FY2024_TGIY_Application_FINAL.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20202

Fiscal Year 2024

Application for Grants Under

Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education

CFDA # 84.116Y

Form Approved

OMB No. 1894-0006, Expiration Date: 06/30/2027

CLOSING DATE: September 30, 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEAR APPLICANT LETTER

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND TIPS FOR APPLICANTS

APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW AWARDS

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS

SUPPLEMENTAL DEFINITIONS

INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS: EXECUTIVE ORDER 12372

GENERAL EDUCATION PROVISIONS ACT (GEPA) SECTION 427

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE APPLICATION PACKAGE

SELECTION CRITERIA & INSTRUCTIONS

OTHER ATTACHMENTS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR STANDARD FORMS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BUDGET SUMMARY AND ITEMIZED LINE-ITEM BUDGET

GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS ACT (GPRA)

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

PAPERWORK BURDEN STATEMENT

DEAR APPLICANT LETTER

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

August 1, 2024

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to

Higher Education (TGIY) program. This grant competition is administered by the Office of

Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). The purpose of this program, funded under the authority of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary

Education, is to increase postsecondary education access for gang-involved youth that will lead to certification or credentials.

Please note that the FY 2024 TGIY grant program competition includes two absolute priorities, two competitive priorities, and two invitational priorities. For additional information about these priorities, see the Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards (Notice) in this application package. The Notice published in the Federal Register is the official document describing the requirements for submitting a grant application.

The Department requires submission of grant applications through Grants.gov, an Internet-based electronic system. Applicants are encouraged to review the FY 2024 Competition Highlights found in this application package for an overview of additional important information. We recommend that you submit your application several days before the deadline date.

We appreciate your interest in the TGIY competition and look forward to receiving your application. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Jymece

Seward, Competition Manager for the TGIY program at Jymece.Seward@ed.gov or 202-453-

6138.

Sincerely, /S/

Nasser H. Paydar

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/01/2024-16836/applications-for-new-awards-transitioning-gang-involved-youth-to-higher-education-program mailto:Jymece.Seward@ed.gov

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

1. Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education Program FY 2024 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. A more thorough discussion is included later in this application package. Grants.gov is accessible through its portal page at: http://Grants.gov.

Electronic submission of applications is required unless you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement that are included in the Notice.

If you think you may need an exception, you are urged to review the requirements promptly.

2. It is important to know that the Grants.gov site works differently from the Department’s e-Application system, used in past Department competitions. Grants.gov 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. You should know that if the Department receives duplicate applications, we will accept and process the application with the latest “date/time received” validation.

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 September 30, 2024. Late applications will not be accepted. We recommend 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. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the page limit specified in the

Application Narrative Instructions portion of the application. The Notice contains specific information governing recommended page limits and formatting instructions. We strongly recommend a 50-page limit that includes the applicant’s responses to the priorities and the

Selection Criteria.

5. All attachments must be in .PDF format. Other types of files will not be accepted. Please note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving data on your computer. It is important to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your computer. You will need to log on to Grants.gov to upload and submit the application (this is different from e-Application, where you may have previously worked online and saved data to the Department’s database). You must provide the UEI number that was used when your organization registered with the System for Award Management (SAM).

For Grants.gov related questions and assistance, please contact:

Support Desk email: support@Grants.gov http://grants.gov/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/01/2024-16836/applications-for-new-awards-transitioning-gang-involved-youth-to-higher-education-program mailto:support@Grants.gov

Support Desk Telephone: (800) 518-4726

Contact Telephone Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week, except Federal holidays

Online Web Site: http://Grants.gov

Also, refer to the “Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants” section found in this application package.

You are reminded that the document published in the Notice is the official document, and that you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidelines contained within the official document.

6. In the FY 2024 competition, the Department has established two absolute priorities, two competitive preference priorities, and two invitational priorities which are outlined below:

Absolute Priorities:

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2024 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 these priorities.

The priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Projects for Organizations to Work Directly with Gang-Involved Youth to Help Such Youth Pursue Higher Education Opportunities.

To meet this priority, an eligible applicant must demonstrate that the project will work directly with gang-involved youth to help such youth pursue higher education opportunities.

Absolute Priority 2--Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success.

