Application for Fulbright-Hays Projects Abroad Program S

Thank you for your interest in applying for a grant under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) program. Included in this application booklet are the program introduction, instructions, and forms needed to submit a complete application package to the U.S. Department of Education.

The GPA program supports short-term study abroad opportunities for faculty and teachers to strengthen area studies and for upperclassmen and graduate students to improve foreign language skills.

Please note that only short-term projects (Short-Term Seminars, Curriculum Development, and Group Research or Study) will be competed in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. The Advanced Overseas Intensive Language Training projects will not be competed again until FY 2012.

In the FY 2011 competition, there is an absolute priority and three competitive preference priorities for this program. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) strongly encourages all applicants to address the relevant competitive preference priorities. For additional information about the competitive preference priorities, refer to the official Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for FY 2011 published in the Federal Register or the Federal Register notice.

In addition, there is a new competitive priority for FY 2011 pertaining to internationalization of teacher education programs. Please refer to the Federal Register notice for additional information.

This letter highlights a few items in the FY 2011 application package that will be important to you in applying for grants under this program. You should review the entire application package carefully before preparing and submitting your application. Information on the GPA Program is accessible at the Department Web site at:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsgpa/index.html

Please be sure to review thoroughly the entire application booklet for information concerning the GPA Program. Applicants should pay particular attention to the section entitled “Competition Highlights” that outlines absolute, competitive, and invitational priorities as well as other program and competition details.

For this FY2011 grant competition, applications for grants under the GPA Program must be submitted electronically using e-Application. The U.S. Department of Education requires applicants to use the Department’s Internet-based system, e-Grants, for submitting applications. A detailed description of this Internet-based system is included in this application package. You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of this system early. You may access e-Grants through its portal page at:

http://e-grants.ed.gov

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an e-mail with your PR award number, which is the identifying number for a discretionary grant award, confirming that your application was received.

You are reminded that the Federal Register notice is the official document, and that you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official document. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, please refer to this document.

If you have any question or require additional information, please contact Michelle Guilfoil at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 502-7625.

We look forward to receiving your application and appreciate your efforts to promote excellence in international education.

Sincerely,

Andre Lewis

Deputy Assistant Secretary

International and Foreign Language Education

Competition Highlights

e-Application and Electronic Submission: GPA applications submitted for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 must be submitted electronically using e-Application, accessible through the Department’s e-Grants web site at http://e-grants.gov. You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of e-Grants early. A more thorough discussion is included later in this application package. For technical support regarding e-Application, please call 1-888-336-8930. Also, refer to “Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants” found in this application booklet.

Page Limitation: All applicants are required to adhere to the 40-page limit for the Project Narrative portion of the application.

Project Abstracts: Applicants are required to submit a Project Abstract. It is limited to a one page single-spaced document and should include the name of the applicant institution, name and contact information for the Project Director, which GPA Project Type you are applying for, the number and educational level of project participants, and a brief overview of the proposed project. The abstract must be uploaded into the “ED Abstract Narrative Form” in the e-Application.

Deadline Information: The application must be received on or before the deadline date and time. Please note that U.S. Department of Education grant application deadlines fall at 4:30:00 p.m. EST. Late applications will not be accepted. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

Project Types to be Competed in FY 2011: Please note that only short-term projects (Short-Term Seminars, Curriculum Development, and Group Research or Study) will be competed in FY 2011. The Advanced Overseas Intensive Language Training projects will not be competed again until FY 2012.

Applicant Eligibility: Please pay special attention to the Additional Eligibility Information in the Supplemental Information section to ensure that your application will be found eligible. An eligibility checklist has been included as well for your use.

Participant Eligibility: Please note that the program is expanding eligibility parameters for project participants to include educators, administrators and pre-service teachers who are working in interdisciplinary areas such as business, health, social work, math, science, counseling, engineering, the environment and technology.

Proposed Grant Dates & Project Activities: Grants for the FY 2011 competition will be 18 months. Proposed start and end dates for FY 2011 grants should be March 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012. These should be entered in Form SF-424 under Item 17.

In addition, please note that applicants should plan for the overseas portion of their project as well as most, if not all, of the major project activities to take place within this 18- month period.

Program Priorities: Please note the following program priorities for FY 2011:

Absolute: We consider only applications that meet this priority. This priority is: a group project must focus on one or more of the following geographic regions of the world: Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the Western Hemisphere (Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean), East Central Europe and Eurasia, and the Near East.

Competitive Preference Priorities (3): Please note that there is a new competitive priority for the FY 2011 competition and that language has been adjusted from previous competitions. Please see further details below.
1. Competitive Preference Priority I: Up to an additional five (5) points will be awarded to an application that meets this priority. This priority is: projects that provide substantive training and thematic focus, both during the pre-departure and in-country project phases, on any of the seventy-eight (78) priority languages that were selected from the U.S. Department of Education’s list of Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs). Please refer to the Federal Register notice for the complete list of applicable languages.

Competitive Preference Priority II: Up to an additional five (5) points will be awarded to an application that meets this priority. This priority is: short-term projects abroad that develop and improve foreign language and/or area studies at elementary and secondary schools and propose 50 percent or greater participation of K-12 teachers, K-12 administrators, or both in short-term projects abroad.

Competitive Preference Priority III: Up to an additional five (5) points will be awarded to an application that meets this priority. This priority is: short-term projects abroad that provide pre-service teachers with training or courses in foreign languages and international area studies as part of a teacher education curriculum developed through collaboration between colleges or departments of education and colleges or departments of arts and sciences within institutions of higher education.

Please note that these priorities are explained in detail in the Federal Register notice contained in this application package. You are urged to fully review this document before preparing your application.

Supplemental Information

General Information

The following information supplements the information provided in the “Dear Applicant” letter and the Federal Register notice. Please refer to individual Project Type descriptions for additional information.

A. Eligible Applicants

Institutions of higher education;
State departments of education;
Private nonprofit educational organizations; and
Consortia of institutions, departments, and organizations.

B. Eligible GPA Project Participants

An individual is eligible to participate in a GPA project if s/he is:

A citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States; and
Currently employed full-time in a U.S. school system, institution of higher education, Local Education Agency or State Education Agency (not applicable to students);

And, at least one of the following:

A teacher in an elementary or secondary school (please see note below);
A faculty member who teaches modern foreign languages or area studies;
An experienced education administrator responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs in modern foreign languages or area studies at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary levels;
A graduate student or junior or senior in an institution of higher education, who is a prospective teacher in the areas of social sciences, humanities and foreign languages. The student should meet the provisions set by his or her local and state education agencies; or
For the Advanced Overseas Intensive Language Training project, the participating student, other than those planning a teaching career, should be planning to apply his or her language skills and knowledge of countries vital to the United States’ national security in fields outside teaching, including government, the professions, or international development. (Please note: this project type will not be competed in FY2011).

(Note: All GPA participants must be educators, students, pre-service teachers or administrators who fulfill the criteria above and the selection criteria set by their respective projects and are currently teaching and/or studying in the eligible fields of humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, and/or area studies. Area studies is defined as a program of comprehensive study of the aspects of a society or societies including the study of their geography, history, culture, economy, politics, international relations, or languages. Project participants may also be working in interdisciplinary areas such as business, health, social work, math, science, counseling, engineering, the environment and technology. If an educator or student is working in a variety of subject areas, s/he must spend the majority of his/her time working with eligible subjects.)

Additional Eligibility Information

Please note that an applicant may be found ineligible according to the following criteria. Please check this list carefully prior to application submission.

Applicant is not an eligible institution or organization or not enough information is presented to show that the applicant is eligible.
Applicant submitted an incomplete application and/or a significant item(s) was missing from the body of the application.
Applicant requested funding for an amount that exceeded the limitation stated in the Federal Register notice.
Applicant requested funding for the overseas portion and/or major project activities to occur outside of the Fiscal Year 2011 grant cycle of March 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012.
Applicant submitted a proposal for a project to spend less than the minimum timeframe allowed abroad (four weeks for a short-term seminar).
Application was submitted for study/travel in an ineligible country.
Applicant’s project activities are not suitable for the GPA program (e.g. sending U.S. educators abroad to teach or teaching foreign languages to U.S. students).
Applicant requested funding for expenses in the U.S.

D. Criteria for Funding

All applications for grants under the GPA program will be evaluated using the selection criteria listed in the program regulations (34 CFR 664).

E. Length of New Award

Applicants may apply for a maximum grant performance period up to 18 months in duration for short-term projects.

F. Financial Provisions

The grant does not provide funds for project-related expenses within the United States. Grant funds may be used only for the following:

A maintenance stipend of fifty percent of the amount established in the U.S. Department of State publication, “Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowances For Foreign Areas”; http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp

Round-trip international travel;
A local travel allowance for necessary project-related travel within the host country;
Purchase of project-related artifacts, books, and other teaching materials in the country of study;
Rent for instructional facilities in the country of study;
Clerical and professional services performed by resident instructional personnel in the country of study; and
Other expenses in the country of study for the project’s success and approved in advance by the U.S. Department of Education.

Indirect costs are not allowed under this grant.

A minimum of 16 hours of pre-departure orientation (guided activities) should be included in the project design. However, please note that as a U.S.-based-activity, related costs will not be paid for using GPA grant funds.

The program office encourages applicants who are traveling to countries in which a Fulbright Commission is located to contact the host country commission for guidance and program services, if necessary. Appropriate costs may be built into the applicant’s budget accordingly. Please find additional information under O. Resources for Proposal Development of this section.

The U.S. Department of Education encourages cost sharing by the participants and their affiliated institutions, school districts, or organizations to cover the expenses within the U.S., and to make up the difference between the grant and the costs of the activities abroad. Please note that if an applicant is awarded a grant, the full amount of cost sharing indicated in the applicant’s budget will need to be provided.

G. Evaluation of Applications for Awards

A three-member panel of non-federal evaluators reviews each application. Each reviewer will prepare a written evaluation of the application and assign points for each selection criterion.

H. Selection of Grantees

The Secretary will select an application for funding in rank order, based on the application’s total score for the selection criteria and competitive priority points. If there are insufficient funds to fund all applications with the same total score, the Secretary will choose among the tied applications. Please note that once Departmental approval has taken place for recommended applications, approval must also be obtained from the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

I. Applicant Funding

The Department is often unable to award the full amount of funds requested. Applicants should pay close attention to the “Maximum Award” section of the Federal Register notice. The Department will not fund any application at an amount exceeding the applicable maximum award level.

J. Notice to Successful Applicants

The Department's Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress regarding applicants approved for new GPA grants. Successful applicants will receive award notices by mail shortly after the Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before the Congress is notified. Notification generally occurs in the month of March.

K. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing.

**Please note that all applicants (successful and unsuccessful) will receive copies of evaluators’ scores and comments for reference purposes.

