December 22, 2021 – The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) has granted $22.8 million to community colleges and other community based organizations throughout Illinois to help address education and unemployment gaps for African American and other minority communities. The funding will be used by 18 community colleges, including Richland Community College, which will receive $600,000. The funding will serve minority populations under Illinois’ Workforce Equity Initiative (WEI) or the Innovative Bridge and Transition Grant program (IBT) which helps low income individuals remove barriers to completing their education and elevating career goals
The ongoing pandemic has disrupted education and employment opportunities for our hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans, disproportionately affecting African American and other minority communities. Supporting and scaling effective and equitable education and career opportunities is critical for helping these targeted populations for post-pandemic recovery,” said ICCB executive director Brian Durham.
