Application package for Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions Program

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20202

FY 2024

Application Package for

Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGI) Program

(ALN 84.031K)

OMB No. 1840-0836

EXPIRATION DATE: 08/31/2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Paperwork Reduction Act 3

Dear Applicant Letter 4

Historically Black Graduate Institutions Program 5

Key Application Highlights 7

Authorizing Legislation and Applicable Regulations 8

Supplemental Information 9

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427 11

Performance Indicators 12

Grants.gov Application Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants 14

Application Transmittal Instructions 19

Section I – Phase I: Formula Data Worksheet 20

Section II – Phase II: The Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) 28

Guidance for Phase II 29

Non-Federal Source Matching Assurance Form 31

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs Executive Order 12372 32

Instructions for Standard Forms 33

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1840-0836.  Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 34.7 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering, and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.  The obligation to respond to this collection is required (under 34 CFR §609) to obtain or retain benefit (under Section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)).  If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this application, please contact Institutional Service, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, D.C. 20202 directly. [Note: Please do not return the completed application to this address.]

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

March __, 2024

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a new grant for fiscal year (FY) 2024 under the Title III, Part B, Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGI) program. The HBGI program provides grants to institutions of higher education designated as an HBGI in statute. The purpose of the HBGI program is to assist eligible institutions by providing financial assistance to establish or strengthen the academic resources, endowment building capacity, management capabilities and physical plants of Historically Black Graduate Institutions. Additional information and the regulations governing this program can be accessed at:

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/idueshbgi/eligibility.html.

A link to the statute and regulations for this program and all instructions and forms required to apply for the grant are included in this application package. To the extent that there are any conflicts between the statute and regulations, the statute takes precedence. Applicants are encouraged to review the Key Application Highlights found in this application package for an overview of important information. Please note there are two different phases of the application process. Phase I has been completed and you do not need to resubmit the data. Phase II will require that you fully complete the HBGI application package, which must include a new Comprehensive Development Plan, required forms and assurances. All required documents must be submitted in Grants.gov by May 24, 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact the HBGI program staff Bernadette D. Miles at [email protected] or 202-453-7892. We appreciate your continued interest in the Title III, Part B Historically Black Graduate Institutions program, and look forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely,

Nasser H. Paydar

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education

HISTORICALLY BLACK GRADUATE INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM

PURPOSE

The HBGI program authorized under Title III, Part B of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) provides financial assistance to establish or strengthen the academic resources, endowment building capacity, management capabilities and physical plants of Historically Black Graduate Institutions.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Institutions of higher education designated by statute as a Title III eligible Historically Black Graduate Institution or qualified graduate program are the only entities eligible to apply.

ACTIVITIES FUNDED UNDER THIS PROGRAM

HBGI grantees may use Title III, Part B funds to carry out the following activities:

(1) purchase, rental or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes;

(2) construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement in classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities, including purchase or rental of telecommunications technology equipment or services;

(3) purchase of library books, periodicals, technical and other scientific journals, microfilm, microfiche, and other educational materials, including telecommunications program materials;

(4) scholarships, fellowships, and other financial assistance for needy graduate and professional students to permit the enrollment of the students in and completion of the doctoral degree in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, law, and the doctorate degree in the physical or natural sciences, engineering, mathematics, or other scientific disciplines in which African Americans are underrepresented;

(5) establishing or improving a development office to strengthen and increase contributions from alumni and the private sector;

(6) assisting in the establishment or maintenance of an institutional endowment to facilitate financial independence pursuant to section 1065 of this title;

(7) funds and administrative management, and the acquisition of equipment, including software, for use in strengthening funds management and management information systems;

(8) acquisition of real property that is adjacent to the campus in connection with the construction, renovation, or addition to or improvement of campus facilities;

(9) education or financial information designed to improve the financial literacy and economic literacy of students or the students' families, especially with regard to student indebtedness and student assistance programs under subchapter IV;

(10) services necessary for the implementation of projects or activities that are described in the grant application and that are approved, in advance, by the Secretary, except that not more than two percent of the grant amount may be used for this purpose;

(11) tutoring, counseling, and student service programs designed to improve academic success; and

(12) other activities proposed in the application submitted under subsection (d) that-

(A) contribute to carrying out the purposes of this part; and

(B) are approved by the Secretary as part of the review and acceptance of such application.

