Chancellor Seeks Big Grant to Develop Programs at Downtown Center
A variety of partnerships could reopen the shuttered campus.
City College submitted a proposal in the multimillion dollar Boundless San Francisco grant competition on Oct. 15, according to John Halpin, interim associate vice chancellor of workforce development and partnerships at City College.
The college’s proposal is to use the money to fund two programs, a “middle college” for high school students and a vocational training center for adults, at the now-closed Downtown Center.
Chancellor Kimberlee Messina, who has since been put on administrative leave, announced the initiative during committee meetings in late September.
Three to seven semifinalists will get multimillion-dollar planning grants to develop their ideas by summer 2027; up to three of them will win between $10 million to $50 million.
The college can “locate all of these different programs and services at the Downtown Center to make it a very vital space again and to have it be fully utilized,” said Messina at the Sept. 28 Facilities Committee meeting.
Even if the college doesn’t win the grant, she said, “it's a good blueprint for what we can do moving forward.”
The proposed “middle college” would be in partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District.
A middle college is a small high school located within a college, designed to help students who are considered at risk of dropping out. There have been a number of these colleges around the Bay Area for decades.
Questioning the Chancellor
“I really hope … we can re-tap into getting immigrant communities specifically in the Downtown Center,” Angelica Campos, former student trustee, said at the Sept. 28 meeting.
“For the adult learner, which I believe very clearly includes our immigrant population, [we plan] industry certifications, apprenticeships, internships and all kinds of other opportunities,” Messina answered.
The grant is being offered by Boundless SF, which is a local project funded by Crankstart, a multibillion dollar family foundation funded by Michael Moritz, a local venture capitalist.
Because the money comes from Crankstart, Alan D’Souza, librarian and AFT 2121 officer, expressed concern about how the college can ensure “that the monies coming here are coming in ways that are in line with our mission and also … the heart and soul of San Francisco.”
The college currently has several smaller grants from Crankstart, and that “they have been good partners in that,” said Messina.
D’Souza also asked about how college constituents would have input into the plans.
If City College is chosen as a finalist, faculty, classified professionals, students, administrators and partners would have “a fuller opportunity to test and refine the design before any implementation decisions,” according to a FAQ sheet Halpin shared.
Committed partners include the city’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Human Services Agency, as well as other “potential employers or industry folks,” according to Messina.