MEMBER ADVISORY

March 4, 2021

The Department announces the process for designation of eligible institutions and invites applications for waivers of eligibility requirements for fiscal year (FY) 2021, for the following programs: 1. Programs authorized under Title III, part A of the HEA: Strengthening Institutions Program (Part A SIP), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (Part A ANNH), Predominantly Black Institutions (Part A PBI), Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (Part A NASNTI), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (Part A AANAPISI). 2. Programs authorized under Title III, part F of the HEA: Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation (Part F HSI STEM and Articulation), Predominantly Black Institutions (Part F PBI), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (Part F ANNH), Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (Part F NASNTI), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (Part F AANAPISI). 3. Programs authorized under Title V of the HEA: Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) and Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA). Detailed information can be found at the following link:

 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/04/2021-04447/eligibility-designations-and-applications-for-waiving-eligibility-requirements-programs-under-partsis

Institutions can submit their application at HTTPS://HEPIS.ed.gov/.

It is critical for any institution intending to compete for funds under Titles III, V, and VII to complete this process before the deadline. This is an annual opportunity, so any institution that misses the deadline will have to wait until the FY 2022 application is announced.

Eligibility will be open from March 4 to April 5, 2021. The Department will make decisions on waivers soon after the system closes.

If an institution has never applied or if the applicant is new to the process, click the “New User” link to request an account. An institution will need their campus’ OPEID to request the account.

Once an institution has access to their campus’s eligibility process (which can be requested via the help desk: HEPIS.helpdesk@thetactilegroup.com), institution staff can log into the data system and see whether they are pre-determined as an eligible institution via IPEDS data. If they are pre-eligible, they will be able to download their letter of eligibility immediately and proceed with their grant application processes.

If an institution is not eligible, the system will walk them through the process to apply first. The application in the system will use a formula to determine whether their data meets the minimum requirements for eligibility. If they are eligible, they will receive a letter of eligibility. If they are not eligible after completing the application, the system will direct them to the waiver they will need to complete. It is important for institutions to submit data supporting their waiver request(s).

For further information, please contact:

Christopher Smith, Institutional Service, U.S. Department of Education - Email: Christopher.Smith@ed.gov

Jason Cottrell, Institutional Service, U.S. Department of Education - Email: Jason.Cottrell@ed.gov

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877– 8339.

HACU Member Advisories are a service of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)