KEY APPLICATION HIGHLIGHTS

ATTENTION: NEW SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

1. All HBGI applicants must submit their applications electronically in Grants.gov. No paper application submissions will be accepted unless you qualify for an exception.

2. If you have difficulty with the application submission in Grants.Gov, please contact Grants.Gov support, and not the HBGI program staff. Grants.gov customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, excluding federal holidays.

3. For application and submission information, please refer to the instructions located after the Authorizing Legislation section of this booklet.

4. The Phase I data worksheet was submitted to [email protected] by February 29, 2024.

5. The Phase II portion of this application, which includes the Comprehensive Development Plan and required assurances and other forms, must be submitted in Grants.gov by 11:59:59 PM (EDT) on May 24, 2024. If you have problems submitting in Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Service at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: [email protected] or access the Grants.gov Applicant Support at grants.gov/support/.

6. The information that follows provides an explanation of the changes to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), made as a result of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) and the effect the changes will have on your fiscal year (FY) 2024 HBGI award.

Section 311(c) of the HEOA of 2008 amends section 326 of the HEA to add six (6) institutions or qualified graduate programs (QGP) that are now eligible to receive funding under the HBGI program. The Funding Rule in section 326(f) of HEA was amended by section 311(d) of the HEOA, and reflects that the 18 HBGIs listed prior to the reauthorization of the HEA will continue to receive grants; however, the 6 new institutions will only receive funding if Congress appropriates funds above $56,900,000. Furthermore, any amount appropriated in excess of $62,900,000 will be made available to the eligible institutions pursuant to a formula developed by the Secretary using the elements outlined in Section 326(3)(A) through (E) of the HEA. Lastly, section 311(e) of the HEOA amends the date of the Hold Harmless Rule in section 326(g) of the HEA and no institution or QGP that received a grant in FY 2008 and is eligible to receive a grant in subsequent fiscal years, shall receive a grant that is less than the amount of their FY 2008 grant award, unless the amount appropriated is not sufficient to provide such grant amounts to all such institutions and programs, or the institution cannot provide sufficient matching funds to meet the statutory requirements.

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION AND APPLICABLE REGULATIONS

Institutions submitting applications for a five-year grant are required to submit a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) in accordance with Section 609.21 for HBGIs. The CDP is a part of the Phase II Project Plan. The legislation and regulations governing the HBGI program are listed below.

Authorizing Legislation

• Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended; Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions; Title III, Part B, Section 326 (20 U.S.C.1063b)

Applicable Regulations

• HBGI—34 CFR Part 609

• Education Department Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99

• e - CFR - Part 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

1. The Application Package

The application package is a compilation of the Project Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), the Activities Abstracts, Activity Objectives and Performance Indicators, Activity Budgets and Budget Narratives, Summary Budget, and the applicable forms and certifications.

2. Page Limits

As part of the continuing effort to streamline grant applications, please observe the recommended page limit. The total recommended page limit for a grant application under the HBGI program is 40 pages. This page limit applies to the Project Plan, which is the CDP, and its components, which are the Activities Abstracts, the Activity Objectives and Performance Indicators, the Implementation Strategy and Timetable, the Individual Activity Budgets, and the Individual Budget Narratives. The page limit does not include the Application for Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424; the Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (ED 524); the required Assurances and Certifications; the Table of Contents; and any appendices.

3. Appendices to Applications

Please limit the appendices to the following:

1. Curriculum vitae of key personnel (project director and activities directors).

2. Position descriptions for positions proposed for the funding cycle.

4. Formatting Instructions

It is recommended that you consider the following format instructions:

• Type all narratives in font size 12, double-spaced (except for the project abstract).

• Type on one side of the page.

• Type the name of the institution and the state where it is located at the top of each page.

• Number the pages consecutively starting with the Table of Contents by placing a page number on the bottom right side of each page.

• The SF 424 form will serve as the cover page for the application.

• A page is 8.5” x 11,” one side only, with 1” margins at top, bottom and both sides.

Double-space all text in the application narrative, except titles and headings. You may single-space the abstract, footnotes, quotations, references, captions, forms (including ED forms) and tables. Consider using font size 12. You may use single space and smaller font sizes for clarity in charts, figures and graphs.

