FIPSE - SP 2025 Application Booklet FINAL.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, D.C. 20202

Fiscal Year 2025

Application for Grants under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education – Special

Projects (FIPSE-SP) Program

ALN: 84.116J

Form Approved

OMB No. 1894-0006, Expiration Date: 6/30/2027

DATED MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: 12/03/2025

ii

Table of Contents Page #

DEAR APPLICANT LETTER ……………………………………………………………………………………..1

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS………………………………………………………………

GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND TIPS FOR APPICANTS………………………….……8

APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS…………………………………………………………

NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS……………………………………………………………………….…..15

PROGRAM AUTHORITY AND APPLICABLE REGULATIONS.……………………………….…………...58

EO 12372, INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS………………………….…..59

PEFORMANCE MEASURES……………………………………………………………………………….…….60

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE APPLICATION………………………………………….....…..61

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PROJECT NARRATIVE…………………………………..64

APPLICATION CHECKLIST ……………………………………………………………………………………69

PAPERWORK BURDEN STATEMENT………………………………………………………………………...70

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

November 12, 2025

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education – Special Projects (FIPSE-SP) program. This grant competition is administered by the Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education (the Department). The purpose of the FIPSE-SP program is to provide grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), combinations of such institutions, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies, as the Secretary deems necessary, to support innovative projects concerning one or more areas of national need identified by the Secretary. This competition focuses on supporting four (4) areas of national need – 1) advancing the understanding and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in postsecondary education, 2) promoting civil discourse on college and university campuses, 3) promoting accreditation reform, and

4) supporting capacity-building for high-quality short-term programs.

In order to support these four (4) crucial needs, this competition includes seven (7) absolute priorities under which applicants can apply: two (2) priorities dedicated to advancing the understanding and use of AI in education (Absolute Priorities 1 and 2), one (1) priority dedicated to promoting civil discourse on college and university campuses (Absolute Priority 3), two (2) priorities within promoting accreditation reform (Absolute Priorities 4 and 5), and two (2) priorities for capacity-building for high-quality short-term programs (Absolute Priority 6 and 7). The competition also includes two (2) competitive preference priorities in the area of promoting civil discourse on college and university campuses. The Department intends to award $50 million to advance AI in Education, $60 million to promote civil discourse on college and university campuses, $7 million to support accreditation reform, and $50 million to develop high-quality short-term programs.

For information on the absolute priorities, competitive preference priorities, selection criteria, and other program and competition details, refer to the Federal Register Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published on November 12, 2025, and this application package. This application package contains the instructions and forms needed to submit a complete application for the FIPSE-SP program.

Applications for FY 2025 grants under the FIPSE-SP program must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov. Applicants are required to follow the Revised Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant.

You are reminded that the NIA published in the Federal Register is the official document and you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official document. We also encourage applicants to review the “Competition Highlights” found in this application package for an overview of important items.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Stacey Slijepcevic at FIPSE-SP@ed.gov or 202-453-6150. We appreciate your interest in the FIPSE-SP program and look forward to receiving your application.

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant mailto:FIPSE-SP@ed.gov

Sincerely, /S/

David Barker Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education

Competition Highlights

1. The application deadline is 12/3/2025, at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

2. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)), consortia of such institutions, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies including State higher education agencies as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1003(22). An eligible entity may submit only one (1) grant application under an area of national need as the lead applicant. An entity can be included as a partner in multiple applications.

Note: The eligible entity may apply to all four (4) areas of national need as the lead applicant but must submit a separate grant application for each area of national need.

Note: An applicant that is a nonprofit organization may, under 34 CFR 75.51, demonstrate its nonprofit status by providing:

a. Proof that the Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private shareholder or individual;

b. A certified copy of the applicant's certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or

c. Any item described above if that item applies to a State or national parent organization, together with a statement by the State or parent organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate. The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 amended the authorized grant activities under Part A of Title V of the HEA (individual development grants) to include innovative and customized instruction course development; articulation agreement and student support program activities designed to facilitate student transfer from two-year to four-year institutions; activities that improve student financial and economic literacy; and activities to develop distance education technologies.

