Application for Grants under the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act 2019 Programs

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20202

Fiscal Year 2025

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS UNDER THE

Historically black colleges and universities (hbcu) programs

FOR

TITLE III, PART B AND PART F

(ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBERS: 84.031B and 84.031E)

Form Approved: OMB No. 1840-0113

Expires: XX/XX/XXXX

Table of Contents

Paperwork Burden Statement 3

Dear Applicant Letter 4

FY 2025 Application Highlights 5

Authorizing Legislation, Regulations, and Guidance 9

Supplemental Information 10

Intergovernmental Review: Executive Order 12372 12

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427 13

Performance Indicators 14

Section I: Phase I – Data Worksheet 16

Section II: Phase II – Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) Instructions 18

Important Dates to Remember 20

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants 21

Application Transmittal Instructions 25

Instructions for Standard Forms 26

Paperwork Burden Statement

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 1840-0113.  Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 28 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 §608.3) 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.]

DEAR APPLICANT LETTER

U NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a new grant under the Title III Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Programs. The HBCU Programs provide grants to institutions of higher education legally designated as a historically Black college or university (Section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)). The purpose of the HBCU grant programs, Title III, Part B and Part F, is to assist institutions in strengthening their academic, administrative, and fiscal capabilities as authorized under the HEA. Additional information about the legislation and regulations governing the HBCU Programs can be accessed from the following website:

• Title III Part B, Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program | U.S. Department of Education.

The fiscal year (FY) 2025 application package is for new awards under the Title III Strengthening HBCU Program for the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act Program (ALN No. 84.031E) authorized by Title III, Part F, Section 371 of the HEA.

A link to the statute and regulations for this program and 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 FY 2025 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: Formula Data must be submitted by February 28, 2025

• Phase II: HBCU applicants must fully complete the application package, including a new Comprehensive Development Plan, required forms and assurances. All required documents must be submitted in Grants.gov by June 30, 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Lawrence at [email protected] or 202-453-7821. We appreciate your continued interest in the HBCU Programs and look forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely,

Nasser H. Paydar

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education

FY 2025 APPLICATION HIGHLIGHTS

The duration of the new grant period is five years and shall begin on October 1, 2025, and end on September 30, 2030. Funds are awarded to eligible institutions as discretionary or mandatory grants, with appropriated amounts determined by a formula calculation, based on three figures provided to the U.S. Department of Education (Department) annually by each eligible institution:

1. The number of Pell Grant recipients in the most recent academic year, as a proportion of the total number of such recipients at all eligible institutions (50 percent weight);

2. The number of graduates in the most recent academic year, as a proportion of the total number of graduates at all eligible institutions (25 percent weight); and

3. The proportion of graduates for the past five years that have gone on to graduate or professional schools, in degree programs in disciplines in which Blacks are underrepresented, divided by the aggregate proportion across all eligible institutions (25 percent weight).

In addition, two minima are established. If the amount determined by the formula is greater than $250,000 but less than $500,000, the institution is awarded $500,000, and if the amount determined by the formula is less than $250,000, the institution is awarded $250,000.

The Application Package is divided into two parts, Phase I and Phase II. Phase I is the individual institution data collection, which is required to calculate awards for both HBCU Programs, Part B (discretionary) and Part F (mandatory) funding. Phase II is the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) that addresses the funding. You will find information regarding what goes into the CDP further in this document. Additionally, the CDP should include a one-page project abstract.

The legislatively allowable activities for the Title III, Part B (ALN: 84.031B), Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program, Sections 321-327 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1060-1063c), are as follows:

§1062. Grants to institutions

(a) General authorization; uses of funds

From amounts available under section 1068h(a)(2) of this title for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall make grants (under section 1063 of this title) to institutions which have applications approved by the Secretary (under section 1063a of this title) for any of the following uses:

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. Support of faculty exchanges, and faculty development and faculty fellowships to assist in attaining advanced degrees in their field of instruction.