4. Contents of the Application

The application must be uploaded using Grants.gov, and should include:

1. Application for Federal Education Assistance (SF 424) and Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424

2. Table of Contents

3. Project Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP)

• Abstracts of Activities

• Activity Objectives and Performance Indicators

• Implementation Strategy and Timetable

• Individual Activity Budgets

• Individual Activity Budget Narratives

4. Summary Budget (ED 524)

5. Assurances and Certifications, and

6. Appendices.

6. Interim and Annual Performance Report Requirements

When you receive an initial grant award under Title III, Part B, you are required to submit an interim (first six months of your project) performance report and annual performance reports for each year during the funding cycle (including any time extensions) using the Institutional Service’s Annual Performance Reporting System for Title III and Title V Grantees. This online system collects narratives and data about funded projects to enable Department program officers to determine if a grantee is making substantial progress toward meeting approved project objectives. The annual performance report used for this program can be found at https://hepis.ed.gov/ISAPR/.

Contact Information:

Dr. Vicki Robinson

Director for HBCU Division

Institutional Service

Office of Postsecondary Education

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

5^th Floor

Washington, D.C. 20202

Telephone: 202-453-7166

Email: [email protected]

Bernadette D. Miles

Program Lead for the HBGI Program

Institutional Service

Office of Postsecondary Education

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

5^th Floor

Washington, D.C. 20202

Telephone: 202-453-7892

Email:  [email protected]

GENERAL EDUCATION PROVISIONS ACT (GEPA)

SECTION 427

Effective April 3, 2023, applicants are required to complete the new GEPA 427 form in Grants.gov. Previously, applicants created a general statement in response to the GEPA requirement.

The updated form requires responses to four questions. These four questions will assist applicants in identifying specific barriers to equitable access by describing in detail how the applicant will address those barriers consistent with GEPA 427.

Applicants may identify any barriers that may impede equitable access and participation in the proposed project activity, including, but not limited to, barriers based on economic disadvantage, gender, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, disability, age, language, migrant status, rural status, homeless status or housing insecurity, pregnancy, parenting, or caregiving status, and sexual orientation.

Applicants are encouraged to take the computer-based training, Ensuring Equitable Opportunities Under the GEPA 427 on the ED.gov website at Grants Training and Management Resources, Online Grants Training Courses (ed.gov) and to visit the Department of Education Equity Action Plan.

Instructions for completing the GEPA 427 Form can be found on the ED.gov website at Grant Application and Other Forms (ed.gov).

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The Department of Education has prepared a strategic plan for 2022-2026. This plan reflects the Department’s priorities and integrates them with its mission and program authorities and describes how the Department will work to improve education for all children and adults in the U.S. The Department’s goals, as listed in the plan, are:

Goal 1: Promote equity in student access to educational resources, opportunities, and inclusive environments.

Goal 2: Support a diverse and talented educator workforce and professional growth to strengthen student learning.

Goal 3: Meet students’ social, emotional, and academic needs.

Goal 4: Increase postsecondary value by focusing on equity-conscious strategies to address access to high quality institutions, affordability, completion, post-enrollment success, and support for inclusive institutions.

Goal 5: Enhance the Department’s internal capacity to optimize the delivery of its mission.

What are the performance indicators for the Title III, Part B, HBGI programs?

The performance indicators for the Title III, Part B, HBGI programs are part of the Department’s plan for meeting Goal 4:

Goal 4: Increase postsecondary value by focusing on equity-conscious strategies to address access to high quality institutions, affordability, completion, post-enrollment success, and support for inclusive institutions.

Program Goal:

To improve the capacity of minority-serving institutions, which traditionally have limited resources and serve large numbers of low-income and minority students, to improve student success and to provide high-quality educational opportunities for their students.

HBGI Program

Objective 1 of 2: Increase enrollments at Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGI).

Measure 1.1 of 1: The percentage change, over the five-year grant period, in the number of full-time graduate students enrolled at HBGIs.

Objective 2 of 2: Increase the number of graduate degrees awarded at HBGIs.

Measure 2.1 of 2: Federal cost per graduate degree at HBGIs.

Measure 2.2 of 2: The number of Ph.D., first professional, and Master's degrees awarded at HGBIs.

How does the Department of Education determine whether performance goals have been met?

