Opportunity Information: Apply for 7200AA19APS00008
The Higher Education Partnerships (HEP) - Dominican Republic Addendum_STIP APS is a USAID funding opportunity aimed at strengthening higher education in the Dominican Republic through structured partnerships with U.S. universities and colleges. The core idea is institutional capacity development: building the systems, skills, programs, and collaborative relationships inside Dominican Republic higher education institutions (HEIs) so they can better serve students and communities, particularly young people who have historically been left out of opportunity. USAID is using higher education partnerships and innovation as the main vehicles to help Dominican HEIs expand what they can offer and improve how effectively they deliver it.
The opportunity is specifically focused on helping Dominican Republic HEIs improve their ability to advise, support, and prepare marginalized youth for successful transitions from secondary school into post-secondary education and beyond. It highlights inclusion as a central priority, explicitly naming youth with disabilities and women, and it also frames youth success as something connected to families and communities rather than only individual students. In practical terms, the program emphasis is on "bridge programming" between secondary and post-secondary education, meaning interventions that reduce barriers at the transition point where many students drop out or fail to enroll. These bridges often include academic preparation, career and college counseling, mentoring, disability accommodations and accessibility supports, socio-emotional assistance, information for families, and community-facing outreach that makes post-secondary pathways more understandable and attainable.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a USAID opportunity under the Agency for International Development, categorized as an earmark and listed under the Education funding activity category. The opportunity number is 7200AA19APS00008, and it is associated with CFDA 98.012. The funding instrument type is listed as "Other," reflecting that it is not presented under a standard grant or cooperative agreement label in the summary data, but it is still a competitive assistance-style funding notice (APS). The posting (creation) date is March 22, 2019, with an original closing date of May 1, 2019, indicating a relatively short application window typical of addendum or targeted APS processes.
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, which signals that the lead applicant must be a qualifying public higher education entity. Given the program design described, applicants would be expected to form a partnership structure linking U.S. HEIs with Dominican Republic HEIs in a way that transfers expertise, builds sustainable institutional practices, and supports locally led innovation rather than short-term, stand-alone activities. The intent is not simply to run programs for students, but to strengthen the Dominican institutions so they can continue delivering improved advising, student support, and transition programming after USAID funding ends.
In terms of scale, the award ceiling is $5,000,000, and USAID anticipated making one award. That combination suggests a single, relatively substantial partnership effort rather than multiple smaller grants. Overall, the opportunity is designed to produce measurable improvements in Dominican higher education institutions capacity to guide marginalized youth into and through post-secondary pathways, using cross-border collaboration with U.S. HEIs and a strong emphasis on equitable access, disability inclusion, and women and girls participation in education-to-career trajectories.Apply for 7200AA19APS00008
- The Agency for International Development in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Higher Education Partnerships )HEP)-Dominican Republic Addendum_STIP APS" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.012.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 22, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 01, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the Higher Education Partnerships (HEP) - Dominican Republic Addendum_STIP APS?
It is a USAID funding opportunity designed to strengthen higher education in the Dominican Republic by supporting structured partnerships between Dominican Republic higher education institutions (HEIs) and U.S. universities and colleges. The focus is institutional capacity development: improving the systems, skills, programs, and collaborative relationships inside Dominican HEIs so they can better serve students and communities, especially young people who have historically been left out of opportunity.
2) What is the primary goal of this opportunity?
The primary goal is to build the capacity of Dominican Republic HEIs to better advise, support, and prepare marginalized youth for successful transitions from secondary school into post-secondary education and beyond. The opportunity emphasizes strengthening institutions so improvements last after the award ends, rather than delivering short-term, stand-alone student services.
3) Who is the funder and what type of funding notice is this?
The funder is the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Agency for International Development. The notice is an APS (Assistance-style competitive announcement), described in the summary as a funding instrument type of "Other."
4) What is the opportunity number and CFDA listing?
The opportunity number is 7200AA19APS00008, and it is associated with CFDA 98.012.
5) What program area or activity category does this opportunity fall under?
It is categorized under the Education funding activity category and described as an earmark.
6) Who is eligible to apply as the lead applicant?
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. This indicates that the lead applicant must be a qualifying public higher education entity.
7) Are partnerships required, and if so, what kind?
Yes. The opportunity is built around structured partnerships linking U.S. universities and colleges with Dominican Republic HEIs. The partnership is expected to transfer expertise, build sustainable institutional practices, and support locally led innovation rather than operating as a temporary service delivery project.
8) What does USAID mean by "institutional capacity development" in this APS?
In this context, it means strengthening Dominican HEIs from the inside: improving institutional systems and practices, developing staff skills, enhancing academic or support programs, and building durable collaborative relationships so the institution can deliver improved student advising and transition support over the long term.
9) What student population is the opportunity trying to better support?
The opportunity targets marginalized youth, specifically highlighting inclusion as a central priority and explicitly naming youth with disabilities and women. It also frames youth success as connected to families and communities, not only individual students.
10) What does "bridge programming" refer to in this opportunity?
"Bridge programming" refers to interventions that reduce barriers during the transition from secondary school to post-secondary education, where many students drop out or do not enroll. The APS emphasizes strengthening the ability of Dominican HEIs to deliver these bridge supports effectively.
11) What kinds of activities are examples of bridge programming mentioned in the opportunity description?
Examples mentioned include academic preparation, career and college counseling, mentoring, disability accommodations and accessibility supports, socio-emotional assistance, information for families, and community-facing outreach that helps make post-secondary pathways more understandable and attainable.
12) Is the focus on running student programs or strengthening institutions?
The intent is primarily to strengthen Dominican HEIs so they can continue delivering improved advising, student support, and transition programming after USAID funding ends. Student-facing activities are presented as part of a larger institutional strengthening approach, not as isolated programs.
13) How many awards does USAID expect to make?
USAID anticipated making one award.
14) What is the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $5,000,000.
15) What does the combination of one anticipated award and a $5,000,000 ceiling imply about project scale?
It suggests a single, relatively substantial partnership effort rather than multiple smaller grants, with an emphasis on achieving measurable institutional capacity improvements.
16) What country is the program focused on?
The program is focused on the Dominican Republic, specifically strengthening higher education institutions within the Dominican Republic through partnerships with U.S. institutions.
17) What are the inclusion priorities highlighted in the opportunity?
Inclusion is a central priority. The description explicitly names youth with disabilities and women, and it emphasizes equitable access and improved participation in education-to-career trajectories.
18) How does the opportunity describe the role of families and communities?
The opportunity frames youth success as connected to families and communities, indicating that effective transition support may include family-oriented information and community-facing outreach that improves understanding of post-secondary pathways.
19) What outcomes is this opportunity designed to produce?
It is designed to produce measurable improvements in Dominican HEIs' capacity to guide marginalized youth into and through post-secondary pathways, supported by cross-border collaboration with U.S. HEIs and a strong emphasis on equitable access, disability inclusion, and women and girls participation.
20) What are the key dates for this funding opportunity?
The posting (creation) date is March 22, 2019, and the original closing date is May 1, 2019, reflecting a relatively short application window typical of addendum or targeted APS processes.
21) What is meant by the funding instrument type being listed as "Other"?
It indicates that the summary data does not present the award under a standard grant or cooperative agreement label, but it is still described as a competitive assistance-style funding notice (APS).
22) What is the central approach USAID is using to strengthen higher education in this opportunity?
USAID is using higher education partnerships and innovation as the main vehicles, with structured U.S.-Dominican institutional partnerships intended to build lasting capacity and improve how Dominican HEIs support student transitions and success.
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