Feed: The U.S. Department of Education Awards 18 Million in Grants - AggScore: 14.0

The U.S. Department of Education Awards 18 Million in Grants to 48 Institutions with Low-Income Students

The USDE has awarded million in grants to 48 higher education institutions in order to increase their ability to serve and educate low-income students.

The USDE's "Strengthening Institutions" program helps to fund schools (many of which are community colleges) which cater to traditionally underprivileged students by enhancing the quality of academics, providing financial stability and improving institutional management. The grant funding will be used to "help the schools aid their low-income students by enhancing academic quality, institutional management and fiscal stability."

To do this, the chosen institution's can use the grant money in a number of different ways including: improving academic programs, retaining qualified faculty or even establishing an endowment.  Improved academic programs will help to not only retain students, but move them more quickly through core courses and program completion.

Of the grant incentives, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said, "the President has set a goal that America will once again lead the world in college completion by the end of this decade. These grants will support institutions serving low-income students as they work to increase college completion rates to help our country meet the President's goal."

This newest program is one of the many funding initiatives the U.S. Department of Education and President Obama are implementing to aid traditionally low-income colleges and universities educate their students effectively and help students graduate more quickly.

Thinking of taking advantage of the multiple U.S. Department of education grants and earning a college degree? If you need some help navigating through higher education decisions, take a look at the University Bound website for all of the information you need.