Community colleges play a vital role in providing postsecondary opportunities for people from underserved groups and advancing the well-being of local communities. Yet many community colleges are experiencing enrollment declines, financial constraints, and tensions about how to best serve varied student needs with available resources.

Free college programs, or “College Promise,” offers a solution. When done right, growing evidence shows College Promise programs help move America toward a more affordable college ecosystem and greater numbers of college graduates. But College Promise programs vary widely in how they’re implemented, what funding covers, what supports are in place, and what populations benefit. Additionally, free tuition alone doesn’t close equity gaps. The best College Promise Programs ensure all student populations, especially low-income and students of color, benefit.

CoPro.2.0 is a $2.5 million funding opportunity through which Kresge awarded 11 multi-year grants to support College Promise programs that incorporate equitable, sustainable practices into their design. It also funds additional research into financial sustainability structures and helps local programs implement the Biden-Harris Administration’s free-college program proposal.

Separately and together, funded projects are expected to show how college promise programs at community colleges can:

• Advance equity and help dismantle systemic racism;
• Improve postsecondary outcomes for historically marginalized populations;
• Reinforce the capacity of community colleges to provide high-quality post-secondary education and improve the well-being of students and local communities; and
• Partner with other organizations to leverage resources and maximize program contributions to ensure long-term sustainability.