4. Academic instruction in disciplines in which Black Americans are underrepresented.

5. Purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials, including telecommunications program materials.

6. Tutoring, counseling, and student service programs designed to improve academic success.

7. Funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management.

8. Joint use of facilities, such as laboratories and libraries.

9. Establishing or improving a development office to strengthen or improve contributions from alumni and the private sector.

10. Establishing or enhancing a program of teacher education designed to qualify students to teach in a public elementary or secondary school in the State that shall include, as part of such program, preparation for teacher certification.

11. Establishing community outreach programs which will encourage elementary and secondary students to develop the academic skills and the interest to pursue postsecondary education.

12. Acquisition of real property in connection with the construction, renovation, or addition to or improvement of campus facilities.

13. 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 of this chapter and part C of subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42.

14. 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.

15. Other activities proposed in the application submitted pursuant to section 1063a of this title 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.

(b) Endowment fund

1. In general

An institution may use not more than 20 percent of the grant funds provided under this part to establish or increase an endowment fund at the institution.

2. Matching requirement

In order to be eligible to use grant funds in accordance with paragraph (1), the eligible institution shall provide matching funds from non-Federal sources, in an amount equal to or greater than the Federal funds used in accordance with paragraph (1), for the establishment or increase of the endowment fund.

3. Comparability

The provisions of part C of this subchapter regarding the establishment or increase of an endowment fund, that the Secretary determines are not inconsistent with this subsection, shall apply to funds used under paragraph (1).

(c) Limitations

1. No grant may be made under this chapter and part C of subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 for any educational program, activity, or service related to sectarian instruction or religious worship, or provided by a school or department of divinity. For the purpose of this subsection, the term "school or department of divinity" means an institution whose program is specifically for the education of students to prepare them to become ministers of religion or to enter upon some other religious vocation, or to prepare them to teach theological subjects.

2. Not more than 50 percent of the allotment of any institution may be available for the purpose of constructing or maintaining a classroom, library, laboratory, or other instructional facility.

The legislatively allowable activities for the Title III, Part F (ALN: 84.031E), Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program, Section 371 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1067q), are as follows:

§1067q. Investment in historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions

(b)(2)(C) Allocation and allotment HBCUS and PBIS

From the amount made available for allocation under this subparagraph by subparagraph (A)(ii) for any fiscal year-

(i) 85 percent shall be available to eligible institutions described in subsection (a)(1) and shall be made available as grants under section 1062 of this title and allotted among such institutions under section 1063 of this title, treating such amount, plus the amount appropriated for such fiscal year in a regular or supplemental appropriation Act to carry out part B of this subchapter, as the amount appropriated to carry out part B of this subchapter for purposes of allotments under section 1063 of this title, for use by such institutions with a priority for-

(I) activities described in paragraphs (1), (2), (4), (5), and (10) of section 1062(a) of this title:

(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.

(4) Academic instruction in disciplines in which Black Americans are underrepresented.

(5) Purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials, including telecommunications program materials.

(10) Establishing or enhancing a program of teacher education designed to qualify students to teach in a public elementary or secondary school in the State that shall include, as part of such program, preparation for teacher certification; and

(II) other activities, consistent with the institution's comprehensive plan and designed to increase the institution's capacity to prepare students for careers in the physical or natural sciences, mathematics, computer science or information technology or sciences, engineering, language instruction in the less-commonly taught languages or international affairs, or nursing or allied health professions.

ATTENTION: NEW SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

1. All HBCU 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 HBCU program staff. Grants.gov customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, excluding federal holidays, at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected] or access Grants.gov Applicant Support at grants.gov/support/.

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 is due to [email protected] by February 28, 2025.

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 June 30, 2025.

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS, AND GUIDANCE

During a new grant cycle, institutions submitting applications for the HBCU grant programs are required to submit a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) in accordance with Title III 34 CFR §608.21. The CDP is detailed in the Phase II process outlined further in the application. The legislation and regulations governing the HBCU program are listed below.

