CFDA#
84.334A; 84.334S
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Funder Type
Federal Government
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IT Classification
B - Readily funds technology as part of an award
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Authority
Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)
Summary
The GEAR UP Program is a critical component of the Department's efforts to improve college access and completion for students who have been traditionally underrepresented (such as low-income and students with disabilities) in post-secondary education. The Department believes that GEAR UP projects can play an essential role in improving post-secondary outcomes of their participants by placing a greater emphasis on increasing readiness for success once students reach the post-secondary level.
The objectives of the GEAR UP Program are: (1) to increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education of participating students; (2) to increase the rate of high school graduation and participation in postsecondary education of participating students; and (3) to increase educational expectations for participating students and increase student and family knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing. GEAR UP grantees can improve college readiness by identifying at an early age students likely to be referred to remediation at the post-secondary level and by engaging in strategies to address their needs at the secondary level, limiting their need to take remedial courses in college.
GEAR UP offers two grants programs:
- State grants - Competitive six-year matching grants that must include both an early intervention component designed to increase college attendance and success and raise the expectations of low-income students and a scholarship component.
- Partnership grants - Competitive six-year matching grants that must support an early intervention component and may support a scholarship component designed to increase college attendance and success and raise the expectations of low-income students.
Note: This summary covers only the "Partnership grants".
For FY 2024, there are three competitive preference priorities for partnership grants.
- Competitive Preference 1: Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success. Projects that are designed to increase postsecondary access, affordability, completion, and success for underserved students by establishing a system of high-quality data collection and analysis, such as data on persistence, retention, completion, and post-college outcomes, for transparency, accountability, and institutional improvement.
- Competitive Preference 2: Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs. Projects that are designed to improve students' social, emotional, academic, and career development, with a focus on underserved students, through creating education or work-based settings that are supportive, positive, identity-safe and inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status, through developing trusting relationships between students (including underserved students), educators, families, and community partners.
- Competitive Preference 3: Moderate Evidence. Applications supported by evidence that meets the conditions in the definition of "moderate evidence," defined as evidence of effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to receive that component, based on a relevant finding. To address the priority, an applicant may submit up to two study citations that it believes supports the implementation of a GEAR UP authorized activity proposed in the application and that meet the moderate evidence standard.
History of Funding
In 2018, Partnership awards had $64,833,000 in funding. In 2021, Partnership awards had $35,617,582 in funding. Previous award information is available at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gearup/awards.html.
Additional Information
For partnership grantees, activities must include: providing financial aid information for post-secondary education, encouraging enrollment in rigorous and challenging coursework in order to reduce the need for remediation at the post-secondary level, and implementing activities to improve the number of participating students who obtain a secondary school diploma and who complete applications for and enroll in a program of post-secondary education.
Activities may also include: mentoring, tutoring, supporting dual or concurrent enrollment programs that support participating students in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM); academic and career counseling; financial and economic literacy education; and exposure to college campuses.
The effectiveness of this program depends on the rate at which program participants complete high school and enroll in and complete a post-secondary education. Under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the department has developed the following performance measures to track progress toward achieving the program's goals:
- The percentage of GEAR UP students who pass Algebra 1 or its equivalent by the end of 9th grade.
- The percentage of GEAR UP students who graduate from high school. Note: For each GEAR UP project, the high school graduation rate is defined in the State's approved accountability plan under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA).
- The percentage of GEAR UP students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
- The percentage of GEAR UP students and former GEAR UP students who are enrolled in an IHE.
- The percentage of current GEAR UP students and former GEAR UP students who enrolled at an IHE and persisted to the second year of postsecondary education at the initial or a subsequent IHE.
Eligibility Details
Partnerships consisting of
- One or more local educational agencies (LEA), and
- One or more degree granting institutions of higher education (IHE).
Partnerships may include not less than two other community organizations or entities, such as businesses, professional organizations, State agencies, institutions or agencies sponsoring programs authorized under the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Program, or other public or private agencies or organizations
Deadline Details
Applications are to be submitted by May 7, 2024. A similar deadline is anticipated, biennially.
Award Details
The estimated funding available in 2024 for the GEAR UP Partnership awards is $40,000,000. Awards range from $100,000- $5,000,000 with an average award of $1,200,000. The maximum award is $800 per student per year. Up to 34 awards will be granted. The project period is either 72 months or 84 months. A cost-share of 50% is required (i.e. 1:1 match of non-federal funds for every federal dollar requested).
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