TG Public Benefit Grant Program

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Sample Grant Agreement
Adobe Acrobat pdf document (122k)

Want to know more about the TG Public Benefit Grant Program? Call (800) 252-9743, ext. 4518, or send an e-mail to public.benefit@tgslc.org.

Grant Application Guidelines — For 2010-11 Projects

TG's Public Benefit Program will support efforts by non-profit entities that declare intent to use grant funding to improve student persistence in or access to postsecondary education. TG's first priority is that the primary beneficiaries of these efforts, either directly or indirectly, be students who are from low- to moderate-income families. Secondary populations of focus include students who are the first in their families to attend higher education and students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. TG neither lends nor grants money to individuals through this program.

Grant categories and priority areas
For proposals received in 2010, TG will consider applications for projects in the following three public benefit categories:

  1. Direct services to students and families
    Within this category, priority will be given to proposals in either of the following categories that address the needs the primary populations of focus noted above:
    1. Retention/Persistence in postsecondary education (Please note: applicants are strongly encouraged to provide information about any research or data supporting the effectiveness of the proposed practice/program in improving college persistence.)
    2. Access to postsecondary education (Please note: applicants are strongly encouraged to indicate how the proposed access project or program also contributes to student persistence in higher education and to provide information about any research or data supporting the effectiveness of the proposed practice/program in improving access and persistence.)
  2. Education research
    Within this category, priority will be given to research proposals that inform policies and practices affecting:
    1. Postsecondary retention and degree completion among low- to moderate-income students and/or first-generation college students and/or students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education (may include nontraditional/adult learners);
    2. Student financial aid, to include self-help aid, such as student or parent loans; or
    3. Transfers, persistence and degree attainment for community college students
  3. Organizational capacity building
    Within this category, priority will be given to proposals from organizations that are ready to take existing programs to scale, but that need to strengthen an aspect of the organization or its infrastructure in order to grow successfully. Examples of potential areas of funding may include 1) Development of strategic business plans and fund development plans (e.g., professional services for organizational assessment and design, community needs assessment, market studies, identification of potential donors and structuring of fundraising campaigns); 2) Program feasibility studies or program development planning; 3) Staff development — may include resources for volunteers; 4) Data management/tracking systems; 5) Program evaluation.

Evaluation of proposals
In reviewing the proposals received, TG evaluates the strength and ability of the applicant to ensure that:

  • There is a compelling rationale and need for the proposed project.
  • The project's goals/objectives are clearly and directly tied to measurable deliverables/outcomes/expectations.
  • Collaborative partnerships exist that will help augment the impact of the grant and that the efforts will promote increased coordination among organizations and institutions within the community. Letters of support of copies of memoranda of understanding must be included with the full application for any proposed organizational partners.
  • Sufficient institutional/organizational or other support exists to ensure that the efforts will be implemented and continue if the project intends to remain in place beyond the grant period.
  • The efforts have the potential to inform practices or policy development, increase knowledge across the higher education community, or that could be adapted by other organizations or institutions.

In general, TG will not make grants for purposes of:

  • Annual fund-raising events or general sustentation drives
  • Performances or competition expenses
  • Building infrastructure, physical plant, and brick-and-mortar construction
  • Motor vehicles
  • Endowments
  • Debt retirements
  • Indirect costs
  • Lobbying efforts, to include attempts to influence specific legislation

Grant application process

  • Determine if the proposed project is a match with one or more of the three public benefit categories and corresponding priority areas.
  • Complete and submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), using the appropriate template provided, on or before February 4, 2010.
  • Respond to TG's request for additional information or a site visit, if necessary.
  • Complete the full application, if invited to continue in the competition, on or before March 11, 2010.

Please note: Applying organizations are limited to two LOIs per competition. University applicants are encouraged to coordinate applications through their respective sponsored projects, corporate/foundation relations, or advancement/development offices. If TG receives more than two applications from the same organization, we will notify the organization and ask them which proposal(s) they wish to withdraw.

Information for Higher Education Institutional Applicants
Although TG has been explicit about the rationale and guidelines for this program from its inception, it is worth reiterating that the Public Benefit grant program is open to all schools and organizations regardless of their participation in the federal education loan programs. Successful grantees are selected pursuant to a performance metric established for the grants program. All nonprofit institutions eligible to participate in the federal financial aid programs, as authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, are also eligible to apply for a TG grant.

Our grant program is available to nonprofit schools participating in the Federal Family Education Loan program, the Federal Direct Student Loan program, and to other Title IV-eligible schools, which do not participate in either loan program. In addition, the program accepts applications from community-based, non-profit organizations that also aim to improve access to or success in higher education.

Moreover, there is no correlation between our selection of grant awards and an institution's business relationship with TG. The Public Benefit Grant program does not subscribe, nor impose, any quid pro quo condition. TG personnel associated with administering the grants program are expected to strictly adhere to this standard. If any prospective or current applicant receives any communication from TG staff or any other person that implies that a quid pro quo condition may exist, please notify TG by calling TG's ethics hotline at (877) 842-6675 or by calling the chief ethics officer directly and confidentially at (800) 252-9743, extension 4966. TG's chief ethics officer will respond to and act upon any concerns received. Calls to either number may be made anonymously.

