The Educational Opportunity Centers program provides grants for projects designed—

(a) To provide information regarding financial and academic assistance available to individuals who desire to pursue a program of postsecondary education;

(b) To provide assistance to individuals in applying to admission to institutions that offer programs of postsecondary education, including assistance in preparing necessary applications for use by admissions and financial aid officers; and

(c) To improve the financial and economic literacy of participants on topics such as—

(1) Basic personal income, household money management, and financial planning skills; and

(2) Basic economic decision-making skills.

The following entities are eligible for a grant to carry out an Educational Opportunity Centers project:

(a) An institution of higher education.

(b) A public or private agency or organization, including a community-based organization with experience in serving disadvantaged youth.

(c) A secondary school.

(d) A combination of the types of institutions, agencies, and organizations described in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this section.

(a) An individual is eligible to participate in an Educational Opportunity Centers project if the individual meets all of the following requirements:

(1)(i) Is a citizen or national of the United States;

(ii) Is a permanent resident of the United States;

(iii) Is in the United States for other than a temporary purpose and provides evidence from the Immigration and Naturalization Service of his or her intent to become a permanent resident;

(iv) Is a permanent resident of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau); or

(v) Is a resident of the Freely Associated States—the Federated States of Micronesia or the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

(2)(i) Is at least 19 years of age; or

(ii) Is less than 19 years of age, and the individual cannot be appropriately served by a Talent Search project under 34 CFR part 643, and the individual's participation would not dilute the Educational Opportunity Centers project's services to individuals described in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section.

(3) Expresses a desire to enroll, or is enrolled, in a program of postsecondary education, and requests information or assistance in applying for admission to, or financial aid for, such a program.

(b) A veteran as defined in § 644.7(b), regardless of age, is eligible to participate in an Educational Opportunity Centers project if he or she satisfies the eligibility requirements in paragraph (a) of this section other than the age requirement in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

An Educational Opportunity Centers project may provide the following services:

(a) Public information campaigns designed to inform the community about opportunities for postsecondary education and training.

(b) Academic advice and assistance in course selection.

(c) Assistance in completing college admission and financial aid applications.

(d) Assistance in preparing for college entrance examinations.

(e) Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants.

(f) Guidance on secondary school reentry or entry to a General Educational Development (GED) program or other alternative education program for secondary school dropouts.

(g) Individualized personal, career, and academic counseling.

(h) Tutorial services.

(i) Career workshops and counseling.

(j) Mentoring programs involving elementary or secondary school teachers, faculty members at institutions of higher education, students, or any combination of these persons.

(k) Programs and activities described in this section that are specially designed for participants who are limited English proficient, participants from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, participants who are individuals with disabilities, participants who are homeless children and youth, participants who are foster care youth, or other disconnected participants.

(l) Other activities designed to meet the purposes of the Educational Opportunity Centers program stated in § 644.1.

A project period under the Educational Opportunity Centers program is five years.

The following regulations apply to the Educational Opportunity Centers program:

(a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75 (except for §§ 75.215 through 75.221), 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

(b) The regulations in this part 644.

(c)(1) 2 CFR part 180 (OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement)), as adopted at 2 CFR part 3485; and

(2) 2 CFR part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards), as adopted at 2 CFR part 3474.

(a) General definitions. The following terms used in this part are defined in 2 CFR part 200, subpart A, or in 34 CFR 77.1:

(b) Other definitions. The following definitions also apply to this part:

Different population means a group of individuals that an eligible entity desires to serve through an application for a grant under the Educational Opportunity Centers program and that—

(i) Is separate and distinct from any other population that the entity has applied for a grant under this chapter to serve; or

(ii) While sharing some of the same needs as another population that the eligible entity has applied for a grant to serve, has distinct needs for specialized services.

Financial and economic literacy means knowledge about personal financial decision-making, which may include but is not limited to knowledge about—

(i) Personal and family budget planning;

(ii) Understanding credit building principles to meet long-term and short-term goals (e.g., loan to debt ratio, credit scoring, negative impacts on credit scores);

(iii) Cost planning for postsecondary or postbaccalaureate education (e.g., spending, saving, personal budgeting);

(iv) College cost of attendance (e.g., public vs. private, tuition vs. fees, personal costs);

(v) Financial assistance (e.g., searches, application processes, and differences between private and government loans, assistanceships); and

(vi) Assistance in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Foster care youth means youth who are in foster care or are aging out of the foster care system.

HEA means the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

Homeless children and youth means those persons defined in section 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a).

Individual with a disability means a person who has a disability, as that term is defined in section 12102 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).

Institution of higher education means an educational institution as defined in sections 101 and 102 of the HEA.

Low-income individual means an individual whose family's taxable income did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount in the calendar year preceding the year in which the individual initially participated in the project. The poverty level amount is determined by using criteria of poverty established by the Bureau of the Census of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Participant means an individual who—

(i) Is determined to be eligible to participate in the project under § 644.3; and

(ii) Receives project services.

Postsecondary education means education beyond the secondary school level.

Potential first-generation college student means—

(i) An individual neither of whose parents received a baccalaureate degree; or

(ii) An individual who regularly resided with and received support from only one parent and whose supporting parent did not receive a baccalaureate degree.

Secondary school means a school that provides secondary education as determined under State law, except that it does not include education beyond grade 12.

Target area means a geographic area served by an Educational Opportunity Centers project.

Veteran means a person who—

(i) Served on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States for a period of more than 180 days and was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable;

(ii) Served on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and was discharged or released because of a service connected disability;

(iii) Was a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States and was called to active duty for a period of more than 30 days; or

(iv) Was a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States who served on active duty in support of a contingency operation (as that term is defined in section 101(a)(13) of title 10, United States Code) on or after September 11, 2001.