Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE): Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity (IREPO) Grants Program CFDA Number 84.425P | ED GRANTS 082120 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 082120 001

The Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity (IREPO) Grants Program (CFDA 84.425P) is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). The program was authorized through section 18004(a)(3) of the CARES Act and is designed as a targeted response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, focusing on higher education institutions facing the most significant unmet coronavirus-related needs.

At its core, the IREPO program aims to provide financial support to institutions of higher education (IHEs) so they can stabilize and sustain operations disrupted by the pandemic. The funding is intended to help campuses resume and maintain services, support students whose learning was interrupted or altered, and take practical steps to reduce disease transmission. A major emphasis is also placed on helping institutions strengthen and expand resilient instructional delivery models, particularly distance learning and other flexible approaches, so that students who cannot or prefer not to attend in-person classes can continue progressing toward their credentials without losing access to instruction and academic support.

Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, with the listing also referencing additional eligible entities as described in the official notice. Because eligibility details and any special conditions can vary across Department of Education competitions, applicants are directed to the Federal Register application notice for the definitive requirements, including who qualifies, what documentation is needed, and how the Department defines and assesses "greatest unmet needs" related to coronavirus impacts.

Key dates tied to this competition reflect its 2020 timeline. Applications became available on August 21, 2020. The Department strongly encouraged prospective applicants to submit a non-binding notice of intent to apply by September 10, 2020, which was meant to help the agency plan for a smoother review process; institutions could still apply even if they did not submit this notice. The deadline for transmittal of full applications was October 20, 2020. The opportunity anticipated making about 19 awards, and the synopsis notes an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that a specific maximum was not stated in that summarized field and applicants should rely on the official Federal Register notice for any limits, ranges, or budgeting guidance.

For application procedures and submission logistics, the posting points applicants to the Department of Education "Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs" (published February 13, 2019, 84 FR 3768), which outlines standard federal grant submission expectations such as formatting, required forms, electronic submission rules, and other government-wide compliance steps. Additional pre-application materials and updates were to be posted on the Department's IREPO webpage under the HEERF IREPO section, providing prospective applicants with clarifying guidance and resources aligned with the competition.

The listed federal funding opportunity number is ED GRANTS 082120 001, and the funding instrument type is a grant. The agency contact for this competition is Karen Epps at the U.S. Department of Education, with contact details provided for email and phone for questions related to the program and application process. For any institution considering this opportunity, the most important takeaway is that the authoritative rules and priorities come from the Federal Register notice, which governs eligibility, required narratives and assurances, selection criteria, performance measures, and any competitive priorities that shape how proposals are scored.

• The Department of Education in the education, other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE): Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity (IREPO) Grants Program CFDA Number 84.425P" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.425.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 21, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 20, 2020 Applications Available August 21, 2020.Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply September 10, 2020.Deadline for Transmittal of Applications October 20, 2020.Pre-Application Information The Department will post additional information for prospective applicants on the IREPO program website https://www2.ed.gov/#8203about/#8203offices/#8203list/#8203ope/#8203heerfirepo.html.Notice of Intent to Apply We will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if we know the approximate number of applicants that intend to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, the Secretary strongly encourages each potential applicant to notify us of the applicant#8217s intent to submit an application by sending an email to Karen.Epps@ed.gov with Intent to Apply in the subject line. Applicants that do not send a notice of intent to apply may still apply for funding. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Karen Epps, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, 250-64, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone (202) 453-6337. Email Karen.Epps@ed.gov.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 19 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for ED GRANTS 082120 001

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: