Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Student Support Services Program CFDA Number 84.042A | Apply Online

Student Support Services (SSS) Program (CFDA 84.042A) - FAQs

1) What is the Student Support Services (SSS) Program?

The Student Support Services (SSS) Program is a U.S. Department of Education discretionary grant opportunity administered by the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) under CFDA 84.042A (TRIO Student Support Services). It funds structured support services intended to improve student retention, persistence from year to year, and postsecondary program completion.

2) What is the central goal of this grant opportunity?

The central goal is to increase the number of students who are disadvantaged, low-income, first-generation, and/or students with disabilities who successfully complete a postsecondary program.

3) Is SSS only general academic tutoring or general student help?

No. The opportunity emphasizes that SSS is designed to do more than provide general academic help. It specifically funds structured support services intended to improve retention and graduation outcomes and help students persist until completion.

4) What student outcomes does the program emphasize?

The program emphasizes improved retention, persistence (continuing enrollment from year to year), successful completion of a postsecondary program, and (for students beginning at two-year institutions) successful transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

5) Is transfer from two-year to four-year institutions a focus area?

Yes. A major emphasis is strengthening pathways for students who start at two-year institutions by facilitating successful transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

6) Who are the intended student populations?

The opportunity focuses on students who are disadvantaged, low-income, first-generation, and/or students with disabilities. It also highlights students who may face additional barriers, including students who are limited English proficient, students from groups historically underrepresented in higher education, students experiencing housing instability (homeless children and youths), students in foster care, students aging out of the foster care system, and other disconnected students.

7) Does the program address the broader campus environment, not just individual services?

Yes. The opportunity highlights that funded services should contribute to an institutional environment where students who may face additional barriers can succeed.

8) Does SSS support services related to financial skills and financial aid understanding?

Yes. The notice points to financial and economic literacy as a key service area, signaling an expectation that grantees help students understand financial aid, budgeting, and other practical financial skills to reduce attrition caused by financial strain or confusion.

9) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, including public and state-controlled institutions and private institutions, as well as combinations of institutions of higher education (such as consortia).

10) Can a consortium or combination of institutions apply?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes combinations of institutions of higher education (for example, consortia) as eligible applicants.

11) Is cost sharing or matching required?

Yes. The grant requires cost sharing or matching, meaning applicants should expect to provide a portion of support from non-federal sources according to the official requirements.

12) Where are the official rules for what counts as allowable match and how to document it?

The synopsis notes that the authoritative details, including what counts as an allowable match, how it is documented, and how it is assessed, are contained in the official Federal Register notice.

13) How must applications be submitted?

Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Applicants are required to download the application package, complete it offline, and upload it through the Grants.gov portal.

14) Can applications be submitted by email?

No. The instructions state that submissions cannot be emailed to the Department; they must be transmitted through Grants.gov.

15) What CFDA number should applicants use to find the application package on Grants.gov?

The instructions note a search detail: applicants should search by the CFDA number without the alpha suffix. In other words, search for "84.042" rather than "84.042A" to locate the correct package on Grants.gov.

16) What were the key dates for the FY 2015 competition referenced?

For the FY 2015 competition referenced, the notice inviting applications was published on December 18, 2014. Applications were made available the same day, and the deadline for transmittal was February 2, 2015.

17) How much total funding was estimated for the FY 2015 competition?

The opportunity listed an estimated total funding amount of $23,966,448 for the referenced competition.

18) What was the maximum (ceiling) award amount per award for the FY 2015 competition?

The referenced announcement listed an award ceiling of $220,000 per award.

19) Were there any corrections or updates to the competitive preference priorities (CPPs)?

Yes. The Department issued corrections related to point allocation for certain Competitive Preference Priorities (CPPs) and updated links to studies associated with those priorities.

20) Which competitive preference priorities were specifically mentioned in the updates?

The synopsis mentions corrections related to CPP 1(a) and CPP 1(b), which focus on influencing or developing non-cognitive factors (and strategies supported by moderate evidence of effectiveness), and CPP 2(a), which focuses on providing individualized counseling for personal, career, and academic matters.

21) Why do the updated links to studies matter for applicants?

The updated study links matter for applicants who want to earn competitive preference points and align proposed services with evidence-based approaches referenced in the competitive preference priorities.

22) Where are the authoritative requirements for the competition?

The description repeatedly stresses that authoritative requirements are found in the official Federal Register application notice, including eligibility nuances, pre-application and application requirements, submission instructions, performance measures, and priority definitions.

23) What should applicants do if the synopsis and the Federal Register notice differ?

The synopsis indicates that the official Federal Register notice governs the competition requirements. Applicants are directed to consult that official notice for complete rules and definitions.

24) Who should applicants contact for technical issues accessing the announcement or system-related problems?

Contact information is provided for technical issues via the ED Grants.gov system administrator.

25) Who should applicants contact for programmatic questions?

The opportunity states that programmatic questions can be directed to the listed program managers within the U.S. Department of Education.