91708 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 224 / Wednesday, November 20, 2024 / Notices 

committees. The Commission’s duties 

are to advise the President, through the 

Secretary of Education, on matters 

pertaining to educational equity and 

economic opportunity for the Hispanic 

and Latino community in the following 

areas: (i) what is needed for the 

development, implementation, and 

coordination of educational programs 

and initiatives at the U.S. Department of 

Education (Department) and other 

agencies to improve educational 

opportunities and outcomes for 

Hispanics and Latinos; (ii) how to 

promote career pathways for in-demand 

jobs for Hispanic and Latino students, 

including registered apprenticeships, 

internships, fellowships, mentorships, 

and work-based learning initiatives; (iii) 

ways to strengthen the capacity of 

institutions, such as Hispanic-serving 

Institutions, to equitably serve Hispanic 

and Latino students and increase the 

participation of Hispanic and Latino 

students, Hispanic-serving school 

districts, and the Hispanic community 

in the programs of the Department and 

other agencies; (iv) how to increase 

public awareness of and generate 

solutions for the educational and 

training challenges and equity 

disparities that Hispanic and Latino 

students face and the causes of these 

challenges; and (v) approaches to 

establish local and national partnerships 

with public, private, philanthropic, and 

nonprofit stakeholders to advance the 

mission and objectives of this order, 

consistent with applicable law. Notice 

of this meeting is required by section 

1009(a)(2) of 5 U.S.C. chapter 10. 

Meeting Agenda: The agenda for the 

Commission meeting includes building 

upon conversations and information 

shared in the Commission’s seven prior 

meetings and continuing their 

engagement on advancing educational 

equity and economic opportunity for 

Hispanics. Specifically, during the 

meeting, the Commission will (1) 

receive updates and discuss 

recommendations from the 

Commission’s four subcommittees: 

Advancing PreK–12 Educational Equity; 

Advancing Higher Education and 

Hispanic Serving Institutions; 

Strengthening Economic Opportunity & 

Workforce Development; and 

Strengthening Public Partnerships and 

Public Awareness; and (2) hear 

presentations from federal and 

community leaders on topics related to 

Executive Order 14045. 

Access to the Meeting: Members of the 

public may register to attend the 

meeting virtually by accessing the link 

at https://sites.ed.gov/hispanicinitiative/ or emailing 

WhiteHouseHispanicInitiative@ed.gov 

by 5 p.m. EST on Tuesday, December 3, 

2024. Instructions on how to access the 

meeting will be emailed to members of 

the public that register to attend and 

will be posted to https://sites.ed.gov/ 

hispanic-initiative no later than 

Tuesday, December 3, 2024, by 6 p.m. 

EST. 

Public Comment: Written comments 

pertaining to the work of the 

Commission may be submitted 

electronically to 

WhiteHouseHispanicInitiative@ed.gov. 

Written comments related to the 

December 4, 2024 Commission meeting 

should be submitted by 5 p.m. EST on 

Tuesday, December 3, 2024. When 

submitting a written comment, please 

use the subject line ‘‘Written Comments: 

Public Comment’’ and include in the 

email the name(s), title, organizations/ 

affiliation, mailing address, email 

address, and telephone number of the 

person(s) making the comment. 

Comments should be submitted as a 

Microsoft Word document or in a 

medium compatible with Microsoft 

Word (not a PDF file) that is attached to 

the electronic mail message (email) or is 

provided in the body of an email 

message. Please do not send material 

directly to members of the Commission. 

Reasonable Accommodations: The 

meeting platform and access code are 

accessible to individuals with 

disabilities. If you will need an auxiliary 

aid or service for the meeting (e.g., 

interpreting service, assistive listening 

device, or materials in an alternate 

format), notify the contact person listed 

in this notice at least one week before 

the meeting date. Although we will 

attempt to meet a request received after 

that date, we may not be able to make 

available the requested auxiliary aid or 

service because of insufficient time to 

arrange it. 

Access to Records of the Meeting: The 

Department will post the official report 

of the meeting on the Commission’s 

website, at https://sites.ed.gov/hispanicinitiative/presidential-advisorycommission no later than 90 days after 

the meeting. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 

1009(b), the public may request to 

inspect records of the meeting, and 

other Commission records, at 400 

Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC, 

by emailing Emmanuel.Caudillo@ed.gov 

or by calling (202) 377–4988, to 

schedule an appointment. 

Electronic Access to this Document: 

The official version of this document is 

the document published in the Federal 

Register. Free internet access to the 

official edition of the Federal Register 

and the Code of Federal Regulations is 

available via the Federal Digital System 

at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you 

can view this document, as well as all 

other documents of this Department 

published in the Federal Register, in 

text or PDF. To use PDF, you must have 

Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 

available free at the site. You also may 

access documents of the Department 

published in the Federal Register by 

using the article search feature at: 

www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, 

through the advanced search feature at 

this site, you can limit your search to 

documents published by the 

Department. 

Authority: Executive Order 14045 

(September 13, 2021) and continued by 

Executive Order 14109 (September 29, 

2023). 

Alexis Barrett, 

Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2024–27089 Filed 11–19–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Applications for New Awards; Gaining 

Early Awareness and Readiness for 

Undergraduate Programs (Partnership 

Grants) 

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary 

Education, Department of Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) is issuing a notice inviting 

applications for new awards for fiscal 

year (FY) 2025 for the Gaining Early 

Awareness and Readiness for 

Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) 

Partnership Grants. 