Authorizing Legislation

• Title III, Part B, Sections 321-327 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1060-1063c)

• Title III, Part F, Section 371 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1067q)

Applicable Regulations

• 34 CFR Part 608

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

Guidance

• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Grants Management Circulars

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

1. The Application Package

The application package is a compilation of the Project Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), the Activity 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 be aware of the recommended page limit. The total recommended page limit for a grant application under the HBCU program is 40 pages. This page limit applies to the Project Plan, which is the CDP, and its components, which are the Activity 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 adhere to the following format instructions:

• Type all narratives in font size 12, double-spaced (except as outlined below).

• 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. 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 Assistance (SF 424) and Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424

2. Table of Contents

3. Project Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP)

• Activity Abstracts

• 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 (20 USC §1063c)

When you receive a new grant award under Title III, Part B or Part F, you are required to submit an interim (first six months of your project) performance report. You are also required to submit annual performance reports for each year during the funding cycle (including any time extensions) using the Institutional Service Annual Performance Report website for Title III and Title V grantees. This online system collects narratives and data about funded projects to enable Department program specialists 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/main.

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: 202-453-7907

Email: [email protected]

Wendy B. Lawrence, M. Ed.

Program Manager for HBCU Programs

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) 453-7821

Email: [email protected]

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--ALN# 84.031B/E, 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.

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 and Part F, HBCU programs?

The performance indicators for the Title III, Part B and Part F, HBCU programs are in alignment with the Department’s Strategic 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.

HBCU Program GPRA Measures

Objective 1: Increase the persistence rate for students enrolled at HBCUs.

Measure 1.1: Persistence Rate - Four-year institutions: The persistence rate of first-time full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students at four-year institutions who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same Historically Black College and University institution.

Measure 1.2: Persistence Rate - Two-year institutions: The persistence rate of first-time full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students at two-year institutions who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same Historically Black College and University institution.

Objective 2: Increase the graduation rate for students enrolled at HBCUs.

Measure 2.1: Graduation Rate - Two-year institutions: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at two-year Historically Black Colleges and Universities who graduate within four three years of enrollment.

Measure 2.2: Graduation Rate - Four-year institutions: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at four-year Historically Black Colleges and Universities who graduate within six years of enrollment.

Objective 3: Increase enrollment at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) over the long term.

Measure 3.1: The percentage change, over the five-year grant period, of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

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.

The most recent version of this program’s annual performance report can be viewed at the Institutional Service Annual Performance Report website: https://hepis.ed.gov/.

OMB No. 1840-0113

Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

FY 2025 HBCU Phase I Data Worksheet Page 1 of 2

SECTION I

PHASE I – DATA WORKSHEET (FY 2025)

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCU) PROGRAMS

For the Department to determine the level of funding for an institution, the information below is required. Please refer to the program regulations 34 CFR – Section §608.31 for additional information.

NOTE: This form 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 Department will not accept any other versions of this form. The data will be used to formulate your fiscal year (FY) 2025 Title III, Part B (HBCU), and Part F (FUTURE Act) award allocations.

NAME OF INSTITUTION:

CITY: STATE:

Please review the HBCU regulations Part 34 CFR – §608.31 for information required in columns B and C.

YEAR OF GRADUATION FROM UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL	TOTAL NUMBER OF GRADUATES IN THE UNDERGRADUATE CLASS (Associate or Baccalaureate Degree)	STUDENTS ADMITTED TO AND IN ATTENDANCE AT A GRADUATE OR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL IN A DEGREE PROGRAM IN DISCIPLINES IN WHICH BLACKS ARE UNDERREPRESENTED
(A)	(B)	(C)
Year 1 - 2020
Year 2 - 2021
Year 3 - 2022
Year 4 - 2023
Year 5 - 2024
TOTALS

OMB No. 1840-0113

Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

FY 2025 HBCU Phase I Data Worksheet Page 2 of 2

PHASE I FORMULA GRANT DATA WORKSHEET (FY 2025)

1. Number of Pell Grant recipients attending the applicant institution during the school year immediately preceding the beginning of the fiscal year in which the applicant applies for a grant (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024).