Projects that are designed to increase postsecondary access, affordability, completion, and success for underserved students by addressing one or more of the following priority areas:

(a) Increasing the number and proportion of underserved students who enroll in and complete postsecondary education programs, which may include strategies related to college preparation, awareness, application, selection, advising, counseling, and enrollment.

(b) Supporting the development and implementation of student success programs that integrate multiple comprehensive and evidence-based services or initiatives, such as academic advising, structured/guided pathways, career services, credit-bearing academic undergraduate courses focused on career, and programs to meet basic needs, such as housing, childcare and transportation, student financial aid, and access to technological devices.

(c) Increasing the number of individuals who return to the educational system and obtain a regular high school diploma, or its recognized equivalent for adult learners; enroll in and complete community college, college, or career and technical training; or obtain basic and https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/01/2024-16836/applications-for-new-awards-transitioning-gang-involved-youth-to-higher-education-program academic skills, including English language learning, that they need to succeed in college— including community college—as well as career and technical education and/or the workforce.

(d) Supporting evidence-based practices in career and technical education and ensuring equitable access to and successful completion of high-quality programs, credentials, or degrees.

(e) Supporting the development and implementation of evidence-based strategies to promote students’ development of knowledge and skills necessary for success in the workplace and civic life.

(f) Providing secondary school students with access to career exploration and advising opportunities to help students make informed decisions about their postsecondary enrollment decisions and to place them on a career path.

Competitive Preference Priorities:

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 8 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets

Competitive Preference Priority 1; and up to an additional 5 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets Competitive Preference Priority 2. Applicants may address one, both, or neither of these competitive preference priorities

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1--Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs

(up to 8 points).

Projects that are designed to improve students' social, emotional, academic, and career development, with a focus on underserved students, through one or more of the following priority areas:

(a) 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. (up to 2 points)

(2) Implementing evidence-based practices for advancing student success for underserved students. (up to 2 points); and/or

(b) Fostering partnerships, including across government agencies (e.g., housing, human services, employment agencies), local educational agencies, community-based organizations, adult learning providers, and postsecondary education institutions, to provide comprehensive services to students and families that support students' social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs, and that are inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status. (up to 4 points)

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and

Community Engagement To Advance Systemic Change (up to 5 points).

Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for underserved students by coordinating efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or community-based organizations, that support students, to address one or more of the following:

(a) Justice policy. (up to 1 point)

(b) College readiness. (up to 2 points)

(c) Workforce development. (up to 2 points)

Invitational Priorities:

Invitational Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1--Projects Targeted for Justice-Involved Youth.

Projects that are designed to specifically work with gang-involved youth who are justice involved, including formerly incarcerated individuals and/or individuals who have been placed on probation, are being held pre-trial, are subject to diversion, or are subject to other alternative criminal sanctions. These projects should be designed to support the reintegration of, and improve long-term outcomes for, youth and adults after justice system involvement by linking these individuals to appropriate educational opportunities and academic support, vocational rehabilitation, or workforce training programs.

Invitational Priority 2--Organizations with a Correctional Education Program, Second

Chance Pell Program, or Prison Education Program.

Projects proposed by entities with prior experience effectively working directly with confined or incarcerated individuals to help such individuals pursue educational opportunities, including prison education programs, Second Chance Pell Programs, and programs that provide or support education in correctional facilities but do not access Federal

Pell grants (correctional education programs).

For the purpose of this invitational priority--

Confined or incarcerated individual means an individual who is serving a criminal sentence in a Federal, State, or local penitentiary, prison, jail, reformatory, work farm, juvenile justice facility, or other similar correctional facility. An individual is not considered confined or incarcerated if that individual is subject to or serving an involuntary civil commitment, in a halfway house or home detention, or sentenced to serve only weekends.

Prison education program means a program operated by a public, nonprofit, or vocational institution and approved for operation by a correctional entity, an accreditor, and the

Department of Education, in which a confined or incarcerated individual receives Pell Grant funds to pay for postsecondary education. A confined or incarcerated individual includes any student who is serving a criminal sentence in a Federal, State, or local penitentiary, prison, jail, reformatory, work farm, juvenile justice facility, or other similar correctional institution.

Second Chance Pell Program means a program operated under the Experimental Sites

Initiative that provides need-based Pell Grants to incarcerated individuals to allow them to participate in eligible postsecondary programs.