DATES: 

Applications Available: November 20, 

2024. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: February 3, 2025. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: April 4, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for 

obtaining and submitting an 

application, please refer to our Common 

Instructions for Applicants to 

Department of Education Discretionary 

Grant Programs, published in the 

Federal Register on December 7, 2022 

(87 FR 75045) and available at 

www.federalregister.gov/documents/ 

2022/12/07/2022-26554/commoninstructions-for-applicants-todepartment-of-education-discretionarygrant-programs. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben 

Witthoefft, U.S. Department of 

Education, 5th Floor, 400 Maryland 

Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202– 

6450. Telephone: (202) 453–7576. 

Email: Ben.Witthoefft@ed.gov. 


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1https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/ReviewedStudies#. 

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or 

have a speech disability and wish to 

access telecommunications relay 

services, please dial 7–1–1. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The GEAR UP 

program is a discretionary grant 

program that encourages eligible entities 

to provide support, and maintain a 

commitment, to eligible students from 

low-income backgrounds, including 

students with disabilities, to assist the 

students in obtaining a secondary 

school diploma (or its recognized 

equivalent) and to prepare for and 

succeed in postsecondary education. 

Under the GEAR UP program, the 

Department awards grants to two types 

of entities: (1) States and (2) 

Partnerships consisting of at least one 

degree-granting institution of higher 

education (IHE) and at least one local 

educational agency (LEA). 

Assistance Listing Number: 84.334A. 

OMB Control Number: 1840–0821. 

Background: In this notice, the 

Department invites applications for 

Partnership grants only. We will invite 

applications for State grants in another 

notice published in the Federal 

Register. Required services under the 

GEAR UP program are specified in 

section 404D(a) of the Higher Education 

Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 

U.S.C. 1070a–24(a)), and permissible 

services under the GEAR UP program 

are specified in section 404D(b) of the 

HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a–24(b)). For 

Partnership grantees, activities must 

include providing financial aid 

information for postsecondary 

education, encouraging enrollment in 

rigorous and challenging coursework in 

order to reduce the need for remediation 

at the postsecondary education 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 postsecondary 

education. Activities may also include 

mentoring; tutoring; supporting dual or 

concurrent enrollment programs; 

providing special programs or tutoring 

in science, technology, engineering, or 

mathematics (STEM); academic and 

career counseling; financial and 

economic literacy education; exposure 

to college campuses; and providing 

scholarships as specified in section 

404E of the HEA. 

Priorities: This notice contains three 

competitive preference priorities. 

Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 

2 are from the Secretary’s Final 

Supplemental Priorities and Definitions 

for Discretionary Grant Programs 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612) 

(Supplemental Priorities). Competitive 

Preference Priority 3 is from 34 CFR 

75.226(b). 

Competitive Preference Priorities: For 

FY 2025 and any subsequent year in 

which we make awards from the list of 

unfunded applications from this 

competition, these priorities are 

competitive preference priorities. Under 

34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to 

an additional 13 points to an 

application depending on how well the 

application meets the competitive 

preference priorities. 

These priorities are: 

Competitive Preference Priority 1— 

Increasing Postsecondary Education 

Access, Affordability, Completion, and 

Post-Enrollment Success (up to 5 

points). 

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 Priority 2— 

Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and 

Academic Needs (up to 5 points). 

Projects that are designed to improve 

students’ social, emotional, academic, 

and career development, with a focus on 

underserved students, through fostering 

partnerships, including across 

government agencies (e.g., housing, 

human services, employment agencies), 

local educational agencies, communitybased organizations, adult learning 

providers, and postsecondary education 

intuitions, to provide comprehensive 

services to students and families that 

support students’ social, emotional, 

mental health, and academic needs, and 

that are inclusive with regard to race, 

ethnicity, culture, language, and 

disability status. 

Competitive Preference Priority 3— 

Moderate Evidence (0 or 3 points). 

Applications supported by evidence 

that meets the conditions in the 

definition of ‘‘moderate evidence’’ (as 

defined in this notice). 

Note: 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. For Partnership grantees, 

required GEAR UP services are specified in 

section 404D(a) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a– 

24(a)), and permissible services are specified 

in section 404D(b) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 

1070a–24(b)). 

Applicants can cite What Works 

Clearinghouse (WWC) intervention 

reports, WWC practice guides, or 

individual studies—both those already 

listed in the Department’s WWC 

Database of Individual Studies 1 and 

those that have not yet been reviewed 

by the WWC. 

The proposed studies must be cited in 

the section of the application that 

addresses Competitive Preference 

Priority 3 as well as on the Evidence 

Form. Applicants should also describe 

(1) the project component(s) from the 

cited research they intend to implement 

in their GEAR UP project, (2) the 

relevant outcome(s) that are included in 

both the study (or WWC practice guide 

or intervention report) and in the 

proposed project, (3) the research 

findings suggesting a favorable 

relationship between the project 

component and the relevant outcome, 

and (4) how the population and/or 

settings in the cited research overlap 

with that of the proposed project. The 

Department will review the research 

cited by the applicant to determine if it 

meets the requirements for moderate 

evidence, as well as whether it is 

sufficiently aligned with the proposed 

project. 

Definitions: The definitions of 

‘‘experimental study,’’ ‘‘logic model,’’ 

‘‘moderate evidence,’’ ‘‘project 

component,’’ ‘‘quasi-experimental 

design study,’’ ‘‘relevant outcome,’’ and 

‘‘What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) 

Handbooks (WWC Handbooks)’’ are 

from 34 CFR 77.1(c). The definitions of 

‘‘children or students with disabilities,’’ 

‘‘disconnected youth,’’ ‘‘English 

learner,’’ and ‘‘underserved student’’ are 

from the Supplemental Priorities. 

Experimental study means a study 

that is designed to compare outcomes 

between two groups of individuals 

(such as students) that are otherwise 

equivalent except for their assignment 

to either a treatment group receiving a 

project component or a control group 

that does not. Randomized controlled 

trials, regression discontinuity design 

studies, and single-case design studies 

are the specific types of experimental 

studies that, depending on their design 

and implementation (e.g., sample 

attrition in randomized controlled trials 

and regression discontinuity design 

studies), can meet What Works 

Clearinghouse (WWC) standards 

without reservations as described in the 

WWC Handbooks: 

(i) A randomized controlled trial 

employs random assignment of, for 


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example, students, teachers, classrooms, 

or schools to receive the project 

component being evaluated (the 

treatment group) or not to receive the 

project component (the control group). 

(ii) A regression discontinuity design 

study assigns the project component 

being evaluated using a measured 

variable (e.g., assigning students reading 

below a cutoff score to tutoring or 

developmental education classes) and 

controls for that variable in the analysis 

of outcomes. 

(iii) A single-case design study uses 

observations of a single case (e.g., a 

student eligible for a behavioral 

intervention) over time in the absence 

and presence of a controlled treatment 

manipulation to determine whether the 

outcome is systematically related to the 

treatment. 

Logic model (also referred to as a 

theory of action) means a framework 

that identifies key project components 

of the proposed project (i.e., the active 

‘‘ingredients’’ that are hypothesized to 

be critical to achieving the relevant 

outcomes) and describes the theoretical 

and operational relationships among the 

key project components and relevant 

outcomes. 

Note: In developing logic models, 

applicants may want to use resources such as 

the Regional Educational Laboratory 

Program’s (REL Pacific) Education Logic 

Model Application, available at https://

ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/ 

elm.asp, to help design their logic models. 

Other sources include: https://ies.ed.gov/ 

ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_

2014025.pdf, https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/ 

regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014007.pdf, and 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/ 

northeast/pdf/REL_2015057.pdf. 

Moderate evidence means that there is 

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 

from one of the following: 

(i) A practice guide prepared by the 

WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 

of the WWC Handbooks reporting a 

‘‘strong evidence base’’ or ‘‘moderate 

evidence base’’ for the corresponding 

practice guide recommendation; 

(ii) An intervention report prepared 

by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, 

or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks 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; 

or 

(iii) A single experimental study or 

quasi-experimental design study 

reviewed and reported by the WWC 

using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the 

WWC Handbooks, or otherwise assessed 

by the Department using version 4.1 of 

the WWC Handbooks, as appropriate, 

and that— 

(A) Meets WWC standards with or 

without reservations; 

(B) Includes at least one statistically 

significant and positive (i.e., favorable) 

effect on a relevant outcome; 

(C) Includes no overriding statistically 

significant and negative effects on 

relevant outcomes reported in the study 

or in a corresponding WWC 

intervention report prepared under 

version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC 

Handbooks; and 

(D) Is based on a sample from more 

than one site (e.g., State, county, city, 

school district, or postsecondary 

campus) and includes at least 350 

students or other individuals across 

sites. Multiple studies of the same 

project component that each meet 

requirements in paragraphs (iii)(A), (B), 

and (C) of this definition may together 

satisfy the requirement in this paragraph 

(iii)(D). 

Note: The WWC Procedures and Standards 

Handbook (Version 4.1), as well as the more 

recent WWC Handbook released in August 

2022 (Version 5.0), are available at https://

ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks. 

Project component means an activity, 

strategy, intervention, process, product, 

practice, or policy included in a project. 

Evidence may pertain to an individual 

project component or to a combination 

of project components (e.g., training 

teachers on instructional practices for 

English learners and follow-on coaching 

for these teachers). 

Quasi-experimental design study 

means a study using a design that 

attempts to approximate an 

experimental study by identifying a 

comparison group that is similar to the 

treatment group in important respects. 

This type of study, depending on design 

and implementation (e.g., establishment 

of baseline equivalence of the groups 

being compared), can meet WWC 

standards with reservations, but cannot 

meet WWC standards without 

reservations, as described in the WWC 

Handbooks. 

Relevant outcome means the student 

outcome(s) or other outcome(s) the key 

project component is designed to 

improve, consistent with the specific 

goals of the program. 

Underserved student means a student 

in postsecondary education in one or 

more of the following subgroups: 

(a) A student who is living in poverty 

or is served by schools with high 

concentrations of students living in 

poverty. 

(b) A student of color. 

(c) A student who is a member of a 

federally recognized Indian Tribe. 

(d) An English learner. 

(e) A child or student with a 

disability. 

(f) A disconnected youth. 

(g) A migrant student. 

(h) A student experiencing 

homelessness or housing insecurity. 

(i) A lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

transgender, queer or questioning, or 

intersex (LGBTQI+) student. 

(j) A student who is in foster care. 

(k) A pregnant, parenting, or 

caregiving student. 

(l) A student who is the first in their 

family to attend postsecondary 

education. 

(m) A student who is enrolled in or 

is seeking to enroll in postsecondary 

education who is eligible for a Pell 

Grant. 

For purposes of the definition of 

underserved student only— 

Children or students with disabilities 

means children with disabilities as 

defined in section 602(3) of the 

Individuals with Disabilities Education 

Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)) and 34 

CFR 300.8, or students with disabilities, 

as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(37), 705(20)(B)); 

Disconnected youth means an 

individual, between the ages 14 and 24, 

who may be from a low-income 

background, experiences homelessness, 

is in foster care, is involved in the 

justice system, or is not working or not 

enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) 

an educational institution; and 

English learner means an individual 

who is an English learner as defined in 

section 8101(20) of the Elementary and 

Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 

amended, or an individual who is an 

English language learner as defined in 

section 203(7) of the Workforce 

Innovation and Opportunity Act. 

