Emily Griffith Foundation

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT OF EMILY GRIFFITH

The Emily Griffith Technical College (EGTC) has cultivated and celebrated a spirit of entrepreneurialism since its founding. Emily Griffith herself was an entrepreneur, launching The Opportunity School, a veritable startup in Denver in 1916 to provide learning opportunities “for all who wish to learn.”

In more than 100 years of serving the community, Denver's technical college has helped more than 2 million students achieve self-sufficiency by igniting equitable opportunities for hands-on training in growing industries. EGTC has regularly added and eliminated programs based on local workforce needs and feedback from students, industry partnerships, and advisory boards, while consistently providing people with opportunities to enter new careers. 

EGTC maintains the lowest per-credit tuition rate among its peer institutions in Colorado (at an average of $82/credit hour) While simultaneously boasting some of the highest completion, placement, and licensure (CPL) rates in the state at 84%, 81%, and 100%, respectively. These CPL rates show the positive outcomes that result from meeting students’ needs through comprehensive support services. 

The College is administered within the Denver Public Schools system and receives funding from the state of Colorado.  Up until 1991, Emily Griffith tuition and fees were subsidized by the District, at which point a State Statute was put in place to recognize Emily Griffith as an Area Vocational School which limited funding from DPS moving forward.  Currently, the College has two primary funding sources: dollars allocated by the state (50%) and tuition/fees paid to EGTC (50%).

THE EMILY GRIFFITH FOUNDATION

The Emily Griffith Foundation provides educational and charitable funding for the support of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and programs of the Emily Griffith Technical College. 

Our goal is for every student to graduate without student loan debt and to secure gainful employment. To that end, the Foundation’s efforts are focused on keeping tuition rates as affordable as possible while ensuring instruction, classroom equipment, and student supports remain exceptional. Whether paying rent for a single parent or providing 3D printers for manufacturing students, our work is driven by a passion for helping every student remove the obstacles to their success. 

Since its establishment in 1991 after Denver Public Schools reduced adult education funding and stopped subsidizing EGTC students’ tuition, the Foundation has provided nearly $10 million in support of this goal to keep tuition rates affordable and for students to complete their training without significant student loan debt. 

Working with the College to ensure student success, the Foundation funds scholarships and a variety of other impactful programs including student support, concurrent enrollment funding, salary and program support for staff, and capital improvements.