Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Programs (HEP): Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (State Grants) Assistance Listing Number 84.334S

Background
The GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant program that encourages eligible entities to provide support, and maintain a commitment to, eligible low-income students, 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) eligible partnerships.

Grant Details
The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2021 for the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) State Grants, Assistance Listing Number 84.334S. The purpose of the program is to encourage eligible entities to provide support to low-income students, including those with disabilities, in obtaining a secondary school diploma and preparing for postsecondary education. The 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; implementing activities to improve graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment; and providing scholarships as specified in section 404E of the HEA.

Eligibility Requirements
States (as defined in section 103(20) of the HEA), which includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States are eligible to apply. Only States without an active State GEAR UP grant or States that have an active State GEAR UP grant that is scheduled to end prior to October 1, 2021 are eligible to receive a new State GEAR UP award in this competition.

Period of Performance
The deadline for transmittal of applications is June 28, 2021.
The project period can be either 72 months or 84 months.

Grant Value
$35,617,582 is estimated available funds with an estimated range of awards between $2,500,000–$5,000,000.
The estimated average size of awards is $3,535,000 with a maximum award not exceeding $5,000,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.