Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are four-year institutions of higher education (as defined in this notice) that are HBCUs (as defined in this notice), TCCUs (as defined in this notice), and MSIs (as defined in this notice). Eligible applicants may apply individually or as lead applicants of a consortium with other eligible applicants and/or other partners such as an institution of higher education with an R1 Carnegie Classification, community colleges, or non-profit, industry and philanthropic partners. The lead applicant must be an eligible applicant under the absolute priority under which it is applying.

Doctoral/Professional University means an institution that awarded at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees during the Carnegie Classification’s update year, as well as institutions that awarded fewer than 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees during that year but that awarded at least 30 professional practice doctoral degrees in at least 2 programs, and that expended less than $5 million in research.

Four-year institution of higher education means a postsecondary institution that offers programs of at least four years duration or one that offers programs at or above the baccalaureate level. This includes schools that offer postbaccalaureate certificates only or those that offer graduate programs only. It also includes free-standing medical, law, or other first-professional schools.

Historically Black College or University means an institution that meets the eligibility requirements under section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

Minority-Serving Institution means an institution that is eligible to receive assistance under sections 317 through 320 of part A of title III, or under title V of the HEA. Note: The list of institutions currently designated as eligible under titles III and V of the HEA is available at www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html#el-inst.

R1 is based on the Carnegie Classification category of the same name and means an institution that awarded at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees during the Carnegie Classification’s update year, as well as institutions that awarded fewer than 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees but that awarded at least 30 professional practice doctoral degrees in at least 2 programs, and had at least $5 million in total research expenditures as reported through the National Science Foundation Higher Education Research Development Survey (HERD). Additionally, the Carnegie Classifications developed two indices of research activity using (1) the aggregate level of research activity and (2) the per-capita research activity using the expenditure and staffing measures divided by the number of full-time faculty within the assistant, associate, and full professor ranks. These two indices were charted for each institution and assigned to one of two categories based on a common reference point (the minima of each scale). Institutions that are above the minima during the Carnegie Classification’s update year are considered R1.

R2 is based on the Carnegie Classification category of the same name and means an institution that awarded at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees during the Carnegie Classification’s update year, as well as institutions that awarded fewer than 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees but that awarded at least 30 professional practice doctoral degrees in at least 2 programs, and had at least $5 million in total research expenditures as reported through the National Science Foundation HERD. Additionally, the Carnegie Classifications developed two indices of research activity using (1) the aggregate level of research activity and (2) the per-capita research activity using the expenditure and staffing measures divided by the number of full-time faculty within the assistant, associate, and full professor ranks. These two indices were charted for each institution and assigned to one of two categories based on a common reference point (the minima of each scale). Institutions that are below the minima during the Carnegie Classification’s update year are considered R2.

Tribally Controlled College or University means an institution that meets the eligibility requirements of Section 316 of the HEA, namely one that qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978 or the Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978; or is cited in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land Grant Status Act of 1994.

This program requires cost sharing or matching for all applicants. Grantees will need to provide a 1:1 match, which can include in-kind donations. The goal of the match is to promote sustainability and alignment to the institution’s strategic plan. Full or partial waivers may be granted using the criteria below.

The Secretary may waive the matching requirement on a case-by-case basis upon showing any of the following exceptional circumstances, which we establish in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA:

• (1) The difficulty of raising matching funds for a program to serve a high poverty area in the lead applicant’s geographic location, defined as a Census tract, a set of contiguous Census tracts, an American Indian Reservation, Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Area (as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau), Alaska Native Village Statistical Area or Alaska Native Regional Corporation Area, Native Hawaiian Homeland Area, or other Tribal land or county that has a poverty rate of at least 25 percent as determined every 5 years using American Community Survey 5-Year data;
• (2) Serving a significant population of low-income students at the lead applicant location, defined as at least 50 percent (or the eligibility threshold for the appropriate institutional sector available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html#app) of degree-seeking enrolled students receiving need-based grant aid under Title IV of the HEA;
• (3) Significant economic hardship as demonstrated by low average educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent undergraduate student at the lead applicant institution, in comparison with the average educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent undergraduate student of institutions that offer similar instruction; or
• (4) Information that otherwise demonstrates a commitment to the long-term sustainability of the applicant’s projects, such as evidence of a consortium relationship with an R1 institution, a State bond, State matching, planning documents such as a campus plan, multi-year faculty hiring plan, support of industry, Federal grants received, or a demonstration of institutional commitment that may include commitment from the institution’s board.

Note: Institutions seeking to waive the matching requirement must provide the waiver request information outlined above within their application.

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