§ 57.1806 - How will applications be evaluated?

(a) As required by section 798(a) of the Act, each application for a grant under this subpart shall be submitted to a peer review group, composed principally of non-Federal experts, for an evaluation of the merits of the proposals made in the application. The Secretary may not approve such an application unless a peer review group has recommended the application for approval. The Secretary will decide which applications to approve by considering, among other factors:

(1) The degree to which the proposed project adequately provides for the requirements in § 57.1805;

(2) The number and types of individuals who can be expected to benefit from the project;

(3) The administrative and management ability of the applicant to carry out the proposed project in a cost-effective manner;

(4) The adequacy of the staff and faculty;

(5) The soundness of the budget; and

(6) The potential of the project to continue without further support under this program.

(b) Within the limits of funds available, the Secretary will award grants to approved applicants with projects that will best promote the purposes of section 740 of the Act. Of the amounts appropriated under this section for any fiscal year, 10 percent shall be obligated for community-based programs and 70 percent shall be obligated for grants to institutions of higher education and not more than 5 percent of such funds may be obligated for grants having the primary purpose of informing individuals about the existence and general nature of health careers. Section 740(a)(2)(G) authorizes the payment of such stipends as the Secretary may approve for participants in a project for any period of education at any school eligible for a grant under this subpart.

(c) Funding priority. (1) In determining the funding of applications approved under paragraph (a) of this section, the Secretary shall give priority to schools described in § 57.1805(d), beginning in fiscal year 1992—

(i) Which previously received a grant under this subpart and increased its first-year enrollment of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds by at least 20 percent over that enrollment in the base year 1987 by the end of 3 years from the date of the award of the HCOP grant; and

(ii) Which had not previously received a grant under this subpart that increased its first-year enrollment of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds by at least 20 percent over that enrollment in the base year 1987, over any period of time.

(2) In addition, should specific needs warrant, the Secretary will also consider other special factors relating to national needs as the Secretary may from time to time announce in the Federal Register.