The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently announced $9 million in grants that will make postsecondary education more affordable and accessible. The grants target organizations that are taking innovative approaches and developing new education models to help a wider range of students participate in two- and four-year college programs, including those to whom postsecondary schooling is sometimes unavailable because of rising costs.

By funding these programs, the Gates Foundation aims to prepare students for highly skilled jobs in the workforce and improve the current college completion rate.

"We are excited about this new package of grants," said Josh Jarrett, deputy director of postsecondary success for the foundation. "We need to try new models to postsecondary education because students are demanding quality, affordable options and our nation needs more highly skilled graduates."

Recipients of the foundation's investments include the League for Innovation in the Community College, which received $450,000 to design online programs that will help students earn degrees at a lower cost and in less time. Additionally, $3.3 million went to EDUCAUSE for a challenge program that benefits schools offering two- and four-year options for $5,000 a year or less.

Foundations that are seeking out nonprofits and programs for a grantgiving cycle might benefit from a solution such as grant management software, which can make it easy to allocate and track funds.