An applicant that receives a grant award will be required to submit annual progress reports and a final report as a condition of the award. The reports will document the extent to which project goals and objectives are met.

Information about the annual performance report data collection form can be viewed at

https://hepis.ed.gov/ISAPR/.

GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND

TIPS FOR APPLICANTS

Revised 3/2024

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

To facilitate your use of Grants.gov, this document includes important submission procedures you need to be aware of to ensure your application is received in a timely manner and accepted by the U.S. Department of Education (Department).

Browser Support

The latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari are supported for use with Grants.gov. However, these web browsers undergo frequent changes and updates, so we recommend you have the latest version when using Grants.gov. Legacy versions of these web browsers may be functional, but you may experience issues. Grants.gov no longer provides support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 or below.

For additional information or updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser information in the Applicant FAQs: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs#browser.

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

1. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

2. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

1. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms you can download individual PDF forms to upload in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software- compatibility.html.

2. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

3. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

3. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

4. Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-training.html.

Helpful Reminders

1. REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), which usually takes approximately 7 to 10 business days, but can take longer depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM.gov database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit until all of the Registration Steps are complete.

NOTE: It will take 24-48 hours once your SAM.gov registration is active before the information becomes available in Grants.gov, and you can submit an application through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration. Please note that your organization will need to update its SAM.gov registration annually.

To register in SAM.gov, click on the “Get Started” link under the “Register Your Entity…” heading in SAM.gov. Grantees, and other entities wanting to do business with the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., entities applying for a grant), that are not already registered in SAM.gov must complete the “Register Entity” registration option and NOT the “Get a Unique Entity ID” option. The “Get a Unique Entity ID” option, which is not a full registration, is only available to entities for reporting purposes. Failing to complete the “Register Entity” option may result in loss of funding, loss of applicant eligibility, and/or delays in receiving a grant award.

Information about SAM.gov is available at www.SAM.gov. To further assist you with registering in SAM.gov or updating your existing SAM.gov registration, see the Quick Start Guide for Grant Registrations and the Entity Registration Video at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

2. SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

You must provide the UEI on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This UEI is assigned to your organization in SAM.gov at the time your organization registers in SAM.gov. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM.gov on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.

3. VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once the Department receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software- compatibility.html. If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e- mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

4. SUBMISSION PROBLEMS

   1. If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: [email protected] or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants- portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants.

   2. The Department discourages paper applications, but if electronic submission is not possible (e.g., you do not have access to the internet), (1) you must provide a prior written notification that you intend to submit a paper application and (2) your paper application must be postmarked by the application deadline date. Your prior written notification may be submitted by email or by mail to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of the competition Notice Inviting Applications (NIA). If you submit your notification by email, it must be received by the Department no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. If you mail your notification to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. (Refer to the NIA for detailed instructions)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to https://www.grants.gov/support for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs found at this Grants.gov link: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant- faqs#workspace.

Slow Internet Connections

When using a slow internet connection, such as a dial-up connection, to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g., cable modem/DSL/T1. While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours to complete your grant submission using a dial up connection. Failure to fully upload an application by the deadline date and time will result in your application being marked late in the G5 system. If you do not have access to a high-speed internet connection, you may want to consider following the instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. (See the NIA for detailed instructions)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application:

• When you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in either Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word. Although applicants have the option of uploading any narrative sections and all other attachments to their application in either PDF or Microsoft Word, we recommend applicants submit all documents as read-only flattened PDFs, meaning any fillable PDF files must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files and not as interactive or fillable PDF files, to better ensure applications are processed in a more timely, accurate, and efficient manner.

• Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. Therefore, each file uploaded to your application package should have a unique file name.

• When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters,

• and, in general, applicants should not use any special characters. However, Grants.gov does allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

• Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments is less than 5 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.

APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you must meet the following deadline requirements:

Applications Submitted Electronically:

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on the Grants.gov website at www.Grants.gov by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 24, 2024.

If you submit your application through the Internet via the Grants.gov website, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement when we receive your application.

Other Submission Instructions

For detailed instructions on applications sent by mail or delivery, please review the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs Notice, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at: www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554.

Late Applications

If your application is late, we will notify you that we will not consider the application.

