Requests for Proposals

Active RFPs: FY24 Behavioral Health Grant Program

Past RFPs: Student Behavioral and Mental Health Grant | Hunger Free Campus Initiative Grant | FY24 CDEP Grant | FY23 Student Behavioral and Mental Health Grant | ARPA Hunger Free Campus Initiative Grant | ARPA Community College Campus Hunger Program Grant | FY23 Higher Education Innovation Fund | The Behavioral and Mental Health Grants | FY22 Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership | FY22 Higher Education Innovation Fund | FY21 Bridges to College | FY21 Higher Education Innovation Fund | FY21 TRAIN Grant | FY21 Remote Dual Enrollment Grant | FY20 MAICEI Planning Grant | FY20 Bridges to College Grant | FY20 TRAIN Grant | FY20 CDEP Grant | FY20 Performance Incentive Grant


Behavioral Health Grant Program

Purpose

The Department of Higher Education (DHE), in consultation with the Department of Mental Health (DMH), is pleased to offer this Behavioral Health (BH) workforce grant program. The intended purpose of this grant program is twofold:

  1. Promote immediate Workforce Training responses in critical and actionable areas of need.
  2. Launch a broader Landscape Assessment of systemic capabilities, capacities and gaps in mental and behavioral health education and training to describe a framework for workforce planning.

Eligibility

The DHE anticipates awarding two (2) to eight (8) individual or consortium Workforce Training grants ranging from $50,000 – $200,000, for a total of $400,000 to Massachusetts Community Colleges and their Healthcare Provider partner(s) for Workforce Training projects. For each project (individual or consortium), one (1) college must be designated at the lead applicant and will be responsible for overall project design, receipt and disbursement of funds, project outcomes and final reporting.

The DHE anticipates awarding $100,000 for one (1) consortium grant for the Landscape Assessment project. The consortium shall include representatives of: Massachusetts’ Community Colleges, Massachusetts State Universities, the University of Massachusetts system, and one or more mental and behavioral healthcare providers in Massachusetts. Finally, the consortium shall include advisors from the DHE and DMH

Information Session

Responses MUST be uploaded to COMMBUYS (a single document is preferred) no later than the bid opening date and time: March 29, 2024, 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please include a Microsoft WORD version of the proposal as well as a PDF version. Responses not posted to COMMBUYS will not be considered for evaluation. Do not email and/or mail responses to the department. To respond to this bid, please register on the COMMBUYS website. If you need assistance with registering, please contact the COMMBUYS helpdesk at: COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or (888) 627-8283 or (617) 720-3197.

Deadline: March 29, 2024

The deadline for responses to this RFP is on Friday, March 29, 2024. Complete information and required forms are available here:


Past RFPs

Student Behavioral and Mental Health Grant
Purpose

This state funded FY24 grant opportunity (7066-1123) provides support to assist Massachusetts public higher education institutions in addressing student behavioral and mental health needs, including but not limited to crisis services, therapy, the assessment of learning disorders, responses to sexual assault, substance use disorder services and assistance to students struggling with stress, anxiety, or other mental health needs. Grant recipients include all fifteen community colleges and nine state universities. Together these twenty-four institutions served over 140,000 undergraduate students in FY23.

Eligibility

A total of $5.0M is available for this grant program, with $2.5M being allocated to the community colleges and $2.5M being allocated to the state universities. Funds were allocated across all public higher education institutions serving undergraduate students based on the total number of students enrolled.

Information Session

There will be a virtual information/technical assistance session on Monday, February 5 at 10 am and February 13 at 12 pm to answer questions about this RFP. If you are interested in participating in this information session, please email Allison Little at alittle@dhe.mass.edu, and specify FY 24 7066-1123: Behavioral and Mental Health Grants Program in the subject line. Questions and responses will be posted to the COMMBUYS website: www.COMMBUYS.com, in same location as this Bid BD-24-1088-RGT01-RGT01-95846.

February 5 at 10 am: Register here
February 13 at 12 pm: Register here

Deadline: February 23, 2024

The deadline for responses to this RFP is on Friday, February 23, 2024. Complete information and required forms are available here:

Hunger Free Campus Initiative Grant
Purpose

This state funded FY24 grant opportunity (7100-4003) provides support to assist Massachusetts public higher education institutions in addressing post-secondary student hunger insecurity at 2- and 4-year public institutions of higher learning and to minority-serving institutions (MSIs) as defined by the United States Department of Education. The objective of this funding is to award grants to campuses that maximize student enrollment in federal nutrition benefit programs, promote on-campus grocers that accept nutrition benefit programs, increase access to available meal cards and meal swipe options where feasible, maximize student access to on-campus or area food pantries in collaboration with regional food banks and support other innovative campus-designed projects to address college student food insecurity.

Eligibility

A total of $1M is available for this grant program. Funds are allocated across all eligible public higher education institutions serving undergraduate students based on the total number of students enrolled.

Information Session

There will be a virtual information/technical assistance session on Monday, January 29, 2024, at 10 am and Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 12 pm to answer questions about this RFP. If you are interested in participating in this information session, please email Allison Little at alittle@dhe.mass.edu, and specify “FY 24 7100-4003 Hunger Free Campus Initiative RFP Inquiry” in the subject line. Questions and responses will be posted to the COMMBUYS website: www.COMMBUYS.com, in same location as this Bid BD-24-1088-RGT01-RGT01-97367.

January 29 at 10 am: Register here
February 8 at 12 pm: Register here

Deadline: February 23, 2024

The deadline for responses to this RFP is on Friday, February 23, 2024. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY24 CDEP Grant
Purpose

The primary objective of this grant is to increase college participation of students through dual enrollment activities. This grant is specifically aimed at advancing the Department’s Equity Agenda with funds supporting initiatives designed to increase early college experiences for minoritized students, with an emphasis on students of color.

Eligibility

Eligible programs will be those that provide high school students with dual credit; specifically, college course(s) taken through CDEP will fulfill high school graduation requirements from the partnering school district while simultaneously earning free college credits towards a bachelor or associate degree or certificate at the partnering institution of higher education. Eligible applicants are Massachusetts’ 29 public institutions of higher education.

Information Session

There will be a virtual information/technical assistance session on Thursday, July 13, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm to answer questions about this RFP. If you are interested in participating in this information session, please email Keith Connors at kconnors@dhe.mass.edu to register. Keith will reply with the link and passcode.

Deadline: August 11, 2023

The deadline for responses to this RFP is on Friday, August 11, 2023. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY23 Student Behavioral and Mental Health Grant
Purpose

This state funded FY23 grant opportunity (7066-1123) provides support to assist Massachusetts public higher education institutions in addressing student behavioral and mental health needs, including but not limited to crisis services, therapy, the assessment of learning disorders, responses to sexual assault, substance use disorder services and assistance to students struggling with stress, anxiety, or other mental health needs. Grant recipients include all fifteen community colleges and nine state universities. Together these twenty-four institutions serve over 155,000 undergraduate students.

Eligibility

A total of $4M is available for this grant program, with $2M being allocated to the community colleges and $2M being allocated to the state universities. Funds were allocated across all public higher education institutions serving undergraduate students based on the total number of students enrolled.

Information Session: October 5, 2022

An information session will be held by conference call on October 5, 2022, at 9 am, to respond to questions about the RFP. Information regarding the exact time and call-in number will be posted on COMMBUYS. FAQs and responses will be posted COMMBUYS, within two business days following the information session.

Deadline: November 4, 2022

Proposals must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 4, 2022 . All proposals should be sent via COMMBUYS, with all attachments, with a copy of the packet emailed to Allison Little, grant administrator, at alittle@dhe.mass.edu. The posting is under bid number: BD-23-1088-RGT01-RGT01-79798.

