Historically Black Colleges and Universities Innovation Fund

Title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1133 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Historically Black Colleges and Universities Innovation Fund

786.

Purpose

It is the purpose of this part to assist historically Black colleges and universities in planning, developing, implementing, validating, and replicating innovations that provide solutions to persistent challenges in enabling economically and educationally disadvantaged students to enroll in, persist through, and graduate from historically Black colleges and universities, including initiatives designed to—(1)improve student achievement at historically Black colleges and universities;(2)increase successful recruitment at historically Black colleges and universities of—(A)students from low-income families of all races;(B)adults; and(C)military-affiliated students;(3)increase the rate at which students enrolled in historically Black colleges and universities make adequate or accelerated progress towards graduation and successfully graduate from such colleges and universities;(4)increase the number of students pursuing and completing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at historically Black colleges and universities and pursuing graduate work in such fields;(5)enhance the quality of teacher preparation programs offered by historically Black colleges and universities;(6)redesign course offerings and institutional student aid programs to help students obtain meaningful employment; and(7)expand the effective use of technology at historically Black colleges and universities.

787.

Definitions

In this part:(1)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means—(A)a part B institution as defined in section 322(2);(B)a part B institution, as so defined, applying in consortium with one or more other institutions of higher education;(C)a part B institution, as so defined, applying in consortium with one or more private nonprofit organizations;(D)a part B institution, as so defined, applying in consortium with one or more local educational agencies; or(E)a part B institution, as so defined, applying in a consortium that includes entities described in more than one of paragraphs (2), (3), or (4).(2)

Historically Black college or university

The term historically Black college or university has the meaning given the term part B institution as defined in section 322(2).

788.

Grants authorized

(a)

In general

With funds made available for this part under section 792, the Secretary shall make competitive planning and implementation grants, as described in subsections (b) and (c), to eligible entities to enable such entities to plan for the implementation of, in the case of a planning grant, and implement, in the case of an implementation grant, innovations authorized under this part and to support the implementation, validation, scaling up, and replication of such innovations. (b)

Planning grants

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall use not more than $10,500,000 of the funds made available under section 792 to award planning grants to eligible entities to plan, design, and develop innovations that address the purpose of this part as described in section 786.(2)

Duration

A planning grant authorized under this subsection shall be for the duration of 1 year.(3)

Grant amounts

Each planning grant authorized under this subsection shall be of an amount that is not more than $100,000. (c)

Implementation grants

(1)

In general

With funds made available for this part under section 792, the Secretary shall award implementation grants to eligible entities to further develop, pilot, field-test, implement, document, validate, and, as applicable, scale up and replicate innovations that address the purpose of this part as described in section 786.(2)

Duration

An implementation grant authorized under this subsection shall be for a duration of 5 years, conditional after 3 years upon the eligible entity achieving satisfactory progress towards carrying out the educational innovations, activities, and projects described in section 789(d), as determined by the Secretary.(3)

Grant amount

Each planning grant authorized under this subsection shall be of an amount that is not more than $10,000,000.(d)

Consortium entities

(1)

Fiscal agent

(A)

In general

In the case of an eligible entity described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 787(1), each part B institution, institution of higher education, private nonprofit organization, or educational agency that applied in consortium for a grant under this part shall agree on 1 such member of such eligible entity to serve as the fiscal agent of such entity.(B)

Responsibilities

The fiscal agent of an eligible entity, as described in subparagraph (A), shall act on behalf of such entity in performing the financial duties of such entity.(C)

Written agreement

The agreement described in subparagraph (A) shall be in writing and signed by each part B institution, institution of higher education, private nonprofit organization, or educational agency that applied in consortium with the selected fiscal agent for a grant under this part.(2)

Subgrants

In the case of an entity described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 787(1) that receives a grant under this part, the fiscal agent for such entity (as described in paragraph (1)) may make subgrants to another part B institution, institution of higher education, private nonprofit organization, or educational agency that applied in consortium for such grant with such fiscal agent.(e)

Federal share

(1)

Planning grants

The Federal share of the total cost of carrying out a project funded by a planning grant authorized under subsection (b) shall be 100 percent of such total cost.(2)

Implementation grants

(A)

In general

The Federal share of the total cost of carrying out a project funded by an implementation grant authorized under subsection (c) shall be not more than 85 percent of such total cost.(B)

Remaining cost

An eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (c) shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to not less than 15 percent of the total cost of carrying out the project funded by the grant. Such amount may be provided by in cash or in kind contributions.

789.

