Form CFDA 84.299B CFDA 84.299B Application for New Grants Under the Indian Education Pr

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Washington, D.C.

Fiscal Year

Application for New Grants Under

the Program

CFDA

Dated Material - Open Immediately

Closing Date: March 8, 2012

Approved OMB Number: 1810-0580

Expiration Date: 06/30/201X

Public 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. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (Title VII, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email [email protected] and reference the OMB Control Number 1810-0580. Note: Please do not return the completed the application to this address.

If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Lana Shaughnessy, Error: Reference source not found program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E231,

Washington D.C. Error: Reference source not found.

Table of Contents

1. Dear Colleague Letter 1

2. Competition Priorities 2

3. Frequently Asked Questions 5

4. Application Submission Procedures 8

Application Transmittal Instructions 8

Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software 11

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants 12

Submission Problems – What should you do? 13

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov 13

5. Dial-Up Internet Connections 13

Attaching Files – Additional Tips 14

6. Application Instructions 15

Electronic Application Format 15

Electronic Application Submission Checklist 16

Part 1: Preliminary Documents 17

Part 2: Budget Information 24

Part 3: ED Abstract Form 27

Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form 28

Part 5: Budget Narrative 31

Part 6: Other Attachment Form 35

Part 7: Assurances and Certifications 36

Part 8: Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (Executive Order 12372) 40

7. Reporting and Accountability 41

8. Legal and Regulatory Information 42

Notice inviting applications 42

Program Statute 52

United States Department of Education

O ffice of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Dear Colleague Letter

Dear Colleague:

Thank you for your interest in the Indian Education Professional Development program, administered by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). 

Please take the time to review the applicable priorities, selection criteria, and all of the application instructions thoroughly. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or the application does not contain the information required under the program (EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c)).

This competition contains three absolute priorities and two competitive preference priorities. The absolute priorities are from the notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637), and, in accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 263.5(c)). In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii) and (iv), the competitive preference priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 263.5(a) and (b)).

For this competition it is mandatory for applicants to use the government-wide website, Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov), to apply. Please note that the Grants.gov site works differently than the U.S. Department of Education’s e-Application System. We strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with Grants.gov and strongly recommend that you register and submit early.

Also be aware that applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will now be posted using Adobe forms. Therefore, applicants will need to download the latest version of Adobe reader (at least Adobe Reader 8.1.2). Please review the Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software and Education Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants forms found within this package for further information and guidance related to this requirement.

Using FY Error: Reference source not found funds, the Department expects to award $XXXX for new grants under this competition. We will award discretionary grants on a competitive basis for a project period of up to months. Grants are expected to be awarded in July.

Please visit our program website at http://www.ed.gov.about/offices/list/oese/index.html for further information. If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Lana Shaughnessy by telephone at (202) 205-2528 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Competition Priorities

Priorities: This competition contains three absolute priorities and two competitive preference priorities.

Background: On November 5, 2009, President Obama signed a memorandum requiring Federal agencies to conduct consultations with tribal officials when developing policies that have implications for tribal communities.  In response to the President’s memorandum, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) conducted six consultations with tribal officials during FY 2010.  During these consultations, the Department received numerous comments regarding teacher recruitment and retention.  Specifically, these comments described difficulties that local educational agencies (LEAs) located on or near tribally controlled lands–-which typically operate high-need schools –-face in attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers due to their remote location and other factors. The Indian Education Professional Development Grants program can help address these difficulties.

For FY TBD the Secretary adds a new absolute priority, Enabling More Data-Based Decision-Making. This priority will support projects that provide the data that grantees need, and the capacity and training to use those data to inform professional development practices and approaches and to make informed decisions that increase program effectiveness. For questions and assistance about this priority, contact the person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII in this notice.

Absolute Priorities
The absolute priorities are from the notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637), and, in accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 263.5(c)). For FY 2012 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(3), we consider only applications that meet absolute priority 1 and one or both of absolute priorities 2 and 3.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1: Enabling More Data-Based Decision-Making

Projects that are designed to collect (or obtain), analyze, and use high-quality and timely data, including data on program participant outcomes, in accordance with privacy requirements (as defined in this notice), in the following priority area: 

Improving postsecondary student outcomes relating to enrollment, persistence, and completion and leading to career success.