ARPA Hunger Free Campus Initiative Grant
Purpose

The Hunger Free Campus Initiative (1599-2050) is a grant program funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and is intended to support students on higher education campuses that are experiencing food insecurity to reduce barriers of success. The need to address hunger and food security has been exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased inflation. The Hunger Free Campus Initiative is a $1.0 M program that makes funding available to campuses to increase their capacity to develop or improve upon food security programming. Proposals that address how an institution will support students impacted by COVID-19, including interruptions to students’ educational opportunities and completion, will be prioritized to receive funding.

Eligibility

Any Massachusetts state public or private institutions of higher education (IHEs) are eligible to apply for these funds. A Massachusetts state public or private IHE can apply individually or as part of a consortium. A consortium, for the purposes of this RFP, must be minimally comprised of one lead institution of higher education.

While an institution may only submit either an individual proposal or consortium proposal as the lead, it can be a secondary partner on consortium grants without limit. All partners on a consortium grant must sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining each partner’s responsibilities. Further information about individual and consortium proposals can be found in Section V. Grant Program Conditions.

Information Session: September 28, 2022

Interested applicants with questions about the content and objective of the RFP should attend the information/technical assistance session being offered on Wednesday, September 28, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Register for the Information/Technical Assistance meeting using this link: Zoom Link.

Deadline: October 31, 2022

Proposals must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 31, 2022. All proposals should be sent via COMMBUYS, with all attachments, with a copy of the packet emailed to Georgiana Chevry, grant administrator, at gchevry@dhe.mass.edu. The posting is under bid number: BD-23-1088-RGT01-RGT01-79797.

ARPA Community College Campus Hunger Program Grant
Purpose

Massachusetts Community College Campus Hunger Program (1599-2050) is a grant program funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and is intended to support students on higher education campuses that are experiencing food insecurity to reduce barriers of success. The need to address hunger and food security has been exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased inflation. The Massachusetts Community College Campus Hunger Program is a $2.7M grant that makes funding available to campuses to address student hunger and food insecurity as an obstacle to degree attainment. The Department of Higher Education shall grant funds based on demonstrated need and proposed implementation plan of each application. Funds received by a community college shall be used to address food insecurity among students via means including, but not limited to, meal cards, meal plans, meal vouchers, and other campus-designed projects to address community college student food insecurity.

Eligibility

Any public Massachusetts community college is eligible to apply for these funds. A Massachusetts community college can apply individually or as part of a consortium. A consortium, for the purposes of this RFP, must be minimally comprised of one community college as a lead institution and another partner.

While an institution may only submit either an individual proposal or consortium proposal as the lead, it can be a secondary partner on consortium grants without limit. All partners on a consortium grant must sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining each partner’s responsibilities. Further information about individual and consortium proposals can be found in Section V. Grant Program Conditions.

Information Session: September 15, 2022

Interested applicants with questions about the content and objective of the RFP should attend the information/technical assistance session being offered on Thursday, September 15, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. Register for the Information/Technical Assistance meeting using this link: Zoom Link. After attending the Information Session, should you have need for additional technical assistance about the content and objective of the RFP, you may request to attend the RFP Office Hour on September 27 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. RFP Office Hour registration information will be shared with those who request this information by emailing Georgiana Chevry at gchevry@dhe.mass.edu.

Deadline: October 17, 2022

The deadline for responses to this RFP is 5:00pm on October 17, 2022. Complete information and required forms are available through the bid number BD-23-1088-RGT01-RGT01-79041:

FY23 Higher Education Innovation Fund
Purpose

As it has been since its inception, the primary objective of this grant is to seed and support new innovations and proven practices in public higher education specifically aimed at advancing the Commonwealth’s overarching goal to significantly raise success outcomes among under-represented student populations. This year’s Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) RFP strongly aligns to the recently approved Strategic Plan for Racial Equity by actualizing three of the five identified strategies while also continuing to promote the Board’s Equity Agenda and learnings from the New Undergraduate Experience (NUE) report. 

