Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Strengthening Institutions Program CFDA Number 84.031F

1. Eligible Applicants: This program is authorized by title III, part A, of the HEA. To qualify as an eligible institution under any title III, part A program, an institution must-- (a) Be accredited or preaccredited 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; (b) Be legally authorized by the State in which it is located to be a junior or community college or to provide an educational program for which it awards a bachelor's degree; (c) Be designated as an ``eligible institution'' by demonstrating that it: (1) Has an enrollment of needy students as described in 34 CFR 607.3; and (2) has low average educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student as described in 34 CFR 607.4. Note: The notice announcing the FY 2017 process for designation of eligible institutions, and inviting applications for waiver of eligibility requirements, was published in the Federal Register on November 25, 2016 (81 FR 85210). Only institutions that the Department determines are eligible, or which are granted a waiver under the process described in that notice, may apply for a grant in this program. Relationship Between the Title III, Part A Programs and the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program A grantee under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) program, which is authorized under title V of the HEA, may not receive a grant under any HEA, title III, part A program. The title III, part A programs are: SIP; the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities program; the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions program; the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions program; and the Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions program. Furthermore, a current HSI program grantee may not give up its HSI grant to receive a grant under SIP or any title III, part A program as described in 34 CFR 607.2(g)(1). An eligible HSI that is not a current grantee under the HSI program may apply for a FY 2017 grant under all title III, part A programs for which it is eligible, as well as receive consideration for a grant under the HSI program. However, a successful applicant may receive only one grant as described in 34 CFR 607.2(g)(1).