What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) 

Handbooks (WWC Handbooks) means 

the standards and procedures set forth 

in the WWC Procedures and Standards 

Handbook, Version 5.0, or in the WWC 

Standards Handbook, Version 4.0 or 4.1, 

or in the WWC Procedures Handbook, 

Version 4.0 or 4.1, the WWC Procedures 

and Standards Handbook, Version 3.0 or 

Version 2.1 (all incorporated by 

reference, see § 77.2). Study findings 

eligible for review under WWC 

standards can meet WWC standards 

without reservations, meet WWC 

standards with reservations, or not meet 

WWC standards. WWC practice guides 

and intervention reports include 

findings from systematic reviews of 

evidence as described in the WWC 

Handbooks documentation. 


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Note: The WWC Procedures Handbook 

(Version 4.0 or 4.1), the WWC Standards 

Handbook (Version 4.0 or 4.1), and the more 

recent WWC Procedures and Standards 

Handbook released in August 2022 (Version 

5.0), are available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/ 

wwc/Handbooks. 

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a– 

21–1070a–28. 

Note: Projects will be awarded and must be 

operated in a manner consistent with the 

nondiscrimination requirements contained in 

Federal civil rights laws. 

Applicable Regulations: (a) The 

Education Department General 

Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR 

parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, 

and 99. (b) The Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) Guidelines to 

Agencies on Governmentwide 

Debarment and Suspension 

(Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as 

adopted and amended as regulations of 

the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) 

The Guidance for Federal Financial 

Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as 

adopted and amended as regulations of 

the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) 

The regulations for this program in 34 

CFR part 694. (e) The Supplemental 

Priorities. 

Note: As of October 1, 2024, grant 

applicants must follow the provisions stated 

in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial 

Assistance (89 FR 30046, April 22, 2024) 

when preparing an application. For more 

information about these regulations please 

visit: https://www.cfo.gov/resources-coffa/ 

uniform-guidance/. 

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 

apply to institutions of higher education 

only. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Discretionary grants. 

Estimated Available Funds: The 

Administration has requested 

$398,000,000 for GEAR UP for FY 2025, 

of which we intend to use an estimated 

$35,000,000 for the Partnership 

competition. The actual level of 

funding, if any, depends on final 

congressional action. However, we are 

inviting applications to allow enough 

time to complete the grant process if 

Congress appropriates funds for this 

program. 

Contingent upon the availability of 

funds and the quality of applications, 

we may make additional awards in 

subsequent years from the list of 

unfunded applications from this 

competition. 

Estimated Range of Awards: 

$200,000–$5,000,000. 

Estimated Average Size of Awards: 

$1,200,000. 

Maximum Award: We will not fund 

any application for a Partnership grant 

above the maximum award of $800 per 

student for a single budget period of 12 

months. Additionally, no funding will 

be awarded for increases in years two 

through seven. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 29. 

Note: The Department is not bound by any 

estimates in this notice. 

Project Period: Either 72 months or 84 

months. 

Note: An applicant that wishes to seek 

funding for a seventh project year (i.e., for a 

project period greater than 72 months), in 

order to provide project services to GEAR UP 

students through their first year of attendance 

at an IHE, must propose to do so in its 

application.. 

III. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: Partnerships 

consisting of (a) at least one degreegranting IHE and (b) at least one LEA. 

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 authorized in part 

A, subpart 4, of title IV of the HEA (20 

U.S.C. 1070c et seq.), or other public or 

private agencies or organizations (20 

U.S.C. 1070a–21(c)(2)). 

Note: A Partnership under this competition 

must follow the procedures under 34 CFR 

75.127 through 75.129 in developing a group 

application. This includes developing an 

agreement that details the activities that each 

member of the group plans to perform and 

binds each member of the group to every 

statement and assurance made by the 

applicant in the application. This agreement 

must be submitted with the application. 

2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Section 

404C(b)(1) of the HEA requires grantees 

under this program to provide from 

State, local, institutional, or private 

funds, not less than 50 percent of the 

cost of the program (or one dollar of 

non-Federal funds for every one dollar 

of Federal funds awarded), which may 

be provided in cash or in-kind. The 

provision also specifies that the match 

may be accrued over the full duration of 

the grant award period, except that the 

grantee must make substantial progress 

towards meeting the matching 

requirement in each year of the grant 

award period. 

Section 404C(c) of the HEA provides 

that in-kind contributions may include 

(1) the amount of the financial 

assistance obligated under GEAR UP to 

students from State, local, institutional, 

or private funds, (2) the amount of 

tuition, fees, room or board waived or 

reduced for recipients of financial 

assistance under GEAR UP, (3) the 

amount expended on documented, 

targeted, long-term mentoring and 

counseling provided by volunteers or 

paid staff of non-school organizations, 

including businesses, religious 

organizations, community groups, 

postsecondary educational institutions, 

nonprofit and philanthropic 

organizations, and other organizations, 

and (4) equipment and supplies, cash 

contributions from non-Federal sources, 

transportation expenses, in-kind or 

discounted program services, indirect 

costs, and facility usage. 

Section 404C(b)(2) further provides 

that the Secretary may approve a 

Partnership’s request for a reduced 

match percentage at the time of 

application if the Partnership 

demonstrates significant economic 

hardship that precludes the Partnership 

from meeting the matching requirement, 

or if the Partnership requests that 

contributions to the scholarship fund, if 

applicable, be matched on the basis of 

two non-Federal dollars for every one 

Federal dollar of GEAR UP funds. GEAR 

UP program regulations in 34 CFR 

694.8(a)–(c) address the content of an 

applicant’s request for such a reduced 

match, and the maximum percentage 

match that the Secretary may waive. In 

addition, under 34 CFR 694.8(d), the 

Secretary may approve a reduction in 

match of up to 70 percent upon request 

from a Partnership that (a) includes 

three or fewer IHEs as members, (b) has 

a fiscal agent identified in 34 CFR 

694.8(d)(1), and (c) serves students in 

schools and LEAs that meet the poverty 

criteria identified in 34 CFR 694.8(d)(2) 

and (3). 