3. Priorities: The notice contains seven (7) absolute priorities under which applicants can apply:

two (2) priorities (Absolute Priorities 1 and 2) dedicated to advancing the understanding and use of AI in education, one (1) priority (Absolute Priority 3) dedicated to promoting civil discourse on college and university campuses, two (2) priorities (Absolute Priorities 4 and 5) within promoting accreditation reform, and two (2) priorities (Absolute Priorities 6 and 7) for capacity-building for high-quality short-term programs. Additionally, within Absolute Priority 3 there are two (2) competitive preference priorities (CPP). Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we will award an additional ten points to an application that meets each of these competitive preference priorities. Applicants may receive competitive preference priority points for both CPP 1 and CPP 2.

The Priorities are as follows:

(1) Advancing the Understanding and Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education

a) Absolute Priority 1: Advancing Artificial Intelligence to Improve Educational

Outcomes of Postsecondary Students

b) Absolute Priority 2: Ensuring Future Educators and Students Have

Foundational Exposure to AI and Computer Science

(2) Promoting Civil Discourse on College and University Campuses

a) Absolute Priority 3: Promoting Civil Discourse on College and University

Campuses

i. Competitive Preference Priority 1 (0 or 10 points): Civic Institutes at

Institutions of Higher Education

ii. Competitive Preference Priority 2 (0 or 10 points): Non-IHE

Nonprofit Organizations That Educate Students to Promote Freedom and Engage in Civil Discourse

(3) Promoting Accreditation Reform

a) Absolute Priority 4: Supporting Institutions in Changing Accrediting Agencies

b) Absolute Priority 5: Supporting the Creation of New Accrediting Agencies

(4) Capacity-Building for High-Quality Short-Term Programs

a) Absolute Priority 6: Creation of New High-Quality Short-Term Programs

b) Absolute Priority 7: Expansion of Existing High-Quality Short-Term Programs

4. Application Components: This application package contains detailed instructions for every required component of your application. It also includes an Application Checklist for your convenience. Note: If all required documents are not submitted with your application, it may be deemed ineligible.

5. Abstract: Applicants must indicate in the abstract which area of national need the application addresses, how the proposed project meets the absolute priorities, and, if applicable, the competitive preference priorities. The abstract narrative should identify the partner entities the applicant will be working with, the target population (e.g., faculty, staff, students, etc.), the proposed activities to be conducted during the 4-year performance period, and the anticipated results.

6. Partner Entities

a. Please list each partner entity in the abstract, as well as the type of institution/organization (i.e., institution of higher education (IHE), nonprofit organization, local education agency (LEA), state education agency (SEA), etc.).

b. This competition requires a formal, signed commitment letter from each partner institution/organization. Commitment letters should briefly describe what services and resources partners will be contributing to the project.

c. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under this competition may award subgrants to directly carry out project activities described in its application to the following types of entities: IHEs and public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies including State higher education agencies as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1003(22).

7. Budget Narrative: Applicants must complete a supporting budget narrative for each line item on the ED-524 form.

8. Indirect Cost Information: This program uses the waiver authority of section 437(d)(1) of GEPA to limit a grantee's indirect cost reimbursement to 8 percent of a modified total direct cost base. We are establishing this indirect cost limit for the FY 2025 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo/indirect-cost-group-icg.

9. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

10. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program does not involve supplement-not-supplant funding requirements.

11. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in part, with Department grant funds and that constitute new copyrightable works.

When the deliverable consists of modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 3474.20.

12. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. The Project Narrative is where the applicant provides detailed responses to each selection criterion, as the project pertains to the area of national need and Absolute Priority or Priorities the applicant is responding to, and if applicable, the responses to one or both of the Competitive Preference Priorities in Absolute Priority 3.

a. Applicants should address each of the selection criteria separately for each proposed activity. The selection criteria are worth a total of 100 points; the maximum score for each criterion is noted in parentheses. If an applicant responds to the Competitive Preference Priorities in Absolute Priority 3, a maximum of 10 additional points under each competitive preference priority will be awarded, for a total score of up to 120 points.

b. For the Project Narrative, applicants should respond to the selection criteria in the same order as presented in the NIA. Applicants should clearly label each selection criterion and separately address each of the criterion. The Project Narrative should be written in a concise and clear manner.

