Media Release: WSAC awards $3.1 million to five new regional challenge grant partnerships
July 22, 2024
Olympia—The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has awarded five new partnerships $3.1 million in total funding from the Regional Challenge Grant (RCG). Eight partnerships initially selected in 2022 will see their funding extended through June 2025, with Yakima Valley Partners for Education (YVPE) receiving a grant award increase to $405,780 after exceeding expectations as an emerging partnership. In total, WSAC has committed more than $11 million in funding from RCG to place-based partnerships.
"We've seen more young people and families exploring opportunities for postsecondary education thanks to the work of Yakima Valley Partners for Education,” said Dustin Wunderlich, director of community relations for Yakima Valley College. “Yakima Valley College is honored to be a partner in this work, which is empowering people to build better lives for themselves and their families and creating stronger communities."
For this second round of funding, priority was given to partnerships focused on adult learners, those seeking to advance credential completion in their communities and partnerships at the emerging stages of their work. These partnerships were intentionally selected to grow the scale of WSAC’s regional partnership work.
“WSAC is excited to expand the state’s investment in community partnerships to expand opportunities for all Washington residents,” said Michael Meotti, executive director for WSAC. “These new partnerships will help the state learn how to best serve populations that face many barriers to college and career pathways, including Native Americans, Latinx communities and the adult population.”
WSAC reviewed 38 submitted Letters of Interest, representing 200 organizations and 34 of 39 counties in Washington State. The five partnerships awarded represent more than 30 cross-sector organizations from 13 counties:
| Partnership | Counties | Award Amount Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Centro Cultural Mexicano | King, Pierce and Snohomish | $250,000 |
| ELEVATE (Empowering Learners to Excel through Vocation Advancement, Training, and Education) | Snohomish | $288,420 |
| Kitsap Strong | Kitsap and Mason | $320,000 |
| Olympic Peninsula Resource CO-OP | Clallam and Jefferson | $447,819 |
| Washington State University Native American Health Sciences | Chelan, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Yakima1 | $247,615 |
More information is available on the WSAC website.
1 Washington State University Native American Health Sciences serves the tribal lands across our state that are within listed county lines, inclusive of the Spokane Tribe of Indians, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Yakama Nation and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians.
About the Regional Challenge Grant
Established through Senate Bill 5789 in 2022, the Regional Challenge Grant program awards competitive grants to regional partnerships working to increase postsecondary attainment and credential completion and close opportunity gaps for students.
About the Washington Student Achievement Council
The Washington Student Achievement Council is committed to increasing educational opportunities and attainment in Washington. WSAC fosters a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion among its staff and areas of work.
###