Texas Administrative Code
Title 19 - EDUCATION
Part 1 - TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD
Chapter 6 - HEALTH EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND RESEARCH FUNDS
Subchapter C - TOBACCO LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT FUNDS
Section 6.74 - Minority Health Research and Education Grant Program

(1) Name--Minority Health Research and Education GrantProgram.

(2) Purpose--To provide funding to eligible institutions of higher education to conduct research and educational programs on public health issues affecting one or more minority groups in Texas.

(3) Authority--Texas Education Code, §§ 63.301 - 63.302.

(4) Minority--A particular ethnic or racial group that is under-represented in one or more areas of health research or health education.

(5) Eligible institutions--The entities identified in Texas Education Code, § 63.302, as eligible to receive grants.

(6) Eligible programs--Research and educational initiatives, including those that expand existing research and degree programs, and develop other new or existing activities and projects, that are not funded by state appropriation during the funding period. Proposed programs shall not conflict with current judicial decisions and state interpretation on administering minority programs in higher education.

(7) Application requirements--Applicants shall submit applications to the Board in the format and at the time specified by the Board.

(8) General Selection Criteria--Competitive. Designed to award grants that provide the best overall value to the state. Selection criteria shall be based on:

(9) Award amounts will be set forth in the RFA based on the availability of funds.

(10) Maximum award length--A program is eligible to receive funding for up to three years within a grant period. Currently and previously funded programs may reapply to receive funding according to eligibility requirements specified in the RFA.

(1) Board staff and/or peer reviewers may evaluate the applications.

(2) The Commissioner shall select qualified individuals to serve as reviewers. Reviewers shall demonstrate appropriate credentials to evaluate grant applications in health research and education. Reviewers shall not evaluate any applications for which they have a conflict of interest.

(3) The Board staff shall provide written instructions and training for reviewers.

(4) The reviewers shall review each application according to these evaluation criteria:

(1) The Board staff shall review applications to determine if they adhere to the grant program requirements and the funding priorities contained in the RFA. An application must meet the requirements of the RFA and be submitted with proper authorization on or before the deadline specified by the RFA to qualify for further consideration. Qualified applications shall be forwarded to the reviewers for evaluation. Board staff shall notify an applicant if their application does not qualify based on the screening process no later than 30 days after the RFA deadline.

(2) Reviewers shall evaluate applications based on the evaluation criteria included in the RFA.

(1) Board staff and/or peer reviewers will evaluate applications for grant funding only based upon the information provided in the written application.

(2) Board staff shall make a recommendation of selected applicants to be funded to the Commissioner, who will submit a funding decision recommendation to the Board for their final approval as consistent with § 1.16 of this title (relating to Contracts, Including Grants, for Materials and/or Services).

(3) The Board shall review and may approve grants based upon the Commissioner's recommendation.