Northwest Iowa Community College (NCC) has been awarded a Title III Part A Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant along with a supplemental grant totaling $2.42 million from the U.S. Department of Education. This highly competitive, five-year award will provide resources to expand NCC’s capacity to serve students by strengthening enrollment management, data-informed decision making, academic support, and program development. The initiatives will help more students succeed from enrollment through graduation.
Title III SIP awards provide discretionary grants to eligible colleges to help them expand their ability to serve students. The program supports improvements in academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability, with a strong emphasis on student access and success outcomes.
This marks the fifth time NCC has received a Title III award. Four of these grants were awarded directly to NCC, and one was received through a joint effort with the Iowa Community College Online Consortium (ICCOC). Each of these grants has positively impacted academic quality, student service, and institutional strength, and this new award will elevate the college to an even higher level of excellence. Title III SIP awards are highly competitive, with only a limited number of institutions nationwide selected each year. NCC’s selection for these grants underscores its long-standing commitment to student success and its reputation for outstanding academic and institutional achievement.
The Title III grant aligns closely with NCC’s strategic initiatives—Care for People, Open Doors of Opportunity, Build to Serve, Empower Learning, and Strengthen Partnerships. For students in rural northwest Iowa, this means more accessible pathways to higher education and careers, stronger academic support, and additional opportunities to succeed in the classroom and after graduation. With the grant, NCC plans to expand its offerings in high-demand fields such as health care and manufacturing. By investing in enrollment planning, student supports, and program expansion, NCC will increase its capacity to provide affordable, accessible, high-quality education that meets the needs of students and communities from start to finish.
