ED-GRANTS-041823-003: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Programs (HEP): Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE): Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) Grant Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.116W
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 Department of Education notices from 2023.
Department of Education offered grants of up to $2.2 million to nonprofits, colleges and universities and state and local governments. It expected to make about 23 awards worth $44.5 million in total. Applications closed on June 20, 2023.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed April 18, 2023. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$2.2 million
- Total funding$44.5 million
- Expected awards23
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | April 18, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | June 20, 2023 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | July 20, 2023 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities and state and local governments.
All 9 applicant types the notice lists
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are IHEs (as defined in section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that are public or private nonprofit IHEs, and public and private nonprofit organizations and agencies that partner with IHEs.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education awards averaged $1.4 million; this notice allows up to $2.2 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (70% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
Note: Each funding opportunity description is a synopsis of information in the Federal Register application notice. For specific information about eligibility, please see the official application notice. The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html. Please review the official application notice for pre-application and application requirements, application submission information, performance measures, priorities and program contact information. For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Revised Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022. Purpose of Program: The purpose of the RPED Grant Program is to improve rates of postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion among rural students through development of career pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations in the region. Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.116W.
Who has won Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (84.116) awarded $1.3 billion across 955 grant awards, an average of $1.4 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama | Alabama | 3 | $110 million |
| University of Vermont & State Agricultural College | Vermont | 3 | $34.6 million |
| Research Foundation of the City University of New York | New York | 5 | $17.5 million |
| The University of South Dakota | South Dakota | 3 | $9.8 million |
| Board of Regents of Nevada System of Higher Education | Nevada | 5 | $9.2 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-GRANTS-041823-003 still open?
No. It closed on June 20, 2023.
Who can apply for Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Programs (HEP): Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE): Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) Grant Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.116W?
Department of Education accepted applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities and state and local governments. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Programs (HEP): Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE): Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) Grant Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.116W?
Closed June 20, 2023. 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 $2.2 million each. About $44.5 million in total across about 23 awards.
Who has won Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were University of Alabama, University of Vermont & State Agricultural College, Research Foundation of the City University of New York. The program made 955 awards worth $1.3 billion in that time.
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