PPOHA 2024 Application Booklet 03132024 FINAL.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

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

Fiscal Year 2024

Application for Grants under the Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans

(PPOHA) Program

ALN: 84.031M

Form Approved

OMB No. 1894-0006, Expiration Date: 1/31/2027

DATED MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: XX/XX/2024

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 and Regulations

Intergovernmental Review

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)

Performance Indicators

Instructions for Completing the Application

Instructions for Standard Forms

Supplemental Instructions for the Project Narrative

Competition Priorities

Application Checklist

Paperwork Burden Statement

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

March 14, 2024

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a grant under the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Title V, Part B, Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) program.

Included in this application package are the program statute and regulations, and the instructions and forms needed for you to submit an application for the PPOHA program.

Please be sure to thoroughly review the entire application package for information concerning the PPOHA program. Applicants should pay particular attention to the section entitled “Competition Highlights” that outlines program and competition details. The Notice Inviting Applications (NIA), which is included in this package and published in the Federal Register, is the official document describing the requirements for submitting a PPOHA Program grant application. You should not rely upon any other information that is inconsistent with the NIA.

This year’s competition includes one absolute priority, two competitive preference priorities for which applicants may receive up to 15 additional points depending on how well the application meets these priorities, and three invitational priorities. We sincerely hope applicants will consider addressing these priorities. For more information on the priorities, selection criteria, and other program and competition details, please refer to the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA).

Additionally, through this competition, we hope to build evidence of promising practices, as well as build upon developed practices and strategies of effectiveness that are relevant to the purpose of this program.

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 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at http://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554.

Additional information on the PPOHA program is available on the Department’s website at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/ppoha/index.html.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Margarita L.

Meléndez, competition manager, at Margarita.Melendez@ed.gov or (202) 987-0408. We appreciate your interest in the PPOHA Program and look forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely, /s/

Nasser H. Paydar Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education http://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554 mailto:Margarita.Melendez@ed.gov

Competition Highlights

1. Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) program grant applications for FY 2024 must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov at: http://www.grants.gov.

Applicants are required to follow the Revised Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554 which contain information on how to submit an application.

2. The application deadline is X/X/2024, at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

3. Only eligible Institutions of Higher Education may apply for a grant under this program. For information on eligibility, refer to the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA).

4. The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 amended the authorized grant activities under Part A of Title V of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 (individual development grants) to include innovative and customized instruction course development; articulation agreement and student support program activities designed to facilitate student transfer from two-year to four-year institutions; activities that improve student financial and economic literacy; and activities to develop distance education technologies.

5. Grants under this competition will be awarded on a competitive basis for the following types of grants:

Individual Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants. For this competition, an eligible IHE may not submit more than one Individual Development Grant application, be the lead applicant for more than one Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant, or submit an Individual Development Grant application and be the lead applicant for a Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant application in this competition. A grantee with an Individual Development Grant or a Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant may be a partner in one or more Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants. The lead institution in a Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant must be an eligible institution.

6. We will not make an award exceeding the maximum allowable amount for a single budget period of one year. (See the NIA for information on the maximum allowable amount.)

7. There are two Competitive Preference Priorities for this competition. We will award an application up to ten (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. There are three Invitational Priorities for this competition. You are encouraged, but not required, to address one or more of these priorities. No additional points will be awarded if you address one or more of these priorities.

8. All applicants are encouraged to limit the Project Narrative portion of the application to no more than 55 pages for an Individual Development Grant and no more than 65 pages for a Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant.

9. 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.

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

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554

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

12. Pre-application workshops will be conducted by the program office. Dates and times are posted under the “Related Documents” tab in Grants.gov. Please contact Margarita L. Meléndez at Margarita.Melendez@ed.gov if more information is needed.

mailto:Margarita.Melendez@ed.gov

Revised 12/2022

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

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

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

Browser Support

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

For additional information or updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser information in the Applicant FAQs:

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

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files

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

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

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

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

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

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

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.

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

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.

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 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 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 2022 Common Instructions for detailed instructions regarding this procedure).

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

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

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

Slow Internet Connections

When using a slow internet connection, such as a dial-up connection, to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g., cable modem/DSL/T1. While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours to complete your grant submission using a dial up connection. Failure to fully upload an application by the deadline date and time will result in your application being marked late in the G5 system. If you do not have access to a high-speed internet connection, you may want to consider following the instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions and the 2022 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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.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/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs 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.