L. Restrictions on Participants

Individuals may be awarded a total of 4 lifetime short-term awards (2 months or less). Short-term awards would include Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad, Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad, etc.; however, preference should be given to individuals who have not previously received a Fulbright award or other international exchange opportunity.
Short-term award recipients become eligible every two years. (A Seminars 2006 participant could receive a Group Projects Abroad 2009 award and vice versa. A Seminars 2004 participant could receive a Seminars 2006 award, etc.)
Individuals who are not currently employed and/or studying full-time or its equivalent are not eligible.

Individuals who do not meet the GPA program’s eligibility criteria listed in this application package are not eligible.

M. Restriction on Non-Participants

Spouses, other family members, and friends who have not been selected to participate in this project according to the selection criteria stated in the approved application are not permitted to join the group at any point during the program.

N. Performance Reports

All GPA grantees must submit project performance reports using the International Resource Information System (IRIS) electronic reporting system. If you wish to view the performance report currently required, visit the IEPS Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsgpa/performance.html. Please be advised that the report is for informational purposes only and does not reflect the actual reporting instrument that you will use, if you receive a FY 2011 grant award. The performance report will assist IEPS staff in determining whether or not the GPA project is making substantial progress toward meeting the approved project objectives and whether or not a continuation award (if applicable) is in the best interest of the Federal government. Project Directors will be responsible for overall project reports as well as entering project participant information into the system and ensuring that participants complete and submit individual reports.

The IRIS reporting instrument includes sections for grantees to input data that responds to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) to assess overall program performance.

Resources for Proposal Development

Bilateral Fulbright Commissions are located in many countries worldwide and can serve as useful resources for GPA applicants. Should an applicant require guidance and/or program services for a given project, applicants may be interested in contacting the Fulbright Commission located in the respective host country, if one exists. Appropriate costs may be built into an applicant’s budget to cover these expenses, if necessary. Please find a complete list of Fulbright Commissions and their contact information at http://fulbright.state.gov/fulbright/about/whyis/binational-partnerships/fulbright-commissions

National Resource Centers (NRCs) are funded by the U.S. Department of Education and serve the general purpose of training specialists in modern foreign languages and area or international studies. Most NRC institutions have outreach coordinators whose general purpose is to disseminate information and assist other institutions and individuals with accessing needed information and resources. Institutions interested in submitting proposals to the GPA program are encouraged to contact NRCs and their outreach coordinators for assistance in accessing suitable resources for proposal and program development. Additional information can be found at the NRC program website at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsnrc/index.html

Contact Persons

For program-related questions and assistance, please contact:

Program Officer: Michelle Guilfoil

Address: International Education Programs Service (IEPS)

U.S. Department of Education

1990 K Street, NW., Room 6098

Washington, DC 20006-8521

Telephone: (202) 502-7625

Fax: (202) 502-7860

E-mail Address: [email protected]

For technical and e-Grants-related questions and assistance, please contact:

e-Grants Help Desk

Telephone: (888)-336-8930

Q. Project Type Descriptions

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program

Project Type 1: Short-Term Seminar Project

Project Features:

Promote the integration of international studies into the curriculum of social sciences and humanities throughout U.S. school systems at all levels;
Increase linguistic and/or cultural competency among U.S. students and educators; and
Focus on a particular aspect of area study, such as the culture of the area or a portion of the culture of the country of study.

Time Frame & Participant Numbers:

Minimum 4 weeks in country of study (not including pre-departure training in U.S.).
Grant performance period a maximum of 18 months.
4 weeks of host country training: 12 participants plus Project Director = 13 minimum
6 weeks of host country training: 10 participants plus Project Director = 11 minimum
8 weeks of host country training: 8 participants plus Project Director = 9 minimum

Key Personnel Type & Number:

One Project Director (with GPA funds).
If necessary, one curriculum specialist or bilingual scholar escort may be supported by GPA funds. The individuals identified in these roles, their qualifications and specific responsibilities within the project should be well justified in the proposal.

If any other Key Personnel are necessary, they must be paid for with cost share funds.

Participant Type: All participants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents and employed or studying full-time. They should be teaching, studying or administering in the fields of humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, and/or area studies. The group may include:

Elementary or secondary school teachers;
Faculty members at higher education institutions;
Administrators at state departments of education, higher education institutions or school districts who are responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs at school systems at all levels; and
Graduate students or juniors or seniors in higher education institutions, who are prospective teachers in the areas mentioned above.

Allowable Costs: Please refer to the “Financial Provisions” section of Supplemental Information.

Maximum Grant Award: up to $100,000 for 4-5 week projects (time spent in host country); up to $110,000 for 6-7 week projects; up to $125,000 for 8+ week projects.

Please Note: Applicants may submit a proposal for a student study abroad, pre-service teacher training, or other similar project under the Short-Term Seminar Project category. All participants must be students according to the fourth bulleted criteria listed above. Additionally, it is strongly recommended that the length of all student study abroad projects be set at six weeks or longer, but preferably the equivalent of a semester.

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program

Project Type 2: Curriculum Development Project

Project Features:

Acquire first-hand resource materials for curriculum development in modern foreign language and area studies;
Provide for systematic use and dissemination in the United States of the acquired materials; and
Resource materials include artifacts, books, documents, educational films, museum reproductions, recordings, and other instructional material.

Time Frame & Participant Numbers:

Minimum 4 weeks in country of study (not including pre-departure training in U.S.)
Grant performance period a maximum of 18 months.
4 weeks of host country training: 12 participants plus Project Director = 13 minimum
6 weeks of host country training: 10 participants plus Project Director = 11 minimum
8 weeks of host country training: 8 participants plus Project Director = 9 minimum

Key Personnel Type & Number:

One Project Director (with GPA funds).
If necessary, one bilingual scholar escort may also be supported with GPA funds. The individuals in these roles, their qualifications and specific responsibilities within the project should be well justified in the proposal.

If any other Key Personnel are necessary, they must be paid for with cost share funds.

Elementary or secondary school teachers;
Faculty members at higher education institutions;
Administrators at state departments of education, higher education institutions or school districts who are responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs at school systems at all levels; and
Graduate students, or juniors or seniors in higher education institutions, who are prospective teachers in the areas mentioned above.

Allowable Costs: Please refer to the “Financial Provisions” section of Supplemental Information.

Maximum Grant Award: up to $100,000 for 4-5 week projects (time spent in host country); up to $110,000 for 6-7 week projects; up to $125,000 for 8+ week projects.

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program

Project Type 3: Group Research or Study Project

Project Features:

Designed to undertake research or study in a country outside of the United States.

Time Frame & Participant Numbers:

Minimum 12 weeks in the country of study.
Grant performance period a maximum of 18 months.
12 weeks of host country training: 3 participants plus Project Director = 4 minimum

Key Personnel Type & Number:

One Project Director (with GPA funds).
If any other Key Personnel are necessary, they must be paid for with cost share funds.

Faculty members at higher education institutions; and
Graduate students, or juniors or seniors in higher education institutions, who are prospective teachers in the areas mentioned above.

A prerequisite for participants is that they: (1) must possess the necessary language proficiency to conduct the research or study; (2) must possess disciplinary competence in their area of research; and (3) shall have completed at least one semester of intensive language training and one course in area studies relevant to the project.

Allowable Costs: Please refer to the “Financial Provisions” section of Supplemental Information.

Maximum Grant Award: $125,000

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program

Project Type 4: Advanced Overseas Intensive Language Training Project

(Please note: this project type will not be competed in FY2011).

Project Features:

The language to be studied must be indigenous to the country of study and maximum use should be made of local institutions and personnel;
Language training must be given at the advanced level (equivalent to that provided to students who have successfully completed at least two academic years of language training); and
The project must be designed to take advantage of advanced foreign language training opportunities present in the country of study that are not available in the United States.

Time Frame & Participant Numbers:

Project activities may be carried out during a full year, an academic year, a semester, a trimester, a quarter, or a summer in the country of study (8 weeks minimum).
The grant is for four, 12-month performance periods (four years total).
8 weeks of host country training: 12 participants plus Resident Director = 13 minimum

Key Personnel Type & Number:

One overall project director (with GPA funds).
If necessary, the GPA program may support a second key person, whose qualifications and responsibilities with the project should be well justified in the proposal.
If any other Key Personnel are necessary, they must be paid for with cost share funds.

Participant Type: All participants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents and studying full-time. Participant groups must change each year and participants must have successfully completed at least two academic years of training in the language to be studied. Participants should be studying in the fields of humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, and/or area studies. Generally, the group may include:

Graduate students, or juniors or seniors in higher education institutions, who are prospective teachers in the areas mentioned above; and
Graduate students, or juniors or seniors in higher education institutions, who plan to apply their language skills and knowledge of countries vital to the United States’ national security in fields outside teaching, including government, the professions, or international development.

Allowable Costs: Please refer to the “Financial Provisions” section of Supplemental Information.

Maximum Grant Award: $425,000

Federal Register Notice

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Overview Information

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program

Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year

(FY) 2011.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

84.021A.

Dates:

Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 15, 2010.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: December 15, 2010.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The Fulbright-Hays Group Projects

Abroad (GPA) Program supports overseas projects in

training, research, and curriculum development in modern

foreign languages and area studies for groups of teachers, students, and faculty engaged in a common endeavor.

Projects are short-term and include seminars, curriculum development, or group research or study.

Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii),

these priorities are from the regulations for this program

(34 CFR 664.31(g) and 664.32).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2011, this priority is an

absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider

only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Specific geographic regions of the world: A group

project funded under this priority must focus on one or

more of the following geographic regions of the world:

Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the

Pacific, the Western Hemisphere (Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean), East Central Europe and

Eurasia, and the Near East.

Competitive Preference Priorities:

Within this absolute priority, we are establishing the

following competitive preference priorities.

Competitive Preference Priority I: For FY 2011, this

priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34

CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) and 664.31(g), we award up to an

additional five (5) points to an application that meets

this priority.

This priority is:

Projects that provide substantive training and

thematic focus, both during the pre-departure and in-

country project phases, on any of the seventy-eight (78) priority languages that were selected from the U.S. Department of Education’s list of Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs)

found below.

This list includes the following: Akan (Twi-Fante), Albanian, Amharic, Arabic (all dialects), Armenian, Azeri (Azerbaijani), Balochi, Bamanakan (Bamana, Bambara,

Mandikan, Mandingo, Maninka, Dyula), Belarusian, Bengali (Bangla), Berber (all languages), Bosnian, Bulgarian,

Burmese, Cebuano (Visayan), Chechen, Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Gan), Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Min), Chinese

(Wu), Croatian, Dari, Dinka, Georgian, Gujarati, Hausa,

Hebrew (Modern), Hindi, Igbo, Indonesian, Japanese,

Javanese, Kannada, Kashmiri, Kazakh, Khmer (Cambodian),

Kirghiz, Korean, Kurdish (Kurmanji), Kurdish (Sorani), Lao, Malay (Bahasa Melayu or Malaysian), Malayalam, Marathi, Mongolian, Nepali, Oromo, Panjabi, Pashto, Persian (Farsi), Polish, Portuguese (all varieties), Quechua, Romanian,

Russian, Serbian, Sinhala (Sinhalese), Somali, Swahili,

Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Tigrigna,

Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uyghur/Uigur, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Wolof, Xhosa, Yoruba, and Zulu.