HBGI PHASE I FORMULA DATA WORKSHEET

INSTRUCTIONS

HBGI PHASE I FORMULA DATA

HISTORICALLY BLACK GRADUATE INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM

FY 2024 FORMULA GRANT WORKSHEET

Section 326 (f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that HBGI annual appropriations in excess of $62,900,000 be allocated according to a formula comprised of five elements. The five elements of the formula, as stated in the law, with instructions for completing the data form, are identified below.

Formula Element A. “The ability of the institution to match Federal funds with non-Federal funds.”

Formula Element B. “The number of students enrolled in the programs for which the eligible institution received funding under this section in the previous year.”

Provide the number of students enrolled (fall full-time equivalent enrollment) in the qualified graduate program (QGP) at your eligible HBGI which received funding under Section 326 in the previous year. Also provide the name of the QGP in which the students were enrolled for the previous year.

Formula Element C. “The average cost of education per student, for all full-time graduate or professional students (or the equivalent) enrolled in the eligible professional or graduate school, or for doctoral students enrolled in the qualified graduate programs.”

Provide the average cost of education per student, for all full-time graduate or professional students (or equivalent) enrolled in the eligible professional or graduate school, or for doctoral students enrolled in the qualified graduate programs.

NOTE: The average cost of education for each qualified graduate program should include the following elements: instruction, research, public service, academic support (including library expenditures), student services, institutional support, scholarships and fellowships, operation and maintenance of physical plant, and any mandatory transfers that the institution is required to pay by law that are related to the institution’s qualified graduate programs. Please explain the methodology used for arriving at the average cost of education for your institution’s qualified graduate programs.

Formula Element D. “The number of students in the previous year who received their first professional or doctoral degree from the programs for which the eligible institution received funding under this section in the previous year.”

Provide the number of students in the previous academic year (2022-2023) that received their first professional or doctoral degree from the programs for which the eligible institution received funding under Section 326 in the previous year.

Formula Element E. “The contribution, on a percent basis, of the programs for which the institution is eligible to receive funds under this section to the total number of African Americans receiving graduate or professional degrees in the professions or disciplines related to the programs for the previous year.”

List each QGP for which your institution awarded graduate or professional degrees in the previous year. For each of these QGPs, provide the total number of African American graduates of these programs by degree level (masters, first professional, or doctorate).

OMB # 1840- 0836

Exp: 08/31/2025

SECTION I

PHASE I FORMULA DATA COLLECTION FORM (Fiscal Year 2024)

HISTORICALLY BLACK GRADUATE INSTITUTIONS (HBGI) PROGRAM

DATA COLLECTION FOR FORMULA TO ALLOCATE EXCESS HBGI GRANT AWARD FUNDS UNDER SECTION 326 (f)(3)(A-E) “FUNDING RULE”

NOTE: This data must be submitted as part of your initial application as well as annually during your approved grant cycle. Be sure to use this form and this form only when submitting your Phase I data. The U.S. Department of Education will not accept any other versions of this form. The data will be used to formulate the annual fiscal year (FY) award allocations. The deadline date for submitting the FY 2024 data was February 29, 2024.

NAME OF INSTITUTION: ________________________________________________

CITY: _________________________________________________ STATE: _________

1. Formula Element A – ABILITY TO MATCH -The ability of the institution to match Federal funds with non-Federal funds.

Does the institution have the ability to match Federal with non-Federal funds?

Choose one: Yes ☐ or No ☐

If YES, please provide the name of the non-Federal source and the amount of the institution matching contribution for the match.

Name of Source:

Amount: $ Year:

If NO, has your institution matched Federal grant funds under some other Federal program in the past five years? Choose one: Yes or No

Name of Program:

Amount: $ Year:

2. Formula Element B – Student Enrollment – The number of students enrolled in the programs for which the eligible institution received funding under this section in the previous year.

What is the number of students enrolled in the programs for which the eligible institution received funding under this section in the previous year 2022- 2023?

NO	Qualified Graduate Program	Degree	Students Enrolled
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
	Total Students Enrolled

3. Formula Element C – Average Cost of Education – The average cost of education per student, for all full-time graduate or professional students (or the equivalent) enrolled in the eligible professional or graduate school, or for doctoral students enrolled in the qualified graduate programs.

What is the Average Cost of Education per Student for all full-time graduate or professional students (or the equivalent) enrolled in the eligible professional or graduate school, or for doctoral students enrolled in the qualified graduate programs?