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)

2024 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: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE

FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 60 DAYS

AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 120 DAYS

AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Optional Notice of Intent to Apply: [INSERT DATE

50 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

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

Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant

Programs, published in the Federal Register on 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: Margarita L. Meléndez, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 5C125, Washington, DC 20202-4260. Telephone: (202) 987-0408. 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 college students and helping large numbers of Hispanic and low-income students complete postsecondary degrees.

Background: In the fall of 2021, there were approximately 2.8 million U.S. resident students enrolled at the postbaccalaureate level in degree-granting institutions.1 Of those students, 60 percent were White and only 13 percent were Hispanic.2

Furthermore, in 2021, White students received 62.4 percent and

63.4 percent of master’s and doctoral degrees, respectively, and

Hispanic students received 12.7 percent and 9.7 percent of master’s and doctoral degrees, respectively.3

Hispanic students who enroll and attain credentials beyond a bachelor's degree have increased employment options, which provides the potential for greater financial returns.4 In 2021, for example, 49% advanced degree holders earned $100,000 or more, as compared to 7 percent of high school graduates and 35 percent of those whose highest attainment was a bachelor’s degree.5

1 National Center for Education Statistics. (2023). Postbaccalaureate Enrollment. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences.

2 Ibid.

3 National Center for Education Statistics (2023). Fast Facts: Degrees conferred by race/ethnicity and sex. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Statistics.

4 Schak, J.O. and Nichols, A.H.(2017). Education Trust. Degree Attainment for Latino Adults: National and State Trends.

5 Ma, J. and Pender, M. (2023). College Board. “Education Pays 2023: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society.”

A critical component of student success and college completion for Hispanic students is engagement with diverse faculty members who can serve as mentors.6 The impact of the characteristics, insights, and perspectives of diverse faculty has been shown to enhance the teaching, research, and service missions of institutions of higher education.7 Diverse faculty increase opportunities for students to encounter readings and research relevant to underrepresented groups.8 Increasing Latino faculty has been found to play a critical role in Latino student retention and climate.9 In addition, the presence of diverse faculty enhances the college experience by providing a more enriching college experience and a more supportive racial climate to ensure student success.10 Despite the many benefits of faculty diversity, in the fall of 2021, only six percent of full-time faculty at degree-granting postsecondary institutions were Hispanic,11 while the enrollment rate of Hispanic undergraduate and graduate students was 33 percent.12

6 Contreras, F., and Contreras, J.G. (2015). Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. “Raising the Bar for Hispanic Serving Institutions: An Analysis of College Completion and Success Rates.”

7 Milem, J.F. (2003). Compelling Interest. “The Educational Benefits of Diversity: Evidence from Multiple Sectors.”

8 Ibid.

9 Contreras, F., and Contreras, J.G. (2015). Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. “Raising the Bar for Hispanic Serving Institutions: An Analysis of College Completion and Success Rates.”

10 Milem, J.F. (2003). Compelling Interest. “The Educational Benefits of Diversity: Evidence from Multiple Sectors.”

11 Fast Facts (2023): Race/ethnicity of college faculty (ed.gov).

12 National Center for Education Statistics. (2023). College Enrollment Rates.

Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences.

https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=61

Hispanic adults are also currently underrepresented in the

STEM workforce. Hispanic or Latino workers represented 15 percent of the total STEM workforce in 2021,13 compared to 18 percent of the total labor workforce.14 According to labor market data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, students who graduate with degrees in the STEM disciplines generally are paid more than students who graduate with non-STEM degrees.15

The growth in STEM jobs is expected to outpace that of non-STEM jobs in the future.16

To this end, this competition includes an absolute priority focused on expanding the number of Hispanic and other underrepresented graduate and professional students served by the applicant institution, or the institutions that are part of the cooperative agreement application, through expanded courses and institutional resources. In responding to this absolute priority, applicants should demonstrate how they will expand academic offerings that prepare postbaccalaureate students for the workforce by developing or enhancing current course offerings in existing postgraduate degree, certificate, or credentialing programs or by establishing new postgraduate

13 Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities (2023).

National Science Foundation.

14 Labor force characteristics by race and ethnicity (2021). BLS Reports: U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics.

15 Federal Reserve Bank of New York, February 2023.

16 Pew Research Center. (2021). “STEM Jobs See Uneven Progress in Increasing Gender, Racial and Ethnic Diversity.”

https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23315/report/the-stem-workforce https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23315/report/the-stem-workforce https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/race-and-ethnicity/2021/home.htm https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/race-and-ethnicity/2021/home.htm degree, certificate, or credentialing programs. Additionally, applicants are encouraged to form partnerships with other

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and non-HSI IHEs 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 students’ holistic needs and providing flexible, high-quality, and accessible learning opportunities, and three invitational priorities that support increasing the number of Hispanic doctoral candidates and graduates through collaboration, increasing the number of

Hispanic educators, and increasing the number of Hispanics prepared for the STEM workforce.

