The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education—Special Projects (FIPSE-SP), administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education, supports innovative and nationally relevant projects in postsecondary education. This program is authorized under Section 744 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and aims to fund initiatives that address critical national needs identified by the Secretary of Education. For fiscal year 2025, the program prioritizes initiatives in four areas: the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, promotion of civil discourse, accreditation reform, and the development of high-quality short-term programs.
The Department has allocated an estimated $167 million across these priority areas, dividing funds among seven absolute priorities. These include supporting AI integration in postsecondary instruction, preparing educators in AI and computer science, promoting civil discourse on campuses, facilitating transitions between accrediting bodies, launching new accrediting agencies, and expanding or establishing short-term programs eligible for Workforce Pell Grants. Applicants must choose one absolute priority area per application, though an institution may submit separate applications across different areas of national need.
Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education (IHEs), consortia thereof, and other public or private nonprofit agencies, including state higher education agencies. Projects are eligible for up to 48 months of funding, with individual awards ranging from $600,000 to $4 million depending on the priority area. Cost sharing is not required, and indirect cost reimbursement is capped at 8% of modified total direct costs.
Applications must be submitted via the Department's portal following the Common Instructions for Applicants published in the August 29, 2025 Federal Register. Submissions opened on November 12, 2025, and will close on December 3, 2025, with intergovernmental review concluding by December 12, 2025. Applicants must include an abstract outlining the priority addressed, target population, and proposed outcomes. Applications are evaluated based on significance, project design, management, and evidence-building components.
For further information, applicants can contact Stacey Slijepcevic at Stacey.Slijepcevic@ed.gov or by phone at (202) 453-6150. The grant competition supports recurring funding opportunities and applicants should monitor for future cycles. Projects must comply with federal civil rights requirements and open licensing rules for public deliverables. Reporting requirements include performance tracking aligned with project-specific measures. This opportunity represents a significant investment in innovative educational reform aimed at improving institutional capacity, accountability, and student outcomes in alignment with national priorities.
Projects must clearly align with one of the absolute priorities. Emphasize innovation, institutional integration, and capacity for scalability. Evaluation strategy and quality data use are key to competitive applications.
