A University of Kansas entity has received a grant of more than half a million dollars to fund efforts to help disadvantaged youth from Wyandotte County attend the university.

The University of Kansas Center for Research has received a $517,027 grant from the U.S. Department of Education as part of its TRIO Talent Search Program. The program provides academic, career and financial counseling to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program emphasizes finishing high school and pursuing post-secondary education. Many times, people participating in the program are first-generation college students, according to the grant documents.

The KU program will serve seven middle schools and four high schools in the Kansas City, Kan., public school district, according to information from U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran’s office. The Kansas Republican helped secure the grant as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The grant documents state that KU will receive the approximately $500,000 in grant money this fiscal year, but they also indicate that the grant is likely to last for five years, opening up the possibility for additional funding for KU.

In addition to KU, Wichita State University received $646,284 in grant money through the program, while Emporia State University received $284,588 and Labette Community College received $271,046.