Given the importance of matching 

funds to the long-term success of the 

project, eligible entities must describe 

how they will meet the matching 

requirement and sources of matching 

funds, as required by General 

Application Requirements paragraphs 

(b) and (j). 

Grantees must include a budget 

detailing the source of the matching 

funds and must provide an outline of 

the types of matching contributions for 

at least the first year of the grant in their 

grant applications. Consistent with 2 

CFR 200.306(b), any matching funds 

must be an allowable use of funds 

consistent with the GEAR UP program 

requirements and the cost principles 

detailed in subpart E of 2 CFR part 200, 

and not included as a contribution for 

any other Federal award. 

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This 

competition involves supplement, not 

supplant funding requirements. Under 

section 404B(e) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 

1070a–22(e)), grant funds awarded 


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under this program must be used to 

supplement, and not supplant, other 

Federal, State, and local funds that 

would otherwise be expended to carry 

out activities assisted under this 

program. 

c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: For 

projects that designate an LEA as the 

fiscal agent, the GEAR UP program 

regulations at 34 CFR 694.11 limit 

indirect cost reimbursement to the 

restricted rate established by the LEA’s 

negotiated indirect cost rate agreement 

or eight percent of a modified total 

direct cost base, whichever amount is 

less. For projects that designate an IHE 

as the fiscal agent, the GEAR UP 

program uses a training indirect cost 

rate. This rate limits indirect cost 

reimbursement to an entity’s actual 

indirect costs, as determined in its 

negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, 

or eight percent of a modified total 

direct cost base, whichever amount is 

less. For more information regarding 

training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 

75.562. 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. 

d. Administrative Cost Limitation: 

This program does not include any 

program-specific limitation on 

administrative expenses. All 

administrative expenses must be 

reasonable and necessary and conform 

to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR 

part 200 subpart E of the Guidance for 

Federal Financial Assistance. 

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this 

competition may not award subgrants to 

entities to directly carry out project 

activities described in its application. 

4. Other: General Application 

Requirements: All applicants must meet 

the following application requirements 

in order to be considered for funding. 

The application requirements are from 

section 404C(a) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 

1070a–23(a)) and from 34 CFR 75.112. 

In order for an eligible entity to 

qualify for a grant under the GEAR UP 

program, the eligible entity must submit 

to the Secretary an application for 

carrying out a GEAR UP program that— 

(a) Describes the activities for which 

assistance under this program is sought, 

including how the eligible entity will 

carry out the required activities 

described in section 404D(a) of the HEA; 

(b) Describes, in the case of an eligible 

entity described in section 404A(c)(2) of 

the HEA that chooses to provide 

scholarships, how the eligible entity 

will meet the requirements of section 

404E of the HEA; 

(c) Describes, in the case of an eligible 

entity described in section 404A(c)(2) of 

the HEA that requests a reduced match 

percentage under section 404C(b)(2) of 

the HEA, how such reduction will assist 

the entity to provide the scholarships 

described in section 404C(b)(2)(A)(ii) of 

the HEA; 

(d) Provides assurances that adequate 

administrative and support staff will be 

responsible for coordinating the 

activities described in section 404D of 

the HEA; 

(e) Provides assurances that activities 

assisted under this program will not 

displace an employee or eliminate a 

position at a school assisted under this 

program, including a partial 

displacement such as a reduction in 

hours, wages, or employment benefits; 

(f) Describes, in the case of an eligible 

entity described in section 404A(c)(1) of 

the HEA that chooses to use a cohort 

approach, or an eligible entity described 

in section 404A(c)(2) of the HEA, how 

the eligible entity will define the 

cohorts of the students served by the 

eligible entity pursuant to section 

404B(d) of the HEA, and how the 

eligible entity will serve the cohorts 

through grade 12, including— 

(1) How vacancies in the program will 

be filled; and 

(2) How the eligible entity will serve 

students attending different secondary 

schools; 

(g) Describes how the eligible entity 

will coordinate programs under this 

program with other existing Federal, 

State, or local programs to avoid 

duplication and maximize the number 

of students served; 

(h) Provides such additional 

assurances as the Secretary determines 

necessary to ensure compliance with the 

requirements of this program; 

(i) Provides information about the 

activities that will be carried out by the 

eligible entity to support systemic 

changes from which future cohorts of 

students will benefit; and 

(j) Describes the sources of matching 

funds that will enable the eligible entity 

to meet the matching requirement 

described in section 404C(b) of the HEA. 

(k) Applicants must include a logic 

model (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)) or 

other conceptual framework. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Application Submission 

Instructions: Applicants are required to 

follow the Common Instructions for 

Applicants to Department of Education 

Discretionary Grant Programs, 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and 

available at https://

www.federalregister.gov/documents/ 

2022/12/07/2022-26554/commoninstructions-for-applicants-todepartment-of-education-discretionarygrant-programs, which contain 

requirements and information on how to 

submit an application. 

2. Intergovernmental Review: This 

program is subject to Executive Order 

12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR 

part 79. Information about 

Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs under Executive Order 12372 

is in the application package for this 

program. 

3. Funding Restrictions: We reference 

regulations outlining funding 

restrictions in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

4. Content and Form of Application 

Submission: You must include your 

complete response to the selection 

criteria and the competitive preference 

priorities in the application narrative. 

Other requirements concerning the 

content of an application, together with 

the forms you must submit, are in the 

application package for this program. 

5. Recommended Page Limit: The 

application narrative is where you, the 

applicant, address the selection criteria 

that reviewers use to evaluate your 

application. We recommend that you (1) 

limit the application narrative to no 

more than 65 pages and (2) use the 

following standards: 

• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5′′ x 11′′, on one side 

only, with 1′′ margins at the top, bottom, 

and both sides. 

