The Access & Diversity (A&D) grant program was initially established in 2008 to provide for continued implementation of initiatives to eliminate barriers to post-secondary access and diversity. In 2010 the program scope was broadened to include a focus on student success and completion to align with the Complete College Act of 2010 and the Drive to 55.
The program focuses on initiatives to increase success rates for traditionally underserved groups of students and employees. Historically these groups include, but are not limited to Black, Hispanic/LatinX employees and students, as well as low-income/Pell-eligible, and adult students.
The funds are available as block grants for student financial assistance, student recruitment and retention, faculty/staff recruitment and retention, and specific program administration costs. Institutions can also apply for additional funds through the A&D Competitive grant application process.
| Institution | Title | Grantee Email |
| Austin Peay State University | International Student Orientation, Engagement & Retention | Kelly Pitts |
| Chattanooga State Community College | Early College: First Steps to Success | Jeff Lemon |
| Columbia State Community College | College Majors Lead to High Paying Career Salaries for URMs | J McElhiney |
| Columbia State Community College | College-Going Mentor Program | J McElhiney |
| Columbia State Community College | Short-Term Study Abroad Program for Radiologic Technology and Emergency Medical Services Students | J McElhiney |
| Dyersburg State Community College | Training for Success: Empowering Adjunct to Improve Success & Retention Rates and Close the Gap | Andrea Franckowiak |
| East Tennessee State University | A College Wide Implementation of Cultural Knowledge and Adapting to Diversity- A Pilot Study | Mohammad Uddin |
| East Tennessee State University | Facilitating LPN-BSN Success Through Engagement and Simulation Training (LPN-BSN EAST) | Vallire Hooper |
| East Tennessee State University | PEER-E2:Promoting Engagement, Excellence and Retention for English as a Second Language Students.The Gatton College of Pharmacy Pilot Program for Engagement, Retention, and Recruitment of Students Whose First Language is not English | Michele Williams |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Inclusive Pedagogy among STEM Faculty: A Professional Development Program for Becoming Aware and Culturally Responsive | Sarah Bleiler-Baxter |
| Middle Tennessee State University | The Educators' Success Program | Trisha Murphy |
| Middle Tennessee State University | RECOVER: This Semester Matters | Brelinda Johnson |
| Middle Tennessee State University | CBAS First Generation Peer Mentor Program | James Wicks |
| Northeast State Community College | Inclusive Excellence Peer Mentoring | Jane Honeycutt |
| Pellissippi State Community College | Intentional Hiring Practices for Faculty & Staff of Underrepresented Groups at Pellissippi State | Danette Henneke |
| Pellissippi State Community College | Student Care and Advocacy Pathways Project | Danette Henneke |
| Roane State Community College | Bienvenidos a Roane State | Shelley Esquivel |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | Access to Pathways | Courtney Gipson |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Harriman | Paving the Way to Practical Nursing | Chris Ayers |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Jacksboro | Breaking Barriers - Moving Forward at TCAT Jacksboro | John Branam |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Shelbyville | Paving the Pathway to the TCAT Shelbyville Practical Nursing Program | Laura Monks |
| Tennessee State University | Becoming an Early Childhood Education Professional | Paige Holmes |
| Tennessee State University | Veterans Grant | Evelyn Nettles |
| Tennessee State University | Implementing Undergraduate Research Projects in STEM Education to Enhance Student Engagement and Close Retention Gaps | Wentao Wu |
| Tennessee Technological University | First-Generation Resilience Project | Chad Luke |
| Tennessee Technological University | Reaching Achievement & Committed to Excellence (R.A.C.E.) PLUS: Professionalism and Leadership for Undergraduate Student Success | Charria Campbell |
| Tennessee Technological University | Computer Science Academic Redshirt Program | Gerald Gannod |
| Tennessee Technological University | Holistic Foundry Undergraduate Engaged Learners (FUEL) | Stephanie Jorgensen |
| Tennessee Technological University | TN Tech Science Olympiad Collegiate Scholars Program (TN Tech SOCS) | Carlos Galindo |
| Tennessee Technological University | Ambassadors for Rural Innovation & STEM Education (ARISE) | Darek Potter |
| Walters State Community College | Expanding RHiTA: Recruiting Hispanics to Achieve | Michelle Mitrik |
| Institution | Title | Grantee Email |
| Chattanooga State Community College | A&P Cohorts-Biology 2010 and 2020 | Jeff Lemon |
| Chattanooga State Community College | PSYC 1030 & 2130 | Jeff Lemon |
| Chattanooga State Community College | ENGL 1010 and CSHU 1000 | Jeff Lemon |
| Chattanooga State Community College | GATP 2340-Graphic Arts 2 | Jeff Lemon |
| Cleveland State Community College | Facilitating Equity in Hybrid Introduction to Psychology | Melodee Alexander |
| Cleveland State Community College | Composition II: Business Revitalization | Susan Fries |
| Cleveland State Community College | Scaling Undergraduate Research | Victoria Bryan |
| Cleveland State Community College | Early & Modern American Literature Course Revitalizations | Sara Amato |
| Motlow State Community College | Technology Enhanced Learning in MATH 1003: An Engaging MATH Entry for Learning Support Students in STEM Majors | Veronica Mitchell |
| Nashville State Community College | Course Revitalization: COMM 2025 Fundamentals of Communication | Harlan Pease |
| Roane State Community College | Improving Outcomes in Anatomy and Physiology by Implementing Culturally Responsive Collaborative Learning Projects | Shelley Esquivel |
| Institution | Title | Grantee Email |
| Chattanooga State Community College | Anatomy & Physiology I-BIOL 2010 OER & Digital Engagement Request | Jeff Lemon |
| Columbia State Community College | Columbia State Community College: ENGL 1020 - English Composition II | J McElhiney |
| Columbia State Community College | Columbia State Community College: ENGL 1010 - English Composition I | J McElhiney |
| Nashville State Community College | Nashville State Community College Equity Promise:Humanities Redesign | Robert Ladd |
| Northeast State Community College | Reclaiming Our Past: The Truth About Tennessee | Nikki Morrison |
| Pellissippi State Community College | PSYC 1030 General Psychology | Danette Henneke |
| Pellissippi State Community College | COMM 2045 Public Speaking | Danette Henneke |
| Roane State Community College | Creating OER for MATH 1010 | Shelley Esquivel |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | Open Education Resources for COMM 2025 | William Turner |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | HYPER 1570 OER | Rose Landey |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | PSYC 1030 OER Grant Application | Sherria King |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | Modern United States History, HIST 2020 | Rose Landey |
| Institution | Title | Grantee Email |
| Austin Peay State University | The Health Outcomes Equity Project | Jonniann Butterfield |
| East Tennessee State University | OER: Improving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at ETSU | Mohammad Uddin |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Embracing OER for Inclusive Student Success | Cheryl Torsney |
| Tennessee State University | Recruiting and Retaining Underserved Students for STEAM Careers through Open Education eSports Mixed Reality Gamification Course and Materials | Robbie Melton |
| Tennessee Technological University | Bridging the Digital Divide: Connecting rural students | Mike Gotcher |
| University of Memphis | Employing Open Educational Resources and Digital Education Initiatives to Infuse Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into the Curriculum and Educational Support Services to Enhance Student Success | Stephanie Jorgensen |