7. As you develop your proposal, we ask you to carefully consider the specific content that you will provide in the Project Narrative in the application. This part of the application must address the selection criteria as listed in this application package and the Notice.

8. The grant duration is up to 36 months.

9. All applicants must provide a one-page abstract. Upload a one-page abstract as a PDF document. The abstract provides a concise description of the proposed project objectives, activities, and intended outcomes. Complete instructions for submitting the abstract are included in the “Instructions for Completing the Application Package” section of this application. The abstract must be uploaded into the ED Abstract Form in Grants.gov.

Abstracts of funded applications will be published on the Department website.

10. Information on the Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education grant program is accessible at the Department’s website at:

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/fipse/index.html.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/01/2024-16836/applications-for-new-awards-transitioning-gang-involved-youth-to-higher-education-program http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/fipse/index.html

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The following supplements the information provided in the “Dear Applicant” letter and the

Notice.

1. Estimated Funding

▪ Estimated Available Funds: $2,970,000

▪ Estimated Range of Awards: $900,000 – $990,000

▪ Estimated Average Size of Awards: $950,000

▪ Maximum Amount of Award: $990,000

▪ Estimated Number of New Awards: 3

The Department is not bound by these estimates.

2. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs was issued to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying on state and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.

3. Length of New Award

Applicants may apply for up to three years (36 months) of funding.

4. Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education Grant Program

Assurances

All applications must comply with the Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher

Education Grant Program statutory and regulatory requirements. The assurances are included in the application package and must be signed by a certifying official in

Grants.gov. By submitting a Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education application, an applicant certifies that it has read the assurances and will fully comply with the requirements.

5. Evaluation of Applications for Awards

A panel of three non-federal reviewers will review each application in accordance with the selection criteria. Each reviewer will prepare a written evaluation of the information presented in the project narrative section of the application.

All applications for grants under the Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher

Education Grant Program will be evaluated as new submissions according to the selection criteria published in the Notice.

6. Selection Criteria

The selection criteria from 34 CFR 75.210 are used to evaluate applications.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/01/2024-16836/applications-for-new-awards-transitioning-gang-involved-youth-to-higher-education-program

7. Applicant Funding

Applicants should pay close attention to the “Maximum Award” section of the Notice.

The Department will reduce the amount to the maximum allowed of any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum amount specified for the specific project type as indicated in the Notice.

8. Selection of Grantees

The Secretary will select applications for funding in rank order, according to the average score received from the peer review. If the Secretary has insufficient funding to award multiple applications with the same score, the Department will apply the following procedure to determine which application or applications will receive an award:

First Tiebreaker: The first tiebreaker will be application(s) that propose to serve geographic areas that have been previously underserved by this program.

Second Tiebreaker: The second tiebreaker will be the highest average score for the selection criterion “Quality of Project Design.”

The Department’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform Congress regarding applications approved for new Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher

Education program grants. Successful applicants will receive award notices by e-mail shortly after Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before

Congress is notified.

9. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing following the notice to successful applicants.

10. Performance Report Requirements

If you receive a new grant award in FY 2024, you will be required during the funding cycle to submit annual and final performance reports.

11. Contact Information

Jymece V. Seward

Education Program Specialist

Institutional Service

Office of Postsecondary Education

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

HQ-LBJ-5C113

Washington, D.C. 20202

Telephone: (202) 453-6138

Email: Jymece.Seward@ed.gov mailto:Jymece.Seward@ed.gov

12. For Grants.gov-related questions and assistance, please contact:

Support Desk: Grants.gov Support Desk

Telephone: (800) 518-4726

Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week, except Federal holidays

Email: support@grants.gov mailto:support@grants.gov

GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND TIPS FOR

APPLICANTS

Revised 3/2024

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.

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

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.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 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/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.

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 https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html 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 http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=f51d017e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcb9f%20

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.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.

4) SUBMISSION PROBLEMS

a) 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://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants.

b) 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 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 https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants notification may be submitted by email or by mail to the person listed in the FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of the competition Notice. 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 Notice 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 as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs#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 Notice 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 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 https://www.grants.gov/support http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs#workspace https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs#workspace https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/07/18/2024-15538/applications-for-new-awards-fund-for-the-improvement-of-postsecondary-education-tribal-controlled 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

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

Applications Submitted Electronically

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on the

Grants.gov website (http://www.grants.gov) by 11:59:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on or before the closing date.

