Strengthening Minority-serving Institutions (84.382)

Program

84.382 Strengthening Minority-serving Institutions

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Education
Office: Office Of Postsecondary Education

Authorization

Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended,, Executive Order Title III, Part F, Section 371; Executive Order Title III, Part A, Section 320.

Program Number

84.382

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To strengthen Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI); Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI); and Native American-Serving Non-tribal Institutions (NASNTI) that propose to carry out activities to improve and expand such institution's capacity to serve minority students.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

Section 371: Applicants under the PBI program (Section 371) may use funds to carry out programs in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM); health education; internationalization or globalization; teacher preparation; or improving educational outcomes of African American males. Applicants under the AANAPISI (Section 371) and NASNTI (Section 371) programs may use funds to assist such institutions with planning, developing, undertaking and carrying out activities to improve and expand the institution's capacity to serve Asian American and Native American Pacific Islanders and Native Americans. More specifically, AANAPISI grantees may use funds to carry out activities described in section 311(c). NASNTI grantees may use funds for the purchase, rental, or lease of scientific laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes; renovation and improvement in classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities; support of faculty exchanges, faculty development, and faculty fellowships to assist faculty in attaining advanced degrees in the faculty's field of instruction; curriculum development and academic instruction; the purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials, funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management; the joint use of facilities such as laboratories and libraries; and academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services. Uses of funds under each program are restricted to the allowable activities described in Section 371 of the HEA. Section 320: Applicants under the AANAPISI program (Section 320) may use funds to improve and expand their capacity to serve Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students and low-income individuals. More specifically, grantees may use their funds for the purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes; renovation and improvement in classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and other instructional facilities; support of faculty exchanges, faculty development, and faculty fellowships to assist in attaining advanced degrees in the field of instruction of the faculty; curriculum development and academic instruction; purchase of library books, periodicals, and other educational materials; funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management; joint use of facilities, such as laboratories and libraries; academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services. Uses of funds are restricted to the allowable activities described in Section 320 of the HEA.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

At the time of application, PBIs must have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 40 percent Black American students. AANAPISI and NASNTI applicants must have, at the time of application, an enrollment of undergraduate students not less than 10 percent Asian American and Native American Pacific Islanders and Native Americans, respectively.

Beneficiary Eligibility

The authorized beneficiaries are underrepresented; low-income; first-generation; minority; undergraduate students.

Credentials/Documentation

Institutions of Higher Education must submit an application responding to the established selection criteria. Applicants must describe in detail, the need for the project and how the proposed activities will address the goals and objectives of the program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

This program is subject to the requirements of the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this program. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Each applicant must submit an application covering a period not to exceed 24-months to the Department of Education.

Award Procedure

Applications are reviewed for quality and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements. A discretionary grant is awarded to institutions of higher education if they score within funding range and contingent upon funds being available.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

An applicant is notified of award status within 30 days of the end of the competition.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Dependent upon the availability of appropriations. Awards are generally made around June 30 of each year.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Grants under Section 371 are made for up to 24 months, subject to the availability of funds. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Institutions of higher education administering these grants must submit an annual performance report at the completion of the each 12-month cycle. IHEs are also required to submit final reports ninety (90) days after the end of the grant. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Grantees must maintain appropriate records pertaining to grant funds, compliance and project performance, for three years after the completion of activities for which the grant or subgrant funds were used. This documentation should be sufficient to establish fiscal accountability and facilitate an effective audit.

Program Accomplishments

Not Applicable.

Financial Information

Account Identification

91-0201-0-1-502.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $0; FY 09 est $2,500,000; FY 10 est $2,625,000 - For Section 320. (Project Grants) FY 08 $25,000,000; FY 09 est $25,000,000; FY 10 est $0 - For Section 371.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

No Data Available.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

The administration of discretionary grant programs is governed by Section 320 and 371 of the HEA and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations.

Related Programs

84.031 Higher Education_Institutional Aid

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

James Laws Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, Office of Higher Education Programs, 1990 K St., N.W. , Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Email: james.laws@ed.gov Phone: 202-502-7719

Web Site Address

http://www.ed.gov/programs/pbi/ for the Predominantly Black Institutions Program http://www.ed.gov/programs/aanapiccraa/ for the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program http://www.ed.gov/programs/nasnticcraa/ for t

Examples of Funded Projects

Not Applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Selection criteria can be found in EDGAR 34 CFR Part 75.210.