North Bay’s 10,000 Degrees receives $1 million grant for community college initiative

North Bay’s 10,000 Degrees received a grant totaling $1 million from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation to support its community college initiative.

The San Rafael-based nonprofit group works with schools throughout the North Bay to increase graduation and college-going rates for economically disadvantaged students. It’s partnering with the foundation in hopes of more than doubling its rate of scholarship students who start at local community colleges and eventually graduate with bachelor’s degrees within six years.

About 30 percent of its students currently earn a bachelor’s degree within six years. The four-year grant not only will support efforts to boost that rate, but also help pay for six additional fellows to work directly with community college students.