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

For more information on using Grants.gov, please refer to the Federal Register Notice or visit http://www.grants.gov.

Other Submission Instructions

For detailed instructions on applications sent by mail or delivery, please review the Common

Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs Notice, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at:

www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554.

Late Applications

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

https://usdedeop-my.sharepoint.com/personal/jymece_seward_ed_gov/Documents/Win10MigrationBackup/Documents/HSI%20Division/TGIY%20Program/FY%202024/FY%202024%20Competiton%20Docs/FY%202024%20TGIY%20NFP_%208.1.2024.pdf http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554

NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW AWARDS

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education 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 fiscal year (FY) 2024 for the Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education

Program.

DATES:

Applications Available: August 1, 2024.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 30, 2024.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: November 29, 2024.

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 7, 2022

(87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-

26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jymece Seward, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 5C113, Washington, DC 20202-4260. Telephone: 202-453-6138. Email:

Jymece.Seward@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 purpose of the Transitioning Gang-

Involved Youth to Higher Education (TGIY) Program is to provide a funding opportunity for organizations that work directly with gang-involved youth to help such youth pursue higher education opportunities that will lead to certification or credentials.

Assistance Listing Number: 84.116Y.

OMB Control Number: 1894-0006.

Background: In today's economy, 67 percent of U.S. jobs require a postsecondary credential, and by 2031, this percentage is projected to grow to 71 percent. A report by the Alliance for

Excellent Education concluded that increasing the number of students who graduate from high school and complete a postsecondary degree would create significant benefits for individuals, communities, States, and the country as a whole, including increases in lifetime earnings and tax revenues, lower unemployment rates, and decreased crime and incarceration rates.

According to the latest data from the National Youth Gang

Survey, in 2012, there were 850,000 gang members in the United

States. And, gang members are overrepresented among incarcerated populations in the United States. One study found that 47 percent of [incarcerated] juveniles belong to a gang.

Gang involved youth are 30% less likely to complete high school and 58% less likely to earn a four-year degree compared with their non-gang peers. For individuals who were previously incarcerated, those who enroll in postsecondary education programs were found to be 48 percent less likely to be reincarcerated than those who do not.

For students who are coming out of confinement or incarceration, sustaining engagement in a two-year or four-year college course of study can be challenging as many of these students do not have the educational and family supports traditionally associated with college success and require support to navigate a college path. Effective advising can play a central role in helping students navigate complicated systems and processes that are critical to postsecondary success. There is evidence that implementing comprehensive, integrated advising models; building guided pathways to academic success; integrating wraparound services into holistic advising; and guiding students to career success beyond completion are strategies that can lead to increased retention and completion rates for students.

In order to support gang-involved youth to pursue higher education opportunities, this competition includes two absolute priorities--the first is for projects that work directly with gang-involved youth to help such youth pursue higher education opportunities and the second is to support projects that are designed to increase postsecondary education access, affordability, completion, and success--and two competitive preference priorities focused on providing wraparound student support services and cross-agency coordination. Projects must serve gang-involved youth (as defined in this notice).

Recognizing the unique experiences and perspectives of organizations working with this student population, this competition also includes two invitational priorities--one to support projects that are designed to specifically work with gang-involved youth who are justice involved and one to support projects proposed by organizations that have effectively worked with correctional education programs, Second

Chance Pell Programs, or Prison Education Programs.

Priorities: This notice contains two absolute priorities, two competitive preference priorities, and two invitational priorities. The first absolute priority is from the notice of final priority and definition for this program published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register (2024 NFP). The second absolute priority and the competitive preference priorities are from the Secretary’s Supplemental Priorities and

Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the

Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612)

(Supplemental Priorities).

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2024 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 these priorities.

The priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Projects for Organizations to Work Directly with Gang-Involved Youth to Help Such Youth Pursue Higher

Education Opportunities.

To meet this priority, an eligible applicant must demonstrate that the project will work directly with gang-involved youth to help such youth pursue higher education opportunities.

Absolute Priority 2--Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success.

Projects that are designed to increase postsecondary access, affordability, completion, and success for underserved students by addressing one or more of the following priority areas:

(a) Increasing the number and proportion of underserved students who enroll in and complete postsecondary education programs, which may include strategies related to college preparation, awareness, application, selection, advising, counseling, and enrollment.

