PPOHA 2022 Final Application Package 06082022 PDF.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, D.C. 20202 https://www2.ed.gov/programs/ppoha/index.html

Fiscal Year 2022

Application for Grants under the Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans

(PPOHA) Program

ALN: 84.031M

Form Approved

OMB No. 1894-0006, Expiration Date: 02/29/2024

DATED MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: 07/28/2022

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/ppoha/index.html ii

Table of Contents Page

Dear Applicant Letter

Competition Highlights

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards

Program Statute

Intergovernmental Review

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

Instructions for Completing the Application

Instructions for Standard Forms

Instructions for the SF 424

Instructions for Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424

Instructions for ED 524

Instructions for Completion of SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Instructions for Completion of General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)

Instructions for Evidence Form

Supplemental Instructions for the Project Narrative

Application Checklist

Paperwork Burden Statement

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

June 2022

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) 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 PPOHA program is to provide Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) the opportunity to expand and enhance their graduate school offerings in a manner that will strengthen their students’ academic and career success. Applicants are encouraged to focus on expanding course offerings and institutional resources to prepare students for the workforce, including partnering with employers and other institutions.

For information on the absolute priority, competitive preference priorities, invitational priority, selection criteria, and other program and competition details, refer to the Federal Register Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published on [insert date] and this application package. This application package contains the instructions and forms needed to submit a complete application for the PPOHA program. Applications for FY 2022 grants under the PPOHA 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 Margarita L. Meléndez at (202) 260-3548 or Margarita.Melendez@ed.gov.

We appreciate your interest in the Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans program and look forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely, /s/

Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D.

Assistant Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-12-27/pdf/2021-27979.pdf mailto:Margarita.Melendez@ed.gov

Competition Highlights

1. Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) program grant applications for FY 2022 must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov at: http://www.grants.gov.

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 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-12-27/pdf/2021-27979.pdf, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. The application deadline is July 28, 2022, at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

3. Only eligible Institutions of Higher Education that meet the definition of Hispanic-Serving Institutions may apply for a grant under this program. For information on eligibility, refer to the Notice Inviting Applications.

4. Grants under this competition will be awarded on a competitive basis for the following type of grant:

Individual Development Grants only. For this competition, an eligible institution of higher education may submit one Individual Development Grant application.

5. We will not make an award exceeding the maximum allowable amount for a single budget period of 1 year. (See Notice Inviting Applications for information on the maximum allowable amount.)

6. There is one Absolute Priority, two Competitive Preference Priorities, and one Invitational Priority for this competition. All applicants must respond to the Absolute Priority. An applicant that does not respond to the Absolute Priority will not be funded. Also, we will award an application up to 10 additional points for responding to Competitive Preference Priority 1 and up to five (5) additional points for responding to Competitive Preference Priority 2. Applicants may respond to one or both Competitive Preference priorities for a total of up to 15 additional points. No points are awarded for responding to the Invitational Priority.

7. All applicants are encouraged to limit the Project Narrative portion of the application to no more than 55 pages.

8. A current grantee under the PPOHA program, which is authorized by Title V of the HEA, may not simultaneously hold or receive another grant under any Title III, Part A or Title III, Part B program.

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

10. 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.

11. Pre-application workshops will be conducted by the program office. Please contact Margarita L.

Meléndez for information at Margarita.Melendez@ed.gov.

http://www.grants.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.

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

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.

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/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.

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

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.

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 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

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

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.

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.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace

Notice Inviting Applications

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Promoting Postbaccalaureate

Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of

Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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

2022 for the Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for

Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program, Assistance Listing Number

(ALN) 84.031M. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1894-0006.

DATES:

Applications Available: June 13, 2022.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 28, 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: Margarita L. Meléndez, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 2B188, Washington, DC 20202-4260. Telephone: (202) 260-3548. Email:

Margarita.Melendez@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 purposes of the PPOHA Program are to:

(1) Expand postbaccalaureate educational opportunities for, and improve the academic attainment of, Hispanic students; and (2) expand the postbaccalaureate academic offerings, as well as enhance the program quality, at the institutions of higher education (IHEs) that are educating the majority of Hispanic 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 college students and helping large numbers of Hispanic and low-income students complete postsecondary degrees.

