Preparing youth for success: gear up massachusetts 2025-2032 proposal

The Office of Postsecondary Education awarded $5.0 million to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education under the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP, CFDA 84.334) on October 1, 2025. This six- to seven-year grant funds comprehensive support services designed to improve secondary school completion and postsecondary readiness among low-income students, including students with disabilities. The award will support the delivery of academic support, tutoring, counseling, mentoring, financial aid information, college preparation workshops, and related outreach services to eligible secondary school students and their families throughout Massachusetts.

GEAR UP Massachusetts 2025-2032 will operate through a state-level grant structure, with services delivered through the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education's Office of Student Financial Assistance based in Malden, MA. The grant aims to reduce high school dropout rates, decrease the need for remedial postsecondary education, and increase college enrollment and success among target populations. Grant recipients are required to demonstrate substantial progress during the funding period, with peer review conducted by panels composed of higher education and state and local education agency representatives.