• Double space (no more than three 

lines per vertical inch) all the text in the 

application narrative, including titles, 

headings, footnotes, quotations, 

references, captions, as well as all text 

in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. 

• Use a font that is either 12 point or 

larger or no smaller than 10-pitch 

(characters per inch). 

• Use one of the following fonts: 

Times New Roman, Courier, Courier 

New, or Arial. 

The recommended page limit does not 

apply to the cover sheet; the budget 

section, including the narrative budget 

justification; the assurances and 

certifications or the one-page abstract. 

However, the recommended page limit 

does apply to all of the application 

narrative. 

We recommend that any application 

addressing the competitive preference 

priorities include no more than three 

additional pages for each priority 

addressed. Applications that do not 

follow the page limit and formatting 

recommendations will not be penalized. 

V. Application Review Information 

1. Selection Criteria: The selection 

criteria for this competition are from 34 

CFR 75.210 and are as follows: 


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(a) Need for project. (up to 10 points) 

(1) The Secretary considers the need 

for the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the need for the 

proposed project, the Secretary 

considers: 

(i) The data presented (including a 

comparison to local, State, regional, 

national, or international data) that 

demonstrates the issue, challenge, or 

opportunity to be addressed by the 

proposed project (up to 4 points); 

(ii) The extent to which the proposed 

project will focus on serving or 

otherwise addressing the needs of 

underserved populations; (up to 3 

points) and 

(iii) The extent to which the specific 

nature and magnitude of gaps or 

challenges are identified and the extent 

to which these gaps or challenges will 

be addressed by the services, supports, 

infrastructure, or opportunities 

described in the proposed project (up to 

3 points). 

(b) Quality of the project design. (up 

to 30 points) 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the design of the proposed 

project. 

(2) In determining the quality of the 

design of the proposed project, the 

Secretary considers: 

(i) The extent to which the goals, 

objectives, and outcomes to be achieved 

by the proposed project are clearly 

specified, measurable, and ambitious 

yet achievable within the project period, 

and aligned with the purposes of the 

grant program (up to 8 points); 

(ii) The quality of the logic model or 

other conceptual framework underlying 

the proposed project, including how 

inputs are related to outcomes (up to 8 

points); 

(iii) How the applicant will ensure 

that a diversity of perspectives, 

including those from underserved 

populations, are brought to bear in the 

design, implementation, operation, 

evaluation, and improvement of the 

proposed project, including those of 

parents, educators, community-based 

organizations, civil rights organizations, 

the business community, a variety of 

disciplinary and professional fields, 

recipients or beneficiaries of services, or 

others, as appropriate (up to 7 points); 

and 

(iv) The likelihood that the proposed 

project will result in systemic change 

that supports continuous, sustainable, 

and measurable improvement (up to 7 

points). 

(c) Adequacy of resources. (up to 15 

points) 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

adequacy of resources for the proposed 

project. 

(2) In determining the adequacy of 

resources for the proposed project, the 

Secretary considers: 

(i) The adequacy of support for the 

project, including facilities, equipment, 

supplies, and other resources, from the 

applicant or the lead applicant 

organization (up to 5 points); 

(ii) The relevance and demonstrated 

commitment of each partner in the 

proposed project to the implementation 

and success of the project (up to 5 

points); and 

(iii) The extent to which the budget is 

adequate to support the proposed 

project and the costs are reasonable in 

relation to the objectives, design, and 

potential significance of the proposed 

project (up to 5 points). 

(d) Quality of project personnel. (up to 

20 points) 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the personnel who will carry 

out the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the quality of 

project personnel, the Secretary 

considers the extent to which the 

applicant demonstrates that it has 

project personnel or a plan for hiring of 

personnel who are members of groups 

that have historically encountered 

barriers, or who have professional or 

personal experiences with barriers, 

based on one or more of the following: 

economic disadvantage; disability; 

living in a rural location; experiencing 

homelessness or housing insecurity (up 

to 5 points). 

(3) In addition, the Secretary 

considers: 

(i) The extent to which the project 

director or principal investigator, when 

hired, has the qualifications required for 

the project, including formal training or 

work experience in fields related to the 

objectives of the project and experience 

in designing, managing, or 

implementing similar projects for the 

target population to be served by the 

project (up to 5 points); 

(ii) The extent to which the key 

personnel in the project, when hired, 

have the qualifications required for the 

proposed project, including formal 

training or work experience in fields 

related to the objectives of the project 

and represent or have lived experiences 

of the target population (up to 5 points); 

and 

(iii) The extent to which the time 

commitments of the project director and 

principal investigator and other key 

project personnel are appropriate and 

adequate to meet the objectives of the 

proposed project (up to 5 points). 

(e) Quality of the project evaluation. 

(up to 25 points) 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the evaluation to be 

conducted of the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the quality of the 

project evaluation, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(i) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation or other evidence-building 

include the use of objective performance 

measures that are clearly related to the 

intended outcomes of the project and 

will produce quality data that are 

quantitative and qualitative (up to 10 

points); 

(ii) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation or other evidence-building 

will provide performance feedback and 

provide formative, diagnostic, or interim 

data that is a periodic assessment of 

progress toward achieving intended 

outcomes (up to 10 points); and 

(iii) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation include an experimental 

study, a quasi-experimental design 

study, or a correlational study with 

statistical controls for selection bias 

(such as regression methods to account 

for differences between a treatment 

group and a comparison group) to assess 

the effectiveness of the project on 

relevant outcomes (up to 5 points). 

Note: For the selection criterion ‘‘Quality 

of personnel’’ in paragraph (d), applicants are 

encouraged to include in their application 

that they are committed to paying their staff 

a living wage for the local area and providing 

benefits. 

