Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/02/01/2016-01746/applications-for-new-awards-predominantly-black-institutions-formula-grant-program
Timestamp: 2020-01-18 11:33:20
Document Index: 85117714

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 75', 'art 180', 'art 3485', 'art 200', 'art 3474', 'art 200']

Federal Register :: Applications for New Awards; Predominantly Black Institutions Formula Grant Program
Applications for New Awards; Predominantly Black Institutions Formula Grant Program
A Notice by the Education Department on 02/01/2016
Applications Available: February 1, 2016.
81 FR 5109
5109-5113 (5 pages)
2016-01746
as of 01/18/2020 at 6:15 am EST
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2016-01746 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2016-01746
Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Formula Grant Program
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.031P.
Deadline for Transmittal of Phase I of Applications: March 2, 2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of Phase II of Applications: April 1, 2016.
Purpose of Program: The Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Formula Grant Program provides grants to eligible institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and implement programs that enhance their capacity to serve more low- and middle-income Black American students; to expand higher education opportunities for eligible students by encouraging college preparation and student persistence in secondary school and postsecondary education; and to strengthen the financial ability of the institutions to serve the academic needs of these students.
Program Authority: Title III, part A, section 318 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1059e).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The 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 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.
Type of Award: Formula grant.
Estimated Available Funds: $9,942,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: Grants awarded under the PBI Formula Grant Program are allotted to eligible institutions based on the formula included in section 318(e) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059e(e)), with no grantee allotted less than $250,000.
If the amount appropriated for this program for a fiscal year is not sufficient to pay the minimum allotment to eligible institutions, then the amount of the minimum allotment must be ratably reduced, in accordance with section 318(e) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059e(e)(4)).
Funding Formula:
Grant amounts to PBIs are awarded according to the following formula:
(1) Federal Pell Grant basis—From the amount appropriated for this program for any fiscal year, the Secretary allots to each PBI with an approved application a sum that bears the same ratio to one-half of that amount as the number of Federal Pell Grant recipients in attendance at such institution at the end of the academic year preceding the beginning of that fiscal year, bears to the total number of Federal Pell Grant recipients at all such institutions at the end of such academic year.
(2) Graduates basis—From the amount appropriated for this program for any fiscal year, the Secretary allots to each PBI with an approved application a sum that bears the same ratio to one-fourth of that amount as the number of graduates for such academic year at such institution, bears to the total number of graduates for such academic year at all such institutions.
(3) Graduates seeking a higher degree basis—From the amount appropriated for this program for any fiscal year, the Secretary allots to each PBI with an approved application a sum that bears the same ratio to one-fourth of that amount as the percentage of graduates from such institution who are admitted to and in attendance at, not later than two years after graduation with an associate's degree or a baccalaureate degree, a baccalaureate degree-granting institution or a graduate or professional school in a degree program in disciplines in which Black American students are underrepresented, bears to the percentage of such graduates for all such institutions.
Estimated Number of Awards: All applicant institutions that meet the eligibility requirements will receive a portion of the total appropriations for the PBI Formula Grant Program.
Project Period: 60 months.
1. Eligible Applicants: An applicant must—
(a) Have an enrollment of needy undergraduate students as defined in section 318(b)(2) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(2));
(b) Have an average educational and general expenditure that is low, per full-time equivalent undergraduate student, in comparison with the average educational and general expenditure per full-time equivalent undergraduate student of institutions that offer similar instruction, except that the Secretary may apply the waiver requirements described in section 392(b) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1068a(b)) to this subparagraph in the same manner as the Secretary applies the waiver requirements to section 312(b)(1)(B) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1058(b)(1)(B));
(c) Have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is not less than 40 percent Black American students (section 318(b)(1)(C) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 1059e (b)(1)(C));
(d) Be legally authorized to provide, and provide, within the State, an educational program for which the institution of higher education awards a baccalaureate degree or, in the case of a junior or community college, an associate's degree (section 318(b)(1)(D) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(1)(D));
(e) Be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or Start Printed Page 5110association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation (section 318(b)(1)(E) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(1)(E))); and
(f) Not be receiving funds under any other provision of part A or part B of title III of the HEA or part A of title V of the HEA (sections 318(b)(1)(F) and 318(i) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(1)(F) and 1059e(i)).
