Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Native American Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Part F Program CFDA Number 84.382C | Apply Online

NASNTI Part F (CFDA 84.382C) Grant Opportunity FAQs

1) What is the NASNTI Part F Program (CFDA 84.382C)?

The Native American Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Part F Program is a discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), under Title III, Part F of the Higher Education Act (HEA). It is intended to strengthen eligible colleges and universities that serve significant numbers of Native American students but are not Tribal Colleges or Universities.

2) What is the main purpose of this grant program?

The core purpose is to improve and expand an eligible institution's ability to serve Native American and low-income students by building long-term institutional self-sufficiency. The emphasis is on strengthening the institution over time (capacity and effectiveness), not on short-term, one-off support.

3) What kinds of activities is the funding meant to support?

Based on the notice summary provided, funds are meant to help institutions improve academic programs, strengthen institutional management, and enhance fiscal stability, with a focus on long-term improvements in institutional capacity.

4) Who is eligible to apply as a NASNTI?

For this competition, an institution of higher education must (1) have at least 10 percent Native American undergraduate enrollment at the time of application and (2) not be a Tribal College or University (as defined under section 316 of the HEA). The institution must also meet standard federal eligibility conditions described in the notice, such as accreditation/preaccreditation and state authorization.

5) What does the program mean by "Native American" for the enrollment requirement?

The notice defines "Native American" broadly as an individual who is of a tribe, people, or culture indigenous to the United States.

6) Does the 10 percent threshold apply to undergraduate or total enrollment?

The eligibility threshold described is at least 10 percent Native American undergraduate enrollment at the time of application.

7) What documentation is required to certify eligibility based on enrollment?

Applicants must submit a certification assurance form as part of the application package. This form must show the total undergraduate headcount and formally certify that at least 10 percent of enrollment is Native American for purposes of the program.

8) Who must sign the certification assurance form?

The certification must be signed by an institutional official who is authorized to represent the institution.

9) Can Tribal Colleges or Universities apply?

No. To qualify as a NASNTI for this competition, the institution must not be a Tribal College or University (as defined under section 316 of the HEA).

10) What accreditation or authorization requirements apply?

The institution must be accredited or preaccredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency that is recognized by the Secretary as a reliable authority on educational quality. The institution must also be legally authorized by the state where it is located to operate as a junior college or to offer educational programs leading to a bachelor's degree.

11) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this competition cycle?

The posting references Funding Opportunity Number ED-GRANTS-041411-001.

12) When was this opportunity posted and when were applications available?

The competition cycle described was posted on April 15, 2011, with applications available starting April 14, 2011.

13) What was the application deadline for this competition cycle?

The deadline for transmittal listed in the posting was May 31, 2011.

14) How much funding was expected to be available, and how many awards were anticipated?

The Department estimated total funding of $5,000,000 and anticipated making about 12 awards.

15) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed for this opportunity, meaning a formal non-federal match was generally not required as a condition of the award.

16) If matching is not required, do applicants still need to justify their budgets?

Yes. While no formal match was listed, applicants were still expected to justify budgets and demonstrate institutional commitment through their plans and capacity, as reflected in the description provided.

17) How must applications be submitted?

Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using the government-wide "Apply" system. The process described involves downloading the application package, completing it offline, then uploading and submitting it through Grants.gov.

18) Can an application be submitted by email?

No. The Department explicitly stated that applications could not be submitted by emailing an electronic copy.

19) How do applicants find the correct application package on Grants.gov?

The notice included a specific instruction to search by the CFDA number without the alpha suffix. In other words, search for "84.382" rather than "84.382C" in Grants.gov.

20) Can an institution apply to multiple Title III, Part F programs in the same year?

Yes. The notice explains that an institution may apply to all Title III, Part F programs for which it is eligible in that year.

21) If an institution applies to multiple Part F programs, can it receive more than one award?

No. Even if an institution applies to multiple Title III, Part F programs and is eligible for them, the notice states that it may receive only one grant award across those Part F programs if selected.

22) What are examples of other Title III, Part F programs mentioned alongside NASNTI?

The posting notes that NASNTI sits alongside other Title III, Part F programs such as AANAPISI, HSI STEM and Articulation, and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI).

23) How are applications evaluated and selected for funding?

Awards are made based on peer review scoring. Applications are evaluated by panels (noted in the posting as three readers), and the Department makes awards in rank order from the funding slates according to the average score from those reviewers.

24) Where are the official requirements and rules for the competition found?

The Department emphasized that the Federal Register notice is the authoritative source for controlling requirements, including performance measures, selection criteria, competitive priorities, and submission requirements.

25) Who should applicants contact for technical issues with Grants.gov?

The posting provides contact points for technical access issues, including a Grants.gov systems administrator, along with phone numbers and email addresses (as referenced in the notice summary).

26) Who should applicants contact for program-specific questions?

The posting also lists program managers within OPE as contacts for program questions, with phone numbers and email addresses for support (as referenced in the notice summary).