Competitive Preference Priority II: For FY 2011, this

priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34

CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) and 664.31(g), we award up to an

additional five (5) points to a short-term project abroad application that meets this priority.

This priority is:

Short-term projects abroad that develop and improve

foreign language and/or area studies at elementary and

secondary schools and propose 50 percent or greater participation of K-12 teachers, K-12 administrators, or both in short-term projects abroad.

Competitive Preference Priority III: For FY 2011, this priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we award up to an additional five (5) points to a short-term project abroad application that meets this priority.

This priority is:

Short-term projects abroad that provide pre-service teachers with training or courses in foreign languages and international area studies as part of a teacher education curriculum developed through collaboration between colleges or departments of education and colleges or departments of arts and sciences within institutions of higher education.

Program Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6).

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department

General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts

74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

(b) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 664.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to

institutions of higher education (IHEs) only.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has

requested $15,576,000 for the Fulbright-Hays programs (also referred to as the International Overseas programs) for FY

2011, of which we intend to allocate $2,026,480 for new

short-term projects under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program. The actual level of funding, if any,

depends on final Congressional action. However, we are

inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the

grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this

program.

Note: As part of its FY 2011 budget request, the

Administration proposed to continue to allow funds under

this program to be used to support the participation of individuals who plan to apply their language skills and knowledge of countries vital to the United States’ national security in fields outside teaching, including government,

the professions, or international development. Therefore, institutions of higher education may propose projects for

visits and study in foreign countries by individuals in

these fields, in addition to those planning a teaching

career. However, whether authority exists to use funds for participants outside of the field of teaching depends on

final congressional action. Applicants will be given an opportunity to amend their applications if Congress does

not provide this authority.

Estimated Range of Awards: $30,000 - $125,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $84,437.

Maximum Award: We will reject any short-term GPA

application that proposes a budget exceeding $125,000 for a single budget period of 18 months.

Estimated Number of Awards: 24.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 18 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: (1) Institutions of higher education, (2) State departments of education, (3) Private nonprofit educational organizations, and (4) Consortia of

these entities. Institutions that have never received an

award under this program are encouraged to apply.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not

require cost sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package: You can

obtain an application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy

via the Internet, use the following address: http://e-grants.ed.gov. To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax,

or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S Department of Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.

You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at its e-mail address: [email protected].

If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA

number 84.021A.

Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting

the person or team listed in this section.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements concerning the content of an application,

together with the forms you must submit, are in the

application package for this program.

Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) is the section in which the applicant

addresses the selection criteria that reviewers use to

evaluate the application. The application narrative must

be limited to no more than 40 pages, using the following standards:

● A “page” is 8.5” x 11”, on one side only, with 1” margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.

● Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. Charts, tables, figures, and graphs in the application

narrative may be single spaced and will count toward the

page limit.

● Use a font that is either 12 point or larger; or,

no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However,

you may use a 10 point font in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.

● Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted

in any other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow)

will not be accepted.

● The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental information form required by the Department of Education; Part II, the budget summary form (ED Form 524);

Part IV, assurances, certifications, and the response to

Section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA);

the table of contents; the one-page project abstract; the appendices; or the line item budget. If you include any attachments or appendices not specifically requested, these items will be counted as part of the program narrative

[Part III] for purposes of the page limit requirement.

We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.

3. Submission Dates and Times:

Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 15, 2010.

Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant

Application site (e-Application) accessible through the Department’s e-Grants system. For information (including

dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery

if you qualify for an exception to the electronic

submission requirement, please refer to Section IV. 7.

Other Submission Requirements of this notice.

We do not consider an application that does not comply

with the deadline requirements.

Individuals with disabilities who need an

accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact the person listed under

For Further Information Contact in Section VII of this

notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in

connection with the application process, the individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in this notice.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: December 15, 2010.

4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject

to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part

79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this program.

5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable

Regulations section of this notice.

6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the Department of Education, (1) you must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN); (2) you must register both of these numbers with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government’s primary registrant database; and (3) you must provide these same numbers on your application.

You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number can be created within one business day.

If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.

The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.

7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for

grants under this program must be submitted electronically

unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section.

a. Electronic Submission of Applications.

Applications for grants under the GPA Program, CFDA

number 84.021A, must be submitted electronically by using e-Application, accessible through the Department’s e-Grants

portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

We will reject your application if you submit it in

paper format unless, as described elsewhere in this

section, you qualify for one of the exceptions to the

electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than

two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of

these exceptions. Further information regarding

calculation of the date that is two weeks before the

application deadline date is provided later in this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.

While completing your electronic application, you will

be entering data online that will be saved into a database.

You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant

application to us.

Please note the following:

● You must complete the electronic submission of your

grant application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on

the application deadline date. E-Application will not

accept an application for this program after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until

the application deadline date to begin the application

process.

● The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are

6:00 a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time.

Please note that, because of maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and 6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m.

on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. Any modifications to

these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.

● You will not receive additional point value because

you submit your application in electronic format, nor will

we penalize you if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, as described elsewhere

in this section, and submit your application in paper

format.

● You must submit all documents electronically,

including all information you typically provide on the

following forms: the Application for Federal Assistance

(SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental

Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-

Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary

assurances and certifications. You must attach any

narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three

file types specified in this paragraph or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material.

● Your electronic application must comply with any

page limit requirements described in this notice.

● Prior to submitting your electronic application,

you may wish to print a copy of it for your records.

● After you electronically submit your application,

you will receive an automatic acknowledgment that will

include a PR/Award number (an identifying number unique to

your application).

● We may request that you provide us original

signatures on forms at a later date.

Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-

Application Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the

application deadline date because e-Application is

unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business

day to enable you to transmit your application

electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. We will

grant this extension if--(1) You are a registered user of

e-Application and you have initiated an electronic

application for this competition; and(2)(a) E-Application

is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between the hours of

8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the

application deadline date; or

(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of

time between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC

time, on the application deadline date.

We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability before granting you an extension. To

request this extension or to confirm our acknowledgment of

any system unavailability, you may contact either (1) the

person listed elsewhere in this notice under For Further Information Contact (See VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the

e-Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application is unavailable due to technical problems with the system and, therefore, the application deadline is extended, an e-mail

will be sent to all registered users who have initiated an

e-Application. Extensions referred to in this section

apply only to the unavailability of e-Application.

Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You

qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your application in paper

format, if you are unable to submit an application through

e-Application because––

● You do not have access to the Internet; or

● You do not have the capacity to upload large

documents to e-Application;

and

● No later than two weeks before the application

deadline date (14 calendar days; or, if the fourteenth

calendar day before the application deadline date falls on

a Federal holiday, the next business day following the

Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement to

the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception prevents you from using the Internet to submit

your application. If you mail your written statement to

the Department, it must be postmarked no later than two

weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax

your written statement to the Department, we must receive

the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.

Address and mail or fax your statement to: Michelle Guilfoil, Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program,

U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room

6098, Washington, DC 20006-8521. FAX: (202) 502-7860.

Your paper application must be submitted in accordance

with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in

this notice.

b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S.

Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to

the Department. You must mail the original and two copies

of your application, on or before the application deadline

date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: (CFDA Number 84.021A)

LBJ Basement Level 1

400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, DC 20202-4260

You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of

the following:

(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark. (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing

stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.

(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from

a commercial carrier.

(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to

the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof

of mailing:

A private metered postmark.
A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S.

Postal Service.

If your application is postmarked after the

application deadline date, we will not consider your application.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should

check with your local post office.

c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier service) may

deliver your paper application to the Department by hand.

You must deliver the original and two copies of your application, by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: (CFDA Number 84.021A)

550 12th Street, SW.

Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza

Washington, DC 20202-4260

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries

daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC

time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If

you mail or hand deliver your application to the

Department--

You must indicate on the envelope (and, if not provided by the Department, in Item 11 of the SF 424) the

CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the

competition under which you are submitting your

application; and

The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you

do not receive this grant notification within 15 business

days from the application deadline date, you should call

the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center

at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

1. General: For FY 2011, short-term project

applications will be reviewed by separate panels according

to world area. Each panel reviews, scores, and ranks its applications separately from the applications assigned to

the other world area panels. However, all applications

will be ranked together from the highest to the lowest

score for funding purposes.

2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for

this program are from 34 CFR 664.31 and are as follows:

(a) Plan of operation (20 points); (b) Quality of key

personnel (10 points); (c) Budget and cost effectiveness

(10 points); (d) Evaluation plan (20 points); (e) Adequacy

of resources (5 points); (f) Potential impact of the

project on the development of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in American education (15

points); (g) Relevance to the applicant’s educational goals

and its relationship to its program development in modern foreign languages and area studies (5 points); (h) The

extent to which direct experience abroad is necessary to

achieve the project’s objectives and the effectiveness with which relevant host country resources will be utilized (10 points); and (i) The extent to which the proposed project addresses the competitive preference priorities (15

points).

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices: If your application is successful,

we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and

send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may notify

you informally, also.

If your application is not evaluated or not selected

for funding, we notify you.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:

We identify administrative and national policy requirements

in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.

We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations

section in this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your

approved application as part of your binding commitments

under the grant.

3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you

must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive

a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance

report that provides the most current performance and

financial expenditure information as directed by the

Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. Grantees are required to

use the electronic data instrument International Resource Information System (IRIS) to complete the final report.

The Secretary may also require more frequent performance

reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements

on reporting, please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

4. Performance Measures: Under the Government

Performance and Results Act of 1993, the following measure

will be used by the Department to evaluate the success of

the program: Percentage of all Fulbright-Hays Group

Projects Abroad Program projects judged to be successful by

the program officer, based on a review of information

provided in annual performance reports.

The information provided by grantees in their

performance reports submitted via IRIS will be the source

of data for this measure. Reporting screens for

institutions can be viewed at:

http://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/gpa_annual_director.pdf and http://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/gpa_annual_participant.pdf.

VII. Agency Contact

For Further Information Contact: Michelle Guilfoil,

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program, U.S.

Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6098, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 502-7625 or

by e-mail: [email protected]. The agency contact

person does not mail application materials and does not

accept applications.

If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll-free, at 1-800-

877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can

obtain this document and a copy of the application package

in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,

audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the program contact person listed under For Further Information Contact

in Section VII of this notice.

Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this

document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe

Portable Document Format (PDF), on the Internet at the

following site: www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.

To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which

is available free at this site. If you have questions

about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office

(GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington,

DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

Note: The official version of this document is the

document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and

the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access

at: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary Education, to perform the functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

Dated: [DATE]

________________________________

Daniel T. Madzelan

Director,

Forecasting and Policy Analysis.

Authorizing Legislation

Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961

UNITED STATES CODE

TITLE 22: CHAPTER 33

MUTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Sec. 2451. - Congressional statement of purpose

The purpose of this chapter is to enable the Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations, and the contributions being made toward a peaceful and more fruitful life for people throughout the world; to promote international cooperation for educational and cultural advancement; and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations between the United States and the other countries of the world.