13. Format of Application

a. We recommend that you limit the project narrative to no more than 35 pages and use the standards outlined in the Common Instructions. The recommended 35-page limit applies only to the application narrative and does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet (SF 424 forms); Part II, the budget section, including the budget narrative justification; Part IV, the assurances, and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support.

https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo/indirect-cost-group-icg

b. We recommend that any application addressing the competitive preference priorities within Absolute Priority 3 include no more than three additional pages for the priority, or priorities, if addressed.

c. All attachments must be in PDF format only. Other types of files will not be accepted. If you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note that this could result in your application not being considered for funding because the material in question--for example, the application narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For that reason, it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material from other formats to PDF.

14. Electronic Submission of Applications

a. An eligible entity may submit only one (1) grant application under an area of national need as the lead applicant. An entity can be included as a partner in multiple applications.

i. Note: The eligible entity may apply to all four (4) areas of national need as the lead applicant but must submit a separate grant application for each area of national need.

b. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov at:

http://www.grants.gov. Applicants are required to follow the Revised Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant, which contain information on how to submit an application.

c. The Grants.gov site does not allow applicants to “un-submit” applications. Therefore, if you discover that changes or additions are needed once your application has been accepted and validated by the Department, you must “re-submit” the application. Please know that, if the Department receives duplicate applications, we will accept and process the application with the latest “date/time received” validation.

d. The application must be received on or before the deadline date and time. Late applications will not be accepted. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department must adhere to the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date.

15. Applicant Notifications

a. Notice to Successful Applicants: The Department’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress regarding applications approved for new program grants. Successful applicants will receive award notices by mail or e-mail shortly after the Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before the Congress is notified.

b. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants: Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing following the notice to successful applicants.

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant

16. Applicants are reminded that the NIA published in the Federal Register is the official document. You should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official document.

17. Pre-application technical assistance will be provided by the program office. Additional information will be posted under the “Related Documents” tab in Grants.gov and may also be obtained by contacting Dr. Stacey Slijepcevic at FIPSE-SP@ed.gov.

mailto:FIPSE-SP@ed.gov

Revised 6/2025

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

U.S. Department of Education Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

To facilitate your use of Grants.gov, this document includes important submission procedures you need to be aware of to ensure your application is received in a timely manner and accepted by the U.S. Department of Education (Department).

Browser Support

The latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari are supported for use with Grants.gov. However, these web browsers undergo frequent changes and updates, so we recommend you have the latest version when using Grants.gov. Legacy versions of these web browsers may be functional, but you may experience issues. Grants.gov no longer provides support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 or below.

For additional information or updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser information in the Applicant FAQs: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs#browser.

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a Workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

1) Create a Workspace: Creating a Workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

2) Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the Workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

a. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms you can download individual PDF forms to upload in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at:

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs#browser https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/Applicants/ApplyNow.htm https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/ManageWorkspaces/UploadIndividualPDFForms.htm https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility

b. Mandatory Fields in Forms: Fields marked with an asterisk and have a different background color are mandatory fields. These fields must be completed to successfully submit your application.

c. Complete the SF-424 Form First: The fields in this form are designed to pre-populate common mandatory fields across other forms, such as the applicant’s name, address, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Once this form is completed, the information will transfer/pre-populate to the other mandatory fields in the forms.

3) Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through Workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24- 48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

4) Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a Workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted Workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-training.html.

Helpful Reminders

1) REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), which usually takes approximately 7 to 10 business days, but can take longer depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM.gov database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit until all of the Registration Steps are complete.

NOTE: It will take 24-48 hours once your SAM.gov registration is active before the information becomes available in Grants.gov, and you can submit an application through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to:

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration. Please note that your organization will need to update its SAM.gov registration annually.

To register in SAM.gov, click on the “Get Started” link under the “Register Your Entity…” heading in SAM.gov. Grantees, and other entities wanting to do business with the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., entities applying for a grant), that are not already registered in SAM.gov must complete the “Register Entity” registration option and NOT the “Get a Unique Entity ID” option. The “Get a Unique Entity ID” option, which is not a full registration, is only available to entities for reporting purposes.

