April 21, 2025
Contact: Melissa Villarin
Office: 916-327-5365
Office E-mail: MVillarin@CCCCO.edu
Contact: Shelveen Ratnam
Office: 916-201-3405
Office E-mail: Shelveen.ratnam@csac.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) is excited to announce a new collaboration with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (Chancellor’s Office). This new partnership will bring financial aid opportunities to students enrolling at California’s 116 community colleges through expanded data sharing. Last week, the two organizations finalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide CSAC with additional data to enhance opportunities for outreach to community college students that have not yet applied for aid, as well as supporting greater analysis of financial aid access across student groups and regions of our state.
“Strengthening our relationship with the Chancellor’s Office through data sharing will be game changing for our students at community colleges,” said Daisy Gonzales, Executive Director of CSAC. “CSAC will be able to conduct targeted outreach to students, including students who may be eligible for a Cal Grant or other financial aid programs, such as the Students with Dependent Children Grant, which provides up to $6,000 to eligible student-parents. This partnership will allow CSAC to lead in delivering equitable access to financial aid programs and supporting state leaders to design programs that will make college affordable for California’s diverse student populations and across all regions of our state.”
The newly signed MOU focuses on CSAC receiving CCCApply data through the Chancellor’s Office Management Information System. In addition to being able to conduct targeted outreach, CSAC will be able to use this data to update the California Community College Dashboard with application counts by college, perform analysis between community college applicants and financial aid applicants, and complete mandated reporting programs.
“At the heart of our system’s guiding principles, Vision 2030 calls on us to meet all Californians where they are, including through partnerships with other state agencies that share our mission,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian. “By deepening our collaboration with the Student Aid Commission through data sharing, thousands of students who have not yet applied for aid will have the opportunity to further their education while reducing financial barriers.”
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; and degree and certificate pathways. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision 2030, a strategic plan designed to improve student success, our communities and our planet. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
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