2. Review and Selection Process: We 

remind potential applicants that in 

reviewing applications in any 

discretionary grant competition, the 

Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 

75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the 

applicant in carrying out a previous 

award, such as the applicant’s use of 

funds, achievement of project 

objectives, and compliance with grant 

conditions. The Secretary may also 

consider whether the applicant failed to 

submit a timely performance report or 

submitted a report of unacceptable 

quality. 

In addition, in making a competitive 

grant award, the Secretary requires 

various assurances including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws 

that prohibit discrimination in programs 

or activities receiving Federal financial 

assistance from the Department (34 CFR 

100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

As required by 20 U.S.C. 1070-a23(d), 

a panel of non-Federal reviewers will 

review each application in accordance 

with the procedures described in 34 

CFR 75.217. The individual scores of 

the reviewers will be added and the sum 

divided by the number of reviewers to 

determine the peer review score 

received in the review process. 


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If there are insufficient funds for all 

applications with the same total scores, 

the Secretary will select applications 

serving LEA(s) with the highest poverty 

rate, using the most recent data 

available from the Small Area Income 

and Poverty Estimates Program (SAIPE) 

data (age range 5–17) or from the 

decennial census data for outlying areas, 

as appropriate. For applications that 

include multiple LEAs, the Department 

will aggregate data across LEAs to 

produce a simple poverty rate. For 

applications that include eligible charter 

schools as their LEA partners, the 

Department will use the State-derived 

equivalent of SAIPE data that the State 

uses to make allocations under Part A of 

Title I of the Elementary and Secondary 

Education Act of 1965, as amended. 

3. Risk Assessment and Specific 

Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 

200.206, before awarding grants under 

this competition the Department 

conducts a review of the risks posed by 

applicants. Under 2 CFR 200.208, the 

Secretary may impose specific 

conditions and, under 2 CFR 3474.10, in 

appropriate circumstances, high-risk 

conditions on a grant if the applicant or 

grantee is not financially stable; has a 

history of unsatisfactory performance; 

has a financial or other management 

system that does not meet the standards 

in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 

fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; 

or is otherwise not responsible. 

4. Integrity and Performance System: 

If you are selected under this 

competition to receive an award that 

over the course of the project period 

may exceed the simplified acquisition 

threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 

CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a 

judgment about your integrity, business 

ethics, and record of performance under 

Federal awards—that is, the risk posed 

by you as an applicant—before we make 

an award. In doing so, we must consider 

any information about you that is in the 

integrity and performance system 

(currently referred to as the Federal 

Awardee Performance and Integrity 

Information System (FAPIIS)), 

accessible through the System for 

Award Management. You may review 

and comment on any information about 

yourself that a Federal agency 

previously entered and that is currently 

in FAPIIS. 

Please note that, if the total value of 

your currently active grants, cooperative 

agreements, and procurement contracts 

from the Federal Government exceeds 

$10,000,000, the reporting requirements 

in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, 

require you to report certain integrity 

information to FAPIIS semiannually. 

Please review the requirements in 2 CFR 

part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant 

plus all the other Federal funds you 

receive exceed $10,000,000. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

1. Award Notices: If your application 

is successful, we notify your U.S. 

Representative and U.S. Senators and 

send you a Grant Award Notification 

(GAN), or we may send you an email 

containing a link to access an electronic 

version of your GAN. We also may 

notify you informally. 

If your application is not evaluated or 

not selected for funding, we notify you. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements: We identify 

administrative and national policy 

requirements in the application package 

and reference these and other 

requirements in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

We reference the regulations outlining 

the terms and conditions of an award in 

the Applicable Regulations section of 

this notice and include these and other 

specific conditions in the GAN. The 

GAN also incorporates your approved 

application as part of your binding 

commitments under the grant. 

3. Open Licensing Requirements: 

Unless an exception applies, if you are 

awarded a grant under this competition, 

you will be required to openly license 

to the public grant deliverables created 

in whole, or in part, with Department 

grant funds. When the deliverable 

consists of modifications to pre-existing 

works, the license extends only to those 

modifications that can be separately 

identified and only to the extent that 

open licensing is permitted under the 

terms of any licenses or other legal 

restrictions on the use of pre-existing 

works. Additionally, a grantee or 

subgrantee that is awarded competitive 

grant funds must have a plan to 

disseminate these public grant 

deliverables. This dissemination plan 

can be developed and submitted after 

your application has been reviewed and 

selected for funding. For additional 

information on the open licensing 

requirements please refer to 2 CFR 

3474.20. 

4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a 

grant under this competition, you must 

ensure that you have in place the 

necessary processes and systems to 

comply with the reporting requirements 

in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive 

funding under the competition. See the 

standards in 2 CFR 170.105 to 

determine whether you are covered by 

2 CFR part 170. 

(b) At the end of your project period, 

you must submit a final performance 

report, including financial information, 

as directed by the Secretary. If you 

receive a multiyear award, you must 

submit an annual performance report 

that provides the most current 

performance and financial expenditure 

information as directed by the Secretary 

under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary 

may also require more frequent 

performance reports under 34 CFR 

75.720(c). For specific requirements on 

reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/ 

fund/grant/apply/appforms/ 

appforms.html. 

(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the 

Secretary may provide a grantee with 

additional funding for data collection 

analysis and reporting. In this case the 

Secretary establishes a data collection 

period. 

5. Performance Measures: The 

performance measures for the GEAR UP 

Program are established for purposes of 

Department reporting under 34 CFR 

75.110. 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. 

The effectiveness of this program 

depends on the rate at which program 

participants complete high school and 

enroll in and complete a postsecondary 

education. We developed the following 

performance measures to track progress 

toward achieving the program’s goals: 

1. The percentage of GEAR UP 

students who pass Algebra 1 or its 

equivalent by the end of ninth grade. 

