FY 2022 Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Application Booklet FINAL.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20202

Fiscal Year 2022

Application for Grants Under

Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program

CFDA # 84.116N

Form Approved OMB No. 1894-0006

Expiration Date: 02/29/2024

CLOSING DATE: OCTOBER 3, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dear Applicant Letter

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

Competition Highlights

Supplemental Information

Application Transmittal Instructions

Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards (Federal Register Notice)

Authorizing Legislation

Supplemental Definitions

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)

Instructions for Completing the Application Package

Project Narrative Instructions

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

Instructions for Standard Forms

Instructions for SF 424……………………………………………………………………….48

Instructions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424…50

Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424….52

Instructions for ED 524………………………………………………………………………56

Notice to All Applicants (GEPA Provisions)………..……………………………………….59

Instructions for Completion of SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities………………...60

Instructions for Budget Summary Form and Itemized Budget

Application Checklist

Paperwork Burden Statement…………………….…………………………………………..66

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students (Basic Needs) 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 Basic Needs program is to provide 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.

For information on the absolute priorities, competitive preference priority, selection criteria, and other program and competition details, refer to the Federal Register Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published on August 2, 2022 and this application package. This application package contains the instructions and forms needed to submit a complete application for the Basic Needs program. Applications for FY 2022 grants under the Basic Needs 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 December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021- 12-27/pdf/2021-27979.pdf. This document contains requirements and information on how to submit an application.

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 Njeri Clark at (202) 453-6224 or Njeri.Clark@ed.gov.

We appreciate your interest in the Basic Needs program and look forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely, /s/

Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D.

Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-12-27/pdf/2021-27979.pdf mailto:Njeri.Clark@ed.gov

Revised 04/2022

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 Department of Education.

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:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#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/web/grants/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 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/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#browser https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

b. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

c. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant’s name, address, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other 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/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html.

Helpful Reminders

1) REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.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 database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the Registration steps are complete. Please note that once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov, and before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Please note that your organization will need to update its SAM 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. Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further assist you with registering in SAM or updating your existing SAM 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 a number of 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 at the time your organization registers in SAM. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=f51d017e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcb9f%20 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

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 of Education 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: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/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.

Submission Problems – What Should You Do?

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: mailto:support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants.

We discourage 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. If you submit your prior written 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. (See the 2021 Common Instructions for detailed instructions regarding this procedure.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html 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:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace.

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 Federal Register notice for detailed instructions and the 2021 Common Instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979

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 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.

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

On December 21, 2020, the Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which included the Department of Education Appropriations Act 2021. This appropriations act included the Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program which is designed to provide 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.

1. This application booklet contains detailed instructions for every required component of your application. It also includes an Application Checklist for your convenience.

2. Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 applications must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov. You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of Grants.gov early as the registration procedures may require 5 or more days to complete. Refer to the “Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants” found within this application package. The requirements for obtaining an exception to the electronic submission requirement are included in the FY 2022 Basic Needs Federal Register Notice. If you think you may need an exception, you are urged to review the requirements promptly.

3. Please note that you must submit your application by 11:59:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on or before the application deadline date of October 3, 2022. Late applications will not be accepted. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

4. The Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published in the Federal Register contains two absolute priorities and one competitive preference priority.

a. Absolute Priorities: We consider only applications that meet each of these priorities.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and Community Engagement to Advance Systemic Change.

Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for underserved students through one or more of the following priority areas:

(a) Coordinating efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or community-based organizations, that support students, to address two or more of the following:

(1) Food assistance.

(2) Housing.

(3) Transportation.

(4) Health, including physical health, mental health, and behavioral health and trauma.

(5) Child care.

(6) Technology.

(b) 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.

(c) Establishing cross-agency partnerships, or community-based partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, businesses, philanthropic organizations, or others, to meet family well-being needs.

Absolute Priority 2--Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities.

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the project will be implemented by one or more of the following entities:

(1) Community colleges (as defined in the notice).

(2) Historically Black colleges and universities (as defined in the notice).

(3) Tribal Colleges and universities (as defined in the notice).

(4) Minority-serving institutions (as defined in the notice).

b. Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2022 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority. We will award up to an additional 10 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets this priority. This priority is:

Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs (up to 10 points) Projects that are designed to improve students' social, emotional, academic, and career development, with a focus on underserved students through creating a positive, inclusive, and identity-safe climate at institutions of higher education through one or both of the following activities:

(1) Fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion for underserved students.

(2) Implementing evidence-based practices for advancing student success for underserved students.

