Two L.A. Colleges Receive $400K in Community Project Funding

The Los Angeles Community College District announced recently that two of its schools—Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) and Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC)—will receive $400,000 in Community Project Funding. Congressman Tony Cárdenas announced that the funds will go toward expanding the schools’ workforce development and biotech programs, according to a news release.

“Valley and Mission Colleges are no stranger to building up and investing in the next generation of leaders and innovators,” said Cárdenas. “This $400,000 we secured for additional training programs will help our future STEM workforce build the skills needed to thrive. Thank you, Los Angeles Community College District, for working with our office to bring much-needed federal dollars to the San Fernando Valley. Together, we will inspire and empower current and future diverse STEM leaders.”

The donation marks the first time that Congress has passed Community Project Funding (funds that members of Congress can request to meet their districts’ needs) since 2009. Cárdenas submitted ten funding requests and was approved for all of them, sending $12 million to the northeast San Fernando Valley to support community needs for both education and beyond.

“Our community colleges are gateways to success and to high-growth careers,” said LACCD Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez, Ph.D.  “We are incredibly appreciative that two of our campuses that serve San Fernando Valley residents are the recipients of Congressman Cárdenas’ Community Project Funding (CPF) initiative. This generous support secures our ability to continue to provide accessible and high-quality education, and deliver valuable skills and training for the 21st-century marketplace.”

The news release also reports that LAMC will use its funds to improve both space and equipment related to creating specialized cell culture training for its biotechnology program.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.

  • Classical building columns display digital data streams

    The Campus Nervous System: Why Facilities Risk Is Now a Leadership Issue in Higher Education

    Facility performance now intersects with safety, compliance, on-campus experience, institutional reputation, and financial resilience. That places it firmly on the leadership agenda.

  • Washington State District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Cheney School District No. 360 in Spokane County, Wash., recently announced that construction has begun on a new elementary school, according to local news. The district held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 18 in Airway Heights for the yet-to-be-named school, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027.

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.