The program has received $64,000 a year from the state without an increase for four years.
Department officials said the programs would receive about $4 million.
Already in its second year, the program received 2,000 applications for next year's class of 80 students.
The program received both national and international media attention when it was first announced in the spring of 2000.
The programs do not receive any extra money from the state.
This is the first grant the program has received, she said.
The program also received a $9,000 allocation from the college's student association.
It has been clear since the winter that the program would not receive the full amount.
But such programs always receive many more applications than they have available money.
In January, he said, the program received a record 10 applications.