Sacramento City College Hosted Annual Tardeada

The community gathering celebrated campus culture as federal grant support for the Caminos de la Ciudad program nears its end.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Cultural

Bold vector editorial illustration of a ceramic jug and textile runner on a table, representing a warm campus community gathering. — Sacramento City College hosted its second annual tardeada this week as school leaders work to integrate student programs into permanent budgets. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Sacramento City College held its second annual tardeada event on September 17, 2026, featuring local art, music, and food. The celebration took place as the institution prepares for the conclusion of its HSI Title V grant funding on September 30, 2026.

Why it matters

The event highlights the campus community's efforts to sustain student programs as federal financial support through the HSI Title V grant concludes. Leadership is transitioning these initiatives into institutional budgets to ensure they continue despite the loss of external funds.

The HSI-Early College program operated for six years, beginning in October 2020. The college has secured one additional school year of district funding to support the Caminos program for the 2026-2027 period.

The players

Sacramento City College

This is a public community college located in Sacramento that serves as a center for higher education and cultural events.

U.S. Department of Education

This federal agency establishes policies and manages grants for public educational institutions across the country.

The details

The tardeada, held at the Student Center, brought together local vendors and students to showcase campus vibrancy. While the federal grant support ends this month, the college is moving to integrate these successful efforts into its own permanent budget structure.

October 2020: The HSI-Early College program began operations.
September 10, 2025: The U.S. Department of Education discontinued certain discretionary grants.
September 17, 2026: Sacramento City College hosted its second annual tardeada.
September 30, 2026: The HSI Title V grant funding period concludes.
2026-2027: District funding is allocated to the Caminos program.

Industry Dynamics

This pivot reflects a broader transition for higher education institutions as they adjust to the expiration of federal HSI Title V grant funding. Colleges are increasingly forced to absorb historically grant-funded initiatives into core budgets to maintain cultural and academic programs.

Students and community members can continue to participate in campus events and services as the college integrates these offerings into its permanent budget. This shift aims to prevent service interruptions, ensuring consistent access to the Caminos de la Ciudad program throughout the coming year.

The takeaway

Institutions often rely on multi-year federal grants to jumpstart specialized student programming and cultural initiatives. The long-term success of these programs usually depends on whether a college can effectively transition them into stable, long-term internal funding cycles.