About Sponsored Programs
The Office of Sponsored Programs & Sponsored Research (OSPR) works to facilitate the procurement of external funding through federal, state and local government grants. As the official college representative and contact in the grant procurement process, the department is a valuable source of information for faculty and staff interested in seeking outside funding.
The office assists with pre-award, post-award, contract and compliance for external funding projects.
Act 101 Program
The Act 101 program is a state-funded support grant program with a mission to help academically and financially qualified Pennsylvania students succeed in college, persist to graduation or transfer to a four-year institution. The Act 101 program provides various academic services and opportunities to help students develop their academic abilities and enrich their academic experience while successfully completing their postsecondary studies.
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KEYS Program
KEYS (Keystone Education Yields Success) is a Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) program designed to help TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps) recipients succeed in community college.
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″This grant proposal will make CCAC a leader in remote-access instruction and give graduates skills that will be highly relevant—with or without a pandemic.″
Perkins Career & Technical Education Grant
The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) provides CCAC with federal funding for student support staff, instructional equipment and professional development for faculty and staff. The goals of the Perkins Grant are to help Career & Technical Education students earn better grades, remain in school and graduate with an associate degree or certificate as well as the skills necessary to pursue employment in current or emerging high-priority technical professions while supporting gender equity across all career pathways.
In fiscal year 2024–2025, the Community College of Allegheny County will receive $1,103,957 in federal Perkins Grant funding.
CCAC has over 120 Career & Technical Education programs designed for students to immediately join the workforce upon graduation. These programs include a wide variety of Allied Health programs, Nursing, skilled trades, union apprenticeships, culinary arts, criminal justice, accounting and many more. A complete list of CCAC's CTE programs can be viewed here.
- Perkins Career & Technical Education Student Support Team
Provides students with academic support services, study groups and workshops, and referrals to other existing college academic resources to boost grades, retention and graduation rates - Career Specialists
Help connect students to the job market and secure employment in high-demand, high-wage careers
Instructional Equipment
Over the past three years, CCAC has used Perkins Grant funding for more than $1 million in educational supplies in academic programs that promise strong industry growth and family-sustaining wages. Equipment purchases include:
- Over $100,000 in equipment for Nursing, including simulators, pumps, hospital beds and defibrillators
- Over $10,000 in equipment, including a Glidescope Core Videoscope, for the Anesthesia Technologist program
- Over $30,000 for the Welding program, including four MIG welders
- A $5,700 3D printer for the Multimedia program
- Over $90,000 for ventilators and related equipment for the Respiratory Therapy program
- Over $20,000 for the Automotive programs, including an on-car brake lathe
- Over $10,000 for supplies for Disability Resources & Services
Professional Development
Over the past three years, CCAC has used Perkins Grant funds to provide professional development opportunities to staff, students and faculty, including:
- Test taking preparation workshops for Nursing students
- Seminars for male and female students on nontraditional occupations
- Interactive presentations emphasizing employability skills to students preparing to enter the workforce
- Staff and faculty attendance at state and national conferences, such as the Integrated Learning Conference, the National Summit on Education Equity, the Association of Career & Technical Education's Regional Conference, the AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability) Equity Summit, and the PennACE (Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Employers) and EACE (Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers) conferences
CCAC's Perkins Grant staff have created credit transfer agreements that enable well-qualified graduates of Career & Technical high schools to earn college credit for work completed in high school.
Perkins Grant funding has enabled CCAC to invest in labor market research tools for students and counselors, including Career Coach, a software program available to students to aid in their job search and career exploration. Data includes available openings in the Southwestern Pennsylvania region, wage trends and academic programs at CCAC that provide the necessary credentials for entry-level positions.
Due to federal grant guidelines, Perkins Grant staff members cannot assist students with developmental coursework. Furthermore, the Perkins Grant does not provide funds directly to students, but instead funds a variety of programs designed to help Career & Technical Education students succeed.
Awards List
Each year, CCAC receives several awards to help fund the school. The Awarded Sponsored Program list includes only new funding projects. CCAC's recurring sponsored programs, such as KEYS, the Act 101 program and Perkins, are not listed.
For additional information on our sponsored programs, please email grants@ccac.edu.