Erie County Community Foundation and the Susan B. Hirt Hagen Foundation for Transformational Philanthropy are providing $300,000 in funding for a plan to gather support for a community college in Erie County. The application for the college has been in Harrisburg for two years and is waiting for approval from state Department of Education and board of Education. Local business leaders, philanthropists, county government, countless citizens, even local higher education has come on board in support of a local community college, but additional support is needed to get the application approved. Erie County would be the financial sponsor of the community college if the state board grants the charter, which would be the 15th in the state and the first granted in more than 25 years.