CFR

410.21—What selection criteria does the Secretary use for institutional support grants?

The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate an application for an institutional support grant:

(a) Institutional goals and objectives. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which the applicant's current and future institutional goals and objectives are—

(1) Realistic and defined in terms of measurable results; and

(2) Directly related to the problems to be solved.

(b) Comprehensive development plan. (25 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which the plan is effectively designed to meet the applicant's current and future institutional goals and objectives, including instructional and student support needs, and equipment and capital requirements.

(c) Implementation strategy. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which an applicant's implementation strategy—

(1) For each major activity funded under this program, is comprehensive and likely to be effective, taking into account the applicant's past performance and the data for the past three academic years reflecting the number and required qualifications of the teaching and administrative staff, the number of students enrolled, attendance rates, dropout rates, graduation rates, rate of job placement or college enrollment after graduation, and the most significant scholastic problems affecting the student population;

(2) Includes a realistic timetable for each such activity; and

(3) Includes a staff management plan likely to ensure effective administration of the project activities.

(d) Budget and cost effectiveness. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which—

(1) The budget is adequate to support the proposed activities to be funded under this program, including capital expenditures and acquisition of equipment, if applicable;

(2) Costs are necessary and reasonable in relation to similar activities the institution carried out in previous years; and

(3) The budget narrative justifies the expenditures.

(e) Evaluation plan. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan the institution plans to use to determine its progress towards, and success in, achieving its goals and objectives, including the extent to which—

(1) The plan identifies, at a minimum, types of data to be collected, expected outcomes, and how those outcomes will be measured;

(2) The methods of evaluation are appropriate and, to the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable; and

(3) The methods of evaluation provide periodic data that can be used for ongoing program improvement.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control No. 1830-0013)

Code of Federal Regulations

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2397-239 7h)

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