Absolute Priority 2: Pre-Service Training for Teachers

Projects that provide support and training to Indian individuals to complete a pre-service education program that enables these individuals to meet the requirements for full State certification or licensure as a teacher through --

(i) (A) Training that leads to a bachelor’s degree in education before the end of the award period; or

(B) For States allowing a degree in a specific subject area, training that leads to a bachelor’s degree in the subject area as long as the training meets the requirements for full State teacher certification or licensure; or

(C) Training in a current or new specialized teaching assignment that requires at least a bachelor’s degree and in which a documented teacher shortage exists; and

(ii) One-year induction services after graduation, certification, or licensure, provided during the award period to graduates of the pre-service program while they are completing their first year of work in schools with significant Indian populations.

Note: In working with various institutions of higher education and reviewing State certification and licensure requirements, we found that States allowing a candidate for teacher certification to obtain a degree in a specific subject area (e.g., in a specialty area or in teaching at the secondary level) generally require a Master’s degree or fifth year of study before an individual can be certified or licensed as a teacher. These students would be eligible to participate so long as their training meets the requirements for full State certification or licensure as a teacher.

Absolute Priority 3: Pre-Service Administrator Training

A project that provides--

(1) Support and training to Indian individuals to complete a master’s degree in education administration that is provided before the end of the award period and that allows participants to meet the requirements for State certification or licensure as an education administrator; and

(2) One year of induction services, during the award period, to participants after graduation, certification, or licensure, while they are completing their first year of work as administrators in schools with significant Indian student populations.

Competitive Preference Priorities

In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii) and (iv), the competitive preference priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 263.5(a) and (b)). For FY 2012 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 10 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets one or both of these priorities.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority One. (5 points)

We award five competitive preference points to an application submitted by an Indian tribe, Indian organization, or Indian institution of higher education that is eligible to participate in the Indian Education Professional Development program. A consortium application of eligible entities that meets the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) and includes an Indian tribe, Indian organization, or Indian institution of higher education will be considered eligible to receive the five priority points. The consortium agreement, signed by all parties, must be submitted with the application in order to be considered as a consortium application.

Competitive Preference Priority Two. (5 points)

We award five competitive preference points to an application submitted by a consortium of eligible applicants that includes a tribal college or university and that designates that tribal college or university as the fiscal agent for the application. The consortium application of eligible entities must meet the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 of EDGAR to be considered eligible to receive the five priority points. These competitive preference points are in addition to the five competitive preference points that may be given under Competitive Preference Priority One. The consortium agreement, signed by all parties, must be submitted with the application in order to be considered as a consortium application.

Definitions

The following definition is from the notice of supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637), and applies to this competition. Additional definitions applicable to this program are found in the authorizing statute for this program at 20 U.S.C. 7442 and 7491, and in applicable regulations in 34 CFR parts 77 and 263, and will be included in the application package.

Privacy requirements means the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232g, and its implementing regulations in 34 CFR part 99, the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, as well as all applicable Federal, State and local requirements regarding privacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolute Priority regarding data-based decision-making

1. Is the new absolute priority about Data-based Decision-Making related to the data that grantees must report as Performance Measures?

1. In addressing this priority, applicants may choose to use the data that must be collected and reported to the US Department of Education (see Reporting and Accountability in application package, or Performance Measures in the Notice Inviting Applications), but they could also use different data for this criterion. The priority emphasizes not the collection of data but the use to which it is put by the grantee. Applicants must explain how they will use data to improve their outcomes relating to participant enrollment, persistence, completion, and career success. An applicant could choose to analyze data with a more short-term focus than the data in the performance measures; for example, a college that applies under the pre-service teacher training priority might choose to analyze its project drop-out rate data and create a plan to reduce that rate. An applicant may use preexisting data, e.g., college or university-collected data, to inform its goals, rather than collecting new data.

Absolute Priority for Pre-Service Training for Teachers

2. If students participate full time in the program during the summer and take vacation or a leave of absence from their full-time employment are they eligible for stipends during that summer session?

   1. Students are eligible for stipends during the summer session if they are enrolled as a full-time student and work 20 hours or less a week.

3. Can an application target both teacher and administrator training?

   1. Yes, an applicant can target both teacher and administrator training. Applicants must specify the number of individuals who will participate in the teacher and administrator training.

4. Is it acceptable if the Bachelor’s degree program takes three years to complete and to start induction services in year 4?

   1. Yes, students must be able to finish the degree and begin induction services within the grant period of 4 years; however, the applicant should not plan on recruiting students who are not ready to start their degree-specific coursework.

