FY 26 Postsecondary Student Success Grant 84.116M

The Postsecondary Student Success Grants Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. This program is designed to support initiatives that improve postsecondary student outcomes, including retention, credit accumulation, transfer, and completion. It emphasizes the use of data-driven decision-making and the implementation, scaling, and rigorous evaluation of evidence-based strategies. The program reflects a federal priority to strengthen higher education systems and align educational attainment with workforce needs. The primary objective of the program is to fund projects that implement and evaluate interventions that enhance student success. These interventions must be grounded in evidence and structured around either early-phase or mid-phase development. Early-phase projects must demonstrate a rationale and include plans for rigorous evaluation, while mid-phase projects must already show moderate evidence of effectiveness and focus on scaling proven strategies. The program encourages innovation, including the use of artificial intelligence, workforce-aligned credential pathways, and learning and employment records that better capture student competencies. Funding under this program is substantial, with an estimated total of forty-five million dollars available. Awards are divided into early-phase and mid-phase categories, with early-phase grants ranging from two million to four million dollars and mid-phase grants ranging from six million to eight million dollars over a forty-eight-month project period. Applicants must provide a ten percent cost share, which may include in-kind contributions. Funds must be used to support both the implementation of interventions and rigorous independent evaluation, as well as the development of data systems and tools to support continuous improvement. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as institutions of higher education, consortia of such institutions, statewide higher education systems, nonprofit organizations, and partnerships that may include business entities. Applicants must demonstrate nonprofit status where applicable and comply with federal regulations governing grant eligibility. The program allows for subgrants to support project activities and requires that funds supplement rather than supplant existing resources. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov, following registration in both SAM.gov and Grants.gov systems. Applicants must prepare a comprehensive proposal that includes standard federal forms, a project narrative, budget narrative, evidence documentation, and responses to required priorities. Applications must clearly address one evidence-based priority and one content priority, and may optionally address a competitive preference priority for additional scoring consideration. The review process involves peer evaluation based on criteria such as project significance, design quality, management plan, and evaluation rigor. The application timeline for this funding opportunity begins with availability on May 28, 2026, and concludes with a submission deadline of June 29, 2026. Intergovernmental review must be completed by August 28, 2026. Projects funded under this program will run for forty-eight months. Applicants are advised to begin registration processes early and ensure compliance with all submission requirements, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Evaluation of applications is highly structured and competitive, with a maximum score of one hundred points based on detailed selection criteria. Projects are expected to include robust evaluation plans that meet What Works Clearinghouse standards and generate evidence of effectiveness. Successful applicants must also comply with federal reporting requirements, including annual performance reports and submission of evaluation findings to public repositories. This program is expected to recur annually or periodically based on federal appropriations and policy priorities, making it an ongoing opportunity for institutions seeking to improve student outcomes through evidence-based innovation.

Align proposal to evidence standards and clearly address required priorities; emphasize rigorous evaluation design and measurable outcomes; ensure data systems and continuous improvement plans are well defined