Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has announced 13 recipients of $2.26 million in Job Building Fund grants to help finance equipment purchases for new career and technical education programs that support high-growth industries throughout the state.

“I commend these institutions for rising to the challenge of addressing Texas’ work force needs,” Combs said. “These grants will help schools finance up-front costs as­sociated with equipment purchases related to their career and technical education programs, laying the foundation to prepare more Texans for employment in high-demand occupations.”

The Comptroller’s office selected the following institutions for Job Building Fund Grants: Angelina College (Lufkin), $250,000; Panola College (Carthage), $249,813; Lone Star College System (Cypress-Fairbanks area), $245,500; Alamo Community College District (San Antonio), $236,690; Wharton Community College, $229,318; Tyler Junior College, $208,500; Grayson County College (Denison), $188,460; Lamar State College — Orange, $150,000; Midland College, $144,500; Austin Community College District, $105,000; South Texas College (McAllen), $100,240; Trinity Valley Community College (Athens), $97,000; and El Paso Community College District, $52,445.

Schools that receive Job Building Fund grants must provide matching funds in the form of cash, equipment, materials, supplies and/or personnel costs. The Comptroller’s office selected grant recipients based on each project’s potential economic return to the state and on endeavors that involve dual-credit programs with local high schools or cooperative arrangements with other colleges. Priority was given to projects that target high-demand occupations and new or emerging industries.

The Job Building Fund is a component of the Comptroller’s $25 million Every Chance Funds program. The program also includes the $5 million Career and Technical Scholarship Fund, which allocates money for approved training programs for high-demand occupations, and the $10 million Launchpad Fund, which supports and expands existing nonprofit programs with a proven track record of good performance.

For more information about Every Chance Funds, visit http://www.everychanceeverytexan.org/funds. Combs’ Texas Works report, which details the work force challenges facing Texas, is available on the Comptroller’s Web site at http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/workforce.