5. I have included participants in accordance with the RFP statement to “provide training to qualified Indian individuals to become … teacher aides, social workers and ancillary educational personnel.” Some of these will not receive a bachelor’s degree; are they then ineligible?

   1. The absolute priority limits project services to pre-service teacher or administrator training. Training for teacher aides, social workers, and ancillary educational personnel is not permitted under the absolute priority.

6. If a proposal targets specific school districts in need of participants to teach in, can more districts be added after awarded the funds? And, are Letters of Commitments from these districts required to include in the proposal?

   1. Yes, districts can be added after funds are awarded, and Letters of Commitment are not required but can be included.

7. Will the grant program consider 2-year institutions if the college has the capacity to assist with the transfer to a 4-year?

   1. Two year tribal community colleges are eligible entities and may apply in consortium with an IHE that can provide a Bachelor’s degree. If the fiscal agent for the grant is the tribal college, the application will receive 5 competitive preference points in addition to 5 competitive preference points for being an Indian IHE. Participants being recruited should already have completed their general requirements and be enrolled or be eligible to enroll in degree-required coursework.

8. Should recruitment of participants be geared to individuals already attending college (juniors)?

Yes, recruitment of participants should be geared to students who have completed their general requirements, be enrolled in or be eligible to enroll in degree required coursework, and who can graduate and be fully certified or licensed within the time frame required.

9. Can a 4-year university establish transfer arrangements with a tribal college in order to transfer students after a 2-yr diploma?

Applicants are not prohibited from working with a tribal college that only has a 2-year program, and with a consortium agreement they would be eligible for 5 competitive preference points.

Absolute Priority for Pre-Service Administrator Training

10. Are individuals that have previously served in an administrative position, prior to gaining their Master’s degree, eligible to participate?

    1. Yes, individuals who have previously served in an administrative position are eligible to participate, as long as the end result is a Master’s degree in educational administration and full State certification or licensure as an education administrator.

11. We have teachers who have a Master’s degree but are not certified to be administrators. The certification training is considered a specialist degree at the Master’s level and is required to be an administrator. Does this specialist training qualify?

    1. Specialist training or licensure does not qualify. The final outcome must be a Master’s degree in educational administration, not just certification. The outcome can be a second Master’s degree.

12. Do those students participating in an administrator (Master’s level) program need to be full-time students and work no more than 20 hours per week?

    1. Part-time students may participate. However, only students who are enrolled as full-time students and who work no more than 20 hours per week are eligible to receive a stipend.

13. If a person is a certified teacher but working in an administrative position will he or she be eligible for administrator training?

    1. Yes, but he or she must obtain a Master’s degree in educational administration and full State certification or licensure as long as the final outcome of the training.

Program Costs

14. In the selection criteria for “Adequacy of Resources,” (10 points), how does an applicant show that “costs are reasonable?”

1. The selection criteria states that costs must be reasonable “in relation to the design of the program, program objectives, number of persons to be served, and the anticipated results and benefits.” Costs are a crucial part of an application. Training costs should make up a large percentage of total costs. After the applications are placed in rank order according to the selection criteria, the Department can take into consideration other factors, including the applicant’s budget and costs, in selecting the grantees. See 34 CFR 75.217.

15. Can mileage needed to attend school be funded under stipends?

    1. Yes, mileage may be an allowable cost if reasonable and necessary for the project; however, the applicant must justify this cost in the grant application. Stipends are for room, board, and living expenses for full-time students.

16. Can a proposal be submitted to primarily support part-time students?

    1. Yes, but part-time students will not receive stipends and must still complete the program within the timeframe required for the award.

17. Can we use some of the funding for tutoring costs?

    1. Yes, additional services can be provided to participants to assist them in completing their required coursework and exams required for certification or program completion. However, applicants must justify this cost in the grant application as reasonable and necessary. For guidance on costs generally, see the links in the instructions for Part 5, “Budget Narrative,” in the application package.

Payback Requirements

18. What do grantees have to do to notify participants about the payback requirements?

1. Grantees must ensure that all participants sign a payback agreement at the time they are selected for training, i.e., before they receive funds from the grantee. Participants must agree to perform work related to the training received and that benefits Indian people; the work time period is equal to the total amount of time that training is received. The participants must agree that if they do not perform the payback work, they must pay back the grant money.

19. Are grantees responsible for tracking how long a participant works as a teacher or administrator after the project ends in order to determine if a participant needs to payback money?

