Program Description
The Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support programs that address the basic needs of students and to report on practices that improve outcomes for students.
Types of Projects
Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for underserved students in one or more of the following priority areas:
- Coordinating efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or community-based organizations, that support students, to address two or more of the following:
- Food assistance.
- Housing.
- Transportation.
- Health, including physical health, mental health, and behavioral health and trauma.
- Child care.
- Technology.
- Conducting community needs and asset mapping to identify existing programs and initiatives that can be leveraged, and new programs and initiatives that need to be developed and implemented, to advance systemic change.
- Establishing cross-agency partnerships, or community-based partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, businesses, philanthropic organizations, or others, to meet family well-being needs.
Program Office: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education
Who May Apply
Community Colleges that are Minority-Serving Institutions, Historically Black colleges and universities, or Tribal Colleges or Universities. Applicable terms are defined in the Notice Inviting Applications.
Individual Development grants are awarded to eligible institutions of Higher Education [IHEs] for projects that have a performance period of 3 years.
FY 2024
Total appropriation: $10,000,000
New competition: Yes
Funded down the FY 2023 slate of new awards: No
Total new award funding: $9,704,876.00
Cut-off score for funding: 109.67 (total points possible-110)
Number of new awards: 11
Individual Development Grant Awards: 11
Cooperative Development Grant Awards: 0 (not offered in the 2024 competition)
Average new award: $882,261 (total funding for 3-year performance period)
Number of continuation awards: N/A (Awards under this program are frontloaded.)
Total continuation funding: N/A
FY 2023
Total appropriation: $10,000,000
New competition: No
Funded down the FY 2022 slate of new awards: Yes
Total new award funding: $9,993,637.00
Cut-off score for funding: 109.5 (total points possible-110)
Number of new awards: 11
Individual Development Grant Awards: 11
Cooperative Development Grant Awards: 0 (not offered in the 2022 competition)
Average new award: $908,512.00 (total 3-year award)
Number of continuation awards: N/A (Awards under this program are frontloaded.)
Total continuation funding: N/A
FY 2022
Total appropriation: $8,000,000.00
New competition: Yes
Total new award funding: $7,45,727,609
Cut-off score for funding: 110 (total points possible-110)
Number of new awards: 8
Individual Development Grant Awards: 8
Cooperative Development Grant Awards: 0 (not offered in 2022)
Average new award: $938,267.00 (total 3-year award)
Number of continuation awards: N/A (Awards under this program are frontloaded.)
Total continuation funding: N/A
FY 2021
Total appropriation: $5,000,000.00
New competition: Yes
Total new award funding: $4,941,916.00
Cut-off score for funding: 110.00 (total points possible-110)
Number of new awards: 6
Individual Development Grant Awards: 6
Cooperative Development Grant Awards: 0 (not offered in 2021)
Average new award: $823,652.00 (total 3-year award)
Number of continuation awards: N/A (Awards under this program are frontloaded.)
Total continuation funding: N/A
Legislation
Title VIII, Section 873 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021, H.R. 7614, 116th Congress (2020); the explanatory statement accompanying H.R. 133 (Pub. L. 116-260).
Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal civil rights laws and Supreme Court precedent.
Regulations
- Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.
Performance Reports
Grantees under this program must ensure that they have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170. This does not apply if a grantee has an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
At the end of the project period, grantees must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If a grantee receives a multiyear award, the grantee must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). View specific requirements on reporting.
Grantees submit reports through the FIPSE Grant Database. The Department provides grantees with the required password and other information needed to access the FIPSE database system. The database also includes a publicly accessible searchable catalog of abstracts of projects funded under OPE's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education programs.
Performance Measures
For purposes of evaluating the success of the Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 and Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department will use the following performance measures:
- The number of underserved students served by any direct student service supported by the grant.
- The annual persistence rate at grantee institutions for all students who are served by any direct student service supported by the grant.
- The annual rate of degree or certificate completion at grantee institutions for all students served by any direct student service supported by the grant.