Information Session: July 28, 202

There will be an information/technical assistance session on July 28, 2022, from 3:00pm to 4:00pm to answer questions about this RFP. If you are interested in participating in this information session, please email Keith Connors at kconnors@dhe.mass.edu to register. Keith will reply with the call-in number and passcode.

Deadline: August 26, 2022

The deadline for responses to this RFP is 5:00pm on August 26, 2022. Complete information and required forms are available through the bid number 22-1088-RGT01-RGT01-73540:

The Behavioral and Mental Health Grants
Purpose

This grant opportunity provides funding to assist Massachusetts public higher education institutions in addressing student behavioral and mental health needs. Grant recipients include all 15 community colleges, nine state universities and the four University of Massachusetts campuses. Together these 28 institutions serve over 240,000 undergraduate students.

Eligibility

A total of $5 million is available for this grant program. Funds were allocated across all public higher education institutions serving undergraduate students based on the total number of students enrolled.

Information Session

The webinar/Information session will be held on Monday, May 9,2022 at 1:00 p.m to answer questions about this RFP. Please join by clicking on this Zoom link.

FY22 Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership
Purpose

The primary objective of this grant is to increase college participation of students through dual enrollment activities. This grant is specifically aimed at advancing the Department’s Equity Agenda with funds supporting initiatives designed to increase early college experiences for minoritized students, with an emphasis on students of color.

Eligibility

Eligible programs will be those that provide high school students with dual credit; specifically, college course(s) taken through CDEP will fulfill high school graduation requirements from the partnering school district while simultaneously earning free college credits towards a bachelor or associate degree or certificate at the partnering institution of higher education. Eligible applicants are Massachusetts’ 29 public institutions of higher education.

Information Session

There will be an information/technical assistance session on Wednesday, August 25, 2021, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am to answer questions about this RFP. If you are interested in participating in this information session, please email Keith Connors kconnors@dhe.mass.edu to register. Keith will reply with the call-in number and passcode.

Deadline: September 8, 2021

The deadline for responses to this RFP is on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 . Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY22 Higher Education Innovation Fund
Purpose

As it has been since its inception, the primary objective of this grant is to seed and support new innovations and proven practices in public higher education specifically aimed at advancing the Commonwealth’s overarching goal to significantly raise success outcomes among under-represented student populations.  This year’s request continues, and expands upon, last year’s focus on the Department’s Equity Agenda with funds supporting initiatives and activities that adopt an equity lens designed to increase college-going and completion rates for minoritized students, specifically students of color. The Department looks forward to reviewing grant applications for programs and initiatives that scale or advance equity initiatives from last year or for new programs and initiatives in support of the Equity Agenda’s Racial Equity Principles. All programs and initiatives must adopt an equity lens, be supported by relevant data and evidence, and align with the DHE Equity Agenda Principles as set forth below. 

Information Session: July 22

There will be an information/technical assistance session on July 22, 2021, from 1:00pm to 2:00pm to answer questions about this RFP. If you are interested in participating in this information session, please email Keith Connors at kconnors@dhe.mass.edu to register. Keith will reply with the call-in number and passcode.

Deadline: August 26, 2021

The deadline for responses to this RFP is 5:00pm on August 26, 2021. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY21 Bridges to College
Purpose

The Bridges to College (BtC) program is intended to provide adult, low-income and entry level workers from underserved populations, education transition services that bridge gaps in academic achievement resulting in college entrance, retention and completion.

The BtC program is statewide in scope, therefore, proposals from across the commonwealth are encouraged.

Eligibility

Lead organizations must be adult basic education providers, including: local education agencies, community-based organizations, community colleges or correctional facilities. The lead organization must present outcomes data that demonstrates their prior success in bridging academic gaps of low-income and entry level workers from underserved populations resulting in college entrance, retention and completion aligned with student career interests and employer workforce demand.

