College Success Grants Frequently Asked Questions

Whether a nonprofit’s application will count against the total limitations will depend on the project being proposed and cannot be answered without that context. To the extent possible, applicants should try to consider the intent of the State’s guidelines, which is to provide some flexibility in how colleges and their partners share the work of institutional transformation without overtaxing the capacity of the colleges to achieve the project aims.

• Whether the college or the nonprofit is selected as the applicant should be based on the logic of the project itself. A reviewer of the grant application should be able to understand why the nonprofit is the appropriate applicant for the work being proposed.
• If the proposal appears to simply be an attempt to work around the limitations, it will be denied. For instance, a college submits an Accelerate application around gateway course redesign, and a nonprofit working with that same college submits an Accelerate application around holistic student advising, this will be interpreted as trying to skirt the restriction on a college receiving two Accelerate grants, though they might have different purposes. Both will be denied.
• The State is attempting to avoid funding nonprofits that are doing work that will feel like an appendage to the college’s priorities. Instead, the State is seeking to fund nonprofits whose work will lead to an intrinsic change in the college’s policies and practices.
• The State will query into whether the college truly has the capacity to deliver multiple projects regardless of whether it is the primary applicant or a partner. The application should clearly explain how it will organize the work to bring the capacity for multiple projects.
• If it is determined that a project awarded to a nonprofit will make a college partner ineligible for any category of future grant, that will be communicated by the State prior to signing a grant award.

A strong application from a nonprofit organization will demonstrate that its project and strategy has high-level buy-in from institutional leaders and can lead to lasting change for its institutional partners.

Projects that rely on collaboration across multiple colleges might be especially appropriate for a nonprofit applicant who serves as the convener and coordinator.

The Barrier Removal—Direct to Students grants work differently for nonprofits and don’t require the same level of partnership. Please review the application materials for more information.

These grants are probably not a good vehicle for partnership for a nonprofit developing a brand-new partnership with a college. The State will fund nonprofit-college partnerships that reflect a thoughtful and robust partnership.