Dec. 10, 2025
Aurora, CO – On Dec. 4, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education confirmed that the Community College of Aurora (CCA) will receive $34,700 in grant funding to increase the college’s use of open educational resources. This statewide recognition underscores the impact of CCA’s collaborative, student-centered approach to teaching and learning. CCA secured the General Incentive Grant through the Colorado Open Educational Resources (OER) Grant Program.
Allyson Turner, CCA’s Digital Initiatives & Open Educational Resources Librarian wrote the grant proposal that supports innovative, equity-driven resource development. It rose to the top among 35 statewide submissions. “My focus with these grants for the last couple of years has been creating general education pathways that have zero textbook costs and then building whole degrees that have zero textbook costs,” said Turner. “We actually have created a couple of what we call Z-degrees – our Associate Degree of Arts and Associate Degree of Science can both be completed with no textbook costs. The focus has really been on building those general education pathways and creating access to education for students.”
Open educational resources are free, online learning materials like textbooks, videos, and courseware. These resources also hold copyright licenses that allow users to retain, re-use, revise, and share copies. The commission, a part of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, oversees the grant program. 2026 is CCA’s fifth year receiving funding through the Colorado OER Grant Program after earning grant awards in 2019, 2020, 2024, and 2025.
The Director of Open Education and Learning Innovation in the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Chealsye Bowley, personally shared her appreciation, noting “I want to thank Allyson for her continued leadership both at CCA and for the state. The Community College of Aurora will be a strong example as we look to continuing the Colorado OER program beyond 2026 — and this is due to The Hub’s role and the continued dedication from CCA instructors in embracing OER.”
Grant Dollars in Action
CCA instructors take the lead when developing open educational resources and incorporating them into their courses. In early 2026, Turner will host a workshop for CCA instructors to encourage them to submit proposals for open educational resource development. The priorities are to support resources in courses with high enrollment, general education, or courses that have a costly textbook. Accepted proposals will earn that instructor a stipend, paid for with grant funding, to develop their resources.
In previous years, instructors have developed new resources, discovered and revised existing resources, and updated resources with new research. These textbooks, course modules, and more become part of the instructor’s classes.
When traditional education resources typically cost hundreds of dollars, free open educational resources support increased access to education for students. Instructors also benefit from using these resources, as they encourage instructors to teach beyond the limitations of traditional textbooks. CCA is also exploring teaching methods that include students in the creation and design of open educational resources.
As CCA continues expanding high-quality, no-cost learning materials, the college remains committed to reducing financial barriers and empowering students to succeed from their first semester through graduation. To learn more about CCA’s academic programs, student support services, and ongoing OER initiatives, please visit www.ccaurora.edu.
About the Community College of Aurora
The Community College of Aurora (CCA) provides high-quality instruction and student support services to Aurora, Centennial, and Denver, Colorado. With a vision to aspire to be a college where every student succeeds, CCA is the most diverse college in the State of Colorado. Focused on creating social and economic mobility for its students, the college offers courses on three campuses, online, and through its high school concurrent enrollment programs. For more information, visit www.ccaurora.edu.
Contact:
Courtney Butler
Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Special Initiatives
Strategic Communications and Alumni Engagement
P: 303-340-7201 | E: [email protected]