Information Session: February 5

An information session will be held for those interested in applying on Friday, February 5, 2021, from 1:00pm-3:00pm. Contact David Cedrone at dcedrone@dhe.mass.edu regarding a meeting link, and/or any questions.

Deadline: March 1, 2021

The deadline for responses to this RFP is 12:00pm (Noon) on March 1, 2021. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY21 Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF)
Purpose

As it has been since its inception, the primary objective of this grant is to seed and support new innovations and proven practices in public higher education specifically aimed at advancing the Commonwealth’s overarching goal to significantly raise success outcomes among under-represented student populations.  This year’s request explicitly contextualizes the Department’s Equity Agenda with funds supporting initiatives and activities that adopt an equity lens designed to increase college-going and completion rates for minoritized students, specifically students of color and/or students from low-income and/or first-generation backgrounds.The Department looks forward to reviewing grant applications for programs and initiatives that adopt the equity lens and are supported by relevant data and evidence. This RFP identifies two category areas for advancing the goal of equity in higher education as follows:

  1. Advancing the Equity Agenda through Institutional Approaches to Promoting Antiracism and Students’ Cultural Wealth
  2. New Approaches to Assessing Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies.
Eligibility

Eligible applicants are Massachusetts’ state public institutions of higher education. A Massachusetts’ state public institution of higher education can apply individually or as part of a consortium. A consortium, for the purposes of this RFP, must be minimally comprised of one lead campus and two additional higher education partners. 

This HEIF grant is intended to support activities within all three segments of public higher education. Thus, the five UMass campuses, nine state universities, and fifteen community colleges are all eligible for funding.  While a campus may only submit one individual or consortium proposal as the lead, it can be a secondary partner on consortium grants without limit. All partners to a consortium grant must sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining each partner’s responsibilities.  Further information about individual and consortium proposals can be found in Section V, Grant Program Conditions.

Information Session: December 10, 2020

An information session will be held for those interested in applying on Thursday, December 10, 2020, at 1:00 PM. Contact Keith Connors at kconnors@dhe.mass.edu to register. Keith will reply with the call-in number and passcode.

Deadline: January 15, 2021

The deadline for responses to this RFP is 5:00 pm on January 15, 2021. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY21 TRAIN Grant
Purpose

The FY21 TRAIN grant program is intended to build upon the experience and learning from prior year projects, especially those implemented successfully in FY20 and proposed for extension in FY21. Given the dynamics of the FY21 state budget process and the requirement to expend the available funds no later than June 30, 2021, the emphasis will be to build upon current/prior successful projects by recruiting and serving additional student cohorts through existing training programs that serve critical industry sectors (Healthcare, Information Technology) or regional workforce demands that are demonstrated through current job posting data. The FY21 TRAIN grant program is once again intended to be implemented across all 15 of Massachusetts Community Colleges serving residents in every region of the Commonwealth.

The Department of Higher Education (DHE), in cooperation with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD), is pleased to offer the Training Resources and Internships Networks (TRAIN) grant program. Proposals must address the needs of unemployed or underemployed adults seeking industry skills and workforce readiness training to pursue job opportunities in key industry sectors as identified in the Workforce Skills Cabinet, Regional  Blueprint plans https://www.mass.gov/service-details/view-your-regions-blueprint.  The goal of this workforce training is to engage adult workers in education and training pathways that will lead to jobs and careers providing family sustaining wages and benefits.