Failing to complete the “Register Entity” option may result in loss of funding, loss of applicant eligibility, and/or delays in receiving a grant award.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/track-my-application https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/track-my-application http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-training.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

Information about SAM.gov is available at www.SAM.gov. To further assist you with registering in SAM.gov or updating your existing SAM.gov registration, see the Quick Start Guide for Grant Registrations and the Entity Registration Video at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

2) SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on several factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

You must provide the UEI on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This UEI is assigned to your organization in SAM.gov at the time your organization registers in SAM.gov. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM.gov on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.

3) VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned.

Once the Department receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site:

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html. If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e- mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=f51d017e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcb9f%20 https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=f51d017e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcb9f%20 https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=f51d017e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcb9f%20 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/track-my-application https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/track-my-application https://www.grants.gov/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-

4) Submission Problems

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at:

https://gditshared.servicenowservices.com/hhs_grants.

a) The Department discourages paper applications, but if electronic submission is not possible (e.g., you do not have access to the internet), (1) you must provide a prior written notification that you intend to submit a paper application and (2) your paper application must be postmarked by the application deadline date. Your prior written notification may be submitted by email or by mail to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of the competition Notice Inviting Applications (NIA). If you submit your notification by email, it must be received by the Department no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date.

If you mail your notification to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. (Refer to the NIA for detailed instructions.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to https://www.grants.gov/support for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs found at this Grants.gov link: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html.

Slow Internet Connections

When using a slow internet connection, such as a dial-up connection, to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g., cable modem/DSL/T1. While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours to complete your grant submission using a dial up connection. Failure to fully upload an application by the deadline date and time will result in your application being marked late in the G5 system. If you do not have access to a high-speed internet connection, you may want to consider following the instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. (See the NIA for detailed instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application:

• When you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in either Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word. Although applicants have the option of uploading any narrative sections and all other attachments to their application in either PDF or Microsoft Word, we recommend applicants submit all documents as mailto:support@grants.gov https://gditshared.servicenowservices.com/hhs_grants https://www.grants.gov/support http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html read-only flattened PDFs, meaning any fillable PDF files must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files and not as interactive or fillable PDF files, to better ensure applications are processed in a more timely, accurate, and efficient manner.

• Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. Therefore, each file uploaded to your application package should have a unique file name.

• When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters.

• And, in general, applicants should not use any special characters. However, Grants.gov does allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign.

Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

• Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments is less than 5 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.

Application Transmittal Instructions

ATTENTION ELECTRONIC APPLICANTS: Please note that you must follow the application procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant competition.

This program requires the electronic submission of applications; specific requirements and waiver instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice.

According to the instructions found in the Federal Register notice, those requesting and qualifying for an exception to the electronic submission requirement may submit an application by mail, commercial carrier, or hand delivery.

If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you must meet the following deadline requirements:

Applications Submitted Electronically:

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on the Grants.gov Web site (http://www.grants.gov) by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on or before the deadline date of December 3, 2025.

If you submit your application through the Internet via the Grants.gov Web site, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement when we receive your application.

For more information on using Grants.gov, please refer to the “Notice Inviting Applications” that was published in the Federal Register or visit http://www.grants.gov.

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier).

You must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education OFO/G5 Functional Application Team Mail Stop 5C231 Attention: Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.116J 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, DC 20202-4260

You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.

(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.

(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.

(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:

(1) A private metered postmark.

(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office.

Note for Mail Delivery of Paper Applications:

If you mail your application to the Department—

(1) You must indicate on the envelope—and, if not provided by the Department, in Item 11 of the SF 424—the Assistance Listing Number (ALN), including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and

(2) The G5 Functional Application Team will notify you of the Department’s receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of the competition NIA.

Late Applications:

If your application is late, we will notify you that we will not consider the application.

Notice Inviting Applications

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Fund for the Improvement of

Postsecondary Education – Special Projects (FIPSE – SP)

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of

Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)

2025 for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

Special Projects, Assistance Listing Number 84.116J. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1894-0006.

