Seven community colleges across the state will receive $8.1 million in funding through the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential’s (MiLEAP) Reconnect Community Action Grants.
Learn more in the news release below about how Henry Ford College, in partnership with the Detroit Regional Chamber, plans to expand Detroit Reconnect through this grant.
May 27, 2025
The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) announced today it is awarding $8.1 million in Reconnect Community Action Grants to seven community colleges across the state. The grants will fund community-driven strategies to increase adult learner enrollment, provide college and career navigation guidance, enhance wraparound student support, and strengthen regional partnerships between colleges, local governments, and employers.
“These investments reflect our deep commitment to adult learners and the communities that support them,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “By working with local colleges and community leaders, we are removing barriers to education and helping more Michiganders earn the credentials they need to thrive in today’s economy – and into the future.”
The Reconnect Community Action Grants are part of Michigan’s broader effort to achieve the Sixty by 30 goal, which aims to ensure that 60% of working-age residents have a postsecondary degree or credential by 2030. Each grantee project was selected for its place-based strategy to serve adult students and foster collaborative, long-term approaches to educational attainment and workforce readiness.
These grants are one of five categories of new competitive grants that became available in 2024 to grow student success at Michigan’s community and Tribal colleges and universities, representing over $45 million in funding. The full suite of grants reflects MiLEAP’s commitment to removing barriers, investing in institutional capacity, and advancing postsecondary achievement statewide.
Grantee Highlights:
Grand Rapids Community College will coordinate the Kent County Reconnect Collaborative, focusing on asset mapping, governance, and hiring navigators to guide adult learners through education pathways.
Henry Ford College, in partnership with the Detroit Regional Chamber, will expand Detroit Reconnect by hiring additional staff, enhancing outreach and technology access, and building strong alumni and partner networks.
“Detroit Reconnect represents a vital step forward in our collective responsibility to support adult learners across the regions,” said A. Reginald Best, vice president of Advancement at Henry Ford College. “By strengthening pathways to education and career readiness, this initiative ensures that more individuals regardless of background have the support and resources necessary to achieve their goals and contribute meaningfully to our communities. We look forward to partnering with the Detroit Regional Chamber on this important effort to advance opportunity and equity throughout the region.”
“There has never been a more important time to support students of all ages seeking a credential or college degree,” said Greg Handel, Vice President of TalentEd. “Funds from the Reconnect Community Action Grant will be instrumental in helping the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit Reconnect program continue doing just that. Detroit Reconnect has a history of meeting students where they are to assist them in succeeding through their unique college journeys, and support from this grant will allow the program to expand the resources and opportunities to do so. The Chamber and Detroit Reconnect appreciate Henry Ford College’s long-standing partnership, which led to this opportunity to support students across the Detroit Region’s colleges and to achieve 2030 attainment goals.”
Jackson College will launch a new Workforce Development Collaborative, support College and Career Navigators, and conduct an environmental scan of county needs.
Mott Community College will place College and Career Navigators at six trusted community partner locations to connect residents directly to postsecondary opportunities.
Northwestern Michigan College, in partnership with Northwest Michigan Works!, will coordinate the “NoMI Attainment Collaborative,” uniting over 20 organizations across 10 counties to support adult learners through wraparound services and a step-by-step credentialing path.
Oakland Community College (OCC) will expand Oakland County’s Oakland80 Navigator services to strengthen outreach and workforce alignment.
St. Clair County Community College (SC4) will lead the development of a new career-focused system in the St. Clair County region aligned with labor market needs.
For more information about the Reconnect Community Action Grants and other Sixty by 30 grants, visit Michigan.gov/Sixtyby30grants.