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GRCC says Ottawa County ARPA gap grant helped 258 residents afford college
Summary
Grand Rapids Community College reported to the Ottawa County Finance Administration Committee that an ARPA-funded Ottawa County Reconnect Gap Grant of just over $506,000 awarded 258 students—average award $1,853—helped bridge Michigan Reconnect funding to higher nonresident tuition and supported first-generation and returning adult learners.
Crystal Morris, executive director of financial aid at Grand Rapids Community College, told the Ottawa County Finance Administration Committee on July 8 that Ottawa County’s Reconnect Gap Grant, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), awarded 258 county residents a total grant pool of just over $506,000 to bridge the difference between Michigan Reconnect benefits and higher nonresident tuition rates.
Morris said awards ranged from $2 to nearly $5,000 with an average award of about $1,853 and that the grant ran from the winter 2023 semester through summer 2024. "The Ottawa County Gap Grant was made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act," Morris said. "This grant truly helped remove financial barriers for our adult learners pursuing higher education."
The college set clear eligibility rules: recipients had to be Ottawa County residents who were…
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