Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (“CCWD”)
First-Generation Student Success Grants
Request for Applications (“RFA”)

HECC # 25-003

Date Issued: February 7, 2025
Applications Due: March 17, 2025, 3:00 PM PDT
Grant Performance Period: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027

Single point of contact (“SPC”): Jeanie Stuntzner
Jeanie.stuntzner@hecc.oregon.gov  
For questions or clarifications, or if you need this material in a different format, please contact the SPC.

HECC’s Vision
The Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (“HECC”) envisions a future where all people benefit from the economic, civic, and cultural impact of high-quality postsecondary education, training, and workforce development.

HECC’s Mission
Through strategic coordination, funding, outreach, services, reporting, and leadership for systems change, HECC:
Drives equitable postsecondary access and success for all Oregonians;
Anticipates and meets workforce and economic needs; and
Strengthens Oregon’s collective future by fostering research, innovation, learning, civic engagement, and cultural contributions.
To review HECC’s full strategic plan, click here


SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
1.1 BACKGROUND
The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (“HECC”), on behalf of the Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (“CCWD”), collectively “HECC,” is seeking Applications for competitively awarded grant funding for projects and programs that support the success of first generation students, including those who are part of one or more of the following and who enroll in community college and make progress toward a degree or a certificate:

• Low-income;
• First-Generation to attend an institution of higher education;
• Communities of color;
• Women;
• Low-income communities;
• Rural and frontier communities;
• Veterans;
• Persons with disabilities;
• Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals;
• Members of Oregon’s nine federally recognized Indian tribes;
• Individuals who disproportionately experience discrimination in employment on the basis of age; and
• Individuals who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Grant funds distributed may be used for services designed to increase student enrollment, retention, and degree and certificate completion, including, but not limited to:

• Counseling programs
• College initiatives
• Advising services
• Assistance in obtaining financial aid

Funds will be awarded to projects that HECC regards as having the greatest potential for effectively increasing the college completion rates of the target students in community college certificate and degree programs.

Only community colleges and community college foundations are eligible to apply. HECC will determine the number of grant recipients based on available funding and a comprehensive review of all Applications received.  HECC anticipates receiving an appropriation of 3.9 million for the 2025-2027 biennium.

1.2 COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY
Individuals within a community and communities within a larger society need the ability to shape their own present and future, and HECC believes that workforce development and education are fundamental aspects of Oregon’s ability to thrive. Equity is both the means to success and an end that benefits us all. Equity requires the intentional examination of systemic policies and practices that, even if they have the appearance of fairness, may, in effect, serve to marginalize some and perpetuate disparities. The data is clear that Oregon demographics have been changing to provide rich diversity in race, ethnicity, and language.

Working toward equity requires an understanding of historical contexts and an active investment in changing social structures and practices over time to ensure that individuals from all communities have the opportunities and support to realize their full potential. Creating a culture of equity requires monitoring, encouragement, resources, data, and opportunity.  HECC applies its Equity Lens to all aspects of its work.

SECTION 2. GRANT INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

2.1 APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
Only community colleges and community college foundations are eligible to apply.

2.2 GRANT INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES
Successful Applicants will pair access and retention strategies with completion strategies to ensure first-time students have culturally competent systems of support that address their academic, personal, and financial well-being. Successful Projects will give FGSS scholars seamless access to a comprehensive spectrum of academic, career, and social supports as coordinated by FGSS faculty/staff.

2.2.1 Access and Retention Strategies:
Strategies for increasing access and retention within the scope of this program may include, but are not limited to, the following:
•  Providing financial support for students (directly or by connecting them to resources or benefits).
•  Providing advising and mentoring to students, including helping them identify a pathway to completion within their first two terms.
•  Connecting students to cohorts of peers.
• Providing outreach to students or potential students.
• Engaging communities in supporting college access and student success.
• Developing or expanding advising and scheduling options that enable students to
complete at least a half-time course load in their first year.
• Developing or expanding a program or project that will eliminate barriers to attending college while providing on-going support to help students once they get to community college.
• Developing or expanding an outreach program to connect with and recruit area high school students.
• Developing or expanding a scholarship program that will help with tuition, books, fees, and supplies.
• Significantly expanding the use of Open Educational Resources for students and decreasing textbook costs.
• Providing financial assistance counseling for other scholarships or grants.
• Developing a personalized advisor program to help students navigate their college experience, addressing academic and barriers to success issues.
• Providing students with ongoing career guidance with their personalized academic advisor.
• Providing access to internships to apply students’ college experience and learning to real-world job opportunities.
• Developing partnerships with local businesses and other community partner programs that will provide a matching amount to increase scholarship opportunities.

2.2.2 Completion Strategies:
Strategies for increasing completion within the scope of this program may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:
• Enrolling more new-to-college students directly in college-level math and writing courses with co-requisite support. Some examples are:
o    Developing or expanding co-requisite courses in math, especially high-enrollment and transfer courses.
o    Developing or expanding co-requisite courses in writing, especially WR 121, 122, and 227.
• Increasing the number and percent of students completing their college-level math) and writing requirements in their first 12 months of enrollment using strategies that have a demonstrated history of success.
• Significantly reducing the number of full-time equivalent students taking developmental education courses, especially those that are more than one level below college level.
• Increasing the number of students that complete 18 or 36 credits within their first 12 months of enrollment.

2.3 Application Questions

2.3.1 Activities
Applicant must describe each of the following activities taking place in the community college service area:
1. Financial support for students.  
2. Providing advising and mentoring of students.  
3. Connecting students with wraparound services.  
4. Student success and retention strategies.
5. Engaging local community partners in student success.