DATES:

Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE

FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 3, 2025.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 30 DAYS

AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

ADDRESSES:

For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to

Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/

29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacey Slijepcevic, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW. Telephone:

(202) 453-6150. Email: Stacey.Slijepcevic@ed.gov.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The FIPSE Special Projects Program provides grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), combinations of such institutions, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies, as the Secretary deems necessary, to support innovative projects concerning one or more areas of national need identified by the Secretary. This competition focuses on supporting four areas of national need – 1) advancing the understanding of and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in postsecondary education, 2) promoting civil discourse on college and university campuses, 3) promoting https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/90-FR-42234 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant accreditation reform, and 4) supporting capacity-building for high-quality short-term programs.

In order to support these four crucial needs, this competition includes seven absolute priorities under which applicants can apply: two priorities dedicated to advancing the understanding and use of AI in postsecondary education (Absolute

Priorities 1 and 2), one priority dedicated to promoting civil discourse on college and university campuses (Absolute Priority

3), two priorities within promoting accreditation reform

(Absolute Priorities 4 and 5), and two priorities for capacity-building for high-quality short-term programs (Absolute

Priorities 6 and 7). The Department intends to award $50 million to advance AI in Education, $60 million to promote civil discourse on college and university campuses, $7 million to support accreditation reform, and $50 million for high-quality short-term programs. The Department may adjust these estimates based on interest and quality of applications.

Background: Section 744 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), authorizes the Secretary to make grants to institutions of higher education, or consortia thereof, and such other public agencies and nonprofit organizations as the

Secretary deems necessary for innovative projects concerning one or more areas of particular national need identified by the

Secretary. Section 744(c) identifies a list of minimum areas of national need, and this is the first competition under section

744(c)(2) as revised by Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008

(HEOA). In order to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo public comment on the priorities in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education

Provisions Act (GEPA).

Advancing the Understanding and Use of AI in Postsecondary

Education: President Trump’s Executive Order Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence, Executive

Order 14179 (Jan. 23, 2025), says “[w]ith the right Government policies, we can solidify our position as the global leader in

AI and secure a brighter future for all Americans.” In July

2025, the Department took steps to support American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence by publishing the Proposed Priority and Definitions on Advancing Artificial Intelligence in

Education (90 FR 34203). As noted in this Notice of Proposed

Priority, “[AI] is rapidly reshaping the future of education, work, learning, and daily life. As AI becomes more integrated into the tools and systems that shape elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education, it is increasingly important for students to develop AI literacy. A strong foundation in AI literacy will help ensure students are prepared to navigate and contribute to a society where these technologies play a growing role in decision-making, communication, innovation, and career readiness.” In alignment with Executive Order 14179 and in recognition of the potential for AI to improve postsecondary teaching and learning, the Secretary has identified using artificial intelligence to support opportunities in postsecondary education as a particular area of national need.

Additionally, President Trump’s Executive Order Advancing

Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth, Executive

Order 14277 (Apr. 23, 2025), highlights the role postsecondary education can play by better preparing future and current teachers to teach and use AI, noting that “[b]y establishing a strong framework that integrates early student exposure with comprehensive teacher training and other resources for workforce development, we can ensure that every American has the opportunity to learn about AI from the earliest stages of their educational journey through postsecondary education, fostering a culture of innovation and critical thinking that will solidify our Nation’s leadership in the AI-driven future.”

Promoting Civil Discourse on College and University

Campuses: Protesters have increasingly exercised disruptive tactics, including shouting down speakers (the heckler’s veto) and blocking access to campus events, on our Nation’s college and university campuses. Civil discourse at America’s colleges and universities has been undermined by campus takeovers, violent riots, and even a recent high-profile political assassination. The core mission of our educational institutions

— the pursuit of truth — requires that individuals be able to state their views freely and fully, without fear. It requires that students and faculty accept that people will inevitably disagree on controversial issues of the utmost importance and complexity. Pursuing truth requires the recognition that students and faculty benefit from engaging with those who disagree with us with honesty, dignity, and respect. This priority supports projects that are designed to promote civil discourse on college and university campuses through activities such as seminars, speaker series, conferences, debates, workshop training events, visiting professorships and other focused learning opportunities that include and promote a range of views and embrace dialogue and understanding. For students to have access to the best learning opportunities, learning environments must welcome and engage viewpoint diversity in a manner that values thoughtful debate and freedom of speech. This funding will provide an opportunity to support the cultivation of such environments on college and university campuses nationwide. The competitive preference priorities within this Absolute Priority are based on the Department’s position that guidance and coordination from independent and interdisciplinary academic units dedicated to promoting civic thought have the potential to increase the effectiveness of these initiatives.

