Grant writing plays an increasingly integral role in our quest for institutional sustainability. In order to continue to provide affordable, high-quality educational opportunities, the staff and faculty at MCC have been aggressively targeting and obtaining substantial grant monies. This past fiscal year MCC generated about two (Tuition Fee Special Fund (TFSF), Research and Training, Grant, and Foundation) dollars for every state dollar allotted.

MCC was recently awarded a Tribal College Undergraduate Program (TCUP) grant for $2 M to be used to implement an institution-wide effort to restructure and strengthen introductory science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses – with an emphasis on math. Compass testing – a nationally validated testing structure that measures a student’s reading, writing and math skills – has been employed by several of Maui Nui’s high schools. While all areas tested show room for improvement none more so than math. It, is imperative to find and employ non-traditional ways to engage students in both math and science – in particular, Native Hawaiians.

Ongoing grants and projects include:

• The Rural Development Project

At present, we are working to identify and respond to a number of grant opportunities including solicitations from:

• The National Science Foundation (NSF)
o Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCOR)
o Partnerships for Innovation (PFI)
o Technology Integration Group (TIG)
o Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER)

• Funds for Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) Comprehensive Program.
• The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
• The Rural Utilities Service (RSU)
• The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

This past month, MCC faculty submitted four EPSCoR mini-grant proposals. Interestingly, we were the only community college in the University of Hawai`i system to do so. Stay tuned as this page will be regularly updated.