Sec. 2452. - Authorization of activities

(a) Grants or contracts for educational or cultural exchanges; participation in international fairs and expositions abroad

The Director of the United States Information Agency is authorized, when he considers that it would strengthen international cooperative relations, to provide, by grant, contract, or otherwise, for -

(1) educational exchanges,

(i) by financing studies, research, instruction, and other educational activities -

(A) of or for American citizens and nationals in foreign countries, and

(B) of or for citizens and nationals of foreign countries in American schools and institutions of learning located in or outside the United States;

and

(ii) by financing visits and interchanges between the United States and other countries of students, trainees, teachers, instructors, and professors;

(2) cultural exchanges, by financing -

(i) visits and interchanges between the United States and other countries of leaders, experts in fields of specialized knowledge or skill, and other influential or distinguished persons;

(ii) tours in countries abroad by creative and performing artists and athletes from the United States, individually and in groups, representing any field of the arts, sports, or any other form of cultural attainment;

(iii) United States representation in international artistic, dramatic, musical, sports, and other cultural festivals, competitions, meetings, and like exhibitions and assemblies;

(iv) participation by groups and individuals from other countries in nonprofit activities in the United States similar to those described in subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph, when the Director of the United States Information Agency determines that such participation is in the national interest.

(3) United States participation in international fairs and expositions abroad, including trade and industrial fairs and other public or private demonstrations of United States economic accomplishments and cultural attainments.

(b) Other exchanges

In furtherance of the purposes of this chapter, the President is further authorized to provide for -

(1) interchanges between the United States and other countries of handicrafts, scientific, technical, and scholarly books, books of literature, periodicals, and Government publications, and the reproduction and translation of such writings, and the preparation, distribution, and interchange of other educational and research materials, including laboratory and technical equipment for education and research;

(2) establishing and operating in the United States and abroad centers for cultural and technical interchanges to promote better relations and understanding between the United States and other nations through cooperative study, training, and research;

(3) assistance in the establishment, expansion, maintenance, and operation of schools and institutions of learning abroad, founded, operated, or sponsored by citizens or nonprofit institutions of the United States, including such schools and institutions serving as demonstration centers for methods and practices employed in the United States;

(4) fostering and supporting American studies in foreign countries through professorships, lectureships, institutes, seminars, and courses in such subjects as American history, government, economics, language and literature, and other subjects related to American civilization and culture, including financing the attendance at such studies by persons from other countries;

(5) promoting and supporting medical, scientific, cultural, and educational research and development;

(6) promoting modern foreign language training and area studies in United States schools, colleges, and universities by supporting visits and study in foreign countries by teachers and prospective teachers in such schools, colleges, and universities for the purpose of improving their skill in languages and their knowledge of the culture of the people of those countries, and by financing visits by teachers from those countries to the United States for the purpose of participating in foreign language training and area studies in United States schools, colleges, and universities;

(7) United States representation at international nongovernmental educational, scientific, and technical meetings;

(8) participation by groups and individuals from other countries in educational, scientific, and technical meetings held under American auspices in or outside the United States;

(9) encouraging independent research into the problems of educational and cultural exchange;

(10) promoting studies, research, instruction, and other educational activities of citizens and nationals of foreign countries in American schools, colleges, and universities located in the United States by making available to citizens and nationals of less developed friendly foreign countries for exchange for currencies of their respective countries (other than excess foreign currencies), at United States embassies, United States dollars in such amounts as may be necessary to enable such foreign citizens or nationals who are coming temporarily to the United States as students, trainees, teachers, instructors, or professors to meet expenses of the kind described in section 2454(e)(1) of this title;

(11) interchanges and visits between the United States and other countries of scientists, scholars, leaders, and other experts in the fields of environmental science and environmental management; and

(12) promoting respect for and guarantees of religious freedom abroad by interchanges and visits between the United States and other nations of religious leaders, scholars, and religious and legal experts in the field of religious freedom.

Code of Federal Regulations

Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), unless otherwise noted.

Source: 63 FR 46366, Aug. 31, 1998, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A—General

§ 664.1 What is the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program?

(a) The Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program is designed to contribute to the development and improvement of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in the United States by providing opportunities for teachers, students, and faculty to study in foreign countries.

(b) Under the program, the Secretary awards grants to eligible institutions, departments, and organizations to conduct overseas group projects in research, training, and curriculum development.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.2 Who is eligible to apply for assistance under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program?

The following are eligible to apply for assistance under this part:

(a) Institutions of higher education;

(b) State departments of education;

(d) Consortia of institutions, departments, and organizations described in paragraphs (a), (b), or (c) of this section.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.3 Who is eligible to participate in projects funded under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program?

An individual is eligible to participate in a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad, if the individual—(a)(1) Is a citizen or national of the United States; or

(2) Is a permanent resident of the United States; and

(b)(1) Is a faculty member who teaches modern foreign languages or area studies in an institution of higher education;

(2) Is a teacher in an elementary or secondary school;

(3) Is an experienced education administrator responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs in modern foreign languages or area studies at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary level; or

(4) Is a graduate student, or a junior or senior in an institution of higher education, who plans a teaching career in modern foreign languages or area studies.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.4 What regulations apply to the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program?

The following regulations apply to this program:

(a) The regulations in this part 664; and

(b) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86).

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1), 2456(a)(2))

§ 664.5 What definitions apply to the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program?

(a) Definitions in EDGAR. The following terms used in this part are defined in 34 CFR part 77:

Applicant

Application

Award

EDGAR

Equipment

Facilities

Grant

Grantee

Nonprofit

Project

Private

Public

Secretary

State

State educational agency

Supplies

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

(b) Definitions that apply to this program: The following definitions apply to the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program:

Area studies means a program of comprehensive study of the aspects of a society or societies, including the study of their geography, history, culture, economy, politics, international relations, and languages.

Binational commission means an educational and cultural commission established, through an agreement between the United States and either a foreign government or an international organization, to carry out functions in connection with the program covered by this part.

Institution of higher education means an educational institution in any State that—

(1) Admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate;

(2) Is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond secondary education;

(3) Provides an educational program for which it awards a bachelor's degree or provides not less than a two-year program, which is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree;

(4) Is a public or other nonprofit institution; and

(5) Is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association.

J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board means the presidentially appointed board that is responsible for supervision of the program covered by this part.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456)

Subpart B—What Kinds of Projects Does the Secretary Assist Under This Program?

§ 664.10 What kinds of projects does the Secretary assist?

The Secretary assists projects designed to develop or improve programs in modern foreign language or area studies at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary level by supporting overseas projects in research, training, and curriculum development by groups of individuals engaged in a common endeavor. Projects may include, as described in §§664.11 through 664.14, short-term seminars, curriculum development teams, group research or study, and advanced intensive language programs.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.11 What is a short-term seminar project?

A short-term seminar project is—

(a) Designed to help integrate international studies into an institution's or school system's general curriculum; and

(b) Normally four to six weeks in length and focuses on a particular aspect of area study, such as, for example, the culture of the area or a portion of the culture.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.12 What is a curriculum development project?

(a) A curriculum development project—

(1) Is designed to permit faculty and administrators in institutions of higher education and elementary and secondary schools, and administrators in State departments of education the opportunity to spend generally from four to eight weeks in a foreign country acquiring resource materials for curriculum development in modern foreign language and area studies; and

(2) Must provide for the systematic use and dissemination in the United States of the acquired materials.

(b) For the purpose of this section, resource materials include artifacts, books, documents, educational films, museum reproductions, recordings, and other instructional material.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.13 What is a group research or study project?

(a)(1) A group research or study project is designed to permit a group of faculty of an institution of higher education and graduate and undergraduate students to undertake research or study in a foreign country.

(2) The period of research or study in a foreign country is generally from three to twelve months.

(b) As a prerequisite to participating in a research or training project, participants—

(1) Must possess the requisite language proficiency to conduct the research or study, and disciplinary competence in their area of research; and

(2) In a project of a semester or longer, shall have completed, at a minimum, one semester of intensive language training and one course in area studies relevant to the projects.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.14 What is an advanced overseas intensive language training project?

(a)(1) An advanced overseas intensive language project is designed to take advantage of the opportunities present in the foreign country that are not present in the United States when providing intensive advanced foreign language training.

(2) Project activities may be carried out during a full year, an academic year, a semester, a trimester, a quarter, or a summer.

(3) Generally, language training must be given at the advanced level, i.e., at the level equivalent to that provided to students who have successfully completed two academic years of language training.

(4) The language to be studied must be indigenous to the host country and maximum use must be made of local institutions and personnel.

(b) Generally, participants in projects under this program must have successfully completed at least two academic years of training in the language to be studied.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

Subpart C—How Does the Secretary Make a Grant?

§ 664.30 How does the Secretary evaluate an application?

(a) The Secretary evaluates an application for a Group Project Abroad on the basis of the criteria in §664.31. The Secretary informs applicants of the maximum possible score for each criterion in the application package or in a notice published in the Federal Register.

(b) All selections by the Secretary are subject to review and final approval by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

(c) The Secretary does not recommend a project to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board if the applicant proposes to carry it out in a country in which the United States does not have diplomatic representation.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456)

[63 FR 46366, Aug. 31, 1998, as amended at 70 FR 13376, Mar. 21, 2005]

§ 664.31 What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

The Secretary uses the criteria in this section to evaluate applications for the purpose of recommending to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board Group Projects Abroad for funding under this part.

(a) Plan of operation. (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) High quality in the design of the project;

(ii) An effective plan of management that insures proper and efficient administration of the project;

(iii) A clear description of how the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of the program;

(iv) The way the applicant plans to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; and

(v) A clear description of how the applicant will ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition.

(b) Quality of key personnel. (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information to determine the quality of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) The qualifications of the project director;

(ii) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be used in the project;

(iii) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section will commit to the project; and

(iv) The extent to which the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition.

(3) To determine the qualifications of a person, the Secretary considers evidence of past experience and training in fields related to the objectives of the project as well as other information that the applicant provides.

(c) Budget and cost effectiveness. (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the project has an adequate budget and is cost effective.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) The budget for the project is adequate to support the project activities; and

(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project.

(d) Evaluation plan. (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the evaluation plan for the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows that the methods of evaluation are appropriate for the project and, to the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable.

(e) Adequacy of resources. (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the applicant plans to devote adequate resources to the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows that the facilities, equipment, and supplies that the applicant plans to use are adequate.

(f) Specific program criteria. (1) In addition to the general selection criteria contained in this section, the Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the project meets the specific program criteria.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) The potential impact of the project on the development of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in American education.

(ii) The project's relevance to the applicant's educational goals and its relationship to its program development in modern foreign languages and area studies.

(iii) The extent to which direct experience abroad is necessary to achieve the project's objectives and the effectiveness with which relevant host country resources will be utilized.

(g) Priorities. The Secretary looks for information that shows the extent to which the project addresses program priorities in the field of modern foreign languages and area studies for that year.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1840–0068)

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456(a)(2))

[63 FR 46366, Aug. 31, 1998, as amended at 70 FR 13376, Mar. 21, 2005]

§ 664.32 What priorities may the Secretary establish?

