Biden-Harris Administration Awards $44.5 Million to Improve Postsecondary Education Access and Completion for Students in Rural Communities

The Biden-Harris Administration announced $44.5 million in grants to 22 institutions of higher education to improve rates of postsecondary education enrollment, persistence, and completion among students in rural communities. The Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) grant program promotes the development of high-quality career pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations in the region. Today's announcement builds on the Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Department of Education's (Department) commitment to students in rural America to have access to career pathways and higher education opportunities that lead to good-paying jobs right in their own communities. This funding also supports the Department's efforts to strengthen the process for students to transition from two-year to four-year institutions. Applicants for the RPED grant program were encouraged to provide programs and implement strategies that support community college students' transition to a four-year institution and that include partnerships that support career pathways for students.