# § 1161q. Grants to rural-serving institutions of higher education
**(a)** **Purposes** The purposes of this section are—
**(1)** to increase enrollment and graduation rates of secondary school graduates and nontraditional students from rural areas at two-year and four-year institutions of higher education, and their articulation from two-year degree programs into four-year degree programs; and
**(2)** to promote economic growth and development in rural America through partnership grants to consortia of rural-serving institutions of higher education, local educational agencies, and regional employers.
**(b)** **Definitions** For the purposes of this section:
**(1)** **Rural-serving institution of higher education** The term “rural-serving institution of higher education” means an institution of higher education that primarily serves rural areas.
**(2)** **Rural area** The term “rural area” means an area that is defined, identified, or otherwise recognized as rural by a governmental agency of the State in which the area is located.
**(3)** **Nontraditional student** The term “nontraditional student” means an individual who—
**(A)** delays enrollment in an institution of higher education by three or more years after secondary school graduation;
**(B)** attends an institution of higher education part-time; or
**(C)** attends an institution of higher education and—
**(i)** works full-time;
**(ii)** is an independent student, as defined in section 1087vv of this title;
**(iii)** has one or more dependents other than a spouse;
**(iv)** is a single parent; or
**(v)** does not have a secondary school diploma or the recognized equivalent of such a diploma.
**(4)** **Regional employer** The term “regional employer” means an employer within a rural area.
**(c)** **Partnership**
**(1)** **Required partners** A rural-serving institution of higher education, or a consortium of rural-serving institutions of higher education, that receives a grant under this section shall carry out the activities of the grant in partnership with—
**(A)** one or more local educational agencies serving a rural area; and
**(B)** one or more regional employers or local boards (as such term is defined in section 3102 of title 29) serving a rural area.
**(2)** **Optional partners** A rural-serving institution of higher education, or a consortium of rural-serving institutions of higher education, that receives a grant under this section, may carry out the activities of the grant in partnership with—
**(A)** an educational service agency (as defined in section 7801 of this title); or
**(B)** a nonprofit organization with demonstrated expertise in rural education at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
**(d)** **Grants authorized**
**(1)** **In general** From amounts made available under subsection (g), the Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible rural-serving institutions of higher education or a consortium of such institutions, to carry out the activities described in subsection (f).
**(2)** **Duration** A grant awarded under this section shall be awarded for a period not to exceed three years.
**(3)** **Maximum and minimum grants** No grant awarded under this section shall be less than $200,000.
**(4)** **Special considerations** In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give special consideration to applications that demonstrate the most potential and propose the most promising and innovative approaches for—
**(A)** increasing the percentage of graduates of rural secondary schools attending rural-serving institutions of higher education;
**(B)** meeting the employment needs of regional employers with graduates of rural-serving institutions of higher education; and
**(C)** improving the health of the regional economy of a rural area through a partnership of local educational agencies serving the rural area, rural-serving institutions of higher education, and regional employers.
**(5)** **Limitation** A rural-serving institution of higher education shall not receive more than one grant under this section.
**(e)** **Applications** Each rural-serving institution of higher education desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
**(f)** **Required use of funds** A rural-serving institution of higher education that receives a grant under this section shall use grant funds for at least three of the following four purposes:
**(1)** To improve postsecondary enrollment rates for rural secondary school students at rural-serving institutions of higher education, which may include—
**(A)** programs to provide students and families with counseling related to applying for postsecondary education, and Federal and State financial assistance for postsecondary education;
**(B)** programs that provide students and families of rural high schools access and exposure to campuses, classes, programs, and internships of rural-serving institutions of higher education, including covering the cost of transportation to and from such institutions; and
**(C)** other initiatives that assist students and families in applying for and developing interest in attending rural-serving institutions of higher education.
**(2)** To increase enrollment rates of nontraditional students in degree programs at rural-serving institutions of higher education, which may include—
**(A)** programs to provide nontraditional students with counseling related to applying for postsecondary education, and Federal and State financial assistance for postsecondary education;
**(B)** community outreach initiatives to encourage nontraditional students to enroll in a rural-serving institution of higher education; and
**(C)** programs to improve the enrollment of nontraditional students in two-year degree programs and the transition of nontraditional students articulating from two-year degree programs to four-year degree programs.
**(3)** To create or strengthen academic programs at rural-serving institutions of higher education to prepare graduates to enter into high-need occupations in the regional and local economies.
**(4)** To provide additional career training to students of rural-serving institutions of higher education in fields relevant to the regional economy.
**(g)** **Authorization of appropriations** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as many be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.
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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 89–329, title VIII, § 861, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title VIII, § 801, Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3423; amended Pub. L. 113–128, title V, § 512(n)(6), July 22, 2014, 128 Stat. 1711; Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215(*oo*)(12), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2180.)
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2015—Subsec. (c)(2)(A). made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to .
2014—Subsec. (c)(1)(B). substituted “local boards (as such term is defined in )” for “local boards (as such term is defined in )”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment
Amendment by effective , except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see , set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
Amendment by effective on the first day of the first full program year after (), see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Labor.