1. _______________________

2. Number of graduates of the applicant institution during the school year immediately preceding the beginning of the fiscal year in which the applicant applies for a grant. Enter the total from Year 5, Column B (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024) below. Part 34 CFR §608.4 defines “graduates” as a student who has attended an institution for at least three semesters and fulfilled academic requirements for undergraduate studies in not more than five consecutive school years.

2. _______________________

3. Enter the total from Column B, Years 1-5 (graduation years 2020-24) below. Please verify that it is correct.

3. _______________________

4. Enter the total from Column C, Years 1-5 (graduation years 2020-24) below. Do not count a student attending graduate school for more than one reporting year. Please verify that it is correct.

4. _______________________

PLEASE USE THE FORMULA ABOVE TO CALCULATE THE TOTALS FOR ITEMS 3 AND 4. ALSO, AS A CHECKPOINT, THE TOTAL IN ITEM 3 SHOULD BE LARGER THAN THE TOTAL IN ITEM 4. SEE SECTION §608.31(B)(1).

I attest to the accuracy of the data provided within this form.

President/Chancellor Name (print):

President/Chancellor Signature:

Date:

WARNING: Any person who knowingly makes a false statement or misrepresentation on this form is subject to penalties, which may include fines, imprisonment, or both, under the United States Criminal Code and 20 U.S.C. 1097.

SECTION II

PHASE II – COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (CDP) INSTRUCTIONS

Formatting

A “page” is “8.5 x 11,” on one side only, with 1” margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be within the 1” margin. Double-space all text in the application, including titles and headings. All text in charts, tables, graphs, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions may be single-spaced. Applicants may use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial, only. Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman Narrow and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted. Do not use anything smaller than a 12-point font.

The Secretary evaluates an application based on the applicant’s responses to the elements of the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) as defined in 34 CFR 608.21. To facilitate the review and approval of the application, the applicants CDP must clearly describe an institution’s strategy for achieving growth and self-sufficiency by strengthening its financial management and academic programs. The CDP must include the following:

1. An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the institution's financial management and academic programs.

2. A delineation of the institution's goals for its financial management and academic programs, based on the outcomes of the assessment described in paragraph (b)(1) of the §608.21.

3. A listing of measurable objectives designed to assist the institution to reach each goal with accompanying timeframes for achieving the objectives.

4. A description of methods, processes, and procedures 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.

5. Project administration as one of its proposed activities.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1063a).

When developing the institution’s CDP be sure to include the following:

• A PROJECT ABSTRACT – Provide a brief (one page) description that summarizes the institution’s proposed activities that it intends to implement over the five-year grant cycle. Each activity must be titled using the most relevant title from the list of legislatively allowable activities listed under General authorization; uses of funds on pages 5-6 of this package. In detail, describe the purpose of each activity.

• DESCRIBE AND DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR EACH PROPOSED ACTIVITY – For each proposed activity, applicants must state their annual objectives, which, when combined with their performance indicators, are specific, measurable, ambitious yet attainable, realistic with accompanying timeframes, and designed to assist the institution in achieving the goals developed in the plan.

• 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 objectives 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 objectives.

• 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 award’s first (initial) year of their proposed five-year project.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCU) PROGRAMS

FY 2025 Calendar for Phase I and Phase II Data

Dates	Activities
February 28, 2025	Phase I Data Due
March 28, 2025	Department will review and approve awards.
March 31, 2025	Award letters sent to institutions via email.
June 30, 2025	Phase II Due
August 1 – September 30, 2025	Program Specialists review submitted applications and budgets.
October 1, 2025	Funds are available in G5.

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 June 30, 2025.

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.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR STANDARD FORMS

To obtain instructions for standard forms included in this application package, please visit Grant Application and Other Forms | U.S. Department of Education