(a) The Secretary may establish for each funding competition one or more of the following priorities:

(1) Categories of projects described in §664.10.

(2) Specific languages, topics, countries or geographic regions of the world; for example, Chinese and Arabic, Curriculum Development in Multicultural Education and Transitions from Planned Economies to Market Economies, Brazil and Nigeria, Middle East and South Asia.

(3) Levels of education; for example, elementary and secondary, postsecondary, or postgraduate.

(b) The Secretary announces any priorities in the application notice published in the Federal Register.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456(a)(2))

§ 664.33 What costs does the Secretary pay?

(a) The Secretary pays only part of the cost of a project funded under this part. Other than travel costs, the Secretary does not pay any of the costs for project-related expenses within the United States.

(b) The Secretary pays the cost of the following—

(1) A maintenance stipend related to the cost of living in the host country or countries;

(2) Round-trip international travel;

(3) A local travel allowance for necessary project-related transportation within the country of study, exclusive of the purchase of transportation equipment;

(4) Purchase of project-related artifacts, books, and other teaching materials in the country of study;

(5) Rent for instructional facilities in the country of study;

(6) Clerical and professional services performed by resident instructional personnel in the country of study; and

(7) Other expenses in the country of study, if necessary for the project's success and approved in advance by the Secretary.

(1) Emergency medical expenses not covered by a participant's health and accident insurance; and

(2) The costs of preparing and transporting the remains of a participant who dies during the term of a project to his or her former home.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

Subpart D—What Conditions Must Be Met by a Grantee?

§ 664.40 Can participation in a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad be terminated?

(a) Participation may be terminated only by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board upon the recommendation of the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary may recommend a termination of participation on the basis of failure by the grantee to ensure that participants adhere to the standards of conduct adopted by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456, and Policy Statements of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, 1990)

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

What is GPRA?

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) is a straightforward statute that requires all federal agencies to manage their activities with attention to the consequences of those activities. Each agency is to clearly state what it intends to accomplish, identify the resources required, and periodically report their progress to the Congress. In so doing, it is expected that the GPRA will contribute to improvements in accountability for the expenditures of public funds, improve Congressional decision-making through more objective information on the effectiveness of federal programs, and promote a new government focus on results, service delivery, and customer satisfaction.

How has the Department of Education Responded to the GPRA Requirements?

As required by GPRA, the Department of Education has prepared a strategic plan for 2007-2012. This plan reflects the Department’s priorities and integrates them with its mission and program authorities and describes how the Department will work to improve education for all children and adults in the U.S. The Department’s goals, as listed in the plan, are:

Goal 1: Increase student achievement, reward qualified teachers, and renew troubled schools so that every student can read and do math at grade level by 2014, as called for by the No Child Left Behind Act.

Goal 2: Encourage more rigorous and advanced coursework to improve the academic performance of our middle and high school students.

Goal 3: Work with colleges and universities to improve access, affordability, and accountability, so that our higher education system remains the world’s finest.

The performance indicators for the International Education Programs are part of the Department’s plan for meeting Goal 3.

What is the Performance Indicator for the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program?

The objective of the GPA program is to meet the nation’s security and economic needs through the development of a national capacity in foreign languages, and area and international studies. Under the Government Performance and Results Act, the Department will use the following measures to evaluate the success of the program in meeting this objective.

GPA Performance Measure:

a. Percentage of GPA projects judged to be successful by the program officer, based on a review of information provided in annual performance reports.

The information provided by grantees in their performance reports submitted via the electronic International Resource Information System (IRIS) will be the source of data for this measure.

Instructions for Completing the GPA Application Package

Part I: Standard Forms

Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

Standard Budget Sheet (ED 524), Sections A & B

SF 424B – Assurances Non-Construction Programs

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

ED 80-0013 Certification

427 GEPA

Department of Education Supplemental Information Form for SF 424

*Note: Section C – Budget Narrative should be included in the Budget Narrative Attachment Form, located in Part II.

Part II: Project Narrative

ED Abstract Narrative Form

Project Narrative Attachment Form

Other Narrative Attachment Form I – Preliminary Pre-departure Orientation Agenda, Overseas Project Itinerary and Follow-up Activities

Other Narrative Attachment Form II – Curriculum Vitas of Key Personnel (limited to 3 pages each)

Other Narrative Attachment Form III – Letters of Support

Other Narrative Attachment Form IV – Examples of Evaluation Materials

Budget Narrative Attachment Form

The ED Abstract Narrative Form is where applicants will attach their one page single-spaced document. It should include the name of the applicant institution, name and contact information for the Project Director, which GPA Project Type you are applying for, the number and educational level of project participants, and a brief overview of the proposed project.

The Project Narrative Attachment Form will include the narrative sections addressing the program selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted for this competition. Please include a Table of Contents as the first page of the project narrative. You must limit the project narrative to no more than 40 pages. The Table of Contents will not be counted in the 40 page limit. The Project Narrative should be numbered consecutively.

The Other Narrative Attachment Forms are where applicants attach proposal appendices. Each applicant should provide in this section the following: a detailed daily preliminary pre-departure orientation, overseas project itinerary, and follow-up activities, curriculum vitas of key personnel (limited to 3 pages each), letters of support, and examples of evaluation materials, and other supporting documents, if necessary.

The Budget Narrative Attachment Form is where you would attach a detailed line item budget and any supplemental budget information.

NOTE: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the SF 424. The Department of Education will only review materials/files attached to the attachment forms listed above. All attachments must be in .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format. Other types of files will not be accepted.

Instructions for Project Narrative

Applicants will attach the project narrative to the Project Narrative Attachment Form.

Formatting

A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be within the 1” margin. Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, captions and all text in charts, tables, and graphs, which may be single spaced. Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted. Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

Please note that the Project Narrative Attachment Form is limited to 40 pages. This section will include the discussion of the selection criteria. The required forms, abstract, table of contents, requested appendices, assurances, certifications, and survey forms will not count against your 40-page limit.

Before preparing the Project Narrative, applicants should review the Dear Applicant Letter, the Federal Register notice, program statute, and program regulations for specific guidance and requirements. Please note that applications will be evaluated according to the specific selection criteria specified in the Federal Register notice and this package.

The Secretary evaluates an application on the basis of the broad criteria in 34 CFR 664 of the GPA program regulations as identified in this application (see “Authorizing Legislation and Regulations”). The Project Narrative should provide, in detail, the information that addresses each selection criteria. The maximum possible score for each category of selection criterion is indicated in parenthesis in the Federal Register notice. For ease of reading by the reviewers, applicants should follow the sequence of the criteria as provided below. Applications should be written in a concise and clear manner. You must limit the section of the narrative that addresses the selection criteria to no more than 40 pages.

Please note that repeat GPA grantees should discuss how the successes and challenges of previous GPA grants will contribute to quality GPA projects in the future. They should also address how additional GPA grants will build upon previous GPA projects and/or focus on new curricula, themes, fields, and communities.

Applicants MUST address each of the following GPA selection criteria:

1. Plan of Operation (20 points)

2. Quality of Key Personnel (10 points)

3. Budget and Cost Effectiveness (10 points)

4. Evaluation Plan (20 points)

5. Adequacy of Resources (5 points)

6. Potential Impact (15 points)

7. Relevance to Institution’s Educational Goals (5 points)

8. Need for Overseas Experience (10 points)

9. Competitive Preference Priority I (5 points)

10. Competitive Preference Priority II (5 points)

11. Competitive Preference Priority III (5 points)

Total Maximum Score for Selection Criteria (110 points)

In addition to the guidance listed in the Federal Register notice and program regulations, the following assertions may assist applicants in addressing each of the selection criteria:

Plan of Operation (20 points)

Describe how the objectives of the project are related to the purposes of the GPA program and how those objectives will be accomplished.
In the project design, which generally consists of three phases (pre-departure phase, overseas phase, and post seminar phase), describe how each of the phases will be carried out.
How will the management plan effectively link all project phases and efficiently operate among all project parties?
Explain the ways resources and personnel will be used to achieve the objectives of the project. Include details of which key personnel will be responsible for vital project components/activities, and describe how, when, why, and where project activities will take place.
Provide a clear description of how the project will provide equal access and treatment for eligible project participants without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition.
In the appendices section (Other Narrative Attachment), upload detailed daily proposed itineraries for all phases of the project, including the pre-departure orientation schedule, overseas itinerary, and curriculum and other post-travel follow-up activities. Be sure to demonstrate the academic nature and focus of the project in these materials.

Quality of Key Personnel (10 points)

Describe the project director’s qualifications including educational background, professional training and experience in the host country, administrative experience, subject area expertise, and other related qualifications. Also indicate the responsibilities and time commitment of the project director.
Describe the other key personnel’s qualifications using the guidance above which are pertinent to the project’s objectives and management. Indicate each individual’s title, responsibilities, and time commitment to the project.
Describe the host country coordinator(s)’ qualifications in relation to the project. Be sure to indicate titles, project responsibilities, and time commitments.
Show, as part of the institution’s non-discriminatory employment practices, how employment from underrepresented groups will be without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition.
In the appendices section (Other Narrative Attachment), upload abbreviated curriculum vitas (no more than 3 pages each) of key personnel. These should present relevant areas of expertise for the proposed project.

Budget and Cost Effectiveness (10 points)

Demonstrate and justify that all costs presented in the line item budget are adequate, allowable, and reasonable in today’s market, and necessary to accomplish your project objectives.
Discuss the project’s cost effectiveness.
Show the relationship between the project costs and project objectives.
In the Budget Narrative Attachment, upload a detailed itemized line item budget and accompanying budget narrative that clearly outlines how costs have been calculated and how they are necessary in order to achieve project objectives. Please note that if sufficient detail is not provided, we may not be able to determine if the costs of the activities are necessary and reasonable and may disallow such costs.

4. Evaluation Plan (20 points)

Provide an evaluation plan that will adequately and effectively measure the project’s activities and impact, including curricular outcomes.
Describe the methods of evaluation, including the kinds of data to be collected and analyzed. Will the evaluation plan provide an objective and quantifiable assessment, beyond providing anecdotal information? What effects and impacts will the project have?
Indicate how evaluation results will be used to shape the development of the project, before, during, and after project travel.
Link the evaluation plan to the project objectives and goals.
Describe the evaluation tools; present a proposed timetable for conducting evaluations.
In the appendices section (Other Narrative Attachment), upload examples of evaluation and assessment tools to be used.

5. Adequacy of Resources (5 points)

What resources will the applicant use to accomplish project objectives?
Indicate specifics regarding the facilities, supplies, and other resources (including those provided by host country partners) to show that they are adequate to carry out the activities in all phases of the project.
In the appendices section (Other Narrative Attachment), upload letters of support.

6. Potential Impact of the Project on the Development of the Study of Modern Foreign Languages and Area Studies in American Education (15 points)

What would be the potential impact of the project on the development and improvement of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in U.S. education?
Describe the possible long-term benefits to project participants, their students, colleagues, and communities resulting from successful completion of the grant. What multiplier effect with the project have specifically?
Indicate the process by which resulting curricula will be evaluated for accuracy and effectiveness.