2.3.2 Matching Funds – Applicant must describe any “matching” funds or other outside project supports.
2.3.3 Outreach and Recruitment Plan – Applicant must describe engagement with the local community/ target demographic.
2.3.4 Performance Measures - Applicants must describe how they will measure student success and completion. Please describe specific measurement methods and include the anticipated number of students to be served.
2.3.5 Sustain and incorporate - Applicant must describe how the college might absorb the project's strategies and activities without FGSS funding.
2.3.6 Budget and Budget Narrative
• Costs and Justification: Explain the estimated costs for each budget item and justify the costs.  
• Itemization: Itemize the Project budget sufficiently. Each budget item should be clearly identified and described.
• Reasonableness: Ensure that the budget is reasonable in relation to the proposed project. Consider the scope of the project, the resources required, and your organization's capacity when developing the budget.
• Staffing plan

2.4 FUNDING AND AWARD AMOUNT
HECC may award up to $3.9 million for this RFA.  Awards are contingent upon funding being available for this program.  HECC intends to award Applications across all focus areas and reserves the right to distribute the funds as it determines is in Oregon’s Students' best interest statewide.  There is no minimum or maximum amount that Applicants may request.  HECC reserves the right to partially award Applications in discrete portions or phases.  

HECC has not established individual grant amounts or limits. Grant awards will be based on the number of students that Applicants expect to serve and the projected efficacy of the intervention. HECC reserves the right and intends to make awards in amounts that will maximize the tangible return on the total fund appropriation. It is likely that the amount of funding provided in each grant will differ, possibly significantly, from other grants awarded under this RFA.
Grant funds awarded under this RFA will be disbursed on a quarterly reimbursement basis. HECC may make limited exemptions to this requirement and disburse some grant funds upon grant execution, if Applicant states in its Application that upfront disbursements are needed and submits a spend plan for review and approval. Grant recipients will be required to submit each disbursement request on a HECC-provided disbursement request form (“Disbursement Request”) prior to the disbursement of any grant funds.

2.5GRANT DURATION
The Allowable Cost Period for awards under this RFA is July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027. Activities that occur outside of the Allowable Cost Period are not eligible for funding.

SECTION 3. APPLICATION SUBMISSION

3.1 HOW AND WHEN TO APPLY
All Applications shall be submitted via the web-based program Survey Monkey Apply: https://oregonhecc.smapply.us/prog/FGSS_grants_2025-2027
• Links to the application will be posted on HECC’s website:  *insert link*
• Application submissions are due by March 17, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. PDT
• Late or incomplete Applications will not be accepted.

3.2 APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS
Funding decisions are rendered through the input of the review committee, relying on the prescribed scoring criteria.
HECC may require clarification to understand any of an Applicant’s submitted material. Before issuing any award, any necessary clarifications may become part of the final grant agreement.

3.3 NOTICE OF AWARD
HECC will email the Applicant’s primary contact listed in the Application to let them know whether their Application was selected for funding. A Notice of Award will be sent to funded Applicants for this RFA. The notice will indicate the award amount, performance period, and next steps.  

3.4 GRANT AGREEMENTS
HECC will prepare grant agreements for projects selected for funding. These Grants will be based on the successful Applicants’ proposed activities, budgets, and any negotiated adjustments. Any award of funds is contingent upon the execution of a grant between the parties. If a grant is not executed, HECC may reallocate the amount of that grant to other Applicants.
Note: Grant funds for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027, that are not encumbered or spent by March 1, 2027, may be scheduled for redistribution to other grant projects at HECC’s discretion.
Grant recipients will be required to comply with insurance and background check requirements and will be required to submit annual progress reports and spending plans  (see Attachment F – Sample Grant Agreement for requirements).

SECTION 4. ADDITIONAL TERMS
Submission of an Application does not constitute an agreement between HECC and the Applicant, nor does it secure or imply that the Applicant will be selected to receive funding.
All costs associated with the Applicant’s submission are the sole responsibility of the Applicant and will not be paid or reimbursed by HECC or the State of Oregon.
By applying, Applicant accepts all terms and conditions of this RFA. No grant funds will be released prior to all program conditions being met and grant agreements fully signed.
HECC reserves the right to reopen or extend the RFA as necessary, as it deems in its best interest.  HECC reserves the right to amend agreements resulting from this RFA for additional time and/or funds, if in HECC’s best interest to do so.
Evaluation of Applications are based on the criteria in this RFA. HECC reserves the right to partially fund Applications in discrete portions or phases. If HECC chooses to partially fund an Application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any Applicants or affect the basis upon which the Application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.
Funding Applications through this RFA does not guarantee future funding. When, or if, additional funding becomes available, HECC reserves the right to issue additional awards under this RFA through the allowable cost period. Any additional selections will be made in accordance with the terms of this RFA.

SECTION 5.PUBLIC RECORDS
All information and records submitted to HECC are subject to disclosure under the Public Records Law, Oregon Revised Statute (“ORS”) 192.311 to 192.478. If Applicant believes that any information or records it submits to HECC may be a trade secret under ORS 192.345(2), or otherwise is exempt from disclosure under the Oregon Public Records Law, Applicant must identify such information with particularity and include the following statement:
“This data is exempt from disclosure under the Oregon Public Records Law pursuant to ORS chapter 192[insert] and is not to be disclosed except in accordance with the Oregon Public Records Law, ORS 192.311 through 192.478.”
If Applicant fails to identify with particularity the portions of such information that Applicant believes are exempt from disclosure, Applicant is deemed to waive any future claim of non-disclosure of that information.
SECTION 6. ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A - Project Budget (upload as an attachment, template provided)
Attachment B - Certification Sheet (upload to SMApply)
Attachment C - Sample Grant Agreement