5. Applicants must respond to the selection criteria as listed in this application booklet and the

Federal Register. Complete instructions for submitting the responses are included in the “Instructions for Completing the Application Package” section of this application.

6. In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, all successful applicants funded under the FY 2022 Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program competition may receive grant awards of up to three years (36 months) duration.

7. Pre-application workshops will be conducted by the program office. The workshop schedule along with other pertinent information is posted under the Related Documents tab for this Opportunity in Grants.gov. Please contact Njeri Clark for more information at Njeri.Clark@ed.gov.

8. Applicants are reminded that the Notice Inviting Applications (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.

9. Information on the Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program is accessible at the

Department’s website at: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/basic-need/index.html.

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/basic-need/index.html

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

1. Estimated Funding

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Available Funds: $$7,473,276 Maximum Award: Up to $950,000 for 36 months Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 8 Length of New Award: Up to 36 months

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. The maximum award is based on a 3-year budget period. Applicants will need to prepare a multi-year budget request for 3 years.

2. Evaluation of Applications for Awards

A panel of two to three non-federal reviewers will review each application in accordance with the approved technical review plan. Reviewers will score the selection criteria and the competitive preference priority. Each reviewer will prepare a technical review form which will provide comments on each reviewed application. All eligible applications that are reviewed will be ranked according to the average score received from the panel of reviewers.

3. Selection Criteria

The five (5) selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. The points assigned to each criterion are indicated in the parentheses next to the criterion. An applicant may earn up to a total of 100 points based on the selection criteria and up to 10 additional points under the competitive preference priority, for a total score of up to 110 points. All applications will be evaluated based on the selection criteria as follows:

a. Need for the project. (Maximum 20 points) The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

i. The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or the activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (Up to 10 points)

ii. The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses. (Up to 10 points)

b. Quality of the project design. (Maximum 25 points) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

i. The extent to which the proposed project will integrate with or build on similar or related efforts to improve relevant outcomes (as defined in the notice), using existing funding streams from other programs or policies supported by community, State, and Federal resources. (Up to 10 points)

ii. The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a rationale (as defined in the notice). (Up to 5 points)

iii. The extent to which the design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target population or other identified needs. (Up to 10 points)

c. Quality of project services. (Maximum 30 points) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project.

i. In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (Up to 10 points)

In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:

ii. The likely impact of the services to be provided by the proposed project on the intended recipients of those services. (Up to 10 points)

iii. The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project services. (Up to 10 points)

d. Quality of the management plan. (Maximum 15 points) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.

e. Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 10 points) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors:

i. The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project. (Up to 5 points)

ii. The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible. (Up to 5 points)

4. Tiebreaker

In the event there are two or more applications with the same final score in the rank order listing, and there are insufficient funds to fully support each of these applications, the Department will apply the following procedure to determine which application or applications will receive an award:

First Tiebreaker: The first tiebreaker will be the application with the highest percentage of degree/certificate-seeking students who are Pell grant recipients. If a tie remains, a second tiebreaker will be utilized.

Second Tiebreaker: The second tiebreaker will be the highest average score for the selection criterion “Quality of Project Services.” If a tie remains, a third tiebreaker will be utilized.

Third Tiebreaker: The third tiebreaker will be the highest average score for the selection criterion “Quality of the Project Design.” If a tie remains, a fourth tiebreaker will be utilized.

Fourth Tiebreaker: The fourth tiebreaker will be the highest average score for the selection criterion “Need for the Project.”

5. Applicant Funding

Applicants should pay close attention to the “Maximum Award” section of the notice. The Department will decrease any budget that exceeds the maximum amount.

6. Selection of Grantees

The Secretary will select applications for funding in rank order, according to the average score received from the peer review and from the competitive preference priority if addressed by the applicant. The Department’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress regarding the applications approved for new Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program grants. Successful applicants will receive award notices by e-mail shortly after the Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before the Congress is notified.

7. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified via email following the notice to successful applicants.

8. Performance Report Requirements

If you receive a new grant award in FY 2022 you may be required during the funding cycle to submit annual and final performance reports. More information will be provided to those funded at a later date.

9. Contact Information

Attention: Njeri Clark U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., LBJ-2B186 Washington, D.C. 20202 E-mail: Njeri.Clark@ed.gov Telephone: 202-453-6224

APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

This program requires the electronic submission of applications; specific requirements and waiver instructions can be found in the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published in the Federal Register.

Applications Submitted Electronically

1. You must submit your grant application electronically using Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) by 11:59:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on or before the closing date.

