NOTICE FOR ALL APPLICANTS: EQUITY FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER PROGRAM 

BENEFICIARIES (OMB Control Number 1894-0005)

Form Overview:

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) has updated its standard form, NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS:

EQUITY FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES, used by applicants seeking 

Federal assistance under the Department’s grant programs to address the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) 

Section 427 (20 U.S.C. 1228a) requirements effective April 3, 2023. 

GEPA Section 427 requires that applicants, based on the design of their proposed grant project, the participants, and 

community the project proposes to serve, and local circumstances, determine the extent to which identified barriers 

prevent equitable access to or participation in their federal grant projects. 

The updated GEPA Section 427 form is electronically integrated into the Grants.gov system, and applicants are

generally no longer required to upload a separate PDF document but will electronically complete and submit the form 

with the application package in Grants.gov. 

Form Instructions: 

• Applicants may identify any barriers that may impede equitable access and participation in the proposed project or 

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 not required to have mission statements or policies that align with equity in order to submit an 

application. 

• Applicants may have already included some or all this required information in the narrative sections of their 

applications or their State Plans. In responding to this requirement, for each question, applicants may provide a 

cross-reference to the section(s) and page number(s) in their applications or State Plans that includes the 

information responsive to that question on this form or may restate that information on this form 

• Applicants must respond to each question using the associated text box. Each text box allows approximately 4000 

characters; therefore, if copying and pasting into the text box from another document be sure to check that 

everything copied. 

• Applicants should use the “check for errors” button before they save the form. Applicants will receive an error 

message if any response is missing and will not be able to submit the application due to the missing information. 

• Applicants that have already undertaken steps to address barriers must still provide an explanation and/or 

description of the steps already taken in each text box, as appropriate, to satisfy the GEPA Section 427 

requirement.

• Applicants that believe no barriers exist must still provide an explanation and/or description to each question to 

validate that perception, as appropriate, to satisfy the GEPA Section 427 requirement. 

Form Training:

Applicants may learn more about GEPA Section 427 and the form updates by participating in a 30-minute computerbased training titled, Ensuring Equitable Opportunities Under the GEPA Section 427, at Grants Training and 

Management Resources Online Grants Training Courses.