Purpose of Program: The GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant program that encourages eligible entities to provide support, and maintain a commitment, to eligible students from low-income backgrounds, including students with disabilities, to assist the students in obtaining a secondary school diploma (or its recognized equivalent) and to prepare for and succeed in postsecondary education. Under the GEAR UP program, the Department awards grants to two types of entities: (1) States and (2) Partnerships consisting of at least one degree-granting institution of higher education (IHE) and at least one local educational agency (LEA).

1. Eligible Applicants: States (as defined in section 103(20) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1003(20)), which includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States. Per congressional direction in Senate Report 118-84 (Pub. L. 118-47), only States without an active State GEAR UP grant, or States that have an active State GEAR UP grant that is scheduled to end prior to October 1, 2025, are eligible to receive a new State GEAR UP award in this competition. States with grants remaining open beyond October 1, 2025, for a no-cost extension period or for the sole purpose of data collection and analysis activities, are not considered active for purposes of implementing this directive.

Ben Witthoefft U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW 5th floor Washington, DC 20202-6450 Telephone: 202-453-7576 Email: Ben.Witthoefft@ed.gov