FY 26 Postsecondary Student Success Grant 84.116M

The U.S. Department of Labor, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, is soliciting applications for the Fiscal Year 2026 Postsecondary Student Success Grants Program (PSSG). The program aims to improve postsecondary student outcomes—including retention, transfer, credit accumulation, and completion—by leveraging data and implementing evidence-based strategies. Approximately $45,000,000 is available for discretionary grants, with an estimated 6 early phase awards ($2,000,000-$4,000,000) and 3 mid phase awards ($6,000,000-$8,000,000) for a 48-month project period. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, consortia, statewide systems, and public/private nonprofit agencies, requiring a ten percent cost share. Applications are due June 29, 2026, and must address specific absolute priorities related to evidence standards (early or mid-phase), advancing AI, career pathways, short-term programs, or college-to-career supports. A competitive preference priority is given to state-level entities, and an invitational priority for innovative financing models is also included.

The U.S. Department of Labor, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, is soliciting applications for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) -- Postsecondary Student Success Grants Program (PSSG) for Fiscal Year 2026. The program aims to enhance postsecondary student outcomes like retention, transfer, credit accumulation, and completion through data-driven, evidence-based strategies. Approximately $45,000,000 is available for discretionary grants, split between early-phase ($2,000,000-$4,000,000) and mid-phase ($6,000,000-$8,000,000) projects over 48 months. Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, consortia, statewide systems, and non-profit organizations. A 10% match, including in-kind donations, is required, with indirect cost reimbursement capped at eight percent. Applications are due June 29, 2026, and must address specific absolute priorities related to evidence standards (early or mid-phase) and content areas such as AI in education, career pathways, short-term programs, or college-to-career support. A competitive preference priority is given to applications from State educational agencies, workforce agencies, Tribal entities, or consortia. Applications will be scored based on significance, project design, management plan, and evaluation quality, with different criteria for early-phase and mid-phase projects. Grantees must conduct independent evaluations and report on performance measures like credit accumulation, retention, graduation rates, and time to credential.