CU Denver's Prison Education Program Receives $150K Grant to Build Statewide Higher Ed Prison Coalition

Published: May 12, 2025 By

CU Denver Prison Education Program Awarded $150K to Launch Colorado Coalition for Higher Ed in Prison

The University of Colorado Denver’s Prison Education ProgramA group of folks involved with the Colorado Prison Education Program, including those from CU Denver (PEP) has received a $150,000 grant from the ECMC Foundation to support exploratory work around the formation of a new statewide network: the Colorado Coalition of Higher Education in Prison (C-CHEP).

This one-year grant will enable Colorado's network of prison educators to enhance programmatic reach and teaching excellence by sharing best practices for serving our incarcerated students. C-CHEP will be developed in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Corrections, the Colorado Department of Higher Education, and a growing community of educators, artists, and activists dedicated to the academic and civic success of incarcerated students.

This initiative builds on CU Denver’s longstanding commitment to access and public impact—and marks a significant step toward creating more coordinated, student-centered educational pathways inside correctional facilities.

For more information about the Colorado Coalition of Higher Education in Prison, please contact:

Dr. Stephen J. Hartnett

Director, CU Denver Prison Education Program

stephen.hartnett@ucdenver.edu