Cowden Street Collaborative, Inc.

Cowden Street Collaborative, Inc., doing business as Segue Institute For Learning, is a non-profit educational institution registered in SAM.gov since February 2019. As a Hispanic Serving Institution and self-certified HUBZone Joint Venture, the organization focuses on enhancing educational opportunities and resources in underserved areas, particularly in rural communities. Through federal grants, Cowden Street Collaborative provides a range of educational services, primarily addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on elementary and secondary schools. The organization leverages both prime and sub-federal grant awards to support its educational initiatives, demonstrating a commitment to improving community facilities and expanding learning opportunities for students in high-poverty and low-performing schools.

As a prime recipient, Cowden Street Collaborative was awarded a $250,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service under the Community Facilities Loans and Grants program. This grant aims to improve community facilities providing essential services to rural residents in Central Falls, RI. The organization has also partnered extensively with the Rhode Island Department of Education as a sub-recipient on multiple grants. These sub-awards have focused on providing COVID-19 relief funds for elementary and secondary schools, supporting after-school learning opportunities, and funding summer educational programming. Specific services provided through these grants include staffing for summer programs with a focus on kindergarten and transition grades, expanding partnerships between local education agencies and community-based organizations for after-school learning, and implementing emergency relief measures to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on schools. The organization has received funding through various federal programs, including the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund and the CARES Act, to address the ongoing impacts of the pandemic on local education systems.