Funding For Institutional Support

Information about personnel preparation grants and government funding resources for academic programs.

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Earmark
Questions & Answers

What is FIPSE?

The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Comprehensive Program is an annual competitive grant program designed to support innovative reform projects that hold promise as models for the resolution of important issues and problems in postsecondary education. Some characteristics of the Comprehensive Program that make it unique among federal programs are its inclusiveness, its being action-oriented and supportive of bold thinking and innovative projects, and its responsiveness to practitioners. FIPSE is authorized under Title VII, Part B, Section 707 of the Higher Education Act as amended in 2008 (Public Law 110-315).

Grants awarded through the U.S. Department of Education's Comprehensive Program are different from earmarks designated by Congress. To learn more about the FIPSE Comprehensive Program, go to the U.S. Department of Education's Web site.

Why should a CSD academic program apply for a FIPSE Comprehensive Program grant or a congressional earmark?

CSD academic programs that are looking to expand their faculty, grow and/or diversify their student body, conduct new and innovative research, or provide academic services to a broader or wider population (e.g. distance education) should strongly consider submitting an application to the FISPSE Comprehensive Progam or working through their congressional offices for an earmark.

The Comprehensive Program is the central grant competition of FIPSE. The competition is designed to support innovative reform projects that hold promise as models for the resolution of important issues and problems in postsecondary education. Several characteristics of the Comprehensive Program make it unique among Federal programs:

  • It is inclusive. All nonprofit institutions and organizations offering postsecondary education programs are eligible to receive FIPSE grants. Those grants may be in support of any academic discipline, program, or student support service.
  • It is action-oriented. Although FIPSE will consider proposals to assess existing reforms, or to study the feasibility of reforms in the development stage, it does not ordinarily support basic research. The Comprehensive Program supports a wide range of practical reform initiatives and assists grantees in assessing their results and disseminating what is learned to other institutions and agencies.
  • It encourages bold thinking and innovative projects. The resources of the Comprehensive Program are devoted to new ideas and practices and to the dissemination of proven innovations to others. FIPSE will support controversial or unconventional projects, as long as they are well justified, carefully designed, and responsibly managed.
  • It is responsive to practitioners. In its Agenda for Improvement, FIPSE identifies common issues and problems affecting postsecondary education and invites applicants to address these or other problems imaginatively. The Comprehensive Program welcomes proposals addressing any and all topics of postsecondary improvement and reform. 

What is a FIPSE "earmark"?

An earmark is congressionally directed spending for a specific project that is not specifically authorized under a bill or law. Often referred to as "pork barrel" or "bacon," earmarks allow individual members of Congress to identify pressing needs in their state or congressional districts that would benefit from some form of federal funding. Earmarks exist in defense, transportation, health care, education, and other federal spending areas.

Are there funding limits associated with an earmark?

FIPSE earmarks can range from the tens of thousands of dollars to over a million dollars. The average earmark for the FIPSE program in the fiscal year 2005 final spending bills was approximately $330,000. A number of factors determine the final funding levels of approved earmarks. The requesting entity typically has identified a need, identified the resources necessary to address that need, and submitted a request to their member of Congress. 

What are my chances of obtaining a FIPSE earmark?

It is difficult to predict. A number of factors determine the success of a request, including

  1. the number of requests that the member of congression receives in a given year;
  2. the party affiliation of that member of Congress;
  3. the priority that the congressional office places on the request;
  4. the quantity of available funds;
  5. whether the application is well developed with supporting documentation and strong advocacy efforts. 

What would enhance my chances of obtaining a FIPSE earmark?

These factors would help your request get approved:

  • Submitting requests early to your Representative in the House and both of your Senators—the typical timeline for submitting requests is November through February of the year preceding the fiscal year for which you seek the funding;
  • Identifying any political or personal relationships a member of Congress has with your university;
  • Typically more earmarks go to members of the party in the majority, currently the Democrats, simply because they're in charge and there are more of them in Congress;
  • Personal contacts between your program and the member of Congress's office and staff—this could include visits by staff and students from your program to the local and D.C. offices of your members of Congress, letters of support from the university and state speech-language-hearing association, extending invitations to your congressional representatives to visit the campus and tour the program and/or clinic, getting on the mailing list of the members' political campaign, and being aware of local fund-raising events.

Do I need approval from my university to request an earmark?

Each university and academic program is different. Some operate an open system in which each program director is free to pursue federal funding as he or she sees fit. However, most universities prefer that all federal requests go through a central office (dean, provost, or president) so as to better manage and prioritize the school's portfolio of requests.

If I am successful in getting a FIPSE earmark, what happens next?

After Congress passes an annual appropriations bill for this program, entities with approved projects in the bill requests will be notified by the U.S. Department of Education. At this point, substantial additional supporting documentation needs to be completed. Once all administrative requirements have been met, an account will be opened in the project's name at the Department. Each project will then have 1 fiscal year to commit the funds for the purposes specified in the earmark. If the project cannot expend all of the funds in a timely manner, the Department WILL take back any unexpended funds and use them for other purposes.

How do I determine how much funding to request for an earmark?

Congressional offices are required to collect from organizations seeking earmarks certain basic information about the request including brief descriptions of total project cost, budget analysis, other funding sources, and prior federal funding. This process will help guide you in your funding request deliberation. Typically, FIPSE earmarks range from tens of thousands of dollars to over a million dollars for a fiscal year.

Can I apply for a grant through the Comprehensive Program and try to get an earmark?

Yes, by going to the U.S. Department of Education's Web site.


Contact Neil Snyder, ASHA's Director of Federal Advocacy, at nsnyder@asha.org with any additional questions.


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