$

Explain methodology:

4. Formula Element D – Graduates of Professional or Doctorate Programs- The number of students in the previous year who received their first professional or doctoral degree from the programs for which the eligible institution received funding under this section in the previous year.

What is the number of students in the previous year who received their first professional or doctoral degree from the programs for which the eligible institution received funding under this section in the previous year?

NO	Qualified Graduate Program	Degree	Number of Graduates From Previous Year
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
	Total Number of Graduates

5. Formula Element E – Graduates – African Americans

The contribution, on a percent basis, of the programs for which the institution is eligible to receive funds under this section to the total number of African Americans receiving graduate or professional degrees in the professions or disciplines related to the programs for the previous year.

What is the total number of African Americans receiving graduate or professional degrees in the professions or disciplines related to the programs in the previous year?

NO	Qualified Graduate Program	Degree	Number of Graduates Previous Year	Number of African- American Graduates Previous Year
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
	Total Number of Graduates

I attest to the accuracy of the data provided.

President’s Name (typed):

President’s Signature:

Date: __________________________

HBGI PHASE II-- PROJECT PLAN

Phase II, the Project Plan, is a compilation of the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), activity abstracts, activity budgets and budget narratives, summary budget, and all applicable forms and certifications. Below is a checklist to help you in the submission process.

Applicant Checklist

Use This Checklist While Preparing Your Application Package.

All items listed on this checklist are required, except as noted.

___ Application for Federal Assistance (SF424)

___ Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF424

___ Department of Education Budget Information Non-Construction Programs Form –

Sections A & B (ED524)

Phase I HBGI Formula Data Worksheet- NOT REQUIRED TO RE-SUBMIT

Phase II - Project CDP Components:

___ Activity Abstracts

___ Activity Objectives and Performance Indicators

___ Implementation Strategy and Timetable

___ Individual Activity Budgets

___ Individual Activity Budget Narratives

Note: Have you addressed all application requirements for the Comprehensive Development Plan?

___ Other Attachments (Curricula vitae of key personnel (project director and activities directors) and position descriptions for positions proposed for the funding cycle)

___ GEPA Section 427

___ Lobbying Disclosure Form (SF LLL) (if applicable; refer to instructions)

___ Certification Regarding Lobbying (80-0013)

___ Assurances for 1063b (A)(2) General Authorization

GUIDANCE FOR PHASE II - THE COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Developing the Comprehensive Development Plan

The Secretary evaluates an application on the basis of the applicant’s response to the elements of the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) as defined in 34 CFR 609.21.

To facilitate the review of the application, applicants must address the following:

The CDP must describe an institution’s strategy for achieving growth and self-sufficiency by strengthening its financial management and academic programs.

Elements of the CDP are as follows:

1. An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the institution's financial management and academic programs. Here is where you want to describe the institution’s current state, identifying more than the strengths and weaknesses to be addressed by Title III B, but also present a comprehensive picture that describes the mission goals and objectives (short and long-term) that can be used to highlight the institution.

2. A delineation of the institution's goals for its financial management and academic programs, based on the outcomes of the assessments of these areas, for which Title III funds will be used;

3. A listing of measurable objectives, with accompanying timeframes, designed to assist the institution to reach each goal for which Title III funds will be used for achieving the objectives; and

4. A description of methods, procedures and processes that will be used by the college or university to institutionalize financial management and academic program practices and improvements developed under the proposed funded activities.

You are asked to limit the number of goals and measurable objectives for this grant period – ideally, to five or less. This will help focus grant activities and resources.

Suggested Outline for Developing the CDP

Introduction/Institutional Overview – the introduction should describe the institution’s challenges and opportunities, and the institutional overview should address the history and mission, academic programs offered and areas of strength, enrollment data and student profile, graduation rates, and graduate school/professional school placement success.

Summary of the Institution’s Planning Process – identify major institutional priorities.

Overview of Current Long-range Plan – describe major emphases and goals for the current planning period.

CDP Focus – describe areas targeted for improvement; list goals related to improving academic quality, fiscal stability, institutional management, and student services; summarize activities to address CDP goals; and discuss CDP assessment strategies.

Conclusion – provide information addressing institutionalization as required by element 4 and relevant supporting documentation.

