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Basic Needs for Postsecondary 

Students Program

Technical Assistance Webinar

December 7, 2023

Njeri Clark, Program Lead and 

Competition Manager

Njeri.Clark@ed.gov

202-453-6224
Today’s Agenda

• Purpose of today’s webinar

• Common Acronyms

• Overview of the Program

• Allowable and Unallowable Activities

• Compliance

• Project Director Role and Challenges

• Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

• Group discussion

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Purpose of 

today’s 

webinar

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Common Acronyms

DoEd or ED (U.S. Department of 

Education)

OPE- (Office of Postsecondary Education)

IS- (Institutional Service) Division within 

OPE

BN or Basic Needs (Basic Needs for 

Postsecondary Students Program – 84.116N)

FIPSE-(Fund for the Improvement of 

Postsecondary Education)

IHE (Institution of Higher Education)

GAN (Grant Award Notification)

CFR (Code of Federal Regulations)

HEPIS-(Higher Education 

Programs- Institutional Service)- Performance Report System

APR (Annual Performance 

Report)

IPR (Interim Performance 

Report)

OMB (Office of Management and 

Budget)

EDGAR (Education General 

Administrative Regulations)

PD (Project Director)

PO/PS (Program Officer or 

Program Specialist)

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Overview of the Program

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The Basic Needs Program is 

administered under FIPSE (Fund 

for the Improvement of 

Postsecondary Education). 

FIPSE is a program within 

Institutional Service (IS) within 

the Office of Postsecondary 

Education- one of the many 

principal offices within the U.S. 

Department of Education. We 

are located in Washington, DC at 

headquarters-LBJ Building. 

The Hispanic-Serving Institutions Division is a 

division within IS. We are made up of 6 

Program Specialists (Program Officers) and a 

Division Director-Dr. Stacey Slijepcevic. The 

Program Specialists manage comprehensive 

grant portfolios comprised of over 100 grants 

under various programs and locales. 

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Our mission is to 

support Institutions 

of Higher 

Education that are 

educating large 

numbers of 

underserved 

students in 

America.
Purpose of the Basic Needs Program

The Basic Needs for Postsecondary

Students Program provides grants to eligible 

institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support 

programs that address the basic needs of students 

and to report on practices that improve

outcomes for students.

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Program Facts

• Program was first funded in FY 2021.

• Since onset, 2 grant competitions and 1 “fund down the 

slate.” 

• No program-specific regulations

• Grants are front loaded

• 30 Active Grantees

• FY 23 Congressional Appropriation-$10,000,000 - 15,000,000

• New Competition expected Spring of 2024

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Allowable 

Activities

• supporting temporary housing and securing 

sleeping arrangements;

• minor renovation of existing spaces

• providing free or subsidized food; 

• providing access to (on-campus) childcare;

• conducting outreach to students to encourage 

participation in basic needs programs and services; 

• helping eligible students apply for and enroll in 

local, State, and Federal public assistance programs; 

• coordinating and collaborating with government 

and community-based organizations.

• personnel expenses

• supplies

• indirect costs (unrestricted rate)

• evaluation 

• And other activities to support the basic needs of 

students

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Unallowable 

activities

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Construction

Hiring activities that are Conflicts of Interest 

For new BN grantees (those funded in FY 2024), 

students’ childcare expenses to off-campus 

providers (only on-campus childcare allowed)

Activities that are not directly tied to basic, 

immediate, and necessary supports for students

Subgrants

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Office of Postsecondary Education 11
There are no program-specific regulations for the BN Program yet.

 a. Title VIII, Section 873 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 

Act of 2021-2023

 The Education Department General Administrative Regulations 

(EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. 

 b. The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Government-wide Debarment 

and Suspension- 2CFR 180, as adopted and amended in 2 CFR part 

3474.

 c. The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and 

Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted 

and amended in 2 CFR part 3474. Uniform Guidance

 GAN Attachments
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Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit 

Requirements for Federal Awards
Office of Postsecondary Education 14
Office of Postsecondary Education 15
Regulations

(Parts 75 

and 86) to 

review 

include but 

are not 

limited to:

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Audits

Conflict of Interest

Compensation

Grant close out

Equipment

Financial Management

Internal Controls

Records Management

Subgrants, contracts, and other agreements with faith-based 

organizations

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention

Administrative Requirements for Grantees 
Office of Postsecondary Education 17
Grant Award Notification (GAN) Attachments

• The G5 Payment Module

• Financial and Performance 

Reports

• Overview of Single Audit 

Requirements

• Approval of Program Income

• Trafficking in Persons

• Reporting Prime Awardee 

Executive Compensation 

Data

• Specific Conditions for 

Disclosing Federal Funding in 

Public Announcements

• Prohibition of Text Messaging 

and Emailing While Driving 

During Official Federal Grant 

Business

• Registration of DUNS 

Number in SAM

• System for Award 

Management (SAM) 

Requirements

• Memorandum Regarding the 

Use of Grant Funds for 

Meetings and Conferences

• Responsibilities Associated 

with Managing Federal Funds

• Financial Management 

System Requirements

• Cash Drawdowns from the G5 

Grants System

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As Project Director, 

you should...

