Grants Intelligence: News & Insights

The Future of Grants: Navigating Federal Changes with Intelligence

Navigating the world of grants has always been a bit of a rollercoaster. There are a number of benefits—securing funding that powers your mission, expanding your reach, and making a real impact. Grants can also be daunting. Right now one of the biggest challenges facing colleges and universities is the uncertainty around the future of federal funding.

Understanding the Department of Education’s (ED) Eligibility Process – Now Open!

The Department of Education’s (ED) has announced the process for the designation of eligible institutions and waiver applications due April 7, 2025 (link)! Receiving designation makes an institution of higher education (IHE) eligible to apply for specific ED grant programs. These designations are awarded to IHE with a significant number of minority students, students in need of financial assistance, and which expend a significant amount of their institutional budget on core educational expenses. GIS provides curated tools to help small and mid-sized colleges and universities understand the ED Eligibility Matrix. GIS Advisors lead one-on-one sessions with members to explain the ED Eligibility Matrix, assist with the waiver process, and provide recommendations and intelligence on grant programs for eligible applicants.

Grant Writing Tips & Techniques: Strategies for Success

Grant funding plays a critical role in the success of institutions of higher education (IHE): supporting research, student scholarships, program development, and infrastructure improvements. A well-crafted grant proposal not only aligns with a funder’s priorities but also clearly articulates the need, impact, and sustainability of the proposed project. Strong proposals are strategic, data-driven, and structured to enhance competitiveness, helping institutions secure the resources necessary to advance their mission and serve their students effectively.

Expanding STEM Access and Readiness: How NSF’s S-STEM and ExLENT Programs Fuel Workforce Diversity and Innovation

In today’s fast-changing world, a strong STEM workforce isn’t just an asset—it’s essential. The science, technology, engineering, and math fields drive innovation, fuel economic growth, and tackle some of the most pressing challenges we face. To meet demand and stay competitive, we need more skilled professionals entering STEM careers—and we need to ensure doors are open to everyone with the talent and drive to succeed.

Dispelling Common Misconceptions about Federal Grants

There are several common misconceptions about federal grants. Some of the most common include: grants equate to free money; only elite schools are competitive; and the federal grant landscape for higher education is limited and daunting. There are resources out there to help simplify this process. In this month’s blog, our goal is to debunk some of these common misconceptions and set the record straight.

The Landscape of Federal Funding for Cybersecurity Programs Webinar Recording

As the federal government prepares to combat increasing cybersecurity risks and threats, Institutions of Higher Education are key in developing the next generation of cyber professionals. Watch this webinar to learn what grants are available to fund cybersecurity scholarships, research, summer camps and more.

Navigating the FY24 Federal Budget: What Colleges Need to Know

President Biden signed into law two funding packages in March 2024. The first being H.R. 4366, a $459 billion legislative package partially funding the Federal government for the remainder of fiscal year 2024 (FY24) which ends on September 30, 2024.

Enhancing Education: Understanding Department of Education Student Support Grants

Colleges and Universities should consider applying for federal grants to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation rates on campus.

Building a Culture of Grant Seeking on Campus

In today’s competitive landscape of higher education funding, securing federal grants has become increasingly vital for institutions to thrive and innovate. Grants not only provide much-needed financial support to aid the institution’s bottom line but also provide dollars for student scholarships...

FY25 Congressionally Directed Spending Application Process for IHEs

Earmarks, also known as congressionally directed spending or community project funding, allow members of Congress to direct an amount of money, through the federal discretionary budget process, towards a specific entity within their congressional district or state.