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Bronx Institute Awarded $16.1 Million Gear Up Grant
October 20, 2025
The Bronx Institute at Lehman College received a new highly competitive seven-year, $16.1 million federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant, effective October 1, 2025, through October 1, 2032. With a dollar-for-dollar cost share, the total investment in Bronx students will exceed $32 million.
The new program, GEAR UP INSPIRES, builds on The Bronx Institute’s longstanding commitment to expanding educational opportunities for Bronx youth. For the first time, the initiative will include Bronx Community College as a partner, creating a strong pipeline for students from middle and high school to Bronx Community College and Lehman College.
“We are deeply grateful for this grant, which gives us the opportunity to once again work alongside Bronx students and their families as they pursue their post-secondary dreams,” said Professor Herminio Martinez, Executive Director of The Bronx Institute. “This funding will allow us to broaden our efforts by partnering with Bronx Community College and strengthen our programming to ensure students are fully prepared not only for college but also for successful careers.”
Over the next seven years, GEAR UP INSPIRES will support students beginning in the sixth and seventh grades across 11 Bronx middle schools, following them through high school graduation and their first year of college. The program will provide tutoring, mentoring, advising, and family engagement, while strongly emphasizing career readiness and the world of work. Students and families will receive guidance to make informed decisions at every educational stage, with special attention to post-secondary opportunities.
With this award, The Bronx Institute reaffirms its role as a leader in educational opportunity, choice and college access in New York City, continuing its mission to inspire, prepare, and support Bronx students on the path to higher education and the world of work.