Deadline: December 29, 2020

The deadline for responses to this RFP is 5:00 pm on December 29, 2020. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY21 Remote Dual Enrollment (RDE) Grant
Purpose

The Baker-Polito Administration is allocating resources to support equitable access to high school enrollment in remote learning dual enrollment courses. Funds will leverage MA based Institutions of Higher Education (MA IHE) and district/high school partnerships to increase college participation of students through dual enrollment activities, particularly for low-income, under-represented and first-generation-to-college students. This grant is specifically aimed at mitigating the impact of Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on junior or senior year high school students who have limited access to on-campus dual enrollment courses. Funding is allocated from the GEER Fund, established in the CARES Act, a U.S. Department of Education (Department) grant awarded to Governors for the purpose of providing local educational agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education (IHEs), and other education related entities with emergency assistance as a result of the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Eligibility

Applicants must be Institutions of Higher Education (IHE’s) incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a consortium of Massachusetts IHE’s. An IHE may only submit or participate in one application, whether as in individual institution or as part of a consortium. Consortium applications are highly encouraged.

Eligible programs will be those that provide Massachusetts high school students with dual credit; specifically, college course(s) of at least 3 credits. The grant will fulfill high school graduation requirements from the partnering school or district while simultaneously earning free college credits towards an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at the partnering institution of higher education. Grant requests and awards will be limited to an amount up to $135 per credit for each student enrolled in a course, pending final review of applications and available funding.

Information Session: September 30, 2020

An information session will be held for those interested in applying on Wednesday, September 30, 2020, at 3:00 PM. Contact Keith Connors at kconnors@dhe.mass.edu for the link to join the information session.

Deadline: October 16, 2020

The deadline for responses to this RFP is 5:00 pm on October 16, 2020. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY20 MAICEI Planning Grant
Purpose

This state-funded competitive grant program is intended to create new partnerships between high schools in public school districts and public colleges and universities; partnerships are funded to engage in an extended, structured planning process in preparation to submit an implementation proposal for an inclusive concurrent enrollment program on campus for students with severe disabilities (as defined in Section 1 of chapter 71B of the General Laws) between the ages of 18 and 22, inclusive.

Each member of the partnership will commit to developing and improving systems to facilitate the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in typical college and university settings, supporting college and career success, and providing a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.
Applicants are directed to select one of these two priorities and to provide information required for that priority:

  • Priority #1:  Planning Model Inclusive Educational Programs (Non-Residence Life)
  • Priority #2.  Planning Model Inclusive Educational Programs (Residence-Life)
Eligibility

Priority One

Colleges and universities that participated in the FY2011, FY2012, FY2013, FY2014, FY2015, FY2016, FY2017, FY2018, and FY2019 Fund Code 237 (planning) or 236 (continuation) grant programs are not eligible to participate in Priority One of this planning grant program.

Priority Two

Eligibility for Priority Two is limited to public colleges and universities currently or previously funded under state line item 7061-9600 and currently offering inclusive concurrent enrollment programming for students in the target audience. 

Deadline: January 31, 2020

Proposals must be submitted via COMMBUYS by 5:00 p.m., January 31, 2020. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY20 Bridges to College Grant
Purpose

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) is pleased to issue this request for proposals (RFP) for adult college transition services focused on low-income and entry level workers seeking access to post-secondary education pathways leading to in-demand jobs and careers.

Grant funds shall be awarded competitively to adult basic education providers, including but not limited to local education agencies, community-based organizations, community colleges and correctional facilities.

Candidate organizations must have demonstrated prior success in bridging academic gaps of underserved populations resulting in college entrance, retention and completion.

The total funding available to be awarded through this competitive grant program is $250,000. The DHE anticipates awarding up to five grants in the range of $50,000 to $100,000 reflecting the program design, number of people served and planned outcomes.

Information Session: September 18, 2019

An information session was held on September 18, 2019 to respond to questions about the RFP. For other questions contact David Cedrone, the grant administrator, at dcedrone@dhe.mass.edu.

