Office of Institutional Grants

• Amount: $10,671,840
• Project Period: 3/13/2020 - 5/11/2022
• Contact Person: Chuck Jensen
• Email: chuck.jensen@aims.edu 
• Funding Agency: US Department of Education

This program is 100% funded by the Federal Government via the U.S. Department of Education to cover costs associated with coronavirus. Institutional portion funds may be used to defray expenses associated with coronavirus (including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll), and to carry out student support activities authorized by the HEA that address needs related to coronavirus. Institutional funds may also be used to make additional financial aid grants to students.

 

• Amount: $7,646,828
• Project Period: 3/13/2020 - 5/21/2022
• Contact Person: Chuck Jensen
• Email: chuck.jensen@aims.edu 
• Funding Agency: US Department of Education

The purpose of this program is to support college students whose lives have been impacted by the coronavirus and are facing financial challenges. This program is 100% funded by the Federal Government via the U.S. Department of Education. Institutions must make financial aid grants to students, which can be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care. Unlike the CARES Act, the CRRSAA requires that institutions prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants, and authorizes grants to students exclusively enrolled in distance education.

• Amount: $10,000
• Project Period: 11/10/2025-6/30/2026
• Contact Person: Mike Hanscome
• Email: mike.hanscome@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: Collision Repair Education Foundation

The goal of the Benchmark grant is to honor schools that have been doing an outstanding job in educating students in collision repair, but need some financial assistance to improve their program’s teaching materials and equipment.

• Amount: $27,315
• Project Period: 3/11/2025 - 1/31/2027
• Contact Person: Michael Sasso
• Email: michael.sasso@aims.edu 
• Funding Agency: Colorado Department of Transportation

The purpose of the Aviation Education and Workforce Development Grant Program is to support education programs, projects, and initiatives in Colorado that have direct application to the state’s aviation and aerospace industry.  This grant project is designed to assist Aims Community College to purchase a maintenance trainer for the A&P Program.

• Amount: $5,500
• Project Period: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026
• Contact Person: Doug Strauss
• Email: doug.strauss@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: Colorado Department of Education

The grant funds can be spent on any educational materials: books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and even electronic resources and databases.  

• Amount: $137,560
• Project Period: 8/26/2024 - 9/30/2026
• Contact Person: Martin Rubalcaba
• Email: martin.rubalcaba@aims.edu 
• Funding Agency: US Department of Transportation

The CMVOST funding will cover training expenses (tuition, fees, and registration costs) for 38 CDL students to support the US DOT's goals of driver safety, developing a reliable transportation system for businesses and workers, reducing transportation inequalities, and improving access for all communities.

• Amount: $83,260
• Project Period: 12/1/2025 - 9/30/2028
• Contact Person: Martin Rubalcaba
• Email: martin.rubalcaba@aims.edu 
• Funding Agency: US Department of Transportation

Through the CMVOST CDL Grant, Aims Community College is advancing roadway safety while strengthening the regional workforce. This program supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s goals by preparing highly trained, safety‑focused commercial drivers and expanding access to high‑quality training opportunities for military‑affiliated individuals.

The grant will support the recruitment and training of 23 students through Aims’ comprehensive Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program. Students complete classroom instruction, advanced simulator training, and extensive behind‑the‑wheel experience, with additional support available to ensure skill mastery and confidence. Aims emphasizes safety, professionalism, and real‑world readiness—going beyond minimum standards to prepare graduates for successful, responsible careers in commercial transportation.

• Amount: $50,000
• Project Period: 3/31/2024 - 6/30/2026
• Contact Person: Kelly Jackson
• Email: kelly.jackson@aims.edu 
• Funding Agency: Daniels Fund

At the end of the 2-year grant period, 10 unemployed or under-employed people will have received a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and 8 EMTs will have received a Paramedic Certificate. With a CDL or a Paramedic Certificate these participants will fill open positions in Northern Colorado and increase their earning potential.

• Amount: $10,000
• Project Period: 7/1/2025 - 6/30/2026
• Contact Person: Kelly Jackson
• Email: kelly.jackson@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: El Pomar Foundation

Spencer and Julie Penrose established El Pomar in 1937 with a mission to enhance, encourage, and promote the current and future well-being of the people of Colorado.  The North Regional Council has awarded Aims Foundation funding for student scholarships in Aviation & Nursing.

• Amount: $71,198
• Project Period: 7/1/2025 - 6/30/2026
• Contact Person: Dr. Douglas Strauss
• Email: doug.strauss@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: Colorado Department of Education

These funds will allow Aims to develop additional OER courses and offer a Zero-Cost AA degree. 

• Amount: $44,949
• Project Period: 2/1/2026 - 6/30/2027
• Contact Person: Dr. Douglas Strauss
• Email: doug.strauss@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: Colorado Department of Education

With this grant, Aims Community College is expanding its institutional Z‑Degree (zero textbook cost degrees) by adding three courses to the Associate of Arts (AA)- Liberal Arts, Z-degree, one Early Childhood Education course, and one Education course will transition to open‑source textbooks and instructional materials. 

As a result of this initiative, two full degree programs—the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Early Childhood Education and the Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Early Childhood Teacher Education—along with four certificates (Early Childhood Assistant Teacher, Early Childhood Director, Early Childhood Education Entry, and Early Childhood Teacher) will be offered as 100% Open Educational Resources (OER) or No‑Cost programs.