2. For more information on using Grants.gov, please refer to the “Grants.gov Procedures and Tips for

Applicants” found within this booklet.

Other Submission Instructions

For detailed instructions on applications sent by mail or delivery, please review the Revised Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-12-27/pdf/2021-27979.pdf. This document contains requirements and information on how to submit an application.

Late Applications

If your application is received late, you will be notifies that we will not consider the application.

http://www.grants.gov/

NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW AWARDS

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students

Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications (NIA) for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2022 for the Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program, Assistance Listing

Number 84.116N. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1894-0006.

DATES:

Applications Available: August 2, 2022

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 3, 2022

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: November 30, 2022

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 December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979. Please note that these Common

Instructions supersede the version published on February 13, 2019, and, in part, describe the transition from the requirement to register in

SAM.gov a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to the implementation of the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). More information on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Njeri Clark, U.S. Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 2B168, Washington, DC 20202-

4260. Telephone: (202) 453-6224. Email: Njeri.Clark@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 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.

Background: The Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program supports

IHEs that demonstrate a commitment to developing or enhancing systemic approaches to support the basic needs of students. There is growing evidence that food and housing insecurities compromise the well-being of millions of students across the country, which may reduce the odds that they will complete their degrees or certificates.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office analyzed dozens of studies and found rates of food insecurity among college students were typically https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf reported at more than 30 percent.1 Studies show that, if a student has not eaten sufficient nutritious food or slept the night before a class or exam, they will have greater difficulty mastering the material and performing well.2 Students experiencing housing insecurity have lower degree attainment and grade point averages and a higher probability of enrolling part-time rather than full-time.3 Similarly, a recent study of more than 195,000 students attending 202 colleges and universities in 42

States by the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice found that three in five students do not have enough to eat or a safe place to live, and 14 percent were experiencing homelessness.4 The same study reported that students of color are more likely to experience basic needs insecurity than their White peers. For students at both 2- and 4-year institutions, 75 percent of Indigenous students, 70 percent of Black students, and 64 percent of Hispanic or Latino students experienced basic needs insecurity, compared with 54 percent of White students.

Supporting students' basic needs has many benefits for colleges and universities, including boosting academic performance, promoting retention and degree completion, reducing the barriers that returning

1 Government Accountability Office. (2018). Food Insecurity: Better Information Could Help Eligible College Students Access Federal Food Assistance Benefits. Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-19-95.pdf.

2 Government Accountability Office. (2018). Food Insecurity: Better Information Could Help Eligible College Students Access Federal Food Assistance Benefits. Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-19-95.pdf. Hershner, S.D., & Chervin, R.D. (2014). Causes and Consequences of Sleepiness Among College Students. Nature and Science of Sleep, 6, 73-84.

3 Broton, Katharine, M. (2021). Poverty in American Higher Education: The Relationship Between Housing Insecurity and Academic Attainment. Journal of Postsecondary Student Success. Retrieved from https://journals.flvc.org/jpss/article/view/129147 4 The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. (2021) #RealCollege 2021: Basic Needs Insecurity During the Ongoing Pandemic. Retrieved from https://hope4college.com/rc2021-bni-during-the-ongoing-pandemic/ https://hope4college.com/rc2021-bni-during-the-ongoing-pandemic/ adults face, and creating bridges between the institution and community organizations.5 In light of this and the other important issues described above, this competition is designed to promote student success by supporting interventions and programs that holistically address the basic needs of students and reporting on those practices that improve student outcomes. In addition to the absolute priorities, we have included a competitive preference priority to promote comprehensive supports to students. This competitive preference priority furthers the goals of the program by supporting projects that meet the needs of the whole student.

Priorities: This notice contains two absolute priorities and one competitive preference priority. These priorities are from the

Secretary’s Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary

Grants Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021

(86 FR 70612) (Supplemental Priorities).

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2022 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet each of these priorities.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and

Community Engagement to Advance Systemic Change.

Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for underserved students through one or more of the following priority areas:

5 hope4college.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2019_RealCollege_Survey_Report.pdf

(a) Coordinating efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or community-based organizations, that support students, to address two or more of the following:

(1) Food assistance.

(2) Housing.

(3) Transportation.

(4) Health, including physical health, mental health, and behavioral health and trauma.

(5) Child care.

(6) Technology.

(b) 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.

(c) Establishing cross-agency partnerships, or community-based partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, businesses, philanthropic organizations, or others, to meet family well-being needs.

Absolute Priority 2--Promoting Equity in Student Access to

Educational Resources and Opportunities.