Background: In 2019, the number of Hispanic students enrolled in postbaccalaureate degree programs was approximately 12 percent of the graduate student population, even though Hispanic individuals make up over 18 percent of the American population.1

In addition, despite Hispanic graduate student enrollment increasing at a faster rate than other groups, this enrollment increase has not yet closed the significant gap in attainment of graduate credentials between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White adults.2 For people with higher educational attainment, the unemployment rates are generally lower and the wages are higher.3

Therefore, there is potential for greater financial returns, job security, and employment options for Hispanic students who enroll and attain credentials beyond a bachelor’s degree.

Further, despite the important role that faculty of color play for minority graduate students,4 data from fall 2018 showed

1 U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221.

2 U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2022, from https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/demo/educational-attainment/cps-detailed-tables.html.

3 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, https://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm; Ma, J., Pender, M., & Welch, M., “Education Pays 2016,” Trends in Higher Education Series (Washington, DC: College Board, 2016), https://trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/education-pays-2016-full-report.pdf.

4 Griffin, K. A. (2022). “Redoubling Our Efforts: How Institutions Can Affect Faculty Diversity.” American Council on Education: Invited Essay from Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education: A Status Report. Retrieved from https://www.equityinhighered.org/resources/ideas-and-insights/redoubling-our-efforts-how-institutions-can-affect-faculty-diversity/ .

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221 https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/demo/educational-attainment/cps-detailed-tables.html https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/demo/educational-attainment/cps-detailed-tables.html https://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm https://trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/education-pays-2016-full-report.pdf https://trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/education-pays-2016-full-report.pdf https://www.equityinhighered.org/resources/ideas-and-insights/redoubling-our-efforts-how-institutions-can-affect-faculty-diversity/ https://www.equityinhighered.org/resources/ideas-and-insights/redoubling-our-efforts-how-institutions-can-affect-faculty-diversity/ that 45 percent of all full-time faculty in degree-granting postsecondary institutions were White, while only 6 percent were

Hispanic.5

To address these gaps in degree attainment, research has shown that certain initiatives are particularly successful in helping Hispanic students complete their degrees and enter the workforce well prepared. Examples of such initiatives include culturally responsive programming, financial assistance, and academic advising.6 Strategies that have successfully supported

Hispanic students in career placement have included partnerships with industry, hybrid instructional models, skills training, and fellowships and apprenticeships in the workforce setting.7

To this end, this competition includes an absolute priority focused on academic and career alignment with in-demand occupations or fields. In responding to this absolute priority, applicants should demonstrate how they will expand academic

5 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.

(2020). The Condition of Education 2020 (NCES 2020-144), Characteristics of Postsecondary Faculty.

6 Excelencia in Education (2020). What Works for Latino Students in Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.edexcelencia.org/research/2020-What- Works-for-Latino-Students-In-Higher-Education; Garateix, M. (2021). “Latino students succeed in graduate school with the support of the Hispanic Theological Initiative.” Retrieved from https://faithandleadership.com/latino-students-succeed-graduate-school-the-support-the-hispanic-theological-initiative.

7 Santiago, D. A., Taylor, M., & Galdeano, E. C. (2015). “Finding your workforce: Latinos in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Linking college completion with U.S. workforce needs--2012-13.” Excelencia in Education. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588046.pdf;

Garcia, A., Abrego, J., & Calvillo, M. (2014). “A study of the hybrid instructional delivery for graduate students in an educational leadership course.” International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education, 29(1), 1-