Information required on the full grant application

  1. Project title, organization name, name of entity to sign a grant agreement, contact information, and brief description of organization.
  2. Written description of the proposed project, including a statement of need and well-defined project objectives/goals.
  3. Identification of specific deliverables or outcomes that are anticipated.
  4. Amount of funding sought from TG.
  5. Actual start date and end date for the project.
  6. Primary beneficiaries of the project.
  7. Project budget attachment. (See additional information below.)
  8. List of organization's board of directors, trustees, and officers.
  9. Copy of the most recent audited annual financial statement, IRS determination letter, and copy of most recent IRS Form 990. (State-supported postsecondary education institutions are exempt from this requirement).
  10. Names and contact information of other financial partners.
  11. Letters of support or memoranda of understanding for any organizational partners.
  12. Sources of future support, if applicable.
  13. Affirmation that the applicant has reviewed the sample grant agreement and that the organization is in compliance with the federal Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity requirements referenced therein. (See Grant Agreement section below for additional information regarding this requirement.)

Project budget (applies to full grant applications only)
When preparing the project budget to be submitted with the full grant application form, please include all expenses for which TG funding is being requested as well as any in-kind or other contributions which will be used to support the project. Please note that TG will not consider requests to cover indirect costs. All costs for which TG funding is requested must be incurred solely for work on the proposed project and be specifically documented as such by recordkeeping on invoices and timesheets.

The following guidelines are meant to serve as a reference only. The proposed budget should reflect the nature of the project and may include additional line items or omit line items listed here:

  • Personnel salaries/wages/fringe benefits
    Include current salaries and wages for personnel whose time will be dedicated to the project. If these costs are being covered through in-kind contribution or as indirect expenses that would otherwise be covered by your organization, indicate that on the budget.
  • Equipment
    For purposes of TG's grant program, equipment is defined as nonexpendable, tangible property that exceeds a cost of $1,000.
  • Supplies
    General office supplies are not typically included in TG-funded grant budgets, as they are likely to fall into the category of indirect costs. However, certain types of supplies may be needed, based on the nature of a particular project. In these cases, funding may be requested for supplies for project participants (e.g., school supplies for student participants), communication/telephone/fax, long-distance charges, computers/printers, peripherals. Printing and duplication costs may be included only if these expenses can be directly attributed to the proposed project.
  • Travel
    If travel is essential to the proposed project, please include estimates and calculations for all related costs involved (e.g., airfare, ground transportation, per diem, conference registration fees, lodging, mileage for personal vehicle usage, etc.) For travel guidelines, see Guidelines for Travel Expenses.
  • Specific assistance to individuals
    This line item relates to those grant proposals seeking to provide tuition support, books/materials grants, or participation stipends. Please designate the type of support involved and the number of students or participants to be supported.
  • Other expenses
    As much as possible, please limit the use of this category. If used, please provide detail and justification for any items that are expected to be funded through TG in this category.
  • Indirect costs
    Any indirect costs, including F&A, attributed to the project can be noted, but TG funding CANNOT be used to cover these costs. It is permissible for the applicant organization to demonstrate in-kind or other support for these costs.

Grant agreement
Organizations whose proposals are approved for funding must execute a grant agreement with TG. A sample of this document can be found online at www.tgslc.org/pdf/GrantAwardAgreement.pdf.

TG is required by federal law and U.S. Department of Labor directives to include the Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Program notification (set forth in Section 8.10 of the Sample Grant Agreement) in all its contracts, including the Public Benefit Grant Agreements. Applicant organizations should review this section carefully to determine whether the provision applies to their organization and, if so, whether their organization is in compliance with the section's requirements. TG is not able to delete or revise the language in this section; accordingly, if an organization is unable or unwilling to comply with the requirements, TG will not review any grant applications submitted. Please note that this provision is related to employment practices, not admissions-related criteria.

TG strongly encourages applicants to thoroughly review the sample grant agreement prior to submitting a grant proposal. TG is not likely to consider significant amendment to the Grant Agreement.

Application deadline and format
The initial LOI template must be received at TG on or before Thursday, February 4, 2010. Applicants must use the form provided.

If a prospective grantee is invited to continue in the next stage of the competition, the full application for funding from the TG Public Benefit Program must be received at TG on or before Thursday, March 11, 2010. Applications must be submitted in an electronic format using the application form that TG will provide.

Grants period and awards schedule
TG intends to notify successful applicants of its funding decisions by June 30, 2010. In general, grants will be awarded for a period beginning on or after August 1, 2010 and ending on or before September 30, 2011. For applications in the Direct Services - Retention/Persistence category, TG may approve a request for a grant period up to 24 months or September 30, 2012. For grant projects in other categories, the end date should fall on or prior to September 30, 2011; however, TG will consider approving no-cost extentions up to 12 additional months, if requested in writing by the grantee and a determination is made that the extension will improve the project's potential for success.

In most cases, TG will make grant awards for only one year at a time. Applicants seeking multiple years of funding must apply for additional funding through subsequent grant competitions. Please note that receiving grant funding for a prior year does not guarantee or place the applicant in a preferred position to be awarded additional grant funding in subsequent years. It is also important to note that grant proposals to continue funding for the same program are limited to less than or equal to 25 percent of total project budget. That is, current grantees applying for a second- or third-year grant for the same or similar project must demonstrate that 75 percent of the total project budget will be funded from sources other than TG's Public Benefit Program.

Site visits
TG may conduct a site visit to the applicant organization before making a funding decision. TG may also conduct site visits to successful applicant organizations after a funding decision has been announced.

Requirements of grantees
Successful applicants will be required to submit to TG interim and final reports on the status of the project. Reports must include progress toward project objectives and an accounting of funds expended. Successful applicants also may be invited to share their project's efforts, experiences, and successes, through presentations and publications, as requested by TG.

Prior grant awards funded
In total, TG has awarded nearly $21 million in grant funding through the TG Public Benefit Grant Program. For listings of prior grant awards, please visit the links at left.

Inquiries regarding the grant program should be sent to public.benefit@tgslc.org.

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