ED-GRANT-26-025: Strengthening Institutions Program FY 2026 Competition
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Office of Postsecondary Education notices from 2026.
Office of Postsecondary Education offered grants of up to $3.0 million (at least $250,000) to colleges and universities. It expected to make about 600 awards worth $350 million in total. Applications closed on June 23, 2026.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed May 21, 2026. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$3.0 million
- Award floor$250,000
- Total funding$350 million
- Expected awards600
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | May 21, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | June 23, 2026 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | July 23, 2026 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to colleges and universities.
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
See the ANI for specific eligibility requirements.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Higher Education Institutional Aid awards averaged $3.2 million; this notice allows up to $3.0 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (79% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The purpose of SIP is to provide assistance to eligible institutions of higher education to improve their academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal stability in order to increase their self-sufficiency.
Who has won Higher Education Institutional Aid grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Higher Education Institutional Aid (84.031) awarded $5.8 billion across 1,842 grant awards, an average of $3.2 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University | North Carolina | 6 | $110 million |
| Florida a & M University | Florida | 6 | $106 million |
| Texas Southern University | Texas | 6 | $91.5 million |
| The Morehouse School of Medicine, Inc. | Georgia | 2 | $80.3 million |
| Prairie View A&m University | Texas | 6 | $78.4 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is ED-GRANT-26-025 still open?
No. It closed on June 23, 2026.
Who can apply for Strengthening Institutions Program FY 2026 Competition?
Office of Postsecondary Education accepted applications from colleges and universities. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Strengthening Institutions Program FY 2026 Competition?
Closed June 23, 2026. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $3.0 million each. About $350 million in total across about 600 awards.
Who has won Higher Education Institutional Aid grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Florida a & M University, Texas Southern University. The program made 1,842 awards worth $5.8 billion in that time.
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