12. Retrieved from https://www.ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/864/1534.

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/csc https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/csc https://www.edexcelencia.org/research/2020-What-Works-for-Latino-Students-In-Higher-Education https://www.edexcelencia.org/research/2020-What-Works-for-Latino-Students-In-Higher-Education https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588046.pdf https://www.ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/864/1534 offerings that prepare graduate students for the workforce by developing or enhancing current course offerings in existing postgraduate degree, certificate, or credentialing programs or by establishing new postgraduate degree, certificate, or credentialing programs. Additionally, we encourage applicants to form partnerships with other Hispanic-Serving Institutions

(HSIs) and non-HSI IHEs, as well as workforce entities, that may assist the applicant IHE in leveraging resources and opportunities for apprenticeships, internships, workplace learning, or similar experiences for students.

This competition also includes two competitive preference priorities focused on meeting participants’ holistic needs and providing flexible learning opportunities, and an invitational priority targeting an increase in Hispanic and other diverse candidates in the education profession.

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority, two competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see section 503(b)(14) of the Higher Education Act of

1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1101b). The competitive preference 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 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 an absolute priority. Under 34

CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.

The priority is:

Expanding the number of Hispanic and other underrepresented graduate and professional students that can be served by the institution by expanding courses and institutional resources.

Competitive Preference 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 competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 15 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets each of these priorities. Applicants may respond to one or both priorities, for a total of up to 15 additional points.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: 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, in one or more of the following areas:

(a) Creating education or work-based settings that are supportive, positive, identity-safe and inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status, through supporting students to engage in real-world hands-on learning that is aligned with classroom instruction and takes place in community-based settings, such as apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, work-based learning, and service learning, and in civic activities, that allow students to apply their knowledge and skills, strengthen their employability skills, and access career exploration opportunities. (up to 4 points)

(b) Creating a positive, inclusive, and identity-safe climate at IHEs through one or both of the following activities:

(1) Implementing evidence-based practices for advancing student success for underserved students. (up to 3 points)

(2) Providing evidence-based professional development opportunities designed to build asset-based mindsets for faculty and staff on campus and that are inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status. (up to 3 points)

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Increasing Postsecondary

Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment

Success (up to 5 points).

Projects that are designed to increase postsecondary access, affordability, completion, and success for underserved students by supporting the development and implementation of high-quality and accessible learning opportunities, including learning opportunities that are accelerated or hybrid online; credit-bearing; work-based; and flexible for working students.

Invitational 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 an invitational priority.

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

This priority is:

Projects that are designed to establish or expand entry points into the educator pipeline, in an effort to increase the number of Hispanic educators and/or the number of Hispanic students earning postgraduate degrees in preparation for employment as an educator.

This priority is designed to address the issue of the low percentage of Hispanic faculty referenced in the background section of this notice. Under this priority, we are particularly interested in projects that are designed to establish, improve, or expand programs that: (a) recruit racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse educators; (b) retain diverse educators by strengthening support networks and providing professional development; and/or (c) combine traditional academic training with specialized knowledge and skills that will prepare students for entry into the educator profession.

Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1 and the Supplemental Priorities and apply to the priorities and selection criteria in this notice:

Baseline means the starting point from which performance is measured and targets are set.

Budget period means an interval of time into which a project period is divided for budgetary purposes.

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.

Department means the U.S. Department of Education.

Educator means an individual who is an early learning educator, teacher, principal or other school leader, specialized instructional support personnel (e.g., school psychologist, counselor, school social worker, early intervention service personnel), paraprofessional, or faculty.

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

Experimental study means a study that is designed to compare outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment group receiving a project component or a control group that does not. Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies, and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental studies that, depending on their design and implementation (e.g., sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression discontinuity design studies), can meet

What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbooks:

(i) A randomized controlled trial employs random assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to receive the project component being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to receive the project component (the control group).

(ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the project component being evaluated using a measured variable

(e.g., assigning students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of outcomes.

(iii) A single-case design study uses observations of a single case (e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral intervention) over time in the absence and presence of a controlled treatment manipulation to determine whether the outcome is systematically related to the treatment.

