Michigan public community and tribal colleges are eligible to apply for the Reconnect Enroll with Momentum Grant. Per boilerplate, it is a requirement of these grants that there is partnership with county government(s). For the purposes of this grant, county governments may include formal county administration, or another quasi-governmental body such as a local Workforce Development Board or Economic Development Corporation that has at least a county-wide footprint.
The process for applying for the Reconnect Enroll with Momentum grants has changed from previous MiLEAP Student Success Grant cycles. MiLEAP will not be using EGrAMS for the Reconnect Enroll with Momentum grant applications, grant agreements, nor submission of Progress Reports and FSRs. Instead, grant applications will be submitted via email to MiLEAP-OHE-GrantsApply@michigan.gov.
It is required that the Reconnect Enroll with Momentum Application document provided on the grant website be used for the application submission via email.
Yes, a fillable Reconnect Enroll with Momentum Application document will be provided on the MiLEAP Sixty by 30 Student Success Grants website. The fillable application document includes the budget template and the work plan template to be completed as part of the application.
Yes, draft Reconnect Enroll with Momentum applications can be submitted by the pre-review deadline to MiLEAP-Sixtyby30-Grants@michigan.gov (The process for pre-reviews and the email box to send to has not changed for this grant cycle.) In addition, applicants are encouraged to join office hours (which are posted on the grants webpage) to share an outline of what they are planning and receive feedback, as well as ask questions. Applicants are also welcome to request an individual meeting to ask questions about the Reconnect Enroll with Momentum application.
Semi-annual narrative progress reports are required for the Reconnect Enroll with Momentum grant. The areas reported on in the semi-annual progress reports align with key sections of the application (e.g., activities conducted during reporting period, data collected) as well as unanticipated impacts (e.g., delays) on the grant work during the reporting period.
A review team composed of staff from the MiLEAP Office of Higher Education and other subject matter experts will use a rubric aligned to the evaluation criteria to evaluate the grant applications. There is a possibility that applicant interviews will be conducted as part of the review process to ask clarification questions about the submitted application.
Weekly office hours are held by the MiLEAP Student Success Grants team during open grant cycles. Individuals are encouraged to join office hours to have questions answered whenever possible. An updated Zoom link is available on our grants website (scroll to “Support Office Hours” in the Additional Resources section on the page). If you are unable to attend office hours or have detailed, specific questions related to the grant application, you may send an email to MiLEAP-Sixtyby30-Grants@michigan.gov.
Questions submitted to this email box may be answered via email and/or a meeting scheduled with your grant team.
After award, grant dollars will be provided as reimbursements based on monthly reimbursement requests, known as Financial Status Reports. Financial Status Reports (FSR) are required to be submitted monthly (even if $0 reimbursement request), with documentation (receipts, general ledger, etc.) provided along with the reimbursement request
We understand that plans can change, especially in a multi-year grant. Changes to the budget line item amounts of up to 5% of the award amount are allowable without a budget amendment. Changes of more than 5% will require a budget amendment.
MiLEAP Office of Higher Education may approve additional eligible expenses. It is highly recommended that you discuss this with MiLEAP early in the drafting of your grant application. The easiest way to explore options is to ask about your particular ideas during a weekly office hours session. (Visit the grants webpage for updated times and Zoom links.) You may also send an email message to MiLEAP-Sixtyby30-Grants@michigan.gov with your questions.
It is not the State’s intention to fund projects where staff that are actually needed on a permanent basis are funded temporarily with these grants, nor where new staff are in roles that are considered pilots. For instance, grant applications focused on growing an advising team specifically focused on adult learners without a true post-grant sustainability plan are unlikely to be approved. On the other hand, creating a temporary position to carry out or oversee the project, when the project is truly about helping the institution undergo a transformation to increase adult learner enrollment, would be eligible. If a college seeks to fund new, permanent positions with the grant, one way to strongly demonstrate a plan for sustainability is to scale down the percent of the staff member’s salary that is covered by the grant over the two years of the grant. For example, a college could use the grant to cover 80% of staff time the first year, 40% of staff time the second year, increasing the institutional support each year to fill the difference. Please note that stipends for staff who are taking on additional work for this project are supported and encouraged. Relatedly, funding for a temporary staff member whose role is to oversee a transformational project would also be supported. The theme is that funding can be used for staff to support the intensive processes related to institutional change, not the ongoing work of general operations.
No. Indirect costs are not allowable for the Reconnect Enroll with Momentum Grants. However, grant-related administrative, facilities, and equipment costs are permitted.
Marketing and outreach costs directly related to the approved grant project are allowable. General marketing and outreach to increase enrollment at the college are not allowable.
Yes. MiLEAP will provide the required template to use for Financial Status Reports (reimbursement requests). Financial Status Reports are required to be submitted monthly, even if no funds were expended for the month (in this case $0 would be submitted in each category on the report). In addition, documentation (e.g., receipts, general ledger) of the expenses being requested to be reimbursed is required to be provided with the month’s FSR.
No. For the Reconnect Enroll with Momentum grants, only community and tribal colleges in Michigan are eligible to apply for the grant.
Yes. Reconnect Enroll with Momentum grant eligibility is not impacted by any other categories of Student Success competitive grants administered by the MiLEAP Office of Higher Education in 2024 and 2025 and can be received concurrent with other grants. Recipients of Reconnect Community Action grants will need to demonstrate on the grant application an ability to successfully meet the goals of both grants.
Per boilerplate, it is a requirement of these grants that there is partnership with county government(s). For the purposes of this grant, county governments may include the formal county administration, or another quasi-governmental body such as a local Workforce Development Board or Economic Development Corporation that has at least a county-wide footprint. While partnership with a county government is required, this does not need to limit the jurisdiction of the project being proposed. MiLEAP seeks to support locally defined, relevant geographies that reflect how community members organize, collaborate, and approach education, including supporting adult learners in their enrollment in postsecondary education.