Suggested Outline for Developing the Project Plan

The CDP should be used to guide the formation of the Project Plan. Separately, and for each proposed activity you must:

PROVIDE AN ABSTRACT OF THE ACTIVITY – Provide a brief (one paragraph) description of the proposed activity. Each activity must be titled using the most relevant title from the list of allowable activities authorized in the program regulations (34 CFR Section 609.10 for the HBGI program). In brief detail, describe the purpose of each activity. A comprehensive Project Plan should include Project Administration as one of its proposed activities.

DESCRIBE AND DEFINE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR EACH PROPOSED ACTIVITY – For each proposed activity, applicants must state their annual expected results, which, when combined with their performance indicators, are measurable and realistic (not too high, not too low). Connect each activity to the problem or weakness it should address and to the legislatively allowable activities (LAAs). List only the results that an activity is designed to accomplish. Describe the performance indicators in outcome-oriented, measurable terms (i.e., provide/establish baseline data, goal for that fiscal year—in number or percentage, date by which you expect it to be completed, etc.). Results should be updated for each year in which funds are requested.

DESCRIBE THE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY AND TIMETABLE FOR EACH PROPOSED ACTIVITY – For each proposed activity, describe, in a comprehensive manner, who will do what, how, and when it will be done to meet the expected results of each activity.

PROVIDE AN INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY BUDGET & NARRATIVE – For each proposed activity, applicants must prepare a separate, detailed itemized budget (in dollars) and a budget narrative for each year you are requesting grant funds. Demonstrate and justify that all costs are reasonable in today’s market and necessary to accomplish your activity results.

Note: You must provide details so that we can determine if the costs are allowable, necessary and reasonable. Do not include a budget narrative (as a separate activity) for endowment investing. Requests for endowment investing should go under the “Other” category.

COMPLETE A BUDGET SUMMARY (ED 524) FORM – Provide an itemized budget for each of the five years of the project. Applicants need only to provide a detailed budget narrative and justification for the first (initial) year of their proposed five-year project.

OMB No. 1840-0836

Expiration Date: 08/31/2025

HISTORICALLY BLACK GRADUATE INSITUTIONS (HBGI) PROGRAM

NON-FEDERAL SOURCE MATCHING ASSURANCE FORM (FY 2024)

NOTE: This assurance form must be signed, dated and submitted as part of your initial application. Under legislative guidelines, Section 1063b, no award can be made in excess of $1,000,000 unless the institution provides a matching assurance agreement described below.

§1063b Professional or graduate institutions

1. General authorization

(2) No grant in excess of $1,000,000 may be made under this section unless the postgraduate institution provides assurances that 50 percent of the cost of the purposes for which the grant is made will be paid from non-Federal sources, except that no institution shall be required to match any portion of the first $1,000,000 of the institution's award from the Secretary. After funds are made available to each eligible institution under the funding rules described in subsection (f), the Secretary shall distribute, on a pro rata basis, any amounts which were not so made available (by reason of the failure of an institution to comply with the matching requirements of this paragraph) among the institutions that have complied with such matching requirement.

NAME OF INSTITUTION: ___________________________________

CITY: _______________________________ STATE: ___________

AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL SIGNATURE:

Print Name

Signature Date

INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

EXECUTIVE ORDER 12372

This program falls under the rubric of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive order is to strengthen federalism--or the distribution of responsibility between localities, States, and the Federal government--by fostering intergovernmental partnerships. This idea includes supporting processes that State or local governments have devised for coordinating and reviewing proposed Federal financial grant applications.

The process for doing this requires grant applicants to contact State Single Points of Contact for information on how this works. Multi-state applicants should follow procedures specific to each state. Further information about the State Single Point of Contact process and a list of names by State can be found at:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/SPOC-list-as-of-2023.pdf

For State specific State review programs, applicants may submit comments directly to the Department. All recommendations and comments must be mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in the actual application notice to the following address: The Secretary, EO 12372--CFDA# 84.031K, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 7E200, Washington, DC 20202.

Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as applications (see 34 CFR §75.102). Recommendations or comments may be hand-delivered until 4:30:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on the closing date indicated in this notice.

Important note: The above address is not the same address as the one to which the applicant submits its completed applications. Do not send applications to the above address.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR STANDARD FORMS

To obtain instructions for standard forms included in this application package, please visit https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.