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the project will be implemented by one or more of the following entities:

(1) Community colleges (as defined in this notice).

(2) Historically Black colleges and universities (as defined in this notice).

(3) Tribal Colleges and universities (as defined in this notice).

(4) Minority-serving institutions (as defined in this notice).

Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2022 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority. Under

34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we will award up to an additional 10 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets this priority.

This priority is:

Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs (up to 10 points).

Projects that are designed to improve students' social, emotional, academic, and career development, with a focus on underserved students through creating a positive, inclusive, and identity-safe climate at institutions of higher education through one or both of the following activities:

(1) Fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion for underserved students.

(2) Implementing evidence-based practices for advancing student success for underserved students.

Definitions: The definitions of “community college,” “Historically Black colleges and universities,” “Minority-serving institution,” “student with a disability,” “Tribal Colleges or Universities,” and “underserved student” are from the Supplemental Priorities. The remaining definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1.

Community college means “junior or community college” as defined in section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in the project’s logic model is informed by research or evaluation findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve relevant outcomes.

Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by evidence that demonstrates a rationale.

Historically Black colleges and universities means colleges and universities that meet the criteria set out in 34 CFR 608.2.

Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a framework that identifies key project components of the proposed project

(i.e., the active “ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the theoretical and operational relationships among the key project components and relevant outcomes.

Note: In developing logic models, applicants may want to use resources such as the Pacific Education Laboratory’s Logic Model Application

(www.ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/elm.asp).

Minority-serving institution means an institution that is eligible to receive assistance under sections 316 through 320 of part A of title

III, under part B of title III, or under title V of the HEA.

Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).

http://www.ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/elm.asp

Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcomes(s) the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the specific goals of the program.

Students with disabilities means children with disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)) and 34 CFR 300.8, or students with disabilities, as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(37), 705(20)(B)).

Tribal colleges or universities has the meaning ascribed it in section 316(b)(3) of the HEA.

Underserved student means a student in postsecondary education in one or more of the following subgroups:

(a) A student of color.

(b) A student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian

Tribe.

(c) A student with a disability.

(d) A student experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

(e) A lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex

(LGBTQI+) student.

(f) A student formerly in foster care.

(g) A pregnant, parenting, or caregiving student.

(h) A student who is the first in their family to attend postsecondary education.

(i) A student enrolling in or seeking to enroll in postsecondary education for the first time at the age of 20 or older.

(j) A student who is enrolled in or is seeking to enroll in postsecondary education who is eligible for a Pell Grant.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d; and the Explanatory Statement accompanying Division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022

(Pub. L. 117-103) (Explanatory Statement).

Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in the

Federal civil rights laws.

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 (OMB) Guidelines to

Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement) 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. (d) The Supplemental Priorities.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $7,473,276.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent fiscal years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $750,000 to $950,000.

Estimated Average Size of Award: $850,000.

Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $950,000 for the entire project period of 36 months.

Estimated Number of Awards: 8.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: Community colleges (as defined in this notice), and 2- and 4-year public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (as defined in this notice), Tribal Colleges and

Universities (as defined in this notice), and other Minority-Serving

Institutions (as defined in this notice).

Note: The notice announcing the FY 2022 process for designation of eligible institutions for programs under parts A and F of title III and programs under title V of the HEA, and inviting applications for waiver of eligibility requirements, was published in the Federal Register on

December 16, 2021 (86 FR 71470). The Department extended the deadline for applications in a notice published in the Federal Register on

February 7, 2022 (87 FR 6855).

For institutions other than community colleges, only institutions that the Department determines are eligible as Historically Black

Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other

Minority-Serving Institutions, or which are granted a waiver under the process described in the December 16, 2021 notice, and that meet the other eligibility requirements described in this notice, may apply for a grant under those eligibility bases for this program.

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost sharing or matching.

b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.

c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform Guidance.

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education

Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on

December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979. Please note that these Common

Instructions supersede the version published on February 13, 2019, and, in part, describe the transition from the requirement to register in

SAM.gov a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to the implementation of the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). More information on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.

2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of projects that may be proposed in applications for the Basic Needs for

Postsecondary Students Program, your application may include business information that you consider proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define

“business information” and describe the process we use in determining whether any of that information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C.

552, as amended).

An applicant may wish to request confidentiality of business information because successful applications may be made available to the public, if requested.

Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your application any information that you believe is exempt from disclosure under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your application, under “Other Attachments Form,” please list the page number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).

3. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to

Executive Order 12372 and the…