15PBJA22GG00193BRND

In 2016, Community College of Vermont (CCV) partnered with Vermont Department of Corrections (VDOC) to explore the scope for collaboration. CCV and VDOC have a shared goal to provide VDOC's staff and Vermont's incarcerated population greater access to a college education.

In 2017, CCV and VDOC launched a small pilot, offering 12 community college classes to over 100 students in Vermont's Northern State Correctional Facility. The Corrections Post-Secondary Education Initiative (CPSEI) project seeks to build on the lessons learned as a result of the CCV/VDOC pilot. CPSEI has two primary goals:

1) Expand access of post-secondary education to persons incarcerated in Vermont's six correctional facilities;
2) Open access to college programs to VDOC personnel, with the goal of addressing employee recruitment and retention issues, meeting training needs, and forming pipelines for employee advancement.

The proposed Corrections Post-Secondary Education Initiative project provides funding for CCV to assess VDOC needs and programmatic priorities; conduct targeted outreach and recruitment; provide personalized academic and financial aid advising; offer specialized, contracted courses that align with learners' interests and unique needs; fund tuition and supplies for project participants; and deliver learning supports that support college persistence and successful course completion. Additionally, the funding allows for the critically important and deliberate process of relationship-building necessary to identify the best programmatic options for these students and to address the barriers particular to each Vermont prison facility and VDOC staff.

The Corrections Post-Secondary Education Initiative is a three-year project that will ultimately engage 150 VDOC personnel and 600 persons incarcerated in Vermont's correctional facilities.

Vermont State Colleges

AUTHORIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022 THE CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED AWARDS PROGRAM PROVIDES BYRNE DISCRETIONARY GRANT FUNDING TO PREVENT CRIME, IMPROVE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, PROVIDE VICTIM SERVICES, AND OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES. FUNDS MUST BE USED FOR THE PROJECTS DESIGNATED BY CONGRESS, IN THE AMOUNTS SPECIFIED IN THE JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT, AND GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING STATUTORY PURPOSES: IMPROVING THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, PREVENTING OR COMBATING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, OR ASSISTING VICTIMS OF CRIME (OTHER THAN COMPENSATION). IN ACCORDANCE, FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR LUXURY ITEMS, REAL ESTATE, OR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

16.753 - Congressionally Recommended Awards

Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) [DOJ - OJP]

Montpelier, Vermont 05602-4001 United States

Single Zip Code

BJA FY 22 Invited to Apply — Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program (O-BJA-2022-171241)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 08/31/25 to 08/31/26.