34 C.F.R. Subpart C—How Does the Secretary Make a Grant?
Title 34 - Education
(a) The Secretary evaluates an application for a new grant as follows: (1)(i) The Secretary evaluates the application on the basis of the selection criteria in §646.21. (ii) The maximum score for all the criteria in §646.21 is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the criterion. (2)(i) If an application for a new grant proposes to continue to serve substantially the same population or campus that the applicant is serving under an expiring grant, the Secretary evaluates the applicant's prior experience in delivering services under the expiring grant on the basis of the criteria in §646.22. (ii) The maximum score for all the criteria in §646.22 is 15 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the criterion. (b) The Secretary makes new grants in rank order on the basis of the applications' total scores under paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section. (c) If the total scores of two or more applications are the same and there is insufficient money available to fully fund them both after funding the higher-ranked applications, the Secretary chooses among the tied applications so as to serve geographic areas that have been underserved by the Student Support Services Program. (d) The Secretary does not make grants to applicants that carried out a Federal TRIO program project that involved the fraudulent use of funds. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–14) The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate an application for a new grant: (a) Need for the project (24 points). The Secretary evaluates the need for a Student Support Services project proposed at the applicant institution on the basis of the extent to which the application contains clear evidence of— (1) (8 points) A high number or percentage, or both, of students enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the applicant institution who meet the eligibility requirements of §646.3; (2) (8 points) The academic and other problems that eligible students encounter at the applicant institution; and (3) (8 points) The differences between eligible Student Support Services students compared to an appropriate group, based on the following indicators: (i) Retention and graduation rates. (ii) Grade point averages. (iii) Graduate and professional school enrollment rates (four-year colleges only). (iv) Transfer rates from two-year to four-year institutions (two-year colleges only). (b) Objectives (8 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of the applicant's proposed project objectives on the basis of the extent to which they— (1) (2 points) Include performance, process and outcome objectives relating to each of the purposes of the Student Support Services Program stated in §646.1; (2) (2 points) Address the identified needs of the proposed participants; (3) (2 points) Are clearly described, specific, and measurable; and (4) (2 points) Are ambitious but attainable within each budget period and the project period given the project budget and other resources. (c) Plan of operation (30 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of the applicant's plan of operation on the basis of the following: (1) (3 points) The plan to inform the institutional community (students, faculty, and staff) of the goals, objectives, and services of the project and the eligibility requirements for participation in the project. (2) (3 points) The plan to identify, select, and retain project participants with academic need. (3) (4 points) The plan for assessing each individual participant's need for specific services and monitoring his or her academic progress at the institution to ensure satisfactory academic progress. (4) (10 points) The plan to provide services that address the goals and objectives of the project. (5) (10 points) The applicant's plan to ensure proper and efficient administration of the project, including the organizational placement of the project; the time commitment of key project staff; the specific plans for financial management, student records management, and personnel management; and, where appropriate, its plan for coordination with other programs for disadvantaged students. (d) Institutional commitment (16 points). The Secretary evaluates the institutional commitment to the proposed project on the basis of the extent to which the applicant has— (1) (6 points) Committed facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel, and other resources to supplement the grant and enhance project services; (2) (6 points) Established administrative and academic policies that enhance participants' retention at the institution and improve their chances of graduating from the institution; (3) (2 points) Demonstrated a commitment to minimize the dependence on student loans in developing financial aid packages for project participants by committing institutional resources to the extent possible; and (4) (2 points) Assured the full cooperation and support of the Admissions, Student Aid, Registrar and data collection and analysis components of the institution. (e) Quality of personnel (9 points). To determine the quality of personnel the applicant plans to use, the Secretary looks for information that shows— (1) (3 points) The qualifications required of the project director, including formal education and training in fields related to the objectives of the project, and experience in designing, managing, or implementing Student Support Services or similar projects; (2) (3 points) The qualifications required of other personnel to be used in the project, including formal education, training, and work experience in fields related to the objectives of the project; and (3) (3 points) The quality of the applicant's plan for employing personnel who have succeeded in overcoming barriers similar to those confronting the project's target population. (f) Budget (5 points). The Secretary evaluates the extent to which the project budget is reasonable, cost-effective, and adequate to support the project. (g) Evaluation plan (8 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of the evaluation plan for the project on the basis of the extent to which— (1) The applicant's methods for evaluation— (i) (2 points) Are appropriate to the project and include both quantitative and qualitative evaluation measures; and (ii) (2 points) Examine in specific and measurable ways, using appropriate baseline data, the success of the project in improving academic achievement, retention and graduation of project participants; and (2) (4 points) The applicant intends to use the results of an evaluation to make programmatic changes based upon the results of project evaluation. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–14) (a) In the case of an application described in §646.20(a)(2)(i), the Secretary reviews information relating to an applicant's performance under its expiring Student Support Services project. This information may come from performance reports, site visit reports, project evaluation reports, and any other verifiable information submitted by the applicant. (b) The Secretary evaluates the applicant's prior experience in achieving the goals of the Student Support Services Program on the basis of the following criteria: (1) (4 points) The extent to which project participants persisted toward completion of the academic programs in which they were enrolled. (2) (4 points) The extent to which project participants met academic performance levels required to stay in good academic standing at the grantee institution. (3) (4 points) (i) For four-year institutions, the extent to which project participants graduated; and (ii) For two-year institutions, the extent to which project participants either graduated or transferred to four-year institutions. (4) (3 points) The extent to which the applicant has met the administrative requirements—including recordkeeping, reporting, and financial accountability—under the terms of the previously funded award. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–14) (a) The Secretary sets the amount of a grant on the basis of— (1) 34 CFR 75.232 and 75.233, for new grants; and (2) 34 CFR 75.253, for the second and subsequent years of a project period. (b) If the circumstances described in section 402A(b)(3) of the HEA exist, the Secretary uses the available funds to set the amount of the grant at the lesser of— (1) $170,000; or (2) The amount requested by the applicant. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11)
Title 34: Education
PART 646—STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM
Subpart C—How Does the Secretary Make a Grant?
§ 646.20 How does the Secretary decide which new grants to make?
§ 646.21 What selection criteria does the Secretary use to evaluate an application?
§ 646.22 How does the Secretary evaluate prior experience?
§ 646.23 How does the Secretary set the amount of a grant?
