On December 13, 2019 the Stafford County Economic Development Authority (EDA) unanimously voted to grant the Germanna Community College $150,000 a year for five years. The purpose of the grant is to support the “the expansion of the Barbara J. Fried Center in Stafford County, Virginia.”

Stafford County and the Stafford EDA have been long-time supporters of Germanna. In 2009, the first Stafford Germanna “campus” opened with the help of a $300,000 grant from the EDA. Almost immediately, the Stafford space met its capacity.  In 2018, the County BOS deeded the 25 acres to the Germanna Real Estate Foundation for future expansion of a Stafford Campus.

According to Wallet Hub, Germanna ranks #1 Overall in Virginia among community colleges and 24th in the Nation.

In 2018, Germanna left their small center in Aquia and moved to the first floor of the new, much larger Barbara Fried Center on Potomac Church Road.  This space allowed expanded programs in nursing and cyber security. The expanded nursing program has already met its capacity.  In 2019, GCC’s Cyber Security program was named a Center of Excellence by NSA and Homeland Security.  The EDA support will help Germanna expand to the second floor of the Fried Center and expand these and other programs.