The Mathematics Department will also develop shareable OER course templates for use by all department faculty, including concurrent enrollment partners. In addition, two faculty‑led projects will further support OER expansion at Aims Community College: the creation of a Basic Anatomy and Physiology (BIO 1006) lab manual and the redesign of the currently used textbook for Accounting (ACC 1032). In addition to improving the textbook, many ancillaries will be revised and created, including PowerPoint slides, assignments, and quizzes. This course is used by many Colorado Community Colleges across the state.

• Amount: $5,000
• Project Period: 10/17/2024 - 5/31/2026
• Contact Person: Erica Jones
• Email: erica.jones@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: The JED Foundation

In support of developing new programs and initiatives for students who are parents, JED will grant $5,000 to Aims Community College to be used toward an intervention that supports students who are parents. JED will provide guidance on the JED Student Parent Action Steps and Framework.

• Amount: $372,496
• Project Period: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026
• Contact Person: Landon Loyd
• Email: landon.loyd@aims.edu
• Funding Agency:  U.S. Department of Education, administered by the Colorado Career & Technical Education and the Colorado Community College System

The purpose of this grant is to provide students with the academic and technical skills needed to succeed in a knowledge and skills-based economy.  Perkins funding elevates the quality of Aims CTE programs to support each learner's skill development and meet industry needs by keeping equipment up-to-date and ahead of industry standards when possible; prepare Colorado's future workforce through transformation partnerships by enhancing Career Academy offerings and capacity with the needed equipment/tools/technology; and ensure access to meaningful work-based learning opportunities.

• Amount: $1,114,578.
• Project Period: 7/9/2024 - 6/30/2029
• Contact Person: Rachel Veretto
• Email: rachel.veretto@aims.edu 
• Funding Agency:  Reisher Family Foundation

The mission of the Reisher Scholarship Program is to provide post-secondary educational opportunities for Colorado students by awarding scholarship grants for such students to attend schools in Colorado.  The Reisher Bridge Scholars Program, housed in the Transitions Center at Aims Community College, will provide dedicated transition support and resource connection to eligible transfer-intending students committed to one or more Reisher Scholarship Program institutions.

The Skill Advance Colorado Job Training Grant helps businesses and nonprofits create customized job training for employees.

• Amount: $455,118.75
• Project Period: 7/31/2025 - 5/15/2026
• Contact Person: Stephanie Staudacher
• Email: stephanie.staudacher@aims.edu
• Funding Agency:  Colorado Community College System

Current Skill Advance Grant Partnerships:

• CARE Communities
• Charm Industrial, Inc.
• Durable Life Skills
• Metal Container Corp.
• Unbridled Contractors, LLC
• Woodward HRT, Inc.

• Amount: $7,000
• Project Period: 1/1/2026-6/30/2026
• Contact Person: Gina Jones
• Email: gina.jones@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: Mile High United Way

A partnership between the Mile High United Way and the Colorado Community College System, Tax Help Colorado offers free tax preparation assistance to families who earn less than approximately $69,000 per year thus helping to ease the burden of commercial tax preparation costs for this group of tax payers.

• Amount: $75,000
• Project Period: 2/15/2023 - 2/14/2027
• Contact Person: Erica Jones
• Email: erica.jones@aims.edu 
• Funding Agency: The Colorado Health Foundation

This grant empowers campus communities to strengthen their overall efforts to address student mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention. Funding will bring JED campus programming to all four of Aims Community College’s campuses.

• Amount: $1,430,545
• Project Period: 9/01/2025 - 8/31/2030
• Contact Person: Sarah Lindahl
• Email: sarah.lindahl@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Education

The objectives of the program are to increase the retention, graduation and transfer rates of 160 eligible students, and to foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of low-income and first-generation students and students with disabilities.

• Amount: $1,361,820
• Project Period: 9/01/2025 - 8/31/2030
• Contact Person: Sarah Lindahl
• Email: sarah.lindahl@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Education

The objectives of the program are to increase the retention, graduation and transfer rates of 120 eligible students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM disciplines), and to foster an institutional climate supportive of the success in STEM of low–income and first-generation college students and students with disabilities. 

• Project Period: 7/1/2023 - 6/30/2026
• Contact Person: Fabian Garcia
• Email: fabian.garcia@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: Colorado Department of Education

Weld County School District 6 (WC6) implements a Traditional three‐year 21st CCLC (21C) grant with the overarching goal of increasing student achievement and engagement in five high‐poverty, low‐performing schools through innovative, project‐based, out‐of‐school time (OST). 

• Project Period: 9/25/2023 - 9/24/2030
• Contact Person: Fabian Garcia
• Email: fabian.garcia@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: US Department of Education

The Greeley-Evans School District 6, in collaboration with Aims, is implementing a 7-year GEAR UP grant with the overarching goal of increasing the number of low-income students that graduate from high school prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education. They serve over 1,700 students (87% low-income) who started in 6th and 7th grades from middle schools in Greeley-Evans Schools District 6. 

• Project Period: 7/1/2024 - 6/30/2029
• Contact Person: Julie Luekenga
• Email: julie.luekenga@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: US Department of Education

The CU-Boulder BUENO High School Equivalency Program (BUENO-HEP) is designed to provide migrant and seasonal farm workers and immediate family members an opportunity to earn their High School Equivalency Diploma. The program will pay for all costs associated with classroom, instruction, books, materials, and the official test. 

• Project Period: 7/1/2020 - 6/30/2026
• Contact Person: Ray Chard
• Email: ray.chard@aims.edu
• Funding Agency: Colorado Department of Education

The P-TECH grant is an innovative partnership between the Greeley-Evans School District and Aims Community College, designed to promote advanced manufacturing concurrent enrollment programs.