Published on October 2, 2026
Driving along Illinois Route 13 in Carterville, motorists can see the transformation taking place at John A. Logan College. Four major construction projects are underway, reshaping campus spaces and expanding opportunities for students across Southern Illinois.
What you can’t see is the work that began long before the first footing was dug.
Behind the construction equipment, blueprints, and new facilities are hours of research, planning, phone calls, paperwork, and grant writing. Securing funding requires staff members to navigate complex applications, document community needs, develop project plans and demonstrate how proposed investments will benefit students and the region.
At John A. Logan College, that work is paying dividends. State, federal, and private funding sources are helping the College advance construction projects, strengthen academic programs, purchase equipment, expand student support services, and prepare graduates for careers in high-demand fields.
The effort comes as Illinois community colleges face mounting financial pressures. Rising operating costs, increasing demand for workforce training, and the need to support students with diverse academic and economic needs have placed additional demands on already limited resources.
Yet community colleges remain essential to preparing residents for careers, strengthening local economies and providing affordable pathways to further education.
Grant funding helps bridge the gap between available resources and the needs of students, employers and communities.
“Grant funding allows us to do things that would otherwise be out of reach,” said John A. Logan College President Dr. Kirk Overstreet. “It helps us expand opportunities for students, strengthen our programs, invest in facilities and technology, and respond to the evolving needs of our communities. Many of the initiatives that make a difference in our region would not be possible without the support of our grant partners.”
Millions in Funding, Measurable Impact
During fiscal year 2026, John A. Logan College spent approximately $8.8 million in direct expenses across more than 25 grants.
The funding included approximately $1.8 million through Illinois Community College Board grants, $4.4 million through construction grants, and $2.6 million through other federal and state grants.
Together, those resources supported facility improvements, academic and workforce programs, equipment and technology purchases, and services designed to help students persist and complete their education.
Grant awards do not materialize overnight. Each funding opportunity comes with its own requirements, deadlines, reporting obligations, and expectations for measuring results. Staff members must identify opportunities that align with college priorities, prepare competitive applications, and demonstrate that funds will be used responsibly.
Once an award is secured, the work continues through implementation, financial oversight, and required reporting.
For JALC, the process is an important part of responsible financial management, allowing the College to pursue improvements and opportunities that might otherwise be delayed or beyond its operating budget.
Building the Workforce of Tomorrow
Some of the most visible results of grant funding are taking shape in the College’s career and technical education facilities.
Funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration supports construction and renovation of facilities serving Welding, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Automotive Services and Auto Collision programs.
The improvements are designed to give students updated instructional spaces and hands-on training environments that reflect current industry standards.
For employers across Southern Illinois, investments in career and technical education can help strengthen the pipeline of workers prepared for skilled occupations. For students, access to modern equipment and relevant training can provide a pathway to employment and career advancement close to home.
JALC also receives annual federal funding through the Perkins Career and Technical Education program, administered by the Illinois Community College Board. Perkins funds support equipment, technology, instructional resources, professional development, and other activities that strengthen career and technical education programs.
Together, these funding sources help the College meet changing workforce needs while giving students practical, career-focused learning experiences.
Investing in Nursing and Health Sciences
Grant funding is also helping John A. Logan College expand educational opportunities in nursing and health sciences.
In January 2025, the College received a $1.84 million Congressionally Directed Spending award through the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. The award supports renovation of approximately 9,900 square feet on the third floor of the College’s B Wing.
The renovated space will accommodate nursing classrooms, laboratories, simulation areas, tutoring, and student support services.
The project will give students more opportunities to learn in environments designed to reflect the demands of modern health care, including hands-on practice and simulated clinical experiences.
Additional awards are helping equip the renovated spaces and strengthen the College’s nursing programs. Through the fiscal year 2026 Illinois Community College Board Trades School Grant, JALC received $348,473 for equipment, technology, and other resources.
Two nursing faculty members also received a combined $20,000 through Illinois Board of Higher Education Nursing Faculty Fellowships to support their pursuit of advanced degrees.
Further investments are planned through the fiscal year 2027 ICCB Rural Health Initiative. JALC will receive $271,368 through REACH and $223,573 through ROOTS to provide updated equipment and technology, strengthen health care career pathways, and support students working toward program completion and employment.
