Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Program (PPOHA)

Overview

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 educate the majority of Hispanic college students and help large numbers of Hispanic and low-income students complete postsecondary degrees.

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

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority, two competitive preference priorities, and three invitational priorities.

Absolute Priority: 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:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs. 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.

(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.

(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.

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success. 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:

Invitational Priority 1: Improving the Hispanic Ph.D. Pipeline through Collaboration.

Invitational Priority 2: Supporting the Hispanic Educator Pipeline.

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

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.

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.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 13, 2024.

Deadline for Optional Notice of Intent to Apply: May 3, 2024.