DOE:OPE: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Partnership Grants

Overview

• Competitive Preference Priority  1— 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 establishing a system of high-quality data collection and analysis, such as data on persistence, retention, completion, and post-college outcomes, for transparency, accountability, and institutional improvement. 
• Competitive Preference Priority 2— Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs (up to 5 points). Projects that are designed to improve students’ social, emotional, academic, and career development, with a focus on underserved students, through 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 developing trusting relationships between students (including underserved students), educators, families, and community partners. 
• Competitive Preference Priority 3— Moderate Evidence (3 points). Applications supported by evidence that meets the conditions in the definition of ‘‘moderate evidence’’ (as defined in this notice). Note: To address the priority, an applicant may submit up to two study citations that it believes supports the implementation of a GEAR UP authorized activity proposed in the application and that meet the moderate evidence standard. 

Applicants can cite What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) intervention reports, WWC practice guides, or individual studies—both those already listed in the Department’s WWC Database of Individual Studies1and those that have not yet been reviewed by the WWC. The proposed studies must be cited in the section of the application that addresses Competitive Preference Priority 3 as well as on the Evidence Form. Applicants should also describe (1) the project component(s) from the cited research they intend to implement in their GEAR UP project, (2) the relevant outcome(s) that are included in both the study (or WWC practice guide or intervention report) and in the proposed project, (3) the research findings suggesting a favorable relationship between the project component and the relevant outcome, and (4) how the population and/or settings in the cited research overlap with that of the proposed project. The Department will review the research cited by the applicant to determine if it meets the requirements for moderate evidence, as well as whether it is sufficiently aligned with the project proposed.

Cost Sharing or Matching: Section 404C(b)(1) of the HEA requires grantees under this program to provide from State, local, institutional, or private funds, not less than 50 percent of the cost of the program (or one dollar of non-Federal funds for every one dollar of Federal funds awarded), which may be provided in cash or in-kind. The provision also specifies that the match may be accrued over the full duration of the grant award period, except that the grantee must make substantial progress towards meeting the matching requirement in each year of the grant award period.

HEA provides that in-kind contributions may include (1) the amount of the financial assistance obligated under GEAR UP to students from State, local, institutional, or private funds, (2) the amount of tuition, fees, room or board waived or reduced for recipients of financial assistance under GEAR UP, (3) the amount expended on documented, targeted, long-term mentoring and counseling provided by volunteers or paid staff of non-school organizations, including businesses, religious organizations, community groups, postsecondary educational institutions, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, and other organizations, and (4) equipment and supplies, cash contributions from non-Federal sources, transportation expenses, in-kind or discounted program services, indirect costs, and facility usage. 

Partnership’s request for a reduced match percentage at the time of application if the Partnership demonstrates significant economic hardship that precludes the Partnership from meeting the matching requirement, or if the Partnership requests that contributions to the scholarship fund, if applicable, be matched on the basis of two non-Federal dollars for every one Federal dollar of GEAR UP funds.  

Given the importance of matching funds to the long-term success of the project, eligible entities must describe how they will meet the matching requirement and sources of matching funds, as required by General Application Requirements.

Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000–$5,000,000
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,200,000.

Maximum Award: We will not fund any application for a Partnership grant above the maximum award of $800 per student for a single budget period of 12 months. Additionally, no funding will be awarded for increases in years two through seven.