To be eligible for a grant under the PBI Formula Grant Program, an applicant must also meet the definition of a Predominantly Black Institution in section 318(b)(6) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(6)). The term Predominantly Black Institution means an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))—
(i) That is an eligible institution with not less than 1,000 undergraduate students;
(ii) At which not less than 50 percent of the undergraduate students enrolled at the eligible institution are low-income individuals or first-generation college students; and
(iii) At which not less than 50 percent of the undergraduate students are enrolled in an educational program leading to a bachelor's or associate's degree that the eligible institution is licensed to award by the State (defined as each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia) in which the eligible institution is located.
The notice announcing the FY 2016 process for designation of eligible institutions, and inviting applications for waiver of eligibility requirements, was published in the Federal Register on November 19, 2015 (80 FR 72422). Only institutions that the Department determines are eligible, or are granted a waiver, may apply for a grant under this program.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching unless the grantee uses a portion of its grant for establishing or improving an endowment fund. If a grantee uses a portion of its grant for endowment fund purposes, it must match those grant funds with non-Federal funds in an amount equal to or greater than the Federal funds used for the establishment or increase of the endowment fund (section 318(d)(3) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059e(d)(3)).
1. Address to Request Application Package: Bernadette D. Miles, OPE, Institutional Service, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 7E311, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 502-7616, or by email: bernadette.miles@ed.gov.
Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this program. The application process for this program has two phases: Phase I will require submitting 2014-2015 data used to run the funding formula; Phase II will require submission of the narrative project plan and standard forms. The deadline dates for submitting Phases I and II of the application are listed in this notice. Other requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this program.
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically as an email attachment to pbiprogram@ed.gov by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet at the following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/​webform.
A DUNS number can be created within one to two business days.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under this program must be submitted Start Printed Page 5111electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section.
Applications for grants under the Predominantly Black Institutions Formula Grant Program, CFDA number 84.031P, must be submitted electronically via email to pbiprogram@ed.gov.
You may access the electronic grant application for the PBI Program at www2.ed.gov/​programs/​pbihea/​index.html.
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will not accept an application for this program after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified in this paragraph or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material.
Within three working days after submitting Phase II of your electronic application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control Center after following these steps:
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application via email because—
You do not have access to the Internet; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement to the Department, explaining that you do not have access to the Internet.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Bernadette D. Miles, OPE, Institutional Service, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 7E311, Washington, DC 20202. FAX: (202) 205-0063.
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.031P), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.031P), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Start Printed Page 5112Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
1. Review and Selection Process: After eligibility is determined, Department staff will begin a two stage process to—
(1) Determine grant awards based on the formula in section 318(e) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059e(e)); and
(2) Ensure that all activities proposed in the application are allowable under section 318(d) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059e(d)).
In addition, in making a 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 of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
2. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions:
Consistent with 2 CFR 200.205, before awarding grants under this program, the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, 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. Performance Measures: The Department has established the following Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GRPRA) performance measures for the PBI Formula Grant Program:
(a) Enrollment Rate: The percentage change of the number of full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at PBIs. Note that this is a long-term measure, which will be used to periodically gauge performance.
(b) Persistence Rate—four-year institutions: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students at four-year PBIs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same four-year PBI.
(c) Persistence Rate—two-year institutions: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students at two-year PBIs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same two-year PBI.
(d) Completion Rate—four-year institutions: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at four-year PBIs who graduate within six years of enrollment.
(e) Completion Rate—two-year institutions: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at two-year PBIs who graduate within three years of enrollment.
(f) Efficiency Measure: Cost per successful program outcome: Federal cost per undergraduate degree at PBIs.
Bernadette D. Miles, OPE, Institutional Service, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 7E311, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 502-7616, or by email: bernadette.miles@ed.gov.
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 Start Printed Page 5113can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.
Dated: January 26, 2016.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Innovation Delegated the Duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2016-01746 Filed 1-29-16; 8:45 am]