Research and Development Infrastructure Grant Program

Program Office: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education
CFDA Number: 84.116H 
Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants
Also Known As: Research and Development Infrastructure (RDI)

The purpose of the RDI program is to provide Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) including Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNH), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and/or Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), or consortia led by an eligible institution, with funds to implement transformational investments in research infrastructure, including research productivity, faculty expertise, graduate programs, physical infrastructure, human capital development, and partnerships leading to increases in external funding.

Grants awarded under this program have performance periods of four years. To be considered for a grant in this program, the eligible institution(s) are expected to implement transformational investments in research infrastructure, including research productivity, faculty expertise, graduate programs, physical infrastructure, human capital development, and partnerships leading to increases in external funding.

Absolute Priority: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this notice contains one absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

Funding for Tribal Controlled Colleges and Universities' Research and Development Infrastructure.

Projects proposed by TCCUs to improve their research and development activities, including infrastructure, faculty development, and academic programs.

The program has a wide range of allowable uses which are specified in the NIA. These include

• (1) Providing for the improvement of infrastructure existing on the date of the grant award, including deferred maintenance, or the establishment of new physical infrastructure, including instructional program spaces, laboratories, and research facilities relating to the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts, mathematics, health, agriculture, education, medicine, law, and other disciplines,
• (2) Hiring and retaining faculty, students, research-related staff, or other personnel, including research personnel skilled in operating, using, or applying technology, equipment, or devices to conduct or support research,
• (3) Supporting research internships and fellowships for students, including undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral positions, which may include providing direct student financial assistance and other supports to such students.
  Note: Under 20 U.S.C. 1138(d)(1), funds made available under FIPSE may not be used to provide direct financial assistance in the form of grants or scholarships to students who do not meet eligibility criteria under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA),
• (4) Creating new, or expanding existing, academic positions, including internships, fellowships, and post-doctoral positions, in fields of research for which research and development infrastructure funds have been awarded to the grantee under this program,
• (5) Creating and supporting inter- and intra-institutional research centers (including formal and informal communities of practice) in fields of research for which research and development infrastructure funds have been awarded to the grantee under this program, including hiring staff, purchasing supplies and equipment, and funding travel to relevant conferences and seminars to support the work of such centers,
• (6) Building new institutional support structures and departments that help faculty learn about, and increase faculty and student access to, Federal research and development grant funds and non-Federal academic research grants,
• (7) Building data and collaboration infrastructure so that early findings and research can be securely shared to facilitate peer review and other appropriate collaboration,
• (8) Providing programs of study and courses in fields of research for which research and development infrastructure funds have been awarded to the grantee under this program,
• (9) Paying operating and administrative expenses for, and coordinating project partnerships with members of, the consortium on behalf of which the eligible institution has received a grant under this program, provided that grantees may not pay for the expenses of any R1 institutions that are members of the consortia,
• (10) Installing or extending the life and usability of basic systems and components of campus facilities related to research, including high-speed broadband internet infrastructure sufficient to support digital and technology-based learning,
• (11) Expanding, remodeling, renovating, or altering biomedical and behavioral research facilities existing on the date of the grant award that received support under section 404I of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 283k),
• (12) Acquiring and installing furniture, fixtures, and instructional research-related equipment and technology for academic instruction in campus facilities in fields of research for which research and development infrastructure funds have been awarded to the grantee under this program,
• (13) Providing increased funding to programs that support research and development at the eligible institution that are funded by the National Institutes of Health, including through their Path to Excellence and Innovation program,
• (14) Faculty professional development, and
• (15) Planning purposes.

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Who May Apply:

Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are TCCUs (as defined in the notice). Eligible applicants may apply individually or as lead applicants of a consortium with other eligible applicants and/or other partners such as an institution of higher education with an R1 Carnegie Classification, community colleges, or non-profit, industry and philanthropic partners. The lead applicant must be an eligible applicant under the absolute priority.

Tribal Controlled College or University Tribal Controlled Colleges or Universities has the meaning ascribed it in section 316(b)(3) of the HEA.

This program requires cost sharing or matching for all applicants. Grantees will need to provide a 1:1 match, which can include in-kind donations. The goal of the match is to promote sustainability and alignment to the institution's strategic plan. Full or partial waivers may be granted using the criteria below.

The Secretary may waive the matching requirement on a case-by-case basis upon showing any of the following exceptional circumstances, which we establish in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA:

• (1) The difficulty of raising matching funds for a program to serve a high poverty area in the lead applicant's geographic location, defined as a Census tract, a set of contiguous Census tracts, an American Indian Reservation, Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Area (as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau), Alaska Native Village Statistical Area or Alaska Native Regional Corporation Area, Native Hawaiian Homeland Area, or other Tribal land or county that has a poverty rate of at least 25 percent as determined every 5 years using American Community Survey 5-Year data;
• (2) Serving a significant population of low-income students at the lead applicant location, defined as at least 50 percent (or the eligibility threshold for the appropriate institutional sector available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html#app) of degree-seeking enrolled students receiving need-based grant aid under Title IV of the HEA;
• (3) Significant economic hardship as demonstrated by low average educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent undergraduate student at the lead applicant institution, in comparison with the average educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent undergraduate student of institutions that offer similar instruction; or
• (4) Information that otherwise demonstrates a commitment to the long-term sustainability of the applicant's projects, such as evidence of a consortium relationship with an R1 institution, a State bond, State matching, planning documents such as a campus plan, multi-year faculty hiring plan, support of industry, Federal grants received, or a demonstration of institutional commitment that may include commitment from the institution's board.

Note: Institutions seeking to waive the matching requirement must provide the waiver request information outlined above within their application.

Timeline

Current Competition: FY 2024,br> Application Available: July 17, 2024 ,br> Application Deadline: September 16, 2024

Federal Register Notice

• Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for FY 2024 dated July 18, 2024 | PDF

Applications for the FY 2024 Research and Development Infrastructure (RDI) will be available soon on Grants.gov.

TO APPLY:

The FY 2024 RDI application will be available via the Grants.gov website at www.grants.gov.

Please follow the guidance published in the Federal Register Notice and the application instructions in Grants.gov.

There will be two pre-application technical assistance webinars. You can register to receive updates on the technical assistance webinars at https://forms.office.com/g/jBWEwsn7Fv. The webinars are scheduled for:
 

• Wednesday, July 31, 2024, 2 — 3:30 pm EDT
  • Click here to join the meeting
  • Meeting ID: 226 883 894 988
  • Passcode: PCicBf
  • Or call in (audio only)
  • Phone number: +1 202-991-0393
  • Phone Conference ID: 356 405 977#
• Wednesday, August 14, 2024, 2 — 3:30 pm EDT
  • Click here to join the meeting
  • Meeting ID: 219 253 224 694
  • Passcode: YVGNt4
  • Or call in (audio only)
  • Phone number: +1 202-991-0393
  • Phone Conference ID: 854 601 992#

Jason Cottrell, Ph.D.
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5C122
Washington, DC 20202
Telephone: (202) 453-7530
Email: Jason.Cottrell@ED.gov

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

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FY 2023

Projects funded: PDF (806K)

Legislation

• Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, Title VII, Part B; U.S.C. 1138-1138d
• 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d; Explanatory Statement accompanying Division D of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Pub. L. 118-47)

Regulations

• Program-specific regulations can be found at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/07/18/2024-15537/research-and-development-infrastructure-grant.
• Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
• Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485.
• 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.

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Jason Cottrell, Ph.D.
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5C122
Washington, DC 20202
Telephone: (202) 453-7530
Email: Jason.Cottrell@ED.gov

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