Lehigh Carbon Community College

Lehigh Carbon Community College, a state-controlled public institution of higher learning headquartered in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, acts as a grant recipient funded by federal agencies to deliver workforce development and educational programming, with 76% of its recent federal award footprint consisting of sub-grants from Pennsylvania state agencies. The college holds no federal contracts; its federal footprint consists entirely of grants (34 as prime recipient, 110 as sub-recipient) spanning 144 awards over the past several years.

The college's prime grant work centers on two distinct capability areas. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) funds multiple Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grants (CFDA 20.235) to recruit and enroll qualified students, including members of underserved communities, in the college's Commercial Driver's License program — recent prime awards include a $199,080 project grant (Sep 1, 2023 to Sep 30, 2025) to enroll at least 36 students, a $193,677 award (Jul 1, 2022 to Sep 30, 2024) targeting 35 students, and a $135,600 award (Aug 26, 2024 to Sep 30, 2026) with anticipated enrollment of at least 14 students, with the FMCSA noting approval of reduced funding amounts from original applications. The National Science Foundation funded a second prime capability area: an October 1, 2023 project grant under the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) program to investigate STEM identity and belonging among Hispanic students through the ASPIRA STEM Track — a fourteen-week, one-credit first-year experience course with hands-on activities, peer mentoring, and guest speakers targeting 30 to 40 STEM-interested Hispanic students, with ultimate completion by April 18, 2025.

The college's sub-grant footprint is concentrated in pass-through education and nutrition entitlements. The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the dominant prime grantor, funding the college as a sub-recipient in child and adult nutrition programs (Child and Adult Care Food Program reimbursements and summer meal program commodities), adult basic education and literacy services, career and technical education, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers programming. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services sub-funds the college's participation in the Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS) program, which provides education, job readiness, skills training, work activities, and job placement services to Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients across 14 community colleges in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry sub-funds trade adjustment assistance and reemployment services for workers displaced by imports.

The college served 13 distinct federal customer agencies across its award portfolio. The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service dominates the top-customer list with 43 awards (tracking the CACFP and summer meal pass-throughs), followed by the Department of Education's Office of Career Technical and Adult Education and Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (18 and 13 awards respectively), and the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (12 awards). These five customer lines account for 72% of all awards. Activity has remained relatively flat year over year — 22 awards in 2022 to 15 in 2026 — with only one award reaching ultimate completion inside the next twenty-four months, indicating limited recompete exposure in that window. Combined dollars obligated across all 144 awards total $59.3 million, primarily routed through pass-through sub-awards rather than direct prime recipient arrangements.