Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education
Active
- Assistance listing
- 84.116
- Agency
-
Office of Postsecondary Education
Department of Education
- Grant awards
- 4,472 $2,802,657,148 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- (FIPSE)
- Assistance type
-
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 91-0201-0-1-502
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education administers the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (CFDA 84.116), which funds institutional reforms and innovative postsecondary education projects, with the most recent grants awarded January 1, 2026.
FIPSE supports a diverse portfolio of projects addressing four core national priorities: artificial intelligence integration into teaching and learning, civil discourse on campuses, accreditation reform, and capacity-building for high-quality short-term credential programs. Recent awards exemplify this breadth: Fisk University received $4 million for civil discourse and democratic engagement work; Dallas College received $3.4 million for an AI-enabled teaching and learning initiative; and Meharry Medical College received $2 million for short-term credentials in AI, cybersecurity, and bioinformatics. Other funded activities include workforce development certificates in emerging fields (EV service, food processing, construction, semiconductor technology), veteran student support centers, basic needs programs addressing food and housing insecurity, and teacher preparation enhancement with AI-powered simulation.
The program is entirely Project Grant–based, with all 4,472 awards in the historical portfolio structured as Project Grants. The Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education dominates funding, accounting for 4,450 awards totaling $2.8 billion in federal dollars obligated. Combined federal and non-federal dollars obligated reached $3.51 billion, indicating modest matching or cost-share requirements. Recent award volume shows volatility—2023 saw 349 awards, 2024 dropped to 257, and 2025 contracted sharply to 28 awards, with 65 awards through January 2026. Representative recent awards range from approximately $770 thousand to $4 million, with many clustering in the $2 million to $4 million range and grant periods of three to four years.
Multiple FIPSE sub-programs have posted opportunities recently. Solicitation ED-GRANTS-111225-001 for FIPSE Special Projects (ALN 84.116J), due December 3, 2025, focused on four national needs: AI in postsecondary education, civil discourse, accreditation reform, and short-term program capacity. Additional opportunities posted in May 2026 include the Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program (due June 23, 2026), Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (due June 23, 2026), Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grant Program (due June 23, 2026), Open Textbook Pilot Program (due June 23, 2026), and Postsecondary Student Success Grant (due June 29, 2026). Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, combinations of institutions, and other public and private nonprofit agencies. Application review takes 4 to 8 months for standard FIPSE project grants; community project funding awards process on a rolling basis.
Objective and description
- Objective
To provide assistance to support institutional reforms and innovative strategies designed to improve postsecondary instruction, quality, and to expand postsecondary opportunities. For community project funding, to provide direct funding for activitie
- Description
The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) supports a wide range of activities to promote institutional reforms and innovative programs with the potential to transform postsecondary education. Under FIPSE, all discretionary grants and contracts are awarded to institutions of higher education (IHEs) and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies. Grants typically are frontloaded to pay full multi-year project costs from a single appropriation.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligible applicants for FIPSE project grants include institutions of higher education, other public and private non-profit institutions and agencies and combinations of these institutions and agencies. Entities identified for Congressionally directed spending or community project funding under FIPSE are eligible.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Postsecondary educational institutions and their students will benefit.
- Uses of assistance
The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) provides project grants for activities sponsored by institutions of higher education that develop and demonstrate more effective approaches to postsecondary teaching and learning. In fiscal year 2024, Congress appropriated $7 million for the Open Textbooks Pilot (OTP) initiative (84.116T), , $9 million for the Centers of Excellence for Veterans Student Success (CEVSS) program (84.116G), $10 million for the Basic Needs Grant program, $45 million for the Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) program (84.116W), $45 million for Postsecondary Student Success Grants (PSSG), $50 million for the HBCU, TCCU, and MSI Research and Development Infrastructure program, and $5 million for the Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education (TGIY) program (84.116Y). In fiscal year 2024, Congress also appropriated $202.3 million for community project funding/Congressionally directed spending (84.116Z). For these projects, grant activities must be consistent with the project description and the explanatory statement accompanying the Department's appropriations act and regulations in 34 C.F.R. 75.104(a). Funds must be used to carry out the goals and activities presented in the entity's application.
