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Barrier Removal - Growing Institutional Capacity

Funding to Strengthen Institutional Systems for Basic Needs Support

This funding helps institutions strengthen systems that remove barriers for students who are struggling to meet their basic needs, including access to food, housing, transportation, childcare, and other essential supports.

Application Overview     Application Portal

Eligible Applicants

  • Community Colleges
  • Tribal Colleges
  • Public Colleges and Universities
  • Nonprofit Organizations partnering with a College/University

Grant Award Amounts and Timelines

  • $100,000-$400,000
  • 1-3 years

Application Deadlines

  • May 16 is the prereview deadline for the June 20 application deadline.

This paper form application is for planning purposes only. Please do not submit a paper application. Submit your application through the EGrAMS Portal two weeks before the deadline.

Application Portal

Have a question?

Be sure to check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals requesting funds to strengthen systemic institutional capacity to remove life barriers and poverty-related barriers to students will be evaluated based on:

  1. The presence of sound design principles and a clear plan for building institutional capacity grounded in evidence and data.
  2. Commitment to and a clear plan for strengthening community partnerships as part of establishing a system of support for students
  3. A plan for cross-silo communication/collaboration to ensure that everyone who interacts with students is equipped to connect students to needed resources.
  4. A plan for sustaining and further deepening the capacity of the institution beyond the end of the grant.