Strengthening Minority-Serving Institutions

To strengthen Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI); Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI); and Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) that propose to carry out activities to improve and

Strengthening Minority-Serving Institutions strengthens: (1) Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), and Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) that propose to carry out activities to improve and expand such institution's capacity to serve low-income and minority students; and (2) Master's Degree Programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Section 723) and Master's Degree Programs at Predominantly Black Institutions (Section 724) to specified eligible institutions to further advance educational opportunities for African-Americans.

At the time of application, PBIs must have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 40 percent African American students. AANAPISI and NASNTI applicants must have, at the time of application, an enrollment of undergraduate students not less than 10 percent Asian American and Native American Pacific Islanders and Native Americans, respectively. Institutions eligible for Master's Degree Programs at HBCUs and PBIs are specified in Title VII Sections 723 and 724 of the HEA. An institution that is eligible for and receives an award under HEA's Title III Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGIs) or Title V Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (Section 512) for a fiscal year is not eligible to apply for a grant or receive grant funding under Section 897-Master's Degree Programs for HBCUs and PBIs-for the same fiscal year.

The authorized beneficiaries are underrepresented; low-income; first-generation; minority; undergraduate students.

Section 371: Applicants under the PBI program (Section 371(b)(2)(C)) may use funds to carry out programs in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM); health education; internationalization or globalization; teacher preparation; or improving educational outcomes of African American males. Applicants under the AANAPISI (Section 371(b)(2)(D)(iii)) and NASNTI (Section 371(b)(2)(D)(iv)) programs may use funds to assist such institutions with planning, developing, undertaking, and carrying out activities to improve and expand the institution's capacity to serve Asian American and Native American Pacific Islanders and Native Americans and low-income individuals. More specifically, AANAPISI grantees may use funds to carry out activities described in section 311(c). Grantees may use their funds for the purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes; renovation and improvement in classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and other instructional facilities; support of faculty exchanges, faculty development, and faculty fellowships to assist in attaining advanced degrees in the field of instruction of the faculty; curriculum development and academic instruction; purchase of library books, periodicals, and other educational materials; funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management; joint use of facilities, such as laboratories and libraries; academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services. Uses of funds are restricted to the allowable activities described in Section 311(c) of the HEA. NASNTI grantees may use funds for the purchase, rental, or lease of scientific laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes; renovation and improvement in classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities; support of faculty exchanges, faculty development, and faculty fellowships to assist faculty in attaining advanced degrees in the faculty's field of instruction; curriculum development and academic instruction; the purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials, funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management; the joint use of facilities such as laboratories and libraries; and academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services. Uses of funds under each program are restricted to the allowable activities described in Section 371 of the HEA. Section 897: Institutions in each program may use their funds to plan, develop, and implement activities that support: purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes; construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement in classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities; purchase of library books, periodicals, technical and other scientific journals, microfilm, microfiche, and other educational materials; scholarships, fellowships, and other financial assistance for needy graduate students to permit the enrollment of the students in, and completion of, a master's degree in mathematics, engineering, the physical or natural sciences, computer science, information technology, nursing, allied health, or other scientific disciplines in which African Americans are underrepresented; establishment or maintenance of an institutional endowment; funds and administrative management; acquisition of real property that is adjacent to the campus in connection with the construction, renovation, or improvement of, or an addition to, campus facilities; education or financial information designed to improve the financial literacy and economic literacy of students or the students' families; tutoring, counseling, and student service programs; and faculty professional development, faculty exchanges, and faculty participation in professional conference/meeting.

Grants under Section 371 are made for up to 60 months. Grants under Section 897 are made for 72 months.

This program is subject to the requirements of the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this program.

Selection criteria can be found in EDGAR 34 CFR Part 75.210.

Applications are reviewed for quality and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements. A discretionary grant is awarded to institutions of higher education if they score within funding range and contingent upon funds being available.

An applicant is notified of award status within 30 days of the end of the competition.

Awards are generally made around June 30 of each year.