report as of 9/30/24.
- Regional
SRJC received $959,159 in SWP Round 9 (2024-26) Regional grant funds. As of July 1, 2024, 79% of this amount has been allocated to 4 specific programs and 21% to across program services and projects.
Program Specific:
$739,756
Across Programs:
$194,403
Total
$934,159
No expenses to report as of 9/30/24.
PERKINS
The Career Education and Workforce Development Department manages the SRJC annual Perkins funds – the leading national funding available for career and technical education programs with the express goal of providing individuals with the academic and technical knowledge and skills they need to prepare for careers in current or emerging employment sectors.
The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office provides extensive information in the form of data, reports, allocations and more for the public to access via their Perkins page.
Perkins Quarterly Reporting | Funding Data
- 2024-25
SRJC received $695,756 in Perkins 2024-25 grant funds. The amount of Perkins funds received is determined annually by the disadvantaged student count as certified through MIS data. As of July 1, 2024, 81% of this amount has been allocated to 12 specific programs and 19% to across program services and projects.
Program Specific:
$534,040
Across Programs:
$125,716
Total
$659,756
Expenses through Quarter 1 (9/30/24)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MINI-GRANT
The SRJC Office of Career Education and Economic Development is a catalyst for collaboration and communication in the North Bay. It initiates, facilitates, and supports cooperative projects involving SRJC faculty, college advisory committees, and Sonoma County businesses.
The 2024-2025 professional development goals of SRJC Career Education (CE) encourage faculty to:
• Work closely with industry partners to ensure that programs are responsive to labor market demands
• Improve support for and access by special populations
• Embed soft skills (employability skills) in instruction
• Improve instruction, program and curriculum
This can be accomplished in a number of ways:
• Visits to industry
• Externships with industry
• Attend seminars, conferences and association meetings about the discipline, job market, workforce training, or regional economic trends
• Visit and communicate with neighboring community colleges in the region
Perkins funds are available for professional development mini-grants to support these activities in fiscal year 2024-2025.
Interested faculty and staff may apply for a grant by submitting the application.
The following guidelines apply:
• Proposals must be received and approved at least two weeks prior to the training
• Requests for Out-of-State Travel must be received six weeks in advance to receive Chancellor’s Office approval
• List the date of your Fall and Spring Advisory Committee meetings.
If your program did not have at least one meeting with quorum in the last academic year, you are not eligible to apply for funding
• A maximum of $2,000 is available per person, per academic year
• Faculty may receive more than one mini-grant as long as the academic year total does not exceed $2,000
• Within two weeks of completing the activity, each grant recipient must submit a Mini-Grant Report.
The Report template will be sent to you upon approval of your activity We will accept applications on an on-going basis as long as funds are available.
Submit application materials electronically, with supervisor’s support of application and verification that the training is related to Career Education teaching assignments, to Rachel Smith rsmith@santarosa.edu.