7. Relevance to the Institution’s Educational Goals and Its Relationship to Its Program Development in Modern Foreign Languages and Area Studies (5 points)

Explain how the proposed project will address institutional development goals.
Describe the relationship between the project and the institution’s program development in modern foreign languages and area studies.
Outline what changes will take place due to a GPA project.

8. The Extent to which Direct Experience Abroad is Necessary to Achieve Project Objectives and the Effectiveness with which Relevant Host Country Resources Will Be Utilized (10 points)

Explain why first-hand overseas experience is necessary in order to achieve the project’s objectives.
Outline how the needs for overseas experience were identified and how these needs are addressed by the project. Be specific about the unique need(s) that this proposed project will be addressing.
Describe the benefits to be gained through the project by meeting those needs.
Explain how effectively the host country’s resources will be utilized toward this effort.

Competitive Preference Priority I: Projects that Provide Substantive Training and Thematic Focus, Both During the Pre-Departure and In-Country Project Phases, on any of the Seventy-Eight Priority Languages that were Selected from the U.S. Department of Education’s List of Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs) (5 points)

Discuss in detail how the project will provide training and focus on a priority language. Outline the specific activities to take place, the number of hours of training that will be provided and by whom.
Describe how the project theme will focus on a priority language.

Competitive Preference Priority II: Short-Term Projects Abroad that Develop and Improve Foreign Language and/or Area Studies at Elementary and Secondary Schools and Propose 50 Percent or Greater Participation of K-12 Teachers, K-12 Administrators, or both in Short-Term Projects Abroad (5 points)

Explain how educators at the K-12 level will be involved in a substantive way, during the pre-travel, in-country, and post-travel periods of the project.
What changes will result from this GPA project such as new and/or revised curriculum? How will this be developed? What processes are in place to support these activities?
Describe in detail the make-up of the proposed educator group, including numbers and types of elementary, secondary, community college and four-year faculty and administrators to be traveling abroad.

Competitive Preference Priority III: Short-Term Projects Abroad that Provide Pre-Service Teachers with Training or Courses in Foreign Languages and International Area Studies as part of a Teacher Education Curriculum Developed through Collaboration between Colleges or Departments of Education and Colleges or Departments of Arts and Sciences within Institutions of Higher Education (5 points)

Project activities should include pre-service teachers and teacher education students.
Describe how your project will enhance collaboration between the college(s)/department(s) of education and arts/sciences within or among institutions.
Outline in detail current and future efforts to internationalize teacher education curriculum.

Instructions for Budget Summary Form

and Itemized Line Item Budget

NOTE: Applicants to the GPA program must submit two documents: (1) a budget summary form to categorize requested funds (ED Form 524), AND (2) a detailed line item budget with budget narrative justification.

The budget summary is to be included on the “Department of Education Budget Summary Form – (ED Form 524).” The applicant must complete both Sections A & B.

Both the detailed line item budget AND the accompanying budget narrative justification should be included in the “Budget Narrative Attachment Form,” which requests information on the applicant’s financial plan for carrying out the project.

It is suggested that applicants organize their budgets using either three columns or categories to indicate funding streams as follows: 1) federal funds (GPA program) requested; 2) applicant and other institutional cost share funds to be provided; and 3) project participant and other cost share funds to be provided. (Please note that matching is not required for the GPA program, but is highly encouraged. If matching is put forth in an applicant’s budget, and a grant is awarded, it will be expected that the grantee will provide these matching funds.) Applicants should describe how all costs support project activities.

The budget should only include costs that are allowable, reasonable and necessary for carrying out the objectives of the GPA project. Please note that federal funds under the GPA program are provided only for project-related expenses within the host country(ies) and may not be used for project-related expenses within the United States. Please consult the listing of allowable grant expenses located under Financial Provisions in the Supplemental Information section.

For the Fiscal Year 2011 competition, applicants may receive funding for up to 18 months for short-term projects.

For each line item, provide detailed costs (in dollars) and narrative justification to support your request. Please check all figures and combined totals and compare the line item budget figures to those used on the ED Form 524 for both Sections A & B. Also, please note that if sufficient detail is not provided, we may not be able to determine if the costs of the activities are necessary and reasonable and may disallow such costs.

Please note the following GPA program policy guidelines:

1. Personnel: GPA program policies generally allow for grant funds to be used (ONLY FOR TRAVEL AND IN COUNTRY EXPENSES) for only one administrative person (normally the Project Director). If additional U.S.-based administrative personnel, such as a curriculum specialist or scholar escort, are necessary to achieve project objectives, they must be well justified in order for their travel to be paid for with GPA funds OR their expenses may be paid for using other sources of funding.

Please note that the GPA program will not provide funding for U.S.-based salaries and fringe benefits. Under this section, the applicant may regard these expenses as part of the applicant matching contribution. If personnel costs are included here as cost share, details such as the following should be provided: position titles, specific time commitment to project for each staff person in days/months, and other relevant information.

2. Fringe Benefits: Please see comments from the Personnel section above.

3. Travel: The applicant may request funds to cover project-related international and internal host country travel. Details should be included to explain the mode of transportation for which funding is requested.

Indicate the number of persons traveling, whether they are participants or administrative personnel, where the group is traveling to with specific dates and locations, and a breakdown of the travel costs. Transportation costs should not exceed economy class fares. All travel must be related to the project objectives and proposed activities.

A maintenance stipend (per diem) for each group member may be requested for the overseas phase of the project. This should be based on fifty percent of the amount established in the U.S. Department of State publication, “ Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowances For Foreign Areas;” http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp Budgets should include details such as the number of days to be spent in each city/region.

4. Equipment: Not applicable. Leave blank.

5. Supplies: Applicants may request GPA funds to cover the purchase of project-related books, artifacts, and other teaching materials in the host country. GPA funds cannot be used to purchase materials in the U.S. An itemized list of supplies and the proposed costs for each should be provided.

6. Contractual: Not applicable. Leave blank.

7. Construction: Not applicable. Leave blank.

8. Other: Consultant costs may be included in this section such as payments to host country instructional and administrative personnel (lecturers, host country administrators or organizers, clerical and professional services provided by resident host country personnel, evaluators, language instructors, and host country Fulbright Commissions.) GPA funds cannot be used to pay for U.S.-based consultants. Other miscellaneous costs may be requested in this section. Examples may include rent for instructional facilities in the host country, communication costs, including cell phone expenses in the host country, equipment rental, admission fees for site visits, utilities, printing costs or other expenses considered vital to the project’s success and based in the host country. A clear breakdown should be provided for how all costs were calculated and it should be clear that these costs are based in the host country, not in the U.S. DO NOT use grant funds for refreshments/banquets/welcome and closing meals, etc. Use in kind or matching funds for these costs.

9. Total Direct Costs: Provide the total direct costs requested.

10. Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are not allowable under the GPA program.

11. Training Stipends: Not applicable. Leave blank.

12. Total Costs: Provide the total amount that you are requesting from the GPA program. Note: This amount should also be the same as that shown as 18a on the application face sheet (SF 424).

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program FY 2011 Eligibility Checklist

Please note that an applicant may be found ineligible according to the following criteria. Please check this list carefully prior to application submission.

An application may be found ineligible under the following circumstances:

 Applicant is not an eligible institution or organization or not enough information is presented to show that the applicant is eligible.

 Applicant submitted an incomplete application and/or a significant item(s) was missing from the body of the application.

 Applicant requested funding for an amount that exceeded the limitation stated in the Federal Register notice.

 Applicant requested funding for the overseas portion and/or major project activities to occur outside of the current Fiscal Year 2011 grant cycle of March 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012.

 Applicant submitted a proposal for a project to spend less than the minimum timeframe allowed abroad (four weeks for a short-term seminar).

 Application was submitted for study/travel in an ineligible country.

 Applicant’s project activities are not suitable for the GPA program (e.g. sending U.S. educators abroad to teach or teaching foreign languages to U.S. students).

 Applicant requested funding for expenses in the U.S.

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program FY 2011 Application Checklist

Use This Checklist While Preparing Your Application. All items listed on this

checklist are required.

Part I: Standard Forms

 Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

 Standard Budget Sheet (ED 524), Sections A & B

 SF 424B – Assurances Non-Construction Programs

 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

 ED 80-0013 Certification

 427 GEPA

 Department of Education Supplemental Information Form for SF 424

Part II: Project Narrative

 ED Abstract Narrative Form

 Project Narrative Attachment Form

 Other Narrative Attachment Form I – Preliminary Pre-departure Orientation Agenda, Overseas Project Itinerary and Follow-up Activities)

 Other Narrative Attachment Form II – CVs of Key Personnel (limited to 3 pages each)

 Other Narrative Attachment Form III – Letters of Support

 Other Narrative Attachment Form IV – Examples of Evaluation Materials

 Budget Narrative Attachment Form

NOTE: The “ED Abstract Narrative Form” is where the applicant will attach the program abstract. Please indicate clearly on the abstract which GPA Project Type you are applying for. The “Project Narrative Attachment Form” should include the narrative sections addressing the program selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted for this competition – this section has a strict page limit of 40 pages (not including the table of contents). In the “Other Narrative Attachment Form”, each applicant should include the following appendices: a detailed preliminary pre-departure orientation, overseas project itinerary, and follow-up activities, curriculum vitae of key personnel (limited to 3 pages each), letters of support, examples of evaluation materials, and other supporting documents, if necessary. The “Budget Narrative Attachment Form” is where the applicant will attach a detailed line item budget and any supplemental budget information.

Sample Pre-Departure Orientation Agenda

FY 2009 FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECT ABROAD

“Understanding Russia in Historical Context”

July 1–4, 2010

XYZ University

Phase 1: Pre-Departure Orientation

Wednesday, July 1

Evening arrive into Jacksonville, check into Comfort Inn, 123 Central Parkway, by 8 p.m.