Promoting Accreditation Reform: Institutions of higher education must be accredited to receive title IV funding under the HEA, such as federal student loans and Pell Grants. The current accreditation process, both institutional and programmatic/specialized, is unnecessarily costly for colleges and universities, typically requiring tens of thousands of personnel hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, expenses that are ultimately borne by students. For example, two universities classified as having very high research activity reported FY 2024 accreditation compliance costs of $12 million and $27 million, respectively.1

In addition to being costly and burdensome, the accreditation process in many cases does not improve institutional or program quality. Oftentimes, institutions are required to jump through an extensive set of bureaucratic hoops

1 Vanderbilt University & Washington University in St. Louis, (2025). “Easing the Burden: A Framework for Federal Regulatory Reform in Higher Education.”

White Paper. https://wustl.app.box.com/s/4rdzgs0lecy3tmfdedcx48q1jqd62poh https://wustl.app.box.com/s/4rdzgs0lecy3tmfdedcx48q1jqd62poh that have little to do with improving student outcomes or educational quality.2 Many institutions and members of the public view the accreditation process as primarily a compliance exercise, rather than one focused on enhancing student outcomes.

Although institutions are permitted to change their accrediting agency under 34 CFR 600.11, the substantial financial burden, logistical hurdles, and heightened scrutiny involved often discourage them from do so, even when a different accreditor may better align with the institution’s needs.3 The cost of accreditation itself is significant, encompassing staffing costs (administrator and faculty salaries and benefits), document preparation costs (professional service fees, printing, and mailing), compliance costs (meeting accreditation standards), site visits (travel, lodging, and related expenses), and direct accreditation fees (membership

2 Woolston, P.J., (2012). The costs of institutional accreditation: A study of direct and indirect costs. Doctoral Dissertation.

https://www.proquest.com/docview/1152182950?fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses.

2 Burke, L., Kissel, A. Alacbay, A., & Beltramini, K., (2023). It's Time for Congress to Dismantle the Higher Education Accreditation Cartel. Washington, DC: The Heritage Foundation. https://www.heritage.org/education/report/its-time-congress-dismantle-the-higher-education-accreditation-cartel

2 Senate HELP Committee, (2015). Higher Education Accreditation Concepts and Proposals. https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/Accreditation.pdf

3 In May 2025, the Department issued a Dear Colleague Letter eliminating unnecessary barriers for institutions seeking to change their accreditor.

https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/dear-colleague-letters/2025-04-30/changes-approval-process-changing-accrediting-agencies https://www.proquest.com/docview/1152182950?fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses.

https://www.proquest.com/docview/1152182950?fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses.

https://www.heritage.org/education/report/its-time-congress-dismantle-the-higher-education-accreditation-cartel https://www.heritage.org/education/report/its-time-congress-dismantle-the-higher-education-accreditation-cartel https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/Accreditation.pdf https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/dear-colleague-letters/2025-04-30/changes-approval-process-changing-accrediting-agencies https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/dear-colleague-letters/2025-04-30/changes-approval-process-changing-accrediting-agencies charges). Changing accrediting agencies often entails maintaining dual accreditation expenses for a considerable period, as institutions generally cannot allow accreditation to lapse without risking critical benefits, including eligibility for Federal financial aid and professional licensure pathways.

States and nonprofit organizations also incur substantial costs in launching new, separate and independent accreditors.

These burdens inhibit new accreditors from entering the marketplace efficiently. Recent reporting suggests that the ongoing work in North Carolina and Florida to establish a new accrediting agency has been a costly enterprise, which could deter other entities from launching similar reform initiatives.4

A lack of accreditor options hampers innovation in the higher education marketplace that could improve student outcomes, increase return on investment to families and taxpayers, and…