2. The percentage of GEAR UP 

students who graduate from high 

school. 

3. The percentage of GEAR UP 

students who complete the Free 

Application for Federal Student Aid. 

4. The percentage of GEAR UP 

students and former GEAR UP students 

who are enrolled at an IHE. 

5. 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. 

In addition, to assess the efficiency of 

the program, we track the average cost, 

in Federal funds, of achieving a 

successful outcome, where success is 

defined as enrollment in a program of 

undergraduate instruction at an IHE of 

GEAR UP students immediately after 

high school graduation. These 

performance measures constitute GEAR 


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UP’s indicators of the success of the 

program. Accordingly, we request that 

applicants include these performance 

measures in conceptualizing the design, 

implementation, and evaluation of their 

proposed projects. 

6. Continuation Awards: In making a 

continuation award under 34 CFR 

75.253, the Secretary considers, among 

other things: whether a grantee has 

made substantial progress in achieving 

the goals and objectives of the project; 

whether the grantee has expended funds 

in a manner that is consistent with its 

approved application and budget; and, 

if the Secretary has established 

performance measurement 

requirements, whether the grantee has 

made substantial progress in achieving 

the performance targets in the grantee’s 

approved application. 

In making a continuation award, the 

Secretary also considers whether the 

grantee is operating in compliance with 

the assurances in its approved 

application, including those applicable 

to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 

discrimination in programs or activities 

receiving Federal financial assistance 

from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 

104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

VII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: On request to the 

program contact person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, 

individuals with disabilities can obtain 

this document and a copy of the 

application package in an accessible 

format. The Department will provide the 

requestor with an accessible format that 

may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or 

text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 

file, braille, large print, audiotape, 

compact disc, or other accessible format. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

The official version of this document is 

the document published in the Federal 

Register. You may access the official 

edition of the Federal Register and the 

Code of Federal Regulations at 

www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can 

view this document, as well as all other 

Department documents published in the 

Federal Register, in text or Portable 

Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 

you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, 

which is available free at the site. 

You may also access Department 

documents published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at: www.federalregister.gov. 

Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit 

your search to documents published by 

the Department. 

Nasser H. Paydar, 

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 

Education. 

[FR Doc. 2024–27054 Filed 11–19–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Applications for New Awards; Gaining 

Early Awareness and Readiness for 

Undergraduate Programs (State 

Grants) 

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary 

Education, Department of Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) is issuing a notice inviting 

applications for new awards for fiscal 

year (FY) 2025 for Gaining Early 

Awareness and Readiness for 

Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) 

State Grants. 

DATES: 

Applications Available: November 20, 

2024. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: February 3, 2025. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: April 4, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for 

obtaining and submitting an 

application, please refer to our Common 

Instructions for Applicants to 

Department of Education Discretionary 

Grant Programs, published in the 

Federal Register on December 7, 2022 

(87 FR 75045), and available at 

www.federalregister.gov/documents/ 

2022/12/07/2022-26554/commoninstructions-for-applicants-todepartment-of-education-discretionarygrant-programs. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben 

Witthoefft, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 

5th Floor, Washington, DC 20202–6450. 

Telephone: 202–453–7576. Email: 

Ben.Witthoefft@ed.gov. 

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or 

have a speech disability and wish to 

access telecommunications relay 

services, please dial 7–1–1. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The GEAR UP 

program is a discretionary grant 

program that encourages eligible entities 

to provide support, and maintain a 

commitment, to eligible students from 

low-income backgrounds, including 

students with disabilities, to assist the 

students in obtaining a secondary 

school diploma (or its recognized 

equivalent) and to prepare for and 

succeed in postsecondary education. 

Under the GEAR UP program, the 

Department awards grants to two types 

of entities: (1) States and (2) 

Partnerships consisting of at least one 

degree-granting institution of higher 

education (IHE) and at least one local 

educational agency (LEA). 

Assistance Listing Number: 84.334S. 

OMB Control Number: 1840–0821. 

Background: In this notice, the 

Department invites applications for 

State grants only. We will invite 

applications for Partnership grants in 

another notice published in the Federal 

Register. Required services under the 

GEAR UP program are specified in 

section 404D(a) of the Higher Education 

Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 

U.S.C. 1070a–24(a)), and permissible 

services under the GEAR UP program 

are specified in section 404D(b) and (c) 

of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a–24(b) and 

(c)). Grantee activities must include 

providing financial aid information for 

postsecondary education, encouraging 

enrollment in rigorous and challenging 

coursework in order to reduce the need 

for remediation at the postsecondary 

education level, 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 

postsecondary education, and providing 

scholarships as specified in section 

404E of the HEA. Activities may also 

include mentoring; tutoring; supporting 

dual or concurrent enrollment 

programs; providing special programs or 

tutoring in science, technology, 

engineering, or mathematics (STEM); 

academic and career counseling; 

financial and economic literacy 

education; and exposure to college 

campuses. Additional permissible 

activities for State grantees are specified 

in sections 404D(b) and (c) of the HEA. 

Priorities: This notice contains four 

competitive preference priorities and 

one invitational priority. In accordance 

with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii) and (iv), 

Competitive Preference Priority 1 is 

from section 404A(b)(3) of the HEA (20 

U.S.C. 1070a–21(b)(3)) and the GEAR 

UP program regulations (34 CFR 

694.19). Competitive Preference 

Priorities 2 and 3 are from the 

Secretary’s Final Supplemental 

Priorities and Definitions for 

Discretionary Grant Programs, 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612) 

(Supplemental Priorities). Competitive 

Preference Priority 4 is from 34 CFR 

75.226(b). 


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