The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) submitted comments, prepared by the Grant Center, on the U.S. Secretary of Education's proposed priorities for the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). GEAR UP provides support services to low-income students which enable them to graduate from high school and succeed in postsecondary education. This year, the U.S. Department of Education proposed the addition of a College Savings Account Research Demonstration Project. This proposed project would provide a select number of low-income students with seed funding to be placed in a personal savings account held in trust. Access to the account would be contingent on high school graduation and college enrollment, and Financial Counseling would teach students and families the benefits of saving.

In our comments, APTS urged the Department to treat the Financial Counseling component of this project with the same weight as the Student Savings Account component. Our comments also stated that the program should fund the creation of high-quality digital content and services on financial literacy, encouraging regular saving and preparing students and their families to make informed financial decisions about college and other matters.

Read the full comment and the U.S. Department of Education's proposed priorities, and learn more.

College Access & Affordability

College access and affordability is on the minds of many families across the country as their children graduate from high school, and because of a Congressional deadline, it's been a hot topic in Washington, too.

Just after the Grant Center webinar on this topic (watch the recording), Congress reached a deal to freeze student loan interest rates for another year. The deal, which was combined with surface transportation reauthorization and a renewal of flood insurance legislation, was finalized and passed on June 29, 2012. Interest rates on federally subsidized Stafford loans were scheduled to double from 3.4% to 6.8% beginning July 1, 2012.

To learn more about the national trends in college access and affordability programs and what they mean for public media stations, and to hear from Tonya Crum at KET about her station's experience with college access initiatives, watch the recording of our webinar, Federal Grant Trend Alert: College Access & Affordability.

Upward Bound Math and Science Program: This U.S. Department of Education program supports projects designed to provide the skills and motivation necessary to complete a program of secondary education and to enter and succeed in a program of postsecondary education. Projects must be designed to prepare high school students for postsecondary education programs that lead to careers in the fields of math and science. An estimated 148 grants, ranging from $250,000 to $355,000, will be awarded. Deadline: July 20, 2012.

Teacher Incentive Fund: From the U.S. Department of Education, this program supports projects that develop and implement performance-based teacher and principal compensation systems in high-need schools as a means to increase educator effectiveness and student achievement. Approximately 30 awards, ranging from $500,000 to $12m, will be made. Deadline: July 27, 2012.

Comprehensive Centers Program: This U.S. Department of Education program supports the creation of at least 20 comprehensive technical assistance centers to provide technical assistance to state educational agencies that are building their capacity to support local educational agencies and schools. An estimated $50m is available for this program. Deadline: August 6, 2012.

Rural Business Opportunity Grants: This U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program assists in the economic development of rural areas by providing grants for technical assistance, training and planning for business and economic development. Approximately $2.37m will be distributed, with a maximum award of $50,000. Deadline: August 6, 2012.

Veterans Upward Bound Program: This U.S. Department of Education program supports projects that are designed to prepare, motivate and assist military veterans in the development of academic and other skills necessary for acceptance into and success in a program of postsecondary education. An estimated 34 awards, ranging from $250,000 to $542,529, are expected to be made. Deadline: August 9, 2012.

Susan Harwood Training Grants Program, Capacity Building Grants: This U.S. Department of Labor program provides funds to develop training materials and to train workers and/or employers to recognize, avoid, abate and prevent safety and health hazards in their workplaces and provide related assistance. Approximately $1.1m is available for Development grants, each with a maximum of $140,000. Deadline: August 10, 2012.

Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants: This National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) program is designed to encourage innovations in the digital humanities. Proposals should be for the planning or initial stages of digital initiatives in any area of the humanities. Level I Grants will range from $5,000 to $30,000, and Level II Grants will range from $30,001 to $60,000. Deadline: September 25, 2012.

Publishing Historical Records: The National Historical Publications and Records Commission is accepting proposals to publish historical records of significance. A top priority is to support projects with plans to provide free online access to the editions being prepared. Up to 30 grants may be awarded; award amounts typically range from $20,000 to $250,000. Deadline: October 4, 2012.

Bay-Watershed Education and Training Program: This environmental education program from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment. Currently, only the Gulf of Mexico region is accepting proposals for FY 2013 funding. Approximately $700,000 will be available for approximately four to seven new awards. Deadline: October 19, 2012.

Cal Humanities: This funder supports humanities-based projects that tell the stories of California's communities (Deadline: August 1, 2012), as well as documentaries focusing on California (Deadline: October 1, 2012).

The Greater Rochester Health Foundation is accepting proposals for Opportunity Grants to improve health in the Rochester, NY area. Letter of intent due August 6, 2012.

Alexia Foundation for World Peace: The foundation's new Women's Initiative will award a production grant of $25,000 to a photojournalist for a project focused on abuse of women in the United States. Deadline: August 15, 2012.

U.S. Airways Corporate Giving: Capital grants are available for building construction on major renovation for organizations serving the metro areas of Charlotte, Phoenix, Philadelphia or Washington, DC. Deadline: October 1, 2012.

Whether you are seeking federal or foundation funding, the Grant Center website, tailored specifically to public media grant seekers, will help you find just what you need. With over 300 funding opportunities, and growing each day, our user-friendly search options help you find the funding opportunity of your choice.

Visit our website. Then, be sure to check back often to see the most recent funding opportunities and news articles. We also encourage you to subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Twitter: @aptsgrantcenter.

The Grant Center is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Questions? Please email the Grant Center: grantcenter@apts.org, or visit our website: www.apts.org/grantcenter.