Applications

(a)

In general

An eligible entity desiring a grant under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.(b)

Consortium entities

An application under this section for a planning grant or an implementation grant by an eligible entity that is a part B institution applying for a grant under this part in consortium with another institution of higher education, private nonprofit organization, or educational agency, as described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 787(1), shall include the written agreement described in section 788(d)(1)(C).(c)

Planning grants

The Secretary shall ensure that the application requirements under this section for a planning grant authorized under section 788(b) include, in addition to the requirement under subsection (b), only the minimal requirements that are necessary to review the proposed process of an eligible entity for the planning and development of one or more educational innovations that address the purpose of this part as described in section 786.(d)

Implementation grants

An application under this section for an implementation grant authorized under section 788(c) shall include, in addition to the requirement under subsection (b), descriptions of—(1)each educational innovation that the eligible entity will implement using the funds made available by such grant, including, as applicable, a description of the evidence supporting the effectiveness of each such innovation;(2)how each educational innovation proposed to be implemented under such grant will address the purpose of this part, as described in section 786, and how each such innovation will further the institutional or organizational missions of, as applicable, the part B institution and each institution of higher education, private nonprofit organization, and educational agency applying in consortium with such part B institution for such grant;(3)the specific activities that the eligible entity will carry out with funds made available by such grant, including, for a consortium application submitted by an eligible entity described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 787(1), a description of the activities that the part B institution and each institution of higher education, private nonprofit organization, and educational agency of the consortium will carry out and a description of the capacity of each such institution, organization, and educational agency to carry out such activities;(4)the performance measures that the eligible entity will use to track its progress in implementing each proposed educational innovation, including a description of how the entity will implement such performance measures and use information on performance to make adjustments and improvements to its implementation activities, as needed, over the course of the grant period;(5)how the eligible entity will provide the amount required under section 788(e)(2)(B);(6)how the eligible entity will provide for an independent evaluation of the implementation and impact of the projects funded by such grant that includes—(A)an interim report (evaluating the progress made in the first 3 years of the grant); and(B)a final report (completed at the end of the grant period); and(7)the plan of the eligible entity for continuing each proposed educational innovation after the grant period has ended.

790.

Priority

In awarding grants under this part, the Secretary shall give priority to applications that address issues of major national need, including—(1)educational innovations designed to increase the number of African-American males who attain a postsecondary degree;(2)innovative partnerships between part B institutions and local educational agencies that are designed to increase the enrollment and successful completion of historically underrepresented populations in higher education;(3)educational innovations that bring together the resources of part B institutions and partner institutions in support of economic development, entrepreneurship, and the commercialization of funded research and the development of an innovation ecosystem on postsecondary school campuses;(4)educational innovations that support developing programs and initiatives to support undergraduate and graduate programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and(5)educational innovations described in paragraphs (3) and (6) of section 791(b).

791.

Use of funds

(a)

Planning grants

An eligible entity receiving a planning grant authorized under section 788(b) shall use funds made available by such grant to conduct a comprehensive institutional planning process that includes—(1)an assessment of the needs of the part B institution and, in the case of an eligible entity applying in a consortium described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 787(1), the needs of such other institution of higher education, private nonprofit organization, or educational agency;(2)research on educational innovations, consistent with the purpose of this part, as described in section 786, to meet the needs described in paragraph (1);(3)the selection of one or more such educational innovations to be implemented;(4)an assessment of the capacity of the part B institution and, in the case of an eligible entity applying in a consortium as described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 787(1), the capacity of such other institution of higher education, private nonprofit organization, or educational agency to implement each such educational innovation; and(5)activities to further develop such capacity.(b)

Implementation grants

An eligible entity receiving an implementation grant under section 788(c) shall use the funds made available by such grant to further develop, pilot, field-test, implement, document, validate, and, as applicable, scale up and replicate educational innovations that address the purpose of this part, as described in section 786, such as educational innovations designed to—(1)improve student achievement, such as through activities designed to increase the number or percentage of students who successfully complete developmental or remedial coursework (which may be accomplished through the evidence-based redesign of such coursework) and pursue and succeed in postsecondary studies;(2)improve and expand institutional recruitment, postsecondary school awareness, and postsecondary school preparation efforts targeting students, including high-achieving students, from low-income families, such as through activities undertaken in partnership with local educational agencies and nonprofit organizations (including the introduction of dual enrollment programs and the implementation of activities designed to enable more students to enter postsecondary education without the need for remediation);(3)increase the number or percentage of students, particularly students who are members of historically underrepresented populations, who enroll in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses, graduate with degrees in such fields, and pursue advanced studies in such fields;(4)increase (such as through the provision of comprehensive academic and nonacademic student support services) the number or percentage of students who make satisfactory or accelerated progress toward graduation from postsecondary school and the number or percentage of students who graduate from postsecondary school on time;(5)implement evidence-based improvements to courses, particularly high-enrollment courses, to improve student outcomes and reduce education costs for students, including costs of remedial courses;(6)enhance the quality of teacher preparation programs at part B institutions, to enable teachers at such institutions to be highly effective in the classroom and to enable such programs to meet the demands for accountability in teacher education;(7)expand the effective use of technology in higher education, such as through inter-institutional collaboration on implementing competency-based technology-enabled delivery models (including hybrid models) or through the use of open educational resources and digital content; and(8)provide a continuum of solutions by incorporating activities that address multiple objectives described in paragraphs (1) through (7).

792.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2015 through 2020 to carry out the activities under this part.