GRANTS

FROM PAGE 21 enough quali ed faculty with the credentials to instruct,” said Alexandra Hansen, CSU Pueblo’s regional development o cer. e grant will support graduate students in becoming nurse man- ness at the end of May of 2024,” said Lelm, who has worked in early childhood education for more than 40 years.

Hansen said that the university wants to listen to its community and encourage those in the southern Colorado region to join an indemand, high-paying occupation.

People who have experienced limited access to healthcare may nd the nursing eld a ful lling career, Hansen said.

Limited access could be due to sta ng shortages or “because they’re a Spanish-speaking family who have experienced going to a clinic where there are no Spanishspeaking providers,” she said.

Lelm recently laid o four employees who are now collecting unemployment, keeping only one teacher and one teacher assistant on her sta . And as the Early Childhood department pivots to paying providers based on the number of kids enrolled, she anticipates her reserves will dwindle as she tries to cover even the smaller payroll. She’s applying for grants to help ll in the gaps and has so far collected $26,000, including from the state’s Child Care Stabilization and Workforce Sustainability Grants and a $4,000 state Capacity Building Grant that can fund necessities such as furniture and educational and health care materials.

“ at money will go very quickly for payroll and rent,” Lelm said. She might be forced to lay o her teacher assistant if enrollment continues to stagnate, but Lelm knows that having more than one trained adult in the classroom helps kids and teachers form better bonds.

Lelm wonders if she’ll be up against the same uncertainties around how many students she’ll serve and how many sta she needs each year of universal preschool — if she manages to stay open.

“I just hope it works,” she said. “I don’t know if they thought it through thoroughly enough.” is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media. agers, educators, and practitioners at the master’s and doctoral levels. It aims to enhance health equity in 15 counties in southern Colorado. Tepeyac Community Health Center in Denver received over $1 million from the grant program. Tepeyac’s program will initially focus on increasing equitable access to clinic positions, training, and licensing. Tepeyac historically has served the Latino communities in the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods since the early 1990s.

Two additional rounds of grant funding with the remaining $58 million will be available through Opportunity Now Colorado, with the next application period opening in August. e last of the grants will be announced by December 2024.