- Use restrictions
Contact program office contact for more information.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Typically for a period of 3-5 years.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Application announcements and resources for applicants are available at the FIPSE home page: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/fipse/index.html. For community project funding/Congressionally directed spending, preapplication coordination in not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
For FIPSE project grants, grantees are selected based on the selection criteria published in the Notice Inviting Applications. This is not applicable to community project funding/Congressionally directed spending.
- Award procedure
FIPSE project grant, proposals are reviewed by nonfederal reviewers. For community project funding/Congressionally directed spending, the Department will award funds to the named entities for the specified activities. The named entities are required to submit an approvable application.
- Time to approval or disapproval
From 4 to 8 months for FIPSE project grants. Community project funding/Congressionally directed spending applications are reviewed and approved on a rolling basis. The timeline for review of applications depends on the completeness of the submitted applications.
- Renewals
Applications for renewal of multi-year projects are processed and funded before those for new projects. Renewals are subject to the availability of funds. In 2024, the Department plans-wherever possible- to fully fund the entire grant periods of projects funded under FIPSE.
Grant opportunities
Show all 45
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 4,472 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Of Alabama | $110,300,000 | 4% |
| 2 | University Of Vermont & State Agricultural College | $35,074,439 | 1% |
| 3 | Research Foundation Of The City University Of New York | $17,807,814 | 1% |
| 4 | Edward M. Kennedy Institute For The United States Senate | $13,602,000 | <1% |
| 5 | University Of Missouri System | $11,947,442 | <1% |
| 6 | Hampton University | $11,308,885 | <1% |
| 7 | CSU Fullerton Auxiliary Services Corporation | $11,253,490 | <1% |
| 8 | The University Of South Dakota | $11,115,001 | <1% |
| 9 | Missouri State University | $10,692,625 | <1% |
| 10 | Arizona State University | $10,323,797 | <1% |
10 of 1,350 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $160,039,269 |
| FY2025 | $72,517,688 |
| FY2024 | $440,882,833 |
| FY2023 | $484,339,769 |
| FY2022 | $301,968,057 |
| FY2021 | $37,809,004 |
| FY2020 | -$4,639,642 |
| FY2019 | -$540,303 |
| FY2018 | $5,781,616 |
| FY2017 | -$1,133,217 |
| FY2016 | -$558,888 |
| FY2015 | $62,937,949 |
| FY2014 | $74,782,055 |
| FY2013 | $3,024,447 |
| FY2012 | $3,043,341 |
| FY2011 | $16,374,798 |
| FY2010 | $157,184,210 |
| FY2009 | $146,114,284 |
| FY2008 | $125,040,176 |
| FY2007 | $5,822,796 |
| FY2006 | $13,408,387 |
| FY2005 | $136,122,680 |
| FY2004 | $133,771,381 |
| FY2003 | $164,895,832 |
| FY2002 | $131,686,380 |
| FY2001 | $131,982,248 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 84.116?
Assistance Listing 84.116 is Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, a federal grant program run by Office of Postsecondary Education (Department of Education).
What is the CFDA number for Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education?
Its CFDA number is 84.116: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 84.116 awarded?
4,472 grant awards under 84.116 have obligated $2,802,657,148 in federal funds to 1,350 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 84.116?
The recipients obligated the most under Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education are University Of Alabama ($110,300,000), University Of Vermont & State Agricultural College ($35,074,439) and Research Foundation Of The City University Of New York ($17,807,814).
How much did 84.116 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 84.116 obligated $72,517,688 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 84.116?
No opportunity listed under 84.116 is open now. The latest, FY 26 Postsecondary Student Success Grant 84.116M, was posted on May 28, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
- Every grant award and opportunity under it
- Funding by recipient, agency and assistance type
- Alerts for new opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this program