Deadline: October 10, 2019

Proposals must be submitted via COMMBUYS by 12:00 p.m., October 10, 2019. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY20 Training Resources and Internship Networks (TRAIN) Grant
Purpose

The Department of Higher Education (DHE), in cooperation with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD), is pleased to offer the Training Resources and Internships Networks (TRAIN) grant program. Proposals must address the needs of unemployed or underemployed adults seeking industry skills and workforce readiness training to pursue regional  job opportunities in key industry sectors as identified in the Workforce Skills Cabinet, Regional  Blueprint plans https://www.mass.gov/service-details/view-your-regions-blueprint.  The goal of this workforce training is to engage adult workers in education and training pathways that will lead to jobs and careers that provide family sustaining wages and benefits.

The total funding available for grants to be provided through this program is $1,500,000. The DHE anticipates awarding up to 15 individual grants to Massachusetts Community Colleges who submit proposals as the lead applicant. Community Colleges may also choose to submit a collaborative proposal joining two or more colleges in a common proposal.  No one community college may be the lead applicant for more than one individual or collaborative proposal. Individual funding requests are recommended to range from $75,000 - $150,000; collaborative proposal funding requests shall reflect the number of institutions engaged and the total number of students served. Proposals must indicate the average cost per student (total funding requested/total number of students to be served) which is anticipated to range between $3,000 - $7,500.

Information Session: August 22, 2019

An information session will be held on August 22, 2019, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. accessible via: https://commonwealthofmass.centurylinkccc.com/CenturylinkWeb/DavidCedrone

Deadline

Proposals must be submitted via COMMBUYS by 4:00 p.m., September 19, 2019. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY20 CDEP Grant
Purpose

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) for Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP) projects for FY20. Funds will leverage public higher education and high school partnerships to increase college participation of students through dual enrollment activities, particularly for low-income, under-represented and first-generation-to-college students.

The DHE will award a limited number of competitive grants.  In awarding these grants, priority will be given to proposals that are developed and led by public institutions of higher education in strong partnership with school districts; proposals that show program growth and diversity of high school participants; and programs that design dual enrollment efforts as part of a High Quality College and Career Pathway implementation plan for either an Early College or Innovation Pathway program designation, including providing students with access to college and career awareness activities.  Eligible programs will be those that provide high school students with dual credit – specifically, college course(s) taken through CDEP will fulfill high school graduation requirements from the partnering school district while simultaneously earning free college credits towards a bachelor or associate degree or certificate at the partnering institution of higher education. 

Information Session: June 19, 2019

An information session was held on Wednesday, June 19 to respond to questions about the RFP. For other questions contact Keith Connors, the grant administrator, at kconnors@dhe.mass.edu.

Deadline

Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 p.m., July 15, 2019. Complete information and required forms are available here:

FY20 Performance Incentive Grant
Purpose

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Performance Incentive Fund (PIF) projects for FY20.  

This year’s request explicitly contextualizes the Department’s equity priority with funds supporting initiatives and activities that adopt an equity lens designed to increase college-going and completion rates for under-represented and under-served students, specifically students of color and/or students from low-income and/or first-generation backgrounds. For example, DHE analyses of four major indicators (high school graduation, college enrollment, public college graduation, and overall college attainment) reveal major disparities between Latino males and white females. When examining the overall college attainment rates, the Department found a 43% gap between Latino males and their white female peers. The Department looks forward to reviewing grant applications for programs and initiatives that adopt the equity lens and are supported by relevant data and evidence.

This RFP identifies three category areas for advancing the goal of equity in higher education.  These three categories for this FY20 PIF grant are:

  1. Supporting Low-Income Males and Males of Color (LIM-MOC) in Higher Education
  2. New Approaches to Assessing Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies
  3. Transforming Student Success and Empowering Classroom and Campus Leadership
Information Session: May 14, 2019

An information session was held on Tuesday, May 14, at 10 am to respond to questions about the RFP. For other questions contact Keith Connors, the grant administrator, at kconnors@dhe.mass.edu.

Deadline

Proposals must be submitted via COMMBUYS by 5:00 p.m., June 14, 2019. Complete information and required forms are available here:

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