Fiscal year means the Federal fiscal year—a period beginning on October 1 and ending on the following September 30.

Grant period means the period for which funds have been awarded.

Grantee means the legal entity to which a grant is awarded and that is accountable to the Federal Government for the use of the funds provided. The grantee is the entire legal entity even if only a particular component of the entity is designated in the grant award notice (GAN). For example, a GAN may name as the grantee one school or campus of a university. In this case, the granting agency usually intends, or actually intends, that the named component assume primary or sole responsibility for administering the grant-assisted project or program.

Nevertheless, the naming of a component of a legal entity as the grantee in a grant award document shall not be construed as relieving the whole legal entity from accountability to the

Federal Government for the use of the funds provided. (This definition is not intended to affect the eligibility provision of grant programs in which eligibility is limited to organizations that may be only components of a legal entity.) The term

“grantee” does not include any secondary recipients, such as subgrantees and contractors, that may receive funds from a grantee pursuant to a subgrant or contract.

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 Regional Educational Laboratory Program’s

Education Logic Model Application at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/rel/products/resource/100677

Performance measure means any quantitative indicator, statistic, or metric used to gauge program or project performance.

Performance target means a level of performance that an applicant would seek to meet during the course of a project or as a result of a project.

Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, process, product, practice, or policy included in a project.

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/rel/products/resource/100677

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).

Promising evidence means that there is evidence of the effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:

(i) A practice guide prepared by What Works Clearinghouse

(WWC) reporting a “strong evidence base” or “moderate evidence base” for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;

(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC reporting a “positive effect” or “potentially positive effect” on a relevant outcome with no reporting of a “negative effect” or

“potentially negative effect” on a relevant outcome; or

(iii) A single study assessed by the Department, as appropriate, that—

(A) Is an experimental study, a quasi-experimental design study, or a well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias (e.g., a study using regression methods to account for differences between a treatment group and a comparison group); and

(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive (i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome.

Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that attempts to approximate an experimental study by identifying a comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation (e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being compared), can meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet WWC standards without reservations, as described in the WWC Handbooks.

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.

Subgrant means an award of financial assistance in the form of money, or property in lieu of money, made under a grant by a grantee to an eligible subgrantee. The term includes financial assistance when provided by contractual or any other form of legal agreement, but does not include procurement purchases, nor does it include any form of assistance that is excluded from the definition of “grant or award” in this part (See 2 CFR 200.92, “Subaward”).

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

(a) A student who is living in poverty.

(b) A student of color.8

What Works Clearinghouse Handbooks (WWC Handbooks) means the standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Standards Handbook, Versions 4.0 or 4.1, and WWC Procedures Handbook, Versions 4.0 or

4.1, or in the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (all incorporated by reference, see § 77.2). Study findings eligible for review under WWC standards can meet WWC standards without reservations, meet WWC standards with reservations, or not meet WWC standards. WWC practice guides and intervention reports include findings from systematic reviews of evidence as described in the WWC Handbooks documentation

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1102-1102c.

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

Federal civil rights laws.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General

Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 74, 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 (Nonprocurement) 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, 8 The PPOHA Program serves Hispanic and low-income students. For the purposes of this program, the subgroup of “underserved students” described in paragraph (b) of this definition refers to those students who are Hispanic as defined in title V of the HEA.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-77.2 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 regulations for this program in 34 CFR part

606. (e) The Supplemental Priorities. (f) Notice of final requirements, published in the Federal Register on July 27, 2010

(75 FR 44055) (NFR).

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants. Five-year Individual

Development Grants will be awarded in FY 2022.

Estimated Available Funds: $5,900,000.

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: $500,000-$600,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $550,000.

Maximum Awards: We will not make an award exceeding $600,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.

Estimated Number of Awards: 10-12.

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

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information and Supplemental Requirements

1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs that (a) offer a postbaccalaureate certificate or postbaccalaureate degree program and (b) qualify as an eligible HSI are eligible to apply for new Individual Development Grants under the PPOHA Program.

