Veterans Upward Bound Program

Program Office: Federal TRIO Programs
CFDA Number: 84.047V
Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants
Also Known As: TRIO (Upward Bound is one of eight TRIO programs.)

Program Description

Additional Information

All Veterans Upward Bound projects must provide instruction in mathematics through pre-calculus, laboratory science, foreign language, composition and literature. Projects may also provide short-term remedial or refresher courses for veterans who are high school graduates but have delayed pursuing postsecondary education. Projects are also expected to assist veterans in securing support services from other locally available resources such as the Veterans Administration, state veterans agencies, veteran associations, and other state and local agencies that serve veterans.

Other services include:

• Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants
• Instruction in reading, writing, study skills, and other subjects necessary for success in education beyond high school
• Academic, financial, or personal counseling
• Tutorial services
• Mentoring programs
• Information on postsecondary education opportunities
• Assistance in completing college entrance and financial aid applications
• Assistance in preparing for college entrance exams
• Information on the full range of Federal Student financial aid programs and benefits
• Guidance and assistance in alternative education programs for secondary school dropouts that lead to receipt of a regular secondary school diploma, entry into general education development (GED) programs or postsecondary education

• Current Low-Income Levels
• Prior-Year Low-Income Levels
• Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Applicant and Grantee Resources

Key Staff

Sharon Easterling
Division Director, (202) 453-7624
Sharon.Easterling@ed.gov

Mailing Address:

Federal TRIO Programs
U.S. Department of Education, OPE
Higher Education Programs
Upward Bound/Upward Bound Math-Science
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
5th Floor
Washington, DC 20202
E-mail: OPE_TRIO@ed.gov

Student Service Organization

Staff State Assignments 

Reports

Frequently Asked Questions

Select a link below to jump to the relevant page section.

1. What is the purpose of the Veterans Upward Bound Program?
2. What kinds of activities can be supported with grant funds?
3. How often are competitions held?
4. What is the duration of the average grant?
5. What is the average grant amount?
6. Is there a cost matching requirement? If so, are in-kind contributions acceptable as part of the grantee's match?
7. What are the reporting requirements for grantees? What kind of records and data should be maintained or collected in order to complete required reports?
8. What are the requirements for auditing and/or evaluation of funded projects?
9. Are there program-wide performance measures?
10. What are a few concrete examples of allowable activities?

1. What is the purpose of the Veterans Upward Bound Program?
 

The purpose of the Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program is to assist veterans in preparing for entry in and completion of a program of postsecondary education.

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2. What kinds of activities can be supported with grant funds?
 

A Veterans Upward Bound Program must provide the following services:

• Academic tutoring to enable participant to complete secondary or postsecondary courses, which may include instruction in reading, writing, study skills, mathematics, science and other subjects;
• Advice and assistance in secondary and postsecondary course selection;
• Assistance in preparing for college entrance examinations and completing college admission applications;
• Information on the full range of Federal student financial aid programs and benefits (including Federal Pell Grant awards and loan forgiveness) and resources for locating public and private scholarships;
• Guidance on and assistance in secondary school reentry; alternative education programs for secondary school dropouts that lead to the receipt of a regular secondary school diploma; entry into general educational development (GED) programs or entry into postsecondary education; and
• Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants, including financial planning for postsecondary education;
• Any project that has received funds for at least two years must include as part of its core curriculum in the next and succeeding years, instruction in mathematics through pre-calculus; laboratory science; foreign language; composition; and literature;
• Provide intensive basic skills development in those academic subjects required for completion of a high school equivalency program and for admission to postsecondary education programs;
• Provide short-term remedial or refresher courses for veterans who are high school graduates but who have delayed pursuing postsecondary education. If the grantee is an institution of higher education, these courses shall not duplicate courses otherwise available to veterans at the institution;
• Assist veterans in securing support services from other locally available resources such as Veterans Administration, State veterans agencies, veterans associations, and other state and local agencies that serve veterans; and
• Provide special services, including mathematics and science preparation, to enable veterans to make the transition to postsecondary education.

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3. How often are competitions held?
 

The VUB Program competition is held every four years.

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4. What is the duration of the average grant?
 

All VUB grants are funded for five-year grant award cycles.

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5. What is the average grant amount?
 

The average VUB grant award amount is $280,429.

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6. Is there a cost matching requirement? If so, are in-kind contributions acceptable as part of the grantee's match?
 

The VUB Program does not require cost sharing or matching.

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7. What are the reporting requirements for grantees? What kind of records and data should be maintained or collected in order to complete required reports?
 

All VUB Program grantees are required to submit an annual performance report (APR) documenting the progress being made towards meeting the approved objectives.

A grantee must maintain a record of —

• The basis for the grantee's determination that the participant is eligible to participate in the project;
• The basis for the grantee's determination that the participant has a need for academic support in order to pursue successfully a program of education beyond secondary school;
• The services that are provided to the participant;
• The educational progress of the participant during high school and, to the degree possible, during the participant's pursuit of a postsecondary education program; and
• To the extent practicable, any services the participant receives during the project year from another Federal TRIO program or another federally-funded program that serves populations similar to those served under the UB program.

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8. What are the requirements for auditing and/or evaluation of funded projects?
 

Any non-Federal entity that expends a total of $500,000 or more in federal funds must have an annual audit that is conducted under the requirements of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-133. In addition, a grantee is required to implement the evaluation plan stated in its funded application.

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9. Are there program-wide performance measures?
 

The success of the VUB Program is measured by the percentage of low-income, first-generation college students who successfully pursue and complete postsecondary education.

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10. What are a few concrete examples of allowable activities?
 

Academic instruction in reading, writing, math, science, foreign languages and other subjects as needed; assistance in course selection; assistance with completing college admissions applications; information on financial aid; conducting individual participant needs assessment; development of participant Individual Education Plan; providing information and counseling on college selection; assistance through preparation for college entrance examinations, and cultural enrichment activities.

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TRIO Home

 

Coming in February 2025:  2023-24 Veterans Upward Bound Program Annual Performance Report Data Collection

The information below is for Reference Only.

2022-2023 Veterans Upward Bound Program Annual Performance Report for Program

APR Deadline: To Be Determined

| Text Documents | APR Web Site | Help Desk | Program Specialists | 

Text Documents

• Letter to Veterans Upward Bound Project Directors, February 2024  MS Word (37K)
• General Instructions for the VUB Annual Performance Report 2022-23:  MS Word (95K)
• VUB APR Form Sections I and II for Program Year 2022-23:  MS Word (106K)
• Policies and Procedures for Assessing the Standard Objectives: 2022-2027 Grant Cycle -- Appendix to APR Report:
   MS Word (41K)
• Click here for the Quick Guide for Login.Gov and the TRIO APR Web Portal
• Click here for the Detailed Guide for Login.Gov and the TRIO APR Web Portal

APR Web Site

As of To Be Determined, the APR Web site for Veterans Upward Bound is available for grantees' use in submitting their reports: https://trio.ed.gov/

Help Desk

If you encounter technical problems accessing the Web site or using the Web application, please contact the Help Desk by either telephone (703-885-8008) or e-mail at: TRIO@helpdesk.thetactilegroup.com. The Help Desk will also be able to assist should you have difficulties with registration.

Program Specialists

Please contact your program specialist directly if you have questions requiring policy clarifications or interpretations of the data requirements of the report. For a list of program specialist state assignments, click here.