The combined awards demonstrate how grant funding can address multiple needs at once: improving instructional facilities, supporting faculty development, modernizing equipment, and helping prepare the next generation of health care professionals.
Supporting students beyond the classroom
A student’s ability to succeed depends on more than what happens in a classroom or laboratory. Mental health, financial pressures, access to resources, and other personal challenges can affect attendance, persistence, and completion.
John A. Logan College has pursued grant funding to help address those barriers. The College received the competitive fiscal year 2026 ICCB Strengthening Mental Health Supports Grant and a fiscal year 2027 ICCB Mental Health Early Action on Campus allocation. The funding supports expanded access to counseling and mental health resources, 24-hour virtual services through TimelyCare, community referrals, and mental health awareness initiatives.
It also helps provide basic-needs assistance through resources such as the College’s Snack Locker.
These services connect students with help when they need it, recognizing that addressing nonacademic challenges can be an important part of staying in school and completing a credential.
Another significant investment is the College’s five-year federal TRIO Student Support Services grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education for 2025-30.
The program provides individualized assistance to eligible low-income and first-generation college students and students with disabilities. Services include academic advising, tutoring, transfer assistance, financial literacy education, career exploration, and other support intended to help participants remain enrolled and achieve their educational goals.
By investing in students as well as facilities and equipment, these grants help the College address the multiple factors that influence student success.
Growing the Next Generation of Teachers
John A. Logan College also worked to strengthen the region’s educator pipeline through a $50,000 Grow Your Own Illinois grant last year.
The initiative helped working paraprofessionals continue their education and pursue teacher licensure while balancing employment and family responsibilities.
Evening hybrid courses offered scheduling flexibility, while assistance with tuition, childcare, transportation, supplies, and other expenses can help participants overcome barriers to completing their education.
The project also supported mentoring and outreach designed to encourage more men to consider teaching careers.
By helping current education professionals advance into teaching positions, the initiative supported individual career development while addressing the broader need to prepare and retain qualified educators in Southern Illinois.
Local Support
The Julia Harrison Bruce Foundation has graciously supported the College on two projects. The recently completed Player Development Center for Baseball and Softball is the region’s premier training facility. In addition to the Player Development Center, the new Prairie Museum is nearing completion in the Harrison Bruce Historical Village.
Beyond Traditional College
John A. Logan College is committed to providing adult basic education programs to southern Illinois, as well as an alternative high school, Mary Logan High School, housed on the JALC campus. Through these programs, the college receives over $420,000 in grants.
An Investment in Southern Illinois
The grants highlighted here represent only a portion of the funding that supports John A. Logan College’s mission to enrich lives through learning and community engagement.
Collectively, these investments help transform campus facilities, strengthen academic programs, provide modern training equipment, expand student services, and create pathways to employment.
They also help the College respond to the changing needs of regional employers without placing the full cost of every improvement on students or relying solely on operating revenues.
That work takes on added importance during periods of financial uncertainty, when colleges must make difficult decisions about which programs, services, and capital improvements can move forward.
Grant funding offers another way to advance institutional priorities while maintaining a focus on affordability and access.
“At John A. Logan College, we view grants as investments in people,” Overstreet said. “Whether they support workforce training, student success initiatives, equipment upgrades, or community partnerships, grant dollars create opportunities that have a lasting impact on Southern Illinois.”
He said pursuing those opportunities is part of the College’s responsibility to its students, employees, and the communities it serves.
“As a college, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of every resource available to us,” Overstreet said. “Our team works diligently to pursue grants because we know they create opportunities that directly benefit students, employees, and the communities we serve. From workforce development and academic programs to facilities improvements and student support services, grant funding helps us accomplish goals that would be difficult, and in some cases impossible, to achieve through our operating budget alone.”
The construction projects visible along Route 13 remind us what those efforts can accomplish. But the larger story extends well beyond the buildings taking shape on campus.
It is a story of staff members researching funding opportunities, preparing detailed applications, documenting community needs, and working through the requirements necessary to turn an idea into a funded project.
For John A. Logan College, grant funding is more than a line in a budget. It is a tool to expand educational opportunities, strengthen the regional workforce, and invest in southern Illinois’ future.
And as the College continues to grow, one thing remains clear: JALC is taking nothing for GRANTed.