Thursday, July 2

8:30am Breakfast at the Academic Center, 45 Mountainview Street, Jacksonville

9:00-10:00am Workshop: Introductions, GPA Orientation – Dr. Alan Greer, Project Director

10:15-11:30am Workshop: What Do We Know about Russia? – Dr. Jane Herring, History Department, Jacksonville College

11:30am-12:30pm Lunch – Academic Center

12:30-1:45pm Workshop: Health, Safety, Everyday Life – Dr. Amy Christian, Jacksonville Health Services; Dr. Greer

2:00-3:15pm Workshop: Curricular Decisions and Outcomes – Dr. Janet Gaul, Jacksonville College Teacher Preparation Program

3:30-4:45pm Workshop: Life in Russian Families – Dr. Jeanette Ho, Russian Studies Department, University of Mississippi

5:00-6:30pm Dinner – Academic Center

6:30-7:30pm Language Study: Survival Russian – Dr. Greer

7:30-9:00pm Walking tour of campus – Dr. Greer (optional)

Friday, July 3

8:30am Breakfast – Academic Center

9:00-10:15am Workshop: Political Economy of Russia – Dr. George Raimes, Department of Government, University of Georgia

10:30-11:45am Workshop: Recurring Themes in Russian History – Dr. Ho

11:45am-1:00pm Lunch – Academic Center

1:00-2:15pm Group Discussion: GPA Goals and Obligations – Dr. Greer

2:30-3:45pm Workshop: Contemporary Russian Culture: Current Trends – Mr. Byron Adolphi, Business Solutions, Moscow, Russia

4:00-5:15pm Group Discussion: First Sharing of Curriculum Projects, First Evaluations, Dr. Greer

5:30-6:30pm Language Study: Survival Russian – Dr. Greer

6:30pm Relax, pack

Saturday, July 4

8:30am Breakfast – Academic Center

10:00am Bus departs for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

4:20pm Depart on Delta flight 83 for Moscow

XYZ University

“Creating Curriculum in Japan Area Studies”

June 22 – July 20, 2010

SAMPLE HOST COUNTRY ITINERARY

Monday, June 22^nd Depart Houston for Tokyo, Continental Flight #43

Tuesday, June 23rd Arrive in Tokyo, shuttle to Kawasaki Inn, Tokyo

Wednesday, June 24th

9:00 am – 10:00 am Overview of Program Logistics, Dr. John Smith, Project Director

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “Japanese Education System”

Speaker: Dr. Arata Tanaka, The University of Japan

Discussion of how the Japanese education system is organized, how is education funded, how do students advance (what test systems are used to promote students); public versus private education; how is technology used in the classroom; challenges facing Japan’s education.

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:30 pm – 4:30 pm “Teacher-to-Teacher” Discussions

Japanese Teacher’s Union

Coordination of teacher-to-teachers meetings to discuss classroom management and overview of successes and challenges in teaching K-12; discussion of teacher continuing education and professional development for teachers; discussion of establishing formal or informal “sister school” relationships with the American teachers.

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Welcome Dinner

Thursday, June 25th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “Modern History of Japan,”

Mr. Shiro Sato, President,

International Education Center

An overview of Japanese history since the Meiji Restoration; an overview of important events that shaped Japan to be what it is today; provide context for the information to be discussed for the remainder of the program.

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Tour: Tokyo City

Guided tour of cultural centers of Tokyo, including tea service and calligraphy lesson

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Dinner as group to discuss activities/lesson plans

Dr. John Smith, Project Director

Friday, June 26th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “Japanese Demographics”

Mr. Takumi Hayashi, Assistant Professor, Miyagi University

Description of the background of the Japanese population, age structure and life expectancy, ethnic background and immigration, religious background, economic profile of the population; Mr. Hayashi will use the Japanese food industry as a case study to illustrate the Japanese lifestyle in different sectors of society.

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Tour: Edo Tokyo Museum

Guided tour of Edo-Tokyo Museum to learn more about Tokyo’s history and culture.

Saturday, June 27th

10:00 am – 3:00 pm Walking Tour of Kamakura, ancient capital of Japan

Guided walking tour that explains the role of this city through the Minamoto, Hojo, Ashikaga and Muromachi eras.

Sunday, June 28th Free Day

Monday, June 29th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “Physical and Cultural Geography of Japan”

Mr. Takeo Matsumoto, President,

Institute for International Business Communication

Description of size of the country, the topography, the urban landscape and population density, transportation, Japan as a fishing nation, the agricultural areas and their importance to Japan, explanation of different traditions in different regions of the country.

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Lecture: “Sustainable Land Management & Conservation”

Speaker TBD, Global Environmental Information Centre

Land use with consideration of environmental factors; natural resources.

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Briefing: “Environmental Education”

Ms. Azumi Sasaki

ECO Communication Center

Introduction of seminars, newsletters and teaching materials used in Japanese environmental education.

Tuesday, June 30th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “Overview of Japanese Arts”

Ms. Amaya Watanabe, Japan Arts Association

History of the association and Japanese arts and its roots in Japanese culture and history.

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Tour: Japan Folk Crafts Museum

Guided tour of traditional folk arts and discussion on the role they play in Japanese modern society.

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Group discussion on infusing arts into the curriculum of the lesson plan; how Japanese arts reflect the society, Dr. John Smith, Project Director.

Wednesday, July 1st

9:00 am – 1:30 pm Lecture: “Overview of Japanese Cinema” (followed by tour)

Mr. Norio Kato, President, Japan Academy of Moving Images

Description of history of Japanese cinema and how it influences culture, what are the most important themes of Japanese cinema, what are the most important challenges.

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Lunch

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Tour of Ghibli Museum (animated films)

Thursday, July 2nd

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “Japanese Politics”

Mr. Seiji Yoshida, Freelance Journalist/Professor

Tokushima Bunri University, Faculty of Policy Studies

Description of the political system in Japan, the role of the emperor, the political parties and how they exert influence, how are ordinary citizens included in the political process, the Japanese parliamentary system important constituencies and how they influence the political system, current events in Japanese politics, future of political parties.

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Tour: Japanese Diet

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Lecture: “Role of Nonprofits in Japanese Social Services Delivery”

Dr. Hoshi Kimura, Japan NPO Center

Overview of active NPO sector; what are the most important challenges facing Japan, Japanese society and how is the NPO sector addressing these needs.

Friday, July 3rd

10:00 am Travel to Kyoto

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Lecture: “History of Imperial Japan”

Dr. Shigeo Ito, Kyoto University

Overview of how imperial Japan has affected modern day politics.

Saturday, July 4th

10:00 am - 5:00 pm Tour of Kyoto

Sunday, July 5^th Free Day

Monday, July 6th

10:00 am – 12:00 pm Lecture: “Japanese International Relations”

Mr. Osamu Kato, Consultant, Mobil Oil Japan

Description of how international relations are carried out, what are Japan’s most important allies, what is Japan’s relationship with its Asian neighbors, what is Japan’s security relationship with the U.S.; role of Japan’s security forces, what are the most important challenges Japan faces in international affairs?

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:30 pm – 4:00 pm Tour: Yasukuni Jinji Yushukan

The museum is a shrine to Japan’s nationalist past, a point of pride for many Japanese and controversy for many of its neighbors and adversaries. It is important to understand this aspect of Japanese history to better understand Japanese culture.

4:30 pm – 5:00 pm Group wrap-up discussion/lesson plan update, Dr. John Smith, Project Director

Tuesday, July 7th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “U.S.-Japan Relations”

Ms. Jane Doe, U.S. Embassy, Cultural Affairs

12:00 noon – 2:00 pm Lunch organized by Tokyo American Center

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Tour: Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Wednesday, July 8th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon “Read and Discuss the Day’s Newspaper”

Mr. Katsumi Yamaguchi, Political Commentator, formerly of TV Tokyo Corporation

The purpose of this exercise is to understand what are the issues that are currently most important to the Japanese people (and is there any controversy or different points of view to discuss), how news is gathered and reported, the Japanese view of the press, how are politics covered?

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:30 pm – 4:00 pm Tour of television studio and discussion of what is the role of the media in Japanese society/how is it changing?

6:00 pm Dinner with alumni of Global Career Launch Program. Program organized for Japanese young professionals to learn about entrepreneurship and to participate in business plan development since 2000. Alumni will gather and discuss how they have used this experience, as well as their view of how entrepreneurs can succeed in the Japanese market.

Wednesday, July 8th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “International Aid”

Speaker TBD, Children Without Borders

Japan has a very active international aid program, allowing the nation to apply the reserves it has built through trade to a variety of overseas projects that help to enhance its image. This discussion will focus on support provided to children in other parts of the world.

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Lecture: “Senior Living in Japan”

Dr. Hiromi Watanabe, National Silver Human Resources Center Association

Japan is the home to the fastest aging society in the world, and this discussion will focus on ways in which the government and civil society are working to serve the growing needs of senior citizens who cannot rely on their families to care for them (in a nation with a tradition where families have tended to care for many generations privately).

Thursday, July 9th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “Japan’s Economy”

Mr. Goro Nakamura, Consultant, former Vice Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade

Description of the history of the rise in the Japanese economy since World War II, industrial strength, importance of export market, agriculture market, what are the most important sectors now, what are the weak sectors, how is wealth distributed (are average Japanese citizens better off now than 20 years ago), what are Japan’s competitive advantages now, what are the current threats to the Japanese economy?

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Tour: Tokyo Stock Exchange

Description of the financial markets in Japan, and relation to the world market.

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Lecture: “The Japanese Consumer”

Mr. Daiki Inoue, Japan Marketing Association

Profile of the Japanese consumer

Friday, July 10th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Project Director facilitates discussion on program activities/lesson planning

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Work in groups on lesson plans

Saturday, July 11th Free Day

Sunday, July 12th Free Day

Monday, July 13th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “U.S.-Japan Trade Relations”

Mr. Manabu Sasaki, Consultant, former Vice Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade

Description of the history of trade relations with the U.S., the pattern of trade in goods and services (what do we trade?), the pattern of Japanese investment in the U.S., what are the areas of concern for the future of trade in the U.S.?

12:00 noon -1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Meetings with representatives of Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Tokyo Metropolitan Government

The group will meet with representatives of business and the public sector to get a better sense of workplace issues, and for discussions on U.S.-Japan economic relations.

Tuesday, July 14th

10:00 am – 5:00 pm Site visits: “Human Resources Outlook for Japan”

Mitsubishi Heavy Industry

Hitachi Ltd.

ITOCHU Corporation

The purpose of these meetings is to learn how companies recruit workers, how they train them and retain them, what are the challenges businesses face regarding human resources, what are the most important workforce issues. What do Japanese companies look for in a new worker?

Wednesday, July 15th

10:00 am – 3:00 pm Site Visit: Waseda University

Discussions with faculty and administrators on the role of higher education in preparing Japanese students for a career in the global economy; any collaboration with U.S. higher education institutions; generally, what are the popular areas of studies for Japanese students now; generally, what are the most important challenges facing Japanese higher education; how do universities incorporate technology into teaching; what do Japanese higher educators want Americans to be teaching young students about Japanese culture and society.

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Panel discussion by university students: “Outlook on Japan”

University students talk about their background, their vision of the future of Japan, their view of how they expect they will contribute to Japan's society and economy, their career plans, their vision of the current state of U.S.-Japanese relations, their view of what's popular for Japanese young people right now, and what do they want Americans to know about Japanese culture and society

Thursday, July 16th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Lecture: “Japanese Pop Culture”

Dr. Izumi Kobayashi, Shibuya City Hall

Discussion of current fashion, music, entertainment in Japan’s youth culture.

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Tour: New National Theater of Tokyo

Attend performance of NUE (Japanese drama based on folklore)

Friday, July 17th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Project Director facilitates discussion on program activities/lesson planning

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Work in groups on lesson plans

7:00 pm Attend baseball game

Saturday, July 18th

10:00 am – 1:00 pm Audio tape information for lesson plans

Sunday, July 19th

10:00 am – 12:00 noon Present final lesson plan

12:00 noon – 5:00 pm Free Time

8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Closing Dinner

Monday, July 20thEscort to airport for departure to Houston on Continental Flight #CO783

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1840-0792. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 100 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection.