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority, two competitive preference priorities, and three invitational priorities. 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 2024 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 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 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, through one or both 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 2 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 4 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 4 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 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. Applicants may respond to one, two, or all priorities.

These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1: Improving the Hispanic Ph.D.

Pipeline through Collaboration.

Projects that are supported by a consortium of HSIs, including no fewer than three HSIs that award Ph.D.s, and are designed to improve the Hispanic Ph.D. pipeline and increase the number of Hispanic Ph.D.s by supporting teaching, research, and resource sharing across institutions, creating mentorship opportunities, and supporting experiential learning, as well as other high-impact practices that have demonstrated positive results for Hispanic postbaccalaureate students.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in projects designed to address the low percentage of Hispanics who both enroll in Ph.D. programs and attain the Ph.D. degree by establishing, improving, or expanding programs that—

(a) Increase the Hispanic student pipeline for Ph.D.s;

(b) Improve the academic preparation of postbaccalaureate students through course offerings, research opportunities

(including study abroad opportunities), mentorship, and learning communities;

(c) Combine traditional academic training with industry-standard specialized knowledge and skills that will improve student educational outcomes; and

(d) Evaluate the association between the consortium’s activities and Ph.D. attainment by Hispanic students.

Invitational Priority 2: Supporting the Hispanic Educator

Pipeline.

Projects that are designed to establish or expand entry points into the educator pipeline, to increase the number of

Hispanic educators, the number of Hispanic students earning postgraduate degrees in preparation for employment as an educator, or both.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in projects designed to establish, improve, or expand programs that address one or more of the following—

(a) Recruit racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse educators;

(b) Retain diverse educators by strengthening support networks and providing professional development; and

(c) Combine traditional academic training with specialized knowledge and skills that will prepare students for entry into the educator profession.

Invitational Priority 3: Increasing Hispanics in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Projects that are designed to increase the number of

Hispanic postbaccalaureate students and educators in STEM.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in projects designed to establish, improve, or expand programs that—

(a) Identify and implement instructional strategies, systems, and structures that improve postsecondary learning and retention that leads to completion of a master’s, Ph.D. or terminal degree in STEM;

(b) Combine traditional academic training with specialized knowledge and skills through research, apprenticeships, and technology applications that will prepare students for STEM fields; and

(c) Provide pathways for entry into the STEM workforce.

Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1, with the exception of “educator” and “underserved student,” which are from the Supplemental Priorities. They apply to the priorities and selection criteria in this notice:

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

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.

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.

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/Region/pacific/Resource/100

677.

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. 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:

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/rel/Products/Region/pacific/Resource/100677 https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/rel/Products/Region/pacific/Resource/100677

(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.

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

(a) A student who is living in poverty.

(b) A student of color.

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

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

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 34 CFR 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.

Note: The What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards

Handbook (Version 4.1), as well as the more recent What Works

Clearinghouse Handbook released in August 2022 (Version 5.0), are available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.

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, 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 for the PPOHA Program, published in the Federal

Register on July 27, 2010 (75 FR 44056) (NFR).

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants. Five-year Individual

Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement Development

Grants will be awarded in FY 2024.

Note: A cooperative arrangement is an arrangement to carry out allowable grant activities between an institution eligible to receive a grant under this competition and another eligible or ineligible IHE, under which the resources of the cooperating institutions are combined and shared to better achieve the purpose of the program and avoid costly duplication of effort.

Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested

$28,845,000 for the PPOHA Program for FY 2024, of which we intend to use approximately $11,257,000 for new awards. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.

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.

Individual Development Grants:

Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$600,000 per year.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $550,000 per year.

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

Estimated Number of Awards: 11.

Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants:

Estimated Range of Awards: $600,000-$1,500,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,000,000.

Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $1,500,000 for a single 12-month budget period.

Estimated Number of Awards: 5.

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) qualify as an eligible HSI and (b) offer a postbaccalaureate certificate or postbaccalaureate degree program are eligible to apply for new grants under the PPOHA Program. See section 512(b) of the HEA

(20 U.S.C. 1102a(b)).

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(b)), 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: 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)(I) of the

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