• Feel comfortable overseeing the 

entire grant project (staff, 

implementation, etc.).

• Become knowledgeable of grant 

regulations and protocols.

• Develop an Internal Controls Manual 

specific to the grant award.

• Manage all equipment properly. See 

Cost Principle 200.313.

• Complete Annual Performance 

Report when required.

• Request prior approval from your ED 

Program Specialist when required.

• Oversee grant evaluation. See CFR 

75.590 -75.592.

• Train all grant staff and ensure 

Internal Controls Manual is 

accessible.

• Manage budget and keep up to date.

• Maintain communication with your 

assigned ED Program Specialist.

• Perform close out activities at the 

end of the performance period. See 

Cost Principles 200.344-200.345. 19
Internal Controls Manual 

(SOPs) for Federal Grant P116N21XXXX

U.S. Department of Education

Table of Contents

 PROJECT 

ABSTRACT.......................................................1

 ORGANIZATION AND 

PERSONNEL....................................................2

 DIRECTORY OF PERSONNEL..........................4

 BASIC NEEDS PROGRAM POLICIES AND 

UNIFORM GUIDANCE.....................................5

 DEPT. OF EDUCATION PERFORMANCE 

REPORTS........................................................6

 JOB DESCRIPTIONS

 -Associate Program 

Manager..................................................7

 -Activity Director 

................................................................9

 -Administrative 

Assistant...................................................14

 -Project. 

Director....................................................19

 -Technology/Web 

Assistant................................................24

 -Studio Classroom 

Specialist................................................29

 -Systems Research Analyst ....................34

 Monthly Progress 

Report....................................................42

 Staff Time & Effort Report ......................44

 Title V Undergraduate Time & Effort 

Report.....................................................45

 Peer Mentor Time & Effort 

Report.....................................................46

• HIRING PROCESS ...................................................47

• Faculty ........................................................47

• Students........................................................48

• Personnel Status Form ...................................50

• Student Employment Form............................51

• W-4 Form................................................................52

• I-9 Form..................................................................53

• PROCEDURES FOR EXPENDITURES .......................55

• Purchase Requisitions ...................................58

• Check Requests .................. .........................59

• Check Request Form .....................................60

• Purchase Order Form ....................................61

• EQUIPMENT 

MANAGEMENT.........................................................62

• Equipment Inventory Form ...........................63

• Equipment Inventory Record .........................64

• TRAVEL REGULATION AND POLICY........................65

• Travel Request /Reimbursement Form .........66

• STIPENDS................................................................67

• Stipend Request Form.............................................68

• W-9 Form ................................................................69

SAMPLE
Performance 

Reports

• Annual Performance Report (APR)

• Due each year (at the end of years 1, 2, and 

3)

• System expected to open in Feb or March 

of 2024

• Training for Project Directors will be 

conducted

• Project Director (as listed in G5) will be sent 

an email with link to login along with UN 

and PW

• Usually due in 90 days

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Prior 

Approvals

• Budget modifications: The 10% rule applies. See 2CFR 

200.308. If you want to move money from one line item to 

another and the amount is greater than 10% of your 

annual budget, you must get approval from your assigned 

ED Program Specialist. If the amount is less than 10%, 

approval is not needed, but the PD should send an updated 

budget to the ED Program Specialist for the records. 

• Project Director changes: To change the Project Director 

or Co-PD or to change the level of effort for the PD, please 

send a formal request on President's office’s (or equivalent 

office) letterhead explaining why the change needs to be 

made and if a new PD is being requested, the letter should 

state who the new PD is and how the credentials are 

comparable to the former PD. The resume or CV for the 

new PD should be attached. 

• Change to scope and objectives

• No cost extensions

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Increased probability of flaws in 

the project design if application 

was not written in-house

Lack of program-specific 

regulations and lack of 

understanding of Dept. of ED 

policies and regs

Poor management of the grant 

project (high turnover, delays in 

hiring of PD, etc.)

Delays in implementation

Virtual environment

Communication with and 

clarifying expectations with the 

team and/or other departments

Lack of buy-in from the 

administration

Sustainability/institutionalization

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Challenges for BN

Project Directors
Visit 

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/basicneed/index.html

regularly for updates and news.

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Group 

Discussion:

What are some 

best practices, 

challenges, and 

trends?

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