A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

GEAR UP

Purpose

 

 

GEAR UP is a national effort to encourage more young people to have high expectations, stay in school and study hard, and go to college by supporting early college awareness and preparation activities and providing academic support for low-income students. Funding will be divided between Partnership Grants and State Grants. Partnership projects must serve entire grade levels of students and begin no later than the 7th grade, and are encouraged to provide college scholarships although they are not required to do so. State projects must provide both early college preparation and awareness activities AND scholarships for participating students. States may serve whole grade-levels of students but are not required to do so.

How Are Funds Distributed?

 

 

The U.S. Department of Education will award two kinds of competitive grants – Partnership Grants and State Grants. Partnership Grant recipients must pay at least 20 percent of the total project costs each year, and must provide at least 50 percent of the total project cost over the course of the grant in cash or in-kind. State Grant recipients must provide at least 50 percent of the total project cost each year, in cash or in-kind.

Who Should Apply?

 

 

Partnership Grants will be awarded to locally-designed partnerships among colleges, low-income middle schools and the secondary schools these students would normally attend, plus at least two other partners, such as community organizations, businesses, religious groups, State educational agencies, parent groups, or non-profits. All States are eligible to apply for State Grants. Both States and Partnerships are required to coordinate their efforts with eligible entities and related programs.

Application Timeline

 

 

Applications available: January 21, 1999 (DRAFT application posted on web)
February 23, 1999 (posted in Federal Register and on web)
Application workshops: March 1-15, 1999 (see attachment for dates and locations)
Applications due: April 30, 1999
Grants awarded: July 30, 1999

Available Publications

 

 

Yes, You Can: A Guide for Establishing Mentoring Programs to Prepare Youth for College. To order, call toll-free 1-877-4-EDPUBS, or download the guide from the Internet at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/YesYouCan/

STUDENT PUBLICATION: Think College? Me? Now? To order, call toll-free 1-877-4-ED-PUBS.

PARENT PUBLICATION: Getting Ready for College Early To order this publication in English or Spanish, call toll-free 1-877-4-ED-PUBS.

Think College Early LISTSERV.To subscribe, send the following message to listproc@inet.ed.gov from your own computer: subscribe thinkcoll yourfirstname yourlastname

Extending Learning Time for Disadvantaged Students; An Ideabook, Volume 1. To order, call toll-free 1-877-4ED-PUBS

Implementing Schoolwide Programs, An Idea Book on Planning, Volume 1. To order, call toll-free 1-877 4EDPUBS

Fact sheets and questions & answers for this initiative are available on the U.S. Department of Education website at http://www.ed.gov/inits/FY99/index.html.

Contact and Other Sources of Information

 

 

Website: http://www.ed.gov/gearup/
 E-mail: Gearup@ed.gov

For more information, contact:

Karen Johnson
202-260-3209
Fax: 202-708-9046
Email: Karen.johnson@ed.gov

Margarita Benitez
202-260-4703
Email: Margarita.benitez@ed.gov

Kendra Brooks
202-205-2109
Fax: 202-708-9814
Email: kendra.brooks@ed.gov

 

GEAR UP Application Workshops

 

 

In March of 1999, eleven (11) technical assistance workshops will be sponsored by the Ford Foundation to aid prospective applicants in developing Partnership and State applications for GEAR UP. At the workshops, U.S. Department of Education staff, with assistance from the National Center for Urban Partnerships (NCUP), will help prospective applicants plan high-quality early college preparation and awareness projects.

These workshops will provide:

  • Information about how to plan, establish and develop effective college-school partnerships;
  • Guidance about where to obtain additional information about educational partnerships, best practices, research studies, and program evaluations;
  • Technical assistance to prospective applicants on how to prepare the GEAR UP Partnership and State Grant applications; and
  • Budget information for GEAR UP projects.

Through the generous sponsorship of the Ford Foundation, the workshops will be free of charge to participants. However, participants are responsible for making their own lodging and travel arrangements and for meals. Since there is a limited amount of space available, you will only be guaranteed admission if you pre-register. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space permits.

 

DATE
CITY
HOTEL
HOTEL PH#
March 1
Miami, FL
Wyndam Hotel
305-535-2034
March 3
Atlanta, GA
Clark Atlanta University
800-906-4685
March 4
Albuquerque, NM
The Pyramid Crowne Plaza
505-821-3333
March 5
San Juan, PR
Univ. of the Sacred Heart
 
March 8
Seattle, WA
Sheraton Seattle
206-621-9000
March 9
Houston, TX
Braeswood Hotel
713-797-9000
March 10
St. Louis, MO
Adams Mark Hotel
314-342-4675
March 11
Philadelphia, PA
Penn Towers
215-387-8333
March 12
Boston, MA
Boston Park Plaza
617-426-2000
March 12
Los Angeles, CA
Westin Hotel
213-624-1000
March 15
Denver, CO
Adams Mark
303-626-2518

Also, during the last week in March, a workshop will be broadcast across the country via teleconference. For more information about how to connect to the teleconference, call 1-800-USA-LEARN, email gearup@ed.gov, or check the GEAR UP website.

DON'T WAIT TO ATTEND A WORKSHOP BEFORE YOU BEGIN PLANNING YOUR PROPOSAL! We do not recommend that you begin writing your grant application proposal at the workshop. These workshops are meant to help trouble-shoot and enrich the plans that you have already begun to assemble prior to the workshop.

If you are interested in registering for a workshop, you can do so in advance by fax or phone. If you are faxing your registration, please include in the fax: your name, your address, a daytime telephone number where you can be reached, the workshop you are planning to attend, and the type of grant you are interested in (state or partnership). You can register by phone by calling (202) 260-4269. On site registration is also possible at each of the workshops.


-###-

[ Return to FY1999 Major New Initiatives ]

This page last updated March 8, 1999 (saw)