Broward College Partners With Florida Atlantic University to Administer Promise Neighborhoods Grant

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – In 2021, Broward College secured a $30 million Promise Neighborhoods Grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This is the largest grant ever awarded to the College and one of the largest federal grants received by any community college nationwide.

The Promise Neighborhoods program was designed to foster a “cradle-to-career” educational model, supporting underserved communities in Broward County by investing in early childhood education, K-12 school transitions, and pathways to postsecondary education and career success.  

This award requires that a substantial portion of the grant funds be passed on to other agencies, meaning Broward College serves as a “pass-through” entity, serving as the fiscal agent overseeing the funds. Some of the funds go to supporting College programs while other dollars are distributed to “sub-recipients” that are providing the needed services.

As the program progressed, Broward College has achieved significant milestones but also identified opportunities for enhanced services. Recognizing the need for additional capacity in areas beyond its core strengths, Broward College is pleased to announce it is partnering with Florida Atlantic University (FAU) to administer the grant.

“This grant provides funding for a wide variety of support services, some of which align more closely with FAU’s mission and expertise,” said Dr. Steven Tinsley, Vice President of Workforce Education and Strategic Partnerships at Broward College.

Tinsley said that Broward College initially looked at other organizations to take on the administrative role for the grant – the Community Foundation of Broward, the Children Services Council of Broward County and Broward County Public Schools. Because two are independent taxing authorities, they were not eligible for the grant and the other didn’t have the experience working with such a large grant, so they were not a viable option, either. He added that other organizations were suggested to become the pass-through entity, but because they didn’t have strong ties to Broward County, they weren’t a good fit. That led Broward College to FAU as they have the necessary expertise and resources as well as an excellent relationship with the College and long-standing presence in Broward County.

Under this new arrangement, FAU will become the grant’s primary holder, while Broward College will continue receiving funds that support postsecondary transitions, workforce training, and career development for Broward County residents.

Tinsley explained that while the grant provides funds for a comprehensive cradle-to-career model, much of the programming focuses on early childhood education, kindergarten readiness, and K-12 services. Broward College has historically allocated grant funds to its community partners to deliver these services.

After collaborating with FAU, the College determined that FAU’s resources and expertise in managing multi-partner initiatives and its focus on early learning made it a better fit for overseeing these aspects of the grant. Home to award-winning K-12 schools, including Alexander D. Henderson University School (K-8) and FAU High School (9-12), FAU has extensive experience in early learning, prenatal care, and related programs.

Tinsley emphasized that Broward College is not “giving back” the $30 million grant. Instead, the partnership with FAU ensures that services are better aligned with each institution’s mission.

“It’s important to note that all the programs funded by this grant – whether overseen by Broward College or FAU – will continue serving residents in Broward County,” he said. “With the collaboration between Broward College and FAU, the Promise Neighborhoods Grant will continue to drive meaningful change for the underserved communities in Broward County, ensuring a comprehensive approach to education and career success.”

Tinsley also said there may be some confusion between this $30 million U.S. DOE grant and a separate $30 million philanthropic gift from MacKenzie Scott and her husband, Dan Jewett. The MacKenzie Scott gift is entirely separate from the Promise Neighborhoods Grant and is being managed by the Broward College Foundation.

“These are two separate financial awards, and we are not giving back any funds from the Promise Neighborhood Grant or the MacKenzie Scott gift,” he said. “Both the Promise Neighborhood Grant and the MacKenzie Scott philanthropic gift will continue to benefit the residents of Broward County.”

What to Know

• The Promise Neighborhood Grant and the MacKenzie Scott philanthropic gift are two, separate $30 million financial awards
• Broward College is not giving away any funds from either of these awards
  • Promise Neighborhood Grant utilized Broward College as a “pass through” entity (i.e., the College disseminated funds to sub-recipients who were providing services to the community)
  • The MacKenzie Scott gift remains with the College, and is being administered by the Broward College Foundation
• Because some of the services funded by the Promise Neighborhood Grant fall outside of the mission of Broward College (i.e., early childhood education, kindergarten readiness, and K-12 services), it is now working with Florida Atlantic University to be the pass-through entity as FAU has expertise and experience in these areas.
  • FAU will become the grant’s primary holder, while Broward College will receive funds to continue supporting postsecondary transitions, workforce training, and career development for Broward County residents.
  • The partnership with FAU ensures that services are better aligned with each institution’s mission.

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