BLACKSBURG, Va. – Gov. Ralph Northam traveled to Virginia Tech Thursday to outline his plan to make college more affordable for students and families.

Northam plans to use $111 million from the American Rescue Plan to provide need-based financial aid for low- to moderate-income undergraduate students across Virginia.

Northam says the $111 million will be divvied up between public and private colleges. $100 million will go to public higher education institutions through the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia, while $11 million will go to private institutions for low students eligible for the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant, known as the “TAG” program.

The governor said the funding is needed as the Commonwealth recovers from the pandemic and said it is “critical” to “bolster our education and talent pipelines.”