Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Planning Grant

In May 2019, Capital Community College received a planning grant ($30,750) from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for its Equity Initiative.

 Purpose of the Funding Request:

The Planning Grant will enable Capital Community College to develop an implementation plan for a new Center for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.  The plan has the potential to assist the College to better meet its primary purpose: improving student attainment of post-secondary credentials, so that they may gain meaningful employment. Our college is particularly posed to make a considerable impact in the lives of families in Greater Hartford, because we primarily serve low-income students.  Working with this population is also an issue of equity given that most of our students are unemployed and underemployed people of color and many are non-native speakers of English.

The goals of the project are to:

1) Hire a consultant with expertise in program development, and issues of equity, diversity and inclusion, preferably within the context of higher education to assist Capital Community College staff with:

  1. A) Conducting a needs assessment including focus groups of a representative sample of past and current students, staff and faculty in order to identify barriers to student persistence and successful completion of college credentials;
  2. B) Researching promising and best practices for addressing these issues;
  3. C) Identifying and working with community partners to develop a plan for the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Center and immigrant employment services as part of a redesigned Career Center;
  4. D) Developing a three-year implementation plan; and
  5. E) Building this knowledge base of information to leverage policy changes and funding to ensure sustainability.

 PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:

Hire a consultant with expertise in program development, and issues of equity, diversity and inclusion, preferably within the context of higher education to assist Capital Community College staff with:

  1. A) Conducting a needs assessment and focus groups of a representative sample of past and current students, staff and faculty in order to identify barriers to student persistence and successful completion of college credentials;
  2. B) Researching promising and best practices for addressing these issues;
  3. C) Identifying and working with community partners to develop a plan for the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Center and immigrant employment services as part of a redesigned Career Center;
  4. D) Developing a three-year implementation plan; and
  5. E) Building this knowledge base of information or needs assessment to leverage policy changes and funding to ensure sustainability.

 PROPOSED OUTCOMES:

  1. Needs Assessment

Through a needs assessment survey and focus groups of past and current students, obtain information about the non-academic barriers that prevent Capital Community College students from graduating. Staff will incorporate these findings into a holistic, student retention and success plan.

  1. Implementation Plan

Develop an action plan for developing

  • Space, staffing and programming for the Center for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion over a three-year period
  • Space, staffing and programming for the Center for Center for Language and Culture, a part of the Center for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion over a three-year period
  • Space, staffing and programming for an employment welcome center specifically for immigrants over a three-year period as part of the college’s newly designed Career Center (adjacent to the Center for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion). This initiative will be a partnership with community organizations including Hartford Public Library, CREC, Capital Workforce Partners among others.
  • A three-year budget with possible funding sources