An Early History of the Rural Community College Initiative: Reflections on the Past and Implications for the Future

Abstract

The $17.2 million Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) demonstration grant program funded by the Ford Foundation which ran from 1994 to 2001 represents the largest philanthropic project specifically aimed at rural community colleges in United States history. While a good deal of literature has been published about this initiative, much was specifically commissioned by the foundation and can be seen as coming from a public relations perspective. This paper provides a historical perspective from an independent point of view. Its purpose is to create a documentary record for future community college leaders and potential funders interested in reaching the nation's 553 rural community colleges.