Norco College was awarded $150,000 annually through the Finish Line Grant, which provides targeted financial assistance to students nearing completion of a degree or certificate who face financial barriers that could otherwise delay or prevent graduation.
Norco College is one of only 12 community colleges in the Inland Empire selected to participate in this initiative and will continue its participation as long as funding remains available. All funds are provided as direct aid to students.
The primary goal of the Finish Line Grant is to promote student persistence and timely completion. Norco College has intentionally structured these funds as cash-in-hand support, allowing students the flexibility to address urgent financial needs such as transportation, housing instability, food insecurity, childcare, or course materials throughout the term, tailored to their situation. This flexibility has proven critical to student success.
The impact of the Finish Line Scholarship has been significant. Norco College has seen graduation rates of approximately 65% among Finish Line recipients, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in removing last-mile financial barriers and helping students cross the finish line to completion.
Applicants are required to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress, financial need, and a clearly defined path to graduation. In alignment with Norco College’s Student Equity Plan (SEP), the financial aid department has partnered with campus programs such as Men of Color, Uprise, Puente, EOPS, Veterans, and Umoja to ensure that students from historically marginalized communities receive priority access to Finish Line Grants. The counselors associated with these programs identify and support recipients of these funds through graduation and play a critical role in student success.
By prioritizing Finish Line funding for Black and Latinx students, the department aims to deliver timely, meaningful financial support that directly addresses structural inequities and unexpected barriers to completion. Once priority needs within these groups are met, remaining funds are extended to other historically marginalized and disproportionately impacted student populations.
Through this intentional, equity-centered approach, the Finish Line Scholarship serves as a powerful completion strategy that advances student success, promotes degree attainment, and supports Norco College’s broader mission to close equity gaps and improve outcomes for all students.