If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4537.

If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Office of Postsecondary Education/IEPS, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Sixth Floor, Washington, D.C. 20006-8521.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

U.S. Department of Education

e-Application Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

http://e-grants.ed.gov

To facilitate your use of e-Application, this document includes important application preparation and submission procedures you need to be aware of to ensure your application is received in a timely manner and accepted by the Department of Education. Please read and follow these step-by-step directions to create and submit your application.

ATTENTION

Applicants using the Department of Education's e-Application system will need to register first to access an application package. Forms in an application package are completed on line and narratives are uploaded while logged into the system. Therefore, allow sufficient time to complete your application before the closing date. If you have not used e-Application in the past, you may want to walk through the Demo available on the e-Application homepage. If you encounter difficulties, you may also contact the e-Grants help desk on 1-888-336-8930. The following are steps you should follow to successfully complete an application with e-Application.

Step 1 – Determine if your program is accepting electronic applications. The Federal Register Notice of each program will indicate whether the program is accepting e-Applications as part of the Department's e-Application program. Here is a link to the Department's Federal Register notices: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister/announce/index.html. Additional information on the Department of Education's grant programs can be found at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/grants/grants.html.

Step 2 – Register in e-Application to access the application package. If you are a new user, you will need to register to use e-Application. From the e-Grants Portal Page http://e-grants.ed.gov/, click on the continue button and click the register button on the right side of the next page. Select the e-Application module and click the next button. Please provide the requested information. Your e-Grants password will be sent to the e-mail address you provide. Once you receive the e-mail, enter your username and password and click the login button.

If you already have a username and password for e-Grants, use them to login. If you have access to more than one e-Grants module, you will be directed to select which module you wish to enter. Keep in mind that this username and password will be used for all e-Grants modules. In order to update your registration for additional e-Grants modules, click the appropriate tab on the top of the screen and provide the requested information.

Note the following browser compatibility problems. The site is viewed best in Internet Explorer 5. We currently support IE 5, Netscape 6.2, Firefox 2.2 (along with later versions of IE, Netscape and Firefox). Please make sure that you have Cookies and JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Step 3 - Add Application Package to your Start Page. From your Start Page, click on the "Add" button to see the list of application packages. Click on a specific package link on the List of Application Packages to apply. The package will now appear on your Start Page. From this point forward, you will access your unique application from your Start Page (not the Packages Page).

Step 4 - Begin the Application. Click on the underlined Application Package Title on your Start Page. This brings you to a page where you will see all of the application's forms and narratives listed as underlined links.

Step 5 - Fill out Forms. Enter a form by clicking on the underlined form title in order to enter data. Remember to click the "Save" button at the bottom of the form and check the "Form Completed" box for each form as you complete it.

Step 6 - Upload File(s) for Narrative Responses. Click on an underlined narrative form title for the e-Application. Enter the title of the document, and click on the "Browse" button to locate your file. Remember to click the "Save" button after you upload the document and check the "Form Completed" box when you finish uploading your file(s). Please note for file uploads, we accept .doc, .rtf, and .pdf files only. If you are using Word 2007, please save your document in a lower version of Word before uploading into e-Application.

Step 7 - Verify Information/Print Application. Verify your information is complete and correct on all required forms and narratives. You have the option to print each form at any time by clicking on the print/view icon Shape2 next to the appropriate form. After submission of the forms and narratives, you have the option to print a complete e-Application package in PDF by clicking on the “Request Complete Package in PDF” on the e-Application PR/Award page. A second window will open informing you that your request has been received and that you will be notified via e-mail once it is available. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Once you receive the e-mail, click on the link in the text of the message and enter your username and password in the new window. This will open the PDF file from which you can view/print the entire package. In addition, a blank complete package in PDF will be accessible from the package page in e-Application.

Step 8 - Submit your Application. Only authorized individuals for your organization can submit an application. Please check with your Authorizing Representative or sponsored research office before submission. Click on the "Ready to submit" button at the bottom of your application. Enter and verify the Authorizing Representative information. Click the "Submit" button. You will receive an e-mail to confirm that your application was received, and it will include a unique application number. Please print and keep this e-mail for your records. [Reminder: applications must be submitted before 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date for applications. e-Application will not accept your application if you try to submit it after 4:30:00 on the deadline date.]

Step 9 - Fax the signed SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page). Write your unique application number (received in step 8) on the upper right corner of your printed SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page), and fax it to the Application Control Center (202) 245-6272 within 3 business days of submitting your e-Application.

NOTE: For more detailed information on submitting an e-Application, please see the User Guide. In addition, please try practicing with our e-Application Demo site by clicking on the Demo button found on the upper left corner of the e-Application Home Page. Both the User Guide and Demo can be found at http://e-grants.ed.gov.

Other Submission Tips

SUBMIT EARLY - We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. The time it takes to upload the narratives for your application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the files and the speed of your Internet connection. If you try to submit your application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time on the deadline date, the e-Application system will not accept it.

2) If electronic submission is optional and you have problems that you are unable to resolve before the deadline date and time for electronic applications, please follow the transmittal instructions for hard copy applications in the Federal Register notice and get a hard copy application postmarked by midnight on the deadline date.

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 4:30:00 p.m., unless you follow the procedures in the Federal Register notice and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

3) Dial-Up Internet Connections - When using a dial-up connection to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g. cable modem/DSL/T1. While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours to complete your grant submission using a dial-up connection. If you do not have access to a high-speed connection and electronic submission is required, you may want to consider following the instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application:

Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the Federal Register application notice (.doc, .pdf or .rtf). If using Word 2007, save your file to an earlier version of Word before uploading. Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.

When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend you keep your file names to less than 50 characters. In addition, applicants should avoid including special characters in their file names (for example, %, *, /, etc.) Both of these conditions (lengthy file names and/or special characters including in the file names) could result in difficulties opening and processing a submitted application.

Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. Please note that each file attachment in e-Application has a file size limitation, which is anywhere from 2 to 8 MB, and the limitation will be indicated on the individual screen when you upload a file. For reference, however, the average discretionary grant application package totals 1 to 2 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the size of your attachments before uploading them into e-Application.

Application Transmittal Instructions

ATTENTION ELECTRONIC APPLICANTS: Please note that you must follow the Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant competition.

This program requires the electronic submission of applications; specific requirements and waiver instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice.

According to the instructions found in the Federal Register notice, those requesting and qualifying for an exception to the electronic submission requirement may submit an application by mail, commercial carrier or by hand delivery.

If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you must meet the following deadline requirements:

Applications Submitted Electronically

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on the e-Grants Web site (http://www.e-grants.ed.gov) by 4:30:00 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or before the deadline date.

If you submit your application through the Internet via the e-Grants Web site, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement when we receive your application.

For more information on using e-Application, please refer to the “Notice Inviting Applications” that was published in the Federal Register or visit http://www.e-grants.ed.gov.

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: CFDA Number 84.021A

LBJ Basement Level 1

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202-4260

You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.

(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.

(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.

(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:

(1) A private metered postmark.

(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office.

Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: CFDA Number 84.021A

550 12th Street, SW.

Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza

Washington, DC 20202-4260

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--

(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and

(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

Intergovernmental Review, State Single Point of Contact

Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs)

This program falls under the rubric of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive order is to strengthen federalism--or the distribution of responsibility between localities, States, and the Federal government--by fostering intergovernmental partnerships. This idea includes supporting processes that State or local governments have devised for coordinating and reviewing proposed Federal financial grant applications.

The process for doing this requires grant applicants to contact State Single Points of Contact for information on how this works. Multi-state applicants should follow procedures specific to each state.

Further information about the State Single Point of Contact process and a list of names by State can be found at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.pdf

Absent specific State review programs, applicants may submit comments directly to the Department. All recommendations and comments must be mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in the actual application notice to the following address: The Secretary, EO 12372—CFDA #84.021A, U.S. Department of Education, room 7E200. 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202.

Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as applications (see 34 CFR §75.102). Recommendations or comments may be hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (eastern time) on the closing date indicated in this notice.

Important note: The above address is not the same address as the one to which the applicant submits its completed applications. Do not send applications to the above address.

OMB Control No. 1894-0005 (Exp. 01/31/2011)

NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS

The purpose of this enclosure is to inform you about a new provision in the Department of Education's General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) that applies to applicants for new grant awards under Department programs. This provision is Section 427 of GEPA, enacted as part of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Public Law (P.L.) 103-382).

To Whom Does This Provision Apply?

Section 427 of GEPA affects applicants for new grant awards under this program. ALL APPLICANTS FOR NEW AWARDS MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION IN THEIR APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS THIS NEW PROVISION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FUNDING UNDER THIS PROGRAM.

(If this program is a State-formula grant program, a State needs to provide this description only for projects or activities that it carries out with funds reserved for State-level uses. In addition, local school districts or other eligible applicants that apply to the State for funding need to provide this description in their applications to the State for funding. The State would be responsible for ensuring that the school district or other local entity has submitted a sufficient section 427 statement as described below.)

What Does This Provision Require?

Section 427 requires each applicant for funds (other than an individual person) to include in its application a description of the steps the applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, its Federally-assisted program for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs. This provision allows applicants discretion in developing the required description. The statute highlights six types of barriers that can impede equitable access or participation: gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age. Based on local circumstances, you should determine whether these or other barriers may prevent your students, teachers, etc. from such access or participation in, the Federally-funded project or activity. The description in your application of steps to be taken to overcome these barriers need not be lengthy; you may provide a clear and succinct description of how you plan to address those barriers that are applicable to your circumstances. In addition, the information may be provided in a single narrative, or, if appropriate, may be discussed in connection with related topics in the application.

Section 427 is not intended to duplicate the requirements of civil rights statutes, but rather to ensure that, in designing their projects, applicants for Federal funds address equity concerns that may affect the ability of certain potential beneficiaries to fully participate in the project and to achieve to high standards. Consistent with program requirements and its approved application, an applicant may use the Federal funds awarded to it to eliminate barriers it identifies.

What are Examples of How an Applicant Might Satisfy the Requirement of This Provision?

The following examples may help illustrate how an applicant may comply with Section 427.

(1) An applicant that proposes to carry out an adult literacy project serving, among others, adults with limited English proficiency, might describe in its application how it intends to distribute a brochure about the proposed project to such potential participants in their native language.

(2) An applicant that proposes to develop instructional materials for classroom use might describe how it will make the materials available on audio tape or in braille for students who are blind.

(3) An applicant that proposes to carry out a model science program for secondary students and is concerned that girls may be less likely than boys to enroll in the course, might indicate how it intends to conduct "outreach" efforts to girls, to encourage their enrollment.

We recognize that many applicants may already be implementing effective steps to ensure equity of access and participation in their grant programs, and we appreciate your cooperation in responding to the requirements of this provision.

Instructions for Standard Forms

● Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

● Department of Education Supplemental Form for the SF 424

● Department of Education Budget Summary Form (ED 524)

● Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

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