See section 512(b) of the HEA.

An eligible IHE for purposes of the PPOHA Program, under sections 502 and 512(b) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1101a and 1102a), must--

(a) Have an enrollment of needy students, as defined in section 502(b) of the HEA (section 502(a)(2)(A)(i) of the HEA;

20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(i));

(b) Have, except as provided in section 522(b) of the HEA, average educational and general expenditures that are low, per full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student, in comparison with the average educational and general expenditures per FTE undergraduate student of institutions that offer similar instruction (section 502(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C.

1101a(a)(2)(A)(ii));

Note 1: To demonstrate an enrollment of needy students and low average educational and general expenditures per FTE undergraduate student, an IHE must be designated as an “eligible institution” in accordance with 34 CFR 606.3 through 606.5 and the notice inviting applications for designation as an eligible institution for the fiscal year for which the grant competition is being conducted.

Note 2: The notice announcing the FY 2022 process for designation of eligible institutions, and inviting applications for waiver of eligibility requirements, was published in the

Federal Register on December 16, 2021 (86 FR 71470). Only institutions that the Department determines are eligible, or are granted a waiver, may apply for a grant in this program.

(c) Be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association that the Secretary has determined to be a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training offered, or making reasonable progress toward accreditation, according to such an agency or association (section

502(a)(2)(A)(iv) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C.1101a(a)(2)(A)(iv));

(d) Be legally authorized to provide, and provide within the State, an educational program for which the institution awards a bachelor’s degree (section 502(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the

HEA; 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(iii)); and

(e) Have an enrollment of undergraduate FTE students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application (section

502(a)(5)(B) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5)(B)).

Note 3: Funds for the PPOHA Program will be awarded each fiscal year; thus, for this program, the “end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application” refers to the end of the fiscal year prior to the application due date. The end of the fiscal year occurs on September 30 for any given year.

Note 4: In considering applications for grants under this program, the Department will compare the data and documentation the institution relied on in its application with data reported to the Department’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data

System (IPEDS), the IHE’s State-reported enrollment data, and the institutional annual report. If different percentages or data are reported in these various sources, the institution must, as part of the 25 percent assurance verification, explain the reason for the differences. If the IPEDS data show that less than 25 percent of the institution’s undergraduate FTE students are Hispanic, the burden is on the institution to show that the IPEDS data are inaccurate. If the IPEDS data indicate that the institution has an undergraduate FTE less than 25 percent, and the institution fails to demonstrate that the IPEDS data are inaccurate, the institution will be considered ineligible.

(f) A grantee under the PPOHA Program, which is authorized by title V of the HEA, may not receive a grant under any HEA, title III, part A or part B program (section 505 of the HEA; 20

U.S.C. 1101d). The title III, part A programs include: the

Strengthening Institutions Program; the American Indian Tribally

Controlled Colleges and Universities Program; the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs; the Asian

American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving

Institutions Program; the Predominantly Black Institutions

Program; and the Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions

Program. Title III, part B includes the Strengthening

Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program.

Furthermore, a current PPOHA Program grantee may not give up its

HSI grant in order to receive a grant under any title III, part

A program (34 CFR 606.2(c)(1)).

(g) An eligible HSI may only submit one Individual

Development Grant application.

(h) Limit on Use of Funds for Direct Student Assistance.

A PPOHA Program grantee may use no more than 20 percent of its total PPOHA Program grant award to provide financial support—in the form of scholarships, fellowships, and other student financial assistance—to low-income students (see NFR).

(i) Nothing in this notice alters a grantee’s obligations to comply with Federal civil rights laws.

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching unless the grantee uses a portion of its grant for establishing or improving an endowment fund. If a grantee uses a portion of its grant for endowment fund purposes, it must match or exceed those grant funds with non-Federal funds (section 503(c)(2) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C.

1101b(c)(2)).

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements.

c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a restricted 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.

d. Administrative…