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- What is the purpose of the PSSG program?
- Who is eligible to apply?
- How do I know if my IHE meets the Title III or Title V requirement?
- For public systems of higher education institutions who want to apply, do they have to include in their application an IHE that was designated as eligible under the HEA titles III and V programs?
- Can applicants partner with other non-eligible institutions?
- We are currently a grantee of another Title III/V program. Are we eligible to apply for PSSG?
- If we apply to PSSG and receive the grant, would that eliminate the option to also apply to/receive funding under another Title III/V grant program?
- What is the difference between absolute and competitive preference priorities?
- Must an IHE meet both absolute and competitive preference priorities?
- What are the evidence tiers for the absolute priorities and what criteria are considered?
- Regarding the evidence, in the NIA, it says to use the WWC 4.1 handbooks, but the website has a more current 5.0 handbook. What do you recommend we use?
- Can an IHE submit multiple applications?
- If an application is judged not to meet the “standards of evidence” required for Mid- Phase/Expansion grants (moderate/strong evidence), will it be considered for an early phase grant? 
- Is an independent evaluator a requirement?
- Can the independent evaluator be paid using grant funds?
- Will there be a pre-application technical assistance webinar?
- Will the Department provide grantees with technical assistance?
- Is there a minimum number of students that the intervention must impact?
- What are the performance measures that the applicant must propose and report on? 
- What reporting requirements are there for this program?
- Are the stated dollar amounts for each award in the NIA the amounts per year or over the length of the grant?
- Can grant funds be used to pay:
- Is there a matching requirement for this Program?
- Can the matching requirement be waived?
- When will applicants be notified of whether they will be awarded a grant?
- When are grantees projected to begin grant activities?
- How long should the abstract be?
- Are the absolute and competitive preference priorities included as part of the recommended page limit?
- Does everything have to be double-spaced and 12-point font?
- Is it acceptable to use the landscape orientation for the tables that address the design, management plan, and logic model?
- Are references included in the 30-page limit?
- Are letters of support required?
- Is there an expectation for the percentage of time expended by the Project Director? Generally, it is at least 5%, but this solicitation does not seem to have a requirement.

The purpose of PSSG is to equitably improve postsecondary student outcomes by leveraging data and implementing, scaling, and rigorously evaluating evidence-based activities to support data-driven decisions and actions by institutional leaders committed to inclusive student success. 

TOP

In this competition, eligibility is limited to:- Institutions designated as eligible to apply under Title III and Title V (including HBCUs, TCCUs, MSIs, and SIP-eligible institutions);
- Nonprofits that are not institutions of higher education (IHEs) or associated with an IHE in partnership with at least one eligible Title III/V IHE;
- States, in partnership with at least one eligible Title III/V IHE; and
- Public systems of higher education institutions.
 TOP3. How do I know if my IHE meets the Title III or Title V requirement?
To determine if your institution was deemed eligible for FY 2023, please visit, https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html.
 TOP4. For public systems of higher education institutions who want to apply, do they have to include in their application an IHE that was designated as eligible under the HEA titles III and V programs?
No.
 TOP5. Can applicants partner with other non-eligible institutions?
Yes, however the lead applicant must meet the eligibility requirements.
 TOP6. We are currently a grantee of another Title III/V program. Are we eligible to apply for PSSG?
Yes, you may have a Title III or Title V grant, and still be able to apply to PSSG provided you meet the program’s eligibility requirements.
 TOP7. If we apply to PSSG and receive the grant, would that eliminate the option to also apply to/receive funding under another Title III/V grant program?
No.
 TOP8. What is the difference between absolute and competitive preference priorities?
petitive preference priorities?Only applications that address one of the absolute priorities in the project design will be considered for funding. For the competitive preference priority (CPP), applications that successfully address the CPP in the project design may receive up to an additional six points during the review process. Please refer to the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for more details.
 TOP9. Must an IHE meet both absolute and competitive preference priorities?
Applicants to the FY 2023 PSSG program must choose one of the two absolute priorities and can only apply under one of them. Addressing the CPP is optional.
 TOP10. What are the evidence tiers for the absolute priorities and what criteria are considered?
Each of the absolute priorities require different evidence levels (as defined here) for proposed projects.

 

**Absolute Priority 1**

**Absolute Priority 2**

**Phase**

**Early Phase**

**Mid-Phase/****Expansion**

**Evidence    Tier**

Demonstrates a	      Rationale

Moderate Evidence or	      Strong Evidence

**Evidence    Requirement**

A key project component included in the    project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation findings that    suggest the project component is likely to improve student    retention and completion.

WWC Practice Guide Reporting Strong or Moderate evidence base for corresponding recommendation.

WWC Intervention Report reporting a “positive    effect” or “potentially positive effect” on a relevant outcome based on a “medium to large” extent of    evidence, with no reporting of a “negative    effect” or “potentially negative effect” on    a relevant outcome.

Evidence from at least    one well designed and well    implemented quasi-experimental or experimental    study.

