Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 051115 001
Apply for ED GRANTS 051115 001
- The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) First in The World (FITW) Program DEVELOPMENT Grants CFDA Number 84.116F" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.116 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 30, 2015 and posted on May 11, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 30, 2015 Applications Available May 11, 2015. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications June 30, 2015.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $20,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Special district governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments County governments Private institutions of higher education Independent school districts.
- 1. Eligible Applicants Institutions of higher education, combinations of such institutions, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies. To qualify as an eligible MSI under the FITW Program, an institution of higher education must meet one of two criteria The first criterion includes Current eligibility approval as defined by the Departments FY 2015 eligibility process for Title III and/or Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended an open grant under one of the Departments Title III, Parts A and F and/or Title V programs or a designation as a Historically Black College or University or a Tribally Controlled College. The second criterion includes Specific enrollment percentages for minority students served and, if applicable, needy student and educational and general expenditure criteria for determining income eligibility. More information on MSI eligibility is in the application package under the section entitled Eligibility. The Department will screen the applications to verify MSI eligibility based on these criteria and, if applicable, will use the most recent Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System data. In the event an application does not qualify for MSI eligibility, it will still be reviewed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) First in the World (FITW) Program Development Grants (CFDA 84.116F) is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Education aimed at improving college persistence and completion, especially for students who face well documented barriers to staying enrolled and graduating. The program is framed around the idea of building practical, usable evidence about what actually works in postsecondary education by supporting projects that test strategies intended to move the needle on outcomes like continued enrollment, credit accumulation, and program completion. While FITW as a whole includes both Development and Validation awards, this particular opportunity announcement covers Development grants only, which are meant for new approaches or approaches that are substantially more effective than what is commonly used.
The core purpose is to fund innovative solutions that address persistent and widespread challenges in postsecondary education for students at risk of not persisting or completing. The notice explicitly names a range of populations that the program is concerned with, including adult learners, working students, part time students, students from low income backgrounds, students of color, students with disabilities, and first generation students. In practice, this means proposed projects should be designed with a clear understanding of the obstacles these groups often encounter, such as financial instability, competing work and family responsibilities, uneven academic preparation, accessibility barriers, or lack of familiarity with how to navigate college systems. FITW Development grants are meant to help applicants try out promising interventions and generate credible evidence about their impact, rather than simply expanding existing programs without a learning agenda.
A key feature of the Development grant track is the evidence standard expected at the application stage. Unlike Validation grants, which generally require stronger prior evidence and emphasize scaling strategies that already show effectiveness, Development grants can be earlier stage as long as they are grounded in a “Strong Theory” as defined in the official notice. The intent is that the proposed approach has a well reasoned logic model linking activities to short and long term outcomes, and that the project will test whether that theory holds up in real world settings. The Department’s emphasis on testing effectiveness signals that evaluation and measurement are central to competitiveness, not an afterthought, with projects expected to produce findings that can inform the field beyond a single campus or site.
In terms of funding logistics and scale, the opportunity anticipated about 8 awards with an estimated total funding amount of $20,000,000. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed is $3,000,000. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which reduces the barrier for applicants that may not have large pools of unrestricted funds. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity category is education, consistent with FITW’s role as part of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education.
Eligibility is broad and includes institutions of higher education (IHEs), combinations or consortia of IHEs, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies. The opportunity also lists a range of organizational types that may apply, including public and state controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, state governments, local governments (city/township, county), special district governments, independent school districts, and nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and other nonprofit structures), among others, with the details governed by the official Federal Register notice and application package. The notice also highlights Minority Serving Institution (MSI) eligibility considerations, explaining that the Department will screen applications to verify MSI status using defined criteria and, when relevant, the most recent Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. Importantly, it notes that if an applicant does not qualify as an MSI, the application can still be reviewed, which suggests MSI status may be relevant for certain priorities or competitive considerations but is not necessarily a hard gate for submission.
Applications for this competition were required to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, using the downloadable application package associated with CFDA 84.116 (without the “F” suffix when searching). The notice is explicit that applications cannot be submitted by email. For this FY 2015 competition, applications became available on May 11, 2015, and the deadline for transmittal of applications was June 30, 2015, with an archive date of July 30, 2015. The funding opportunity number associated with this posting is ED-GRANTS-051115-001, which applicants would use to verify they are working with the correct competition materials.
Finally, the posting emphasizes that the synopsis is not a substitute for the official Federal Register application notice. Critical details such as the precise definitions (including “Strong Theory”), required application components, submission rules, performance measures, priorities, and the Department’s contact points are contained in the official notice and the application package. The listing provides contacts for technical issues with Grants.gov and programmatic questions through the Department, which applicants would typically use for clarification about eligibility nuances, required forms, or interpretation of program expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the First in the World (FITW) Program Development Grants competition?
The Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) First in the World (FITW) Program Development Grants (CFDA 84.116F) is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Education. The Development grant track supports projects that aim to improve college persistence and completion by testing strategies designed to improve outcomes like continued enrollment, credit accumulation, and program completion.
What is the main goal of FITW Development Grants?
The core goal is to fund innovative solutions that address persistent and widespread challenges in postsecondary education for students who are at risk of not persisting or completing. The program is designed to build practical, usable evidence about what works by supporting projects that test promising strategies and measure their impact.
Is this opportunity for Development grants or Validation grants?
This opportunity announcement covers Development grants only. While FITW includes both Development and Validation awards overall, the information provided here is specific to the Development grant competition.
How are Development grants different from Validation grants (based on this notice summary)?
Development grants can support earlier-stage approaches as long as they are grounded in a "Strong Theory" (as defined in the official notice). Validation grants generally require stronger prior evidence and focus on scaling strategies that already show effectiveness. For Development grants, the emphasis is on testing whether the proposed logic and approach hold up in real-world settings.
What outcomes is the program trying to improve?
The program emphasizes outcomes such as continued enrollment (persistence), credit accumulation, and program completion. Projects are expected to aim at moving these measurable student success outcomes.
Which student populations does the notice highlight as a focus?
The notice explicitly names student groups that often face well documented barriers to staying enrolled and graduating, including adult learners, working students, part-time students, students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, students with disabilities, and first-generation students.
What kinds of barriers are projects expected to address?
Projects should reflect a clear understanding of obstacles commonly faced by the populations emphasized in the notice, such as financial instability, competing work and family responsibilities, uneven academic preparation, accessibility barriers, or lack of familiarity with navigating college systems.
Does the program fund expansion of existing programs?
The description emphasizes that Development grants are intended to help applicants try out promising interventions and generate credible evidence about impact, rather than simply expanding existing programs without a learning agenda.
What is meant by a "Strong Theory" for Development grant applications?
Development grants may be earlier stage as long as the proposed approach is grounded in a "Strong Theory" as defined in the official Federal Register notice. In this summary, that means having a well-reasoned logic model that links project activities to short- and long-term outcomes and a plan to test whether that theory is supported by evidence in real-world implementation.
How important are evaluation and measurement in this competition?
Evaluation and measurement are described as central to competitiveness, not an afterthought. Projects are expected to test effectiveness and produce findings that can inform the field beyond a single campus or site.
How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated total funding amount?
The opportunity anticipated about 8 awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $20,000,000.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The maximum award amount listed (award ceiling) is $3,000,000.
Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the funding instrument type and activity category?
The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity category is education.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broad. It includes institutions of higher education (IHEs), combinations or consortia of IHEs, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies. The listing also mentions various organizational types that may apply, including public and state controlled IHEs, private IHEs, state governments, local governments (city/township and county), special district governments, independent school districts, and nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and other nonprofit structures), with details governed by the official Federal Register notice and the application package.
Are Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) required to apply?
No. The notice highlights MSI eligibility considerations and explains that the Department will screen applications to verify MSI status using defined criteria and, when relevant, the most recent IPEDS data. However, it also notes that if an applicant does not qualify as an MSI, the application can still be reviewed.
How does the Department verify MSI status?
The summary indicates the Department will screen applications to verify MSI status using defined criteria and, when relevant, the most recent Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using the downloadable application package associated with CFDA 84.116 (searched without the "F" suffix). The notice is explicit that applications cannot be submitted by email.
What CFDA number should applicants use to find the application package on Grants.gov?
The information indicates applicants should search for CFDA 84.116 (without the "F" suffix) on Grants.gov to locate the downloadable application package.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number associated with this posting is ED-GRANTS-051115-001.
What were the key dates for the FY 2015 competition described here?
For this FY 2015 competition, applications became available on May 11, 2015. The deadline for transmittal of applications was June 30, 2015. The archive date was July 30, 2015.
Is the synopsis enough to prepare an application?
No. The posting emphasizes that the synopsis is not a substitute for the official Federal Register application notice. Critical details such as definitions (including "Strong Theory"), required application components, submission rules, performance measures, priorities, and Department contact points are contained in the official notice and the application package.
Where can applicants find the official requirements and definitions for this competition?
The official requirements and definitions are contained in the official Federal Register notice and the application package (as referenced in the posting).
Who should applicants contact for technical or program questions?
The listing notes that it provides contacts for technical issues with Grants.gov and for programmatic questions through the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants would typically use those contacts for clarification on eligibility nuances, required forms, or interpretation of program expectations.
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