Texas Comptroller Susan Combs today announced 17 colleges across the state will receive more than $3.51 million in Job Building Fund grants, while 10 nonprofit organizations will receive more than $2.86 million in Launchpad Funds through a program to help Texans get technical training for careers in fast-growing, high-demand occupations. The Job Building Fund grants help finance equipment purchases for new career and technical education programs that support high-growth industries throughout the state. The Launchpad Fund supports and expands existing nonprofit programs with a proven track record of good performance.
“We’re using the Job Building Fund to help schools purchase cutting-edge equipment needed for high-demand career and technical education programs, training students for high-growth industries throughout the state in an era of rapidly increasing enrollment,” Combs said. “With the Launchpad Funds, priority was given to organizations whose students are expected to graduate and find jobs paying salaries equal to or greater than the prevailing wage for high-demand occupations in the region.”
The chart below shows the recipient schools and organizations, their location, project, grant type and award amount.
| Recipient | Location | Project | Grant Type | Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brenham | Nursing (Advanced Simulation Equipment) | Equipment | $350,000 | |
| Brazosport College | Lake Jackson | Welding Simulation Trainers | Equipment | $215,760 |
| Coastal Bend College | Beeville | Aviation Maintenance Program | Equipment | $149,700 |
| Collin College | McKinney | Photovoltaic Solar Energy Training | Equipment | $124,490 |
| Hillsboro | Welding Program Expansion | Equipment | $204,900 | |
| Houston Community College | Houston | Equipment for Solar, Thermal and Wind Certificate Programs | Equipment | $338,300 |
| Beaumont | Equipment Upgrades for Advanced Arc Welding Programs | Equipment | $62,500 | |
| Lamar State College | Port Arthur | Simulated Medical Dispensing Systems | Equipment | $56,985 |
| Lee College | Baytown | Equipment for Industrial Systems Mechanics | Equipment | $166,286 |
| Navarro Community College | Corsicana | Industrial Welding Certification Program Equipment | Equipment | $243,808 |
| North Central Texas College | Gainesville | Simulated Hospital System | Equipment | $177,130 |
| Ranger College | Ranger | Wind Energy Technician Program Equipment | Equipment | $202,182 |
| San Jacinto College District | Pasadena | Newborn Baby Simulation System | Equipment | $294,005 |
| Levelland | Hybrid Automotive Technology | Equipment | $210,222 | |
| Fort Worth | Neonatal Simulators | Equipment | $276,494 | |
| Texas State Technical College | Waco | Supercomputer purchase | Equipment | $126,550 |
| Weatherford | Patient Simulators & Virtual IV Systems for EMS Training | Equipment | $313,656 | |
| Alamo CC District Foundation | San Antonio | Distance Learning Initiative (LVN to RN) | Nonprofit | $61,754 |
| Brazosport College Foundation | Gulf Coast | Multiple Programs | Nonprofit | $170,950 |
| Capital Idea | Rural Capital | Multiple Programs | Nonprofit | $225,000 |
| Northeast Texas CC Foundation | Northeast Texas | Multiple Programs | Nonprofit | $255,000 |
| Project Quest | San Antonio | Multiple Programs | Nonprofit | $180,000 |
| Project Quest | Dallas | Multiple Programs | Nonprofit | $396,000 |
| Project Quest | South Plains | Multiple Programs | Nonprofit | $404,000 |
| South Texas College | McAllen | Computer and Info Sciences | Nonprofit | $500,000 |
| Tarrant County College Foundation | Fort Worth | CNC Machinists | Nonprofit | $441,660 |
| Western Texas College Foundation | Snyder | Multiple Programs | Nonprofit | $227,500 |
Combs previously announced the first 13 recipients of $2.26 million of Job Building Fund grants in December 2009. In October 2009, the Comptroller awarded $3.5 million in the first round of Launchpad Funds to nine nonprofit organizations.
Texas public community colleges or technical institutes that receive Job Building Fund grants must provide matching funds in the form of cash, equipment, materials, supplies and/or personnel costs. The Comptroller’s office selected grant recipients based on each project’s potential economic return to the state and on endeavors that involve dual-credit programs with local high schools or cooperative arrangements with other colleges. Priority was given to projects that target high-demand occupations and new or emerging industries.
Launchpad Funds support Texas nonprofit organizations with programs that prepare low-income students for careers in high-demand technical occupations, such as welding, computer support, engineering technology, nursing and allied health professions. These organizations are governed by boards that include community and business leaders and assist low-income students preparing to atte
nd public community colleges or technical schools. Nonprofit organizations receiving Launchpad Funds must be community-based 501(c)(3) organizations that provide matching funding and can demonstrate that they have achieved or will achieve success, with priority given to those with programs for veterans or partnerships with community colleges, business organizations or economic development organizations. The money administered by the Comptroller comes from components of the Every Chance Funds, which include three categories of grants and scholarships over the biennium for career and technical education. In addition to the $10 million Job Building Fund and the $10 million Launchpad Fund, a $5 million Career and Technical Scholarship Fund allocates money for approved training programs for highdemand occupations.
In December 2008, Combs released Texas Works, a report detailing the widening gap between the skills required in today’s job market and the number of graduates trained with those skills coming out of our education system. The report called for the state to establish a $25 million education fund to support career technical education, which the 81st Legislature created.
For more information about the funds, visit www.everychanceeverytexan.org/funds. The Texas Works report is available on the Comptroller’s Web site at www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/workforce.