Office of Postsecondary Education Offers COVID-19 Funding Relief

The Office of Postsecondary Education, housed in the Department of Education, has recently established a funding opportunity (Opportunity Number ED-GRANTS-082120-001) for institutions who need assistance navigating the coronavirus pandemic so that they will emerge well-suited to navigate the fall semester and beyond.

The Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity program is carefully designed to help institutions expand their educational opportunities for students and to instill a culture of resilience. The award can be utilized in several ways by supporting students, resuming operations, reducing disease transmission, and assisting in the development of agile delivery models for students who choose to not attend in-person courses. The grant program also gives priority to applicants who display a commitment to expanding dual-enrollment opportunities for current high school students.

Colleges and universities with the greatest unmet needs related to COVID-19 will be given competitive preference. Additionally, grant proposals will receive additional consideration if they meet any of the following criteria:

  1. Provide dual-enrollment opportunities for students who live or attend school in a rural community or Opportunity Zone.
  2. Are led by, or in partner in tandem with, HBCUs, tribal colleges, minority-serving institutions, or developing institutions with Title III or Title V eligibility.
  3. Show a commitment to developing resilient instructional models, such as distance learning, that make learning both possible and effective when students cannot be physically present on campus.

The notice of intent to apply is due on Thursday, September 10. Completed applications are due Tuesday, October 20, and should be submitted electronically via grants.gov.

The full programmatic description and application instructions can be found on the grants.gov website. For any questions about the Office of Postsecondary Education’s IREPO funding opportunity, please contact Karen Epps or (202) 453-6337.

 

 

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