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CUOMO AWARDS $7.3 MILLION TO 22 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO REVITALIZE LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR THEIR CAMPUSES

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PARTNERSHIP CENTERS PROGRAM FY 1999 GRANTEES

WASHINGTON - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today announced $7.3 million in grants to help 22 colleges and universities work with community organizations and local governments to revitalize low-income neighborhoods near their campuses and bring new opportunity to people living there.

The recipients of the Community Outreach Partnership Centers (COPC) Grants are in: California; the District of Columbia; Florida; Georgia: Illinois; Indiana; Massachusetts; Michigan; New Jersey; New York; Ohio; Oregon; Tennessee; Texas; Virginia; and Vermont.

The annual COPC grants, which have been awarded since 1994, help colleges and universities provide technical assistance, training, and applied research to community-based organizations and local governments. The activities of COPC projects are chosen and designed jointly by the schools and neighborhood groups. Through doing this work together, college students learn about these communities and neighborhood residents gain access to the knowledge and resources of the higher education institutions.

"Colleges and universities are economic engines and anchors of stability in our nation's urban centers," Cuomo said. "These grants will help these institutions more effectively address the needs of their communities."

The COPC grants are part of President Clinton's America Goes Back To School initiative. This annual effort focuses on improving education across America and provides a special opportunity for communities to reaffirm their commitment to learning and education.

A total of 150 colleges and universities applied for $51 million in COPC grants, but HUD was limited to awarding the $7.3 million in grants in the Department's current budget. President Clinton has proposed doubling funding for the grants in his Fiscal Year 2000 budget to $15 million, to help more communities. However, the HUD budget approved by the House last week calls for only $8 million in funding for COPC grants next year. The budget bill is now before the Senate.

For the grants awarded today, $6.4 million known as New Grants will be made to 16 institutions (out of 114 applicants) just starting their activities. Six previous COPC winners (from 36 applications) will be awarded $900,000 in New Directions Grants to undertake new activities or work in new neighborhoods. Matching funds are required for 50 percent of the total project's research costs and 25 percent of the total project's outreach costs.

The grants announced today will go to:

California	Occidental College, Los Angeles	$399,654
District of Columbia	Georgetown University	$399,463
	Howard University	$150,000
Florida	University of West Florida, Pensacola	$399,999
	University of South Florida, Tampa	$150,000
Georgia	Mercer University, Macon	$400,000
Illinois	Loyola University Chicago	$399,984
Indiana	Butler University, Indianapolis	$399,145
	Valparaiso University, Valparaiso	$399,740
Massachusetts	Springfield College, Springfield	$399,843
Michigan	University of Michigan-Flint	$149,931
New Jersey	Rowan University, Glassboro	$397,900
New York	Pratt Institute, Brooklyn	$150,000
	Cornell University, Ithaca	$399,770
	SUNY College at Cortland	$400,000
Ohio	University of Toledo	$399,650
Oregon	University of Oregon, Eugene	$399,765
Tennessee	University of Tennessee at Chattanooga	$399,919
	University of Tennessee at Knoxville	$149,998
Texas	Univ. of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg	$149,832
Virginia	Lynchburg College, Lynchburg	$399,838
Vermont	University of Vermont, Burlington	$399,845

The grants will fund a variety of programs, including a mentoring project to strengthen male family responsibility, and a partnership with major health organizations to create jobs and career ladders for residents to become community health care workers. Other projects will form Business Improvement Districts to improve streetscapes and spur business expansion, expand the supply of mixed-income housing, and strengthen community policing

Schools were selected for the grants based on: extent of community need; quality of activities described; level of neighborhood and local government participation; the funds each school expected to contribute or raise from other sources; and commitment to the program. Community colleges, four-year colleges and universities are eligible to apply.