**Logic Model    Required with Application**

Yes

Yes

**Minimum Evaluation Design for Project    Evaluation Proposed****by Applicant**

Quasi-experimental

Experimental

**Evaluation Design Must Meet WWC Standards**

With or Without reservations

Without reservations
 TOP11. Regarding the evidence, in the NIA, it says to use the WWC 4.1 handbooks, but the website has a more current 5.0 handbook. What do you recommend we use?
The Department will use Version 4.1 WWC standards to assess studies cited as Moderate Evidence or Strong Evidence for Absolute Priority 2 and that were not previously reviewed by the WWC. The newer version 5.0 standards are similar to version 4.1 standards. Applicants may want to plan evaluations aligned with version 5.0 standards, as those are more likely to be in use when evaluation findings would become available for WWC review.
 TOP12. Can an IHE submit multiple applications?
Each applicant may submit only one application.
 TOP13. If an application is judged not to meet the “standards of evidence” required for Mid- Phase/Expansion grants (moderate/strong evidence), will it be considered for an early phase grant? 
No. An application will only be considered for funding under the absolute priority for which the applicant indicates it is applying.
 TOP14. Is an independent evaluator a requirement?
Yes.
 TOP15. Can the independent evaluator be paid using grant funds?
Yes.
 TOP16. Will there be a pre-application technical assistance webinar?
Yes. Currently, two pre-application webinars are scheduled for:- Tuesday, 8/15, 2:00-3:00 PM EDT, and
- Thursday, 8/31, 2:00-3:00 PM EDT
Individuals who wish to receive the link to these webinars, should complete the pre-registration form at https://forms.office.com/g/sH4HdNVztp
 TOP17. Will the Department provide grantees with technical assistance?
Yes, the Department will provide grantees and their independent evaluators with technical assistance in their evaluation, dissemination, scaling, and sustainability efforts.
 TOP18. Is there a minimum number of students that the intervention must impact?
There is no minimum sample size requirement for early phase grants. For mid-phase/expansion grants, the project must be implemented on at least two campuses of a single institution or serve at least 2,000 students.
 TOP19. What are the performance measures that the applicant must propose and report on? 
 Applicants must report on the program performance measures, as specified in the NIA, and propose project-specific measures that are based on the specific intervention used.
 TOP20. What reporting requirements are there for this program?
Grantees will be required to submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information. At the end of the four-year project period, grantees must submit a final performance report including financial information. 
 TOP21. Are the stated dollar amounts for each award in the NIA the amounts per year or over the length of the grant?
The amount listed in the NIA is for 48 months or 4 years.- AP1--Early-Phase
Maximum Amount of Award: $4,000,000
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,000,000

- AP2—Mid/Expansion Phase
Maximum Amount of Award: $8,000,000
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $7,000,000

 TOP22. Can grant funds be used to pay:- Student stipends?
Yes.

- Student vouchers for bus passes, groceries, childcare, or other uses?
Yes.

- Laboratory equipment?
Yes.

- New Construction?
No.

- Data Collection?
Yes.

- Independent Evaluation?
Yes.

Applicants should note that for the above approved expenditures, use of these funds must be directly tied to a key project component.
 TOP23. Is there a matching requirement for this Program?
Yes, each grant recipient must provide, from Federal, State, local, or private sources, an amount equal to or exceeding 10 percent of funds requested under the grant, which may be provided in cash or through in-kind contributions, to carry out activities supported by the grant. Applicants must include a budget showing their matching contributions to the budget amount requested of PSSG funds.
 TOP24. Can the matching requirement be waived?
Yes, institutions seeking to waive the matching requirement must provide the outlined waiver request information within their application. Please refer to the NIA for more details.
 TOP25. When will applicants be notified of whether they will be awarded a grant?
December 2023.
 TOP26. When are grantees projected to begin grant activities?
January 2024. 
 TOP27. How long should the abstract be?
Typically abstracts are one (1) page.
 TOP28. Are the absolute and competitive preference priorities included as part of the recommended page limit?
Yes.
 TOP29. Does everything have to be double-spaced and 12-point font?
No, only the project narrative and responses to the chosen absolute priority and CPP, if addressed, must be double-spaced and 12-point font. The abstract, charts, tables, logic model, and other attachments may be single-spaced and 12-point font. Citations, footnotes, and references do not have to be double- spaced or 12-point font.
 TOP30. Is it acceptable to use the landscape orientation for the tables that address the design, management plan, and logic model?
Yes. Applications will not be ineligible due to formatting issues.
 TOP31. Are references included in the 30-page limit?
No, references should be in a separate attachment as stated in the application booklet.
 TOP32. Are letters of support required?
They are not required but if you consider them important to your proposed grant, you can add them under “Other” attachments.
 TOP33. Is there an expectation for the percentage of time expended by the Project Director? Generally, it is at least 5%, but this solicitation does not seem to have a requirement.
We do not determine the time and effort of directors. You should set the percentage based on what you deem appropriate and explain why.
 TOP  Last Modified: 11/17/2023