Program Description
The Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support programs that address the basic needs of students and to report on practices that improve outcomes for students.
Types of Projects
Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for underserved students in one or more of the following priority areas:
- Coordinating efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or community-based organizations, that support students, to address two or more of the following:
- Food assistance.
- Housing.
- Transportation.
- Health, including physical health, mental health, and behavioral health and trauma.
- Child care.
- Technology.
- Conducting community needs and asset mapping to identify existing programs and initiatives that can be leveraged, and new programs and initiatives that need to be developed and implemented, to advance systemic change.
- Establishing cross-agency partnerships, or community-based partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, businesses, philanthropic organizations, or others, to meet family well-being needs.
Program Office: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education
Who May Apply
Community Colleges that are Minority-Serving Institutions, Historically Black colleges and universities, or Tribal Colleges or Universities. Applicable terms are defined in the Notice Inviting Applications.
Individual Development grants are awarded to eligible institutions of Higher Education [IHEs] for projects that have a performance period of 3 years.
FY 2024
Total appropriation: $10,000,000
New competition: Yes
Funded down the FY 2023 slate of new awards: No
Total new award funding: $9,704,876.00
Cut-off score for funding: 109.67 (total points possible-110)
Number of new awards: 11
Individual Development Grant Awards: 11
Cooperative Development Grant Awards: 0 (not offered in the 2024 competition)
Average new award: $882,261 (total funding for 3-year performance period)
Number of continuation awards: N/A (Awards under this program are frontloaded.)
Total continuation funding: N/A
FY 2023
Total appropriation: $10,000,000
New competition: No
Funded down the FY 2022 slate of new awards: Yes
Total new award funding: $9,993,637.00
Cut-off score for funding: 109.5 (total points possible-110)
Number of new awards: 11
Individual Development Grant Awards: 11
Cooperative Development Grant Awards: 0 (not offered in the 2022 competition)
Average new award: $908,512.00 (total 3-year award)
Number of continuation awards: N/A (Awards under this program are frontloaded.)
Total continuation funding: N/A
FY 2022
Total appropriation: $8,000,000.00
New competition: Yes
Total new award funding: $7,45,727,609
Cut-off score for funding: 110 (total points possible-110)
Number of new awards: 8
Individual Development Grant Awards: 8
Cooperative Development Grant Awards: 0 (not offered in 2022)
Average new award: $938,267.00 (total 3-year award)
Number of continuation awards: N/A (Awards under this program are frontloaded.)
Total continuation funding: N/A
FY 2021
Total appropriation: $5,000,000.00
New competition: Yes
Total new award funding: $4,941,916.00
Cut-off score for funding: 110.00 (total points possible-110)
Number of new awards: 6
Individual Development Grant Awards: 6
Cooperative Development Grant Awards: 0 (not offered in 2021)
Average new award: $823,652.00 (total 3-year award)
Number of continuation awards: N/A (Awards under this program are frontloaded.)
Total continuation funding: N/A
Legislation
Title VIII, Section 873 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021, H.R. 7614, 116th Congress (2020); the explanatory statement accompanying H.R. 133 (Pub. L. 116-260).
Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal civil rights laws and Supreme Court precedent.
Regulations
- Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.
Performance Reports
Grantees under this program must ensure that they have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170. This does not apply if a grantee has an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
At the end of the project period, grantees must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If a grantee receives a multiyear award, the grantee must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). View specific requirements on reporting.
Grantees submit reports through the FIPSE Grant Database. The Department provides grantees with the required password and other information needed to access the FIPSE database system. The database also includes a publicly accessible searchable catalog of abstracts of projects funded under OPE's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education programs.
Performance Measures
For purposes of evaluating the success of the Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 and Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department will use the following performance measures:
- The number of underserved students served by any direct student service supported by the grant.
- The annual persistence rate at grantee institutions for all students who are served by any direct student service supported by the grant.
- The annual rate of degree or certificate completion at grantee institutions for all students served by any direct student service supported by the grant.