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U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Education

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- Who is eligible to apply?
- Can students apply for a grant under this program?
- Under the Basic Needs Program, can we provide transportation reimbursement for unpaid interns?
- Are consortiums of 2 or more community colleges eligible to apply, or does it need to be a single institution? 
- What file types can I upload to grants.gov?
- Are subawards/subgrants allowable?
- Can funds be used to construct a dorm or other type of residence for students? 
- Can an IHE submit more than one application.
- Are indirect costs allowed?
- Is direct student aid included in MTDC (modified total direct cost)?
- Can we purchase a refrigerator for food for participants?
- Can we purchase hot food?
- Can we use funds to attend professional conferences?
- Can we use funds to purchase professional organization membership?
- Can we purchase laptops and hotspots?
- Can we provide scholarships to students?
- Can we provide scholarships to undocumented students?
- Can we use funds to renovate or conduct construction?
- Can Basic Needs funds be utilized to pay for textbook/supplies vouchers?
- Can staff shirts with the program logo be purchased?
- Is the purchase of nap pods allowable?
- Is the purchase of work supplies, such as work boots allowable?
- Are finish line grants allowable for students in their final semester trying to graduate but cannot because they cannot pay their graduation  balance?
- Can I purchase scientific calculators for eligible students with funds from my Basic Needs grant?
- Is the payment of security deposits, application fees, and basic furniture for eligible students allowed to support students with housing?
- Can we provide stipends to students to pay for dependent care items like diapers, wipes, formula/adult supplemental nutritional drinks?  

Any Community College (as defined in the Notice Inviting Applications) and 2- and 4-year public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (as defined in the Notice Inviting Applications), Tribal Colleges and Universities (as defined in the Notice Inviting Applications), and other Minority-Serving Institutions (as defined in the Notice Inviting Applications).

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No. Only eligible Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) are eligible to apply.

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It is best to provide transportation stipends which are allowable.

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A single institution must apply as the lead institution. Eligible institutions, however, may partner with other institutions.

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In years past, only .pdf documents were accepted here at the Department of Education. Now, it is acceptable to upload Microsoft Word documents, as well as .pdf documents. 

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A grantee under this competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application.  Partnerships can be in the form of MOUs, contracts, etc. and be paid on a reimbursement basis. If partnership entities are not named within a grantee’s application for funding, grantees must follow their own procurement procedures and those outlined in 2 CFR Part 200 when procuring goods and services for the purposes of their Basic Needs grant.

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No. Grantees are prohibited from using Basic Needs funding for the acquisition of real property or construction under 34 CFR § 75.533. However, examples of the resources and services that could be provided using Basic Needs funds include housing voucher application assistance and other services to secure temporary housing for students. 

*Projects must also satisfy the absolute priorities as stated in the Notice Inviting Applications. Activities must directly align with project objectives and adhere to applicable EDGAR and Uniform Guidance citations that govern the program.*

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No, IHEs may only submit one application. If more than one is submitted, only the latest submission will be reviewed. 

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This program uses an unrestricted indirect cost rate.  For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.

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*No. MTDC excludes direct student aid which falls under “participant support costs.”*

2CFR 200.68MTDC means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may only be excluded when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs.

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Yes, funds could be used to purchase a refrigerator to store food as part of a system to provide food assistance to students, so long as the underlying costs of the refrigerator are reasonable.

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Yes, for program activities.

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This may be allowable only if it directly supports an objective of the grant. Please work with your assigned Program Specialist to determine allowability.

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This may be allowable only if it directly supports an objective of the grant. Please work with your assigned Program Specialist to determine allowability.

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Yes, laptops may be purchased as technology to support students’ basic needs.

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No, the purpose of the program is to provide: (1) Food assistance.(2) Housing.(3) Transportation.(4) Health, including physical health, mental health, and behavioral health and trauma.(5) Access to on-campus Child care.(6) Technology.

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No. Under HEA section 741(d)(1), no funds provided under FIPSE can be used for direct financial assistance in the form of grants or scholarships to students who don’t meet Title IV eligibility requirements. Because DACA students do not meet Title IV eligibility requirements, funds appropriated under FIPSE (including the Basic Needs program) cannot be used to provide them with financial assistance in the form of grants or scholarships.

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There is a general prohibition on construction for Departmental grants under 34 CFR § 75.533, and the Basic Needs program does not specifically authorize construction or contain language that would overcome this provision. Thus, the restriction in 34 CFR § 75.533 stands.  Minor renovation of existing spaces, however, is allowable. Minor remodeling means minor alterations in a previously completed building. The term also includes the extension of utility lines, such as water and electricity, from points beyond the confines of the space in which the minor remodeling is undertaken but within the confines of the previously completed building. 

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No, textbook/supplies vouchers are not within the scope of Basic needs. The purpose of the grant is to address:- Food assistance. 
- Temporary housing. 
- Transportation. 
- Health, including access to mental health support. 
- On-campus childcare.
- Dependent care. 
- Technology. 
- And other basic needs for students

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Yes, the purchase of shirts/sweaters could be allowable program outreach under 2 CFR 200.421.

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Yes, this would assist in addressing the physical health of participants. Please ensure that costs are reasonable per 2 CRF. 200.404.

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No, work supplies are not within the scope of Basic needs. The purpose of the grant is to address:- Food assistance. 
- Temporary housing. 
- Transportation. 
- Health, including access to mental health support. 
- On-campus childcare. 
- Dependent care. 
- Technology. 
- And other basic needs for students

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No, subgrants or tuition assistance is not allowed under the BN program.

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Yes, the purchase of scientific calculators falls under the scope of “technology” to assist students’ basic needs.

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Yes, these expenses are allowed under programs designed to support students with temporary housing and securing sleeping arrangements. 

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To avoid scrutiny and maintain transparency, grantees should provide those items directly to students via a supply bank, pantry or other form of distribution.  It would be difficult to confirm that stipends are used for their intended purposes. 

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