RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Four community colleges in North Carolina will receive up to $250,000 each in awards from the Duke Energy Community College Grant Program.

The awards will go to Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock; Cleveland Community College in Shelby; McDowell Technical Community College in Marion; and Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem.

The grants go to programs that address training, retraining and other efforts to strengthen manufacturing. Duke Energy began the program in 2004 and has given 33 grants to 20 community colleges.

The program has invested almost $7 million.

The North Carolina Community College System enrolls more than 800,000 students in 58 schools.