Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation launches $20 million campaign to help students in need

PHOENIX – Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF) announced a three-year, $20 million campaign to provide students in need with scholarships and access to higher education.

MCCF collaborated with Maricopa Community Colleges District (MCCD) to launch the EmpowerED for Student Success initiative, which was started to bridge the gap and provide students from lower income backgrounds with more opportunities.

The funds will go towards 10 individual college initiatives, in particular scholarships for the schools’ bachelor’s degree programs, provide basic needs resources, workforce development and other current programs.

“As an open-access institution, we are committed to ensuring higher education is affordable and accessible to any student that chooses our colleges as their learning community,” Steven R. Gonzales, MCCD’s chancellor, said in a press release.

“The ability to pay for expenses outside of tuition is often the most challenging for many of our students. This campaign will not only meet students’ educational and financial needs but also address the critical workforce shortage by preparing them to be job ready.”

AT&T announced Thursday it was contributing $70,000 to the campaign.

Why did Maricopa Community College Foundation create the campaign?

Arizona is facing a shortage of qualified skilled workers and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there are nearly 180,000 vacant jobs across the state. It’s projected that by 2031 the number of well-paid jobs in the U.S. will grow 21% from about 73 million to 88 million.

MCCD and MCCF’s goal is to create a pipeline of skilled workers to fill these roles.

“The EmpowerED campaign is different from our established fundraising initiatives because it’s unique in its timing. Today, students face challenges very different from what we witnessed a decade ago. This campaign helps our students cross the finish line, and that goal is vital because many of our students stay within our local communities. Earning a certificate or degree is the first step in their journey to help build the community we all want to live in,” MCCF President and CEO, Brian Spicker said in a press release.

At a national level community colleges enroll around 41% of all undergraduates but receive less financial support compared to four-year colleges and universities. In 2023, just 1.5% of the $58 billion in donations to higher education went to community colleges.

MCCF raised $9.3 million in donations from industry, foundation, community, education and municipal partners.

“We are going to be successful no matter what. Whether we reach our goal or exceed it, each dollar represents one additional student we have the power to impact. The question isn’t just how can I donate? But will you join us in making education accessible for everyone?” Gonzales said.