(b) Supporting the development and implementation of student success programs that integrate multiple comprehensive and evidence-based services or initiatives, such as academic advising, structured/guided pathways, career services, credit-bearing academic undergraduate courses focused on career, and programs to meet basic needs, such as housing, childcare and transportation, student financial aid, and access to technological devices.

(c) Increasing the number of individuals who return to the educational system and obtain a regular high school diploma, or its recognized equivalent for adult learners; enroll in and complete community college, college, or career and technical training; or obtain basic and academic skills, including English language learning, that they need to succeed in college— including community college—as well as career and technical education and/or the workforce.

(d) Supporting evidence-based practices in career and technical education and ensuring equitable access to and successful completion of high-quality programs, credentials, or degrees.

(e) Supporting the development and implementation of evidence-based strategies to promote students’ development of knowledge and skills necessary for success in the workplace and civic life.

(f) Providing secondary school students with access to career exploration and advising opportunities to help students make informed decisions about their postsecondary enrollment decisions and to place them on a career path.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR

75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 8 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets

Competitive Preference Priority 1; and up to an additional 5 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets Competitive Preference Priority 2. Applicants may address one, both, or neither of these competitive preference priorities

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1--Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs (up to 8 points).

Projects that are designed to improve students' social, emotional, academic, and career development, with a focus on underserved students, through one or more of the following priority areas:

(a) 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. (up to 2 points)

(2) Implementing evidence-based practices for advancing student success for underserved students. (up to 2 points); and/or

(b) Fostering partnerships, including across government agencies (e.g., housing, human services, employment agencies), local educational agencies, community-based organizations, adult learning providers, and postsecondary education institutions, to provide comprehensive services to students and families that support students' social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs, and that are inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status. (up to 4 points)

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Strengthening Cross-Agency

Coordination and Community Engagement To Advance Systemic Change

(up to 5 points).

Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for underserved students by coordinating efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or community-based organizations, that support students, to address one or more of the following:

(a) Justice policy. (up to 1 point)

(b) College readiness. (up to 2 points)

(c) Workforce development. (up to 2 points)

Invitational Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are invitational priorities.

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1—-Projects Targeted for Justice-Involved

Youth.

Projects that are designed to specifically work with gang-involved youth who are justice involved, including formerly incarcerated individuals and/or individuals who have been placed on probation, are being held pre-trial, are subject to diversion, or are subject to other alternative criminal sanctions. These projects should be designed to support the reintegration of, and improve long-term outcomes for, youth and adults after justice system involvement by linking these individuals to appropriate educational opportunities and academic support, vocational rehabilitation, or workforce training programs.

Invitational Priority 2--Organizations with a Correctional

Education Program, Second Chance Pell Program, or Prison

Education Program.

Projects proposed by entities with prior experience effectively working directly with confined or incarcerated individuals to help such individuals pursue educational opportunities, including prison education programs, Second Chance Pell

Programs, and programs that provide or support education in correctional facilities but do not access Federal Pell grants

(correctional education programs).

For the purpose of this invitational priority--

Confined or incarcerated individual means an individual who is serving a criminal sentence in a Federal, State, or local penitentiary, prison, jail, reformatory, work farm, juvenile justice facility, or other similar correctional facility. An individual is not considered confined or incarcerated if that individual is subject to or serving an involuntary civil commitment, in a halfway house or home detention, or sentenced to serve only weekends.

Prison education program means a program operated by a public, nonprofit, or vocational institution and approved for operation by a correctional entity, an accreditor, and the Department of

Education, in which a confined or incarcerated individual receives Pell Grant funds to pay for postsecondary education. A confined or incarcerated individual includes any student who is serving a criminal sentence in a Federal, State, or local penitentiary, prison, jail, reformatory, work farm, juvenile justice facility, or other similar correctional institution.

Second Chance Pell Program means a program operated under the

Experimental Sites Initiative that provides need-based Pell

Grants to incarcerated individuals to allow them to participate in eligible postsecondary programs.

Definitions: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, the following definitions apply to the priorities and selection criteria in this notice. The definition of “gang-involved youth” is from the 2024 NFP. The definition of

“underserved student” is from the Supplemental Priorities. The remaining definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1.

Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in the project’s logic model is informed by research…