1. Payback begins with a participant’s induction year and payback obligations of participants are tracked by OIE. However, grantees must submit complete and accurate semi-annual forms to OIE (“Semi-annual Participant Reports”) so that OIE has the correct contact and status information for all participants.

General Questions

20. What is the average number of participants in the program?

    1. There is no limit on participants, and the number varies by applicant. One applicant may have 10 participants, while another has 40-60 participants. Reviewers will evaluate an application based on how well the applicant has addressed the selection criteria for the program. Absolute numbers on a minimum or maximum number served are not established but the costs in the budget must be reasonable per the number of participants anticipated to benefit from the grant.

21. Whom should I contact if I have any additional questions?

    1. Please contact Lana Shaughnessy at [email protected].

Application Submission Procedures

The deadline for submission of Indian Education Professional Development Program applications through Grants.gov is TBD.

Application Transmittal Instructions

Attention Electronic Applicants: This program requires the electronic submission of applications--specific requirements and instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice. Please note that you must follow the Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant competition.

We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described in the Federal Register notice for this competition, 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.

Applications Submitted Electronically

Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.

Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in Federal Register notice for this competition, we will not consider your application if it is date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.

You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in this application package to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system.

Please note the following:

• You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .pdf (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than a .pdf file, or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material.

• Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission.

• 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 your file names be less than 50 characters. The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.

• Your electronic application must comply with any page-limit requirements described in this application package.

• If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.

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

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 Error: Reference source not found)

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 Error: Reference source not found)

550 12th Street, SW.

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.

Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software

The Department of Education, working with Grants.gov, is currently moving from using PureEdge software to using Adobe Reader software exclusively and applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms. Applicants will no longer need to use the PureEdge software to create or submit an application.

Please note: The compatible version of Adobe Reader is required for viewing, editing and submitting a complete grant application package for the Department of Education through Grants.gov. Applicants should confirm the compatibility of their Adobe Reader version before downloading the application. To ensure applicants have a version of Adobe Reader on their computer that is compatible with Grants.gov, applicants are encouraged to use the test package provided by Grants.gov that can be accessed at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/AdobeVersioningTestOnly.jsp.

Important issues to consider:

• If the applicant opened or edited the application package with any software other than the compatible version of Adobe Reader, the application package may contain errors that will be transferred to the new package even if you later download the compatible Adobe Reader version.

• Applicants cannot copy and paste data from a package initially opened or edited with an incompatible version of Adobe Reader and will need to download an entirely new package using the compatible version of Adobe Reader.

• Some applicants using an incompatible version of Adobe Reader may have trouble opening and viewing the application package while others may find they can open, view and complete the application package but may not be able to submit the application package through Grants.gov.

• Grants.gov does not guarantee to support versions of Adobe Reader that are not compatible with Grants.gov.

• Any and all edits made to the Adobe Reader application package must be made with the compatible version of Adobe Reader.

For your convenience, the latest version of Adobe Reader is available for free download at http://grantsgov.tmp.com/static2007/help/download_software.jsp#adobe811.

We strongly recommend that you review the information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe available at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_faqs.jsp#software before downloading, completing or submitting your application.

Applicants are reminded that they should submit their application a day or two in advance of the closing date as detailed in the Federal Register Notice. If you have any questions regarding this matter please email the Grants.gov Contact Center at [email protected] or call 1-800-518-4726

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

To facilitate your use of Grants.gov, this document includes important 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.

ATTENTION – Adobe Forms and PDF Files Required

Applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms. Therefore, applicants will need to download the latest version of Adobe reader (at least Adobe Reader 8.1.2). Information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe and links to download the latest version is available on Grants.gov. We strongly recommend that you review these details on www.Grants.gov before completing and submitting your application. In addition, applicants should submit their application a day or two in advance of the closing date as detailed below. Also, applicants are required to upload their attachments in .pdf format only. (See details below under “Attaching Files – Additional Tips.”) If you have any questions regarding this matter please email the Grants.gov Contact Center at [email protected] or call 1-800-518-4726.

Also, applicants should be aware that on October 11, 2010, Grants.gov implemented a new security build which requires each organization’s e-Biz POC (Point of Contact) update their Grants.gov registration. To complete this step, the e-Biz POC must have their DUNS number and CCR MPIN. We recommend this step be completed several days before application submission unless the e-Biz POC has already responded to this requirement. For more information on this topic, please visit this Grants.gov information link: http://www.grants.gov/securitycommebiz/.

1. REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration may take five or more business days to complete. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the Registration steps are complete. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. [Note: Your organization will need to update its Central Contractor Registry (CCR) registration annually.]

2. SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time on the deadline date.

Note: To submit successfully, you must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This DUNS number is typically the same number used when your organization registered with the CCR (Central Contractor Registry). If you do not enter the same DUNS number on your application as the DUNS you registered with, Grants.gov will reject your application.

3. VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once the Department of Education receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time, on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_faqs.jsp#54. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Error Messages document at http://www.grants.gov/assets/AdobeReaderErrorMessages.pdf. If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or http://www.grants.gov/contactus/contactus.jsp, or use the customer support available on the Web site: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_help.jsp.

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.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving data on your computer. Please be sure to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your computer. You will need to logon to Grants.gov to upload and submit the application. You must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov.

Please go to http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_help.jsp for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Submit Application FAQs found on the Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/help/submit_application_faqs.jsp.

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.)

MAC Users

For MAC compatibility information, review the Operating System Platform Compatibility Table at the following Grants.gov link: http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp. If electronic submission is required and you are concerned about your ability to submit electronically as a non-windows user, please follow 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, especially the requirement that applicants only include read-only, non-modifiable .PDF files in their application:

1. Ensure that you attach .PDF files only for any attachments to your application, and they must be in a read-only, non-modifiable format. PDF files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the Federal Register application notice. Applicants must submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their application. Specifically, the Department will not accept any attachments that contain files within a file, such as PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are password protected files will not be read. If you need assistance converting your files to a .pdf format, please refer to the following Grants.gov webpage with links to conversion programs: http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp#pdf_conversion_programs
   
   

2. Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. Therefore, each file uploaded to your application package should have a unique file name.
   
   

3. When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of file names. Uploaded files must be less than 50 characters, contain no spaces, no special characters (example: -, &, *, %, /, #, \) including periods (.), blank spaces and accent marks. Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

4. 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. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package totals 1 to 2 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.

Application Instructions

Electronic Application Format

Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically, unless you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement in accordance with the instructions in this application package.

In accordance with EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c), an application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or the application does not contain the information required under the program.

It is recommended that your electronic application be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process. Instructions for all parts and forms of the application are found either on the following pages of the application package or individually for each form on Grants.gov.

Important note: Applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms. Therefore, applicants will need to download the latest version of Adobe reader (at least Adobe Reader 8.1.2).

Information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe and links to download the latest version is available on Grants.gov. Also, please review the Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software and Education Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants forms found within this package for further information and guidance related to this requirement.

We strongly recommend that you review these details on www.Grants.gov before completing and submitting your application. In addition, applicants should submit their application a day or two in advance of the closing date as detailed below. Applicants will no longer need to use the PureEdge software to create or submit an application. If you have any questions regarding this matter please email the Grants.gov Contact Center at [email protected] or call 1-800-518-4726.

Instructions for all parts and forms of the application are found either on the following pages of the application package or individually for each form on Grants.gov.

Note: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to any forms unless it is specifically required by the instructions for the individual section of the application. Although several forms accept attachments, the Department of Education will only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application package.

Electronic Application Submission Checklist

Review your electronic application to ensure you have completed the following forms and sections:

Part 1: Preliminary Documents

• Application for Federal Assistance (form SF 424)

• ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

Part 2: Budget Information

• ED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)

Part 3: ED Abstract Form

• Project Abstract

Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form

• Application Narrative

Part 5: Budget Narrative Attachment Form

• Budget Narrative

Part 6: Other Attachments Form

• Proof of Indian Organization

• Signed Consortium Agreements

• Individual Resumes for Project Directors & Key Personnel

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreements

• Bibliography or References (This form is optional)

• Letters of Support (These forms are optional)

Part 7: Assurances and Certifications

• Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B Form)

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL)

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form

• General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427 (ED GEPA427 form)

• Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants (form 1890-0014)

Part 8: Intergovernmental Review (Executive Order 12372)

• State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) List

Part 1: Preliminary Documents

• Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424)

• ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

These forms require basic identifying information about the applicant and the application. Please provide all requested applicant information (including name, address, e-mail address and DUNS number).

When applying electronically via Grants.gov, you will need to ensure that the DUNS number you enter on your application is the same as the DUNS number your organization used when it registered with the Central Contractor Registry.

Applicants are advised to complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424) first. Grants.gov will automatically insert the correct CFDA and program name automatically wherever needed on other forms.

NOTE: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form (SF 424). Although this form accepts attachments, the Department of Education will only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application.