Comprehensive Program Application

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20006-8544

Fiscal Year 2010

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS UNDER THE

FIPSE COMPETITION:

COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM

(CFDA NUMBER: 84.116B)

Form Approved: OMB No. 1894-0006, Expiration Date: 9/30/2011

CLOSING DATE:

[Month Day], 2010

4:30:00 p.m. (Washington, D.C. Time)

June 2010

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education’s (FIPSE) FY 2010 Comprehensive Program. FIPSE supports innovation and change in postsecondary education. Its projects address significant reforms and improvements that respond to problems of national importance and have potential as national models. Information about this program is accessible on the FIPSE Web site at:

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

Please be advised that because very limited funds are available this year, the application process will be extremely competitive. We estimate that under this competition we will be able to fund [number here] new awards in FY 2010. For information concerning invitational priorities, please refer to the Federal Register notice, published on [date here], inviting applications for new awards for FY 2010.

The Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards published in the Federal Register is the official document describing the requirements for submitting a grant application. Please let us know if you have questions or require additional information. Please carefully review these application guidelines and the Federal Register notice. If you would like to discuss your proposal, please call or e-mail a one-paragraph summary of your idea for discussion with a FIPSE program officer. A brief conversation with a program officer about your proposal idea may save you considerable time and effort (202-502-7500).

The Department requires submission of grant applications through e-Grants, an Internet-based electronic system, unless you have grounds for a waiver. A detailed description of the system is included in this application package. We urge you to acquaint yourself with the e-Grants system early. The application process can be complicated and time consuming if you have not used it before. Make sure you allow yourself ample time to submit the electronic application by the deadline of [date here]. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline date. E-Grants is accessible through its portal page at:

http://e-grants.ed.gov

FIPSE appreciates your interest in this competition and looks forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely,

/signed/

Ralph Hines

Acting Director

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

e-APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

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 helpdesk 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's 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 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 email once it is available. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Once you receive the email, 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 certifying official 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 pm, Washington, D.C. 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

1. 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. 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:

1. 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 a lower version of Word before uploading. Do not save it as a Word .DOCX. Also, do not upload any password protected files to your application.

2. 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.

3. 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.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

U.S. Department of Education

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 (This is required for all applications—unless the applicant secures an official exception—see Closing Date Notice Section IV Item 7.b)

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on the e-Applications Web site (http://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 Department’s e-Application system, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement when we receive your application.

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

Applications Delivered by Mail (Electronic submission is required for all applications—unless the applicant secures an official exception)

This is allowed—only when you have secured an official exception from the electronic submission requirements [see Closing Date Notice Section IV Item 7.b for more details].

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 84.116B)

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 84.116B)

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, D.C. 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 (84.116B), 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.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The following information supplements the information provided in the “Dear Applicant” letter and the Closing Date Notice (CDN) inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 2010.

1. Estimated Funding and Project Period

   • Estimated Available Funds for FY 2010: $27,307,000

   • Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000 - $750,000

   • Estimated Average Size of Awards: $738,000

   • Estimated Number of New Awards: 37

   • Project Period for New Awards: Up to 36 months

The U.S. Department of Education is not bound by these estimates.

2. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs is designed to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying on state and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed federal financial assistance.

Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the state's process under Executive Order 12372. A listing of the Single Point of Contact for each state may be viewed at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/grants/spoc.html.

3. Applicant Funding

The Department is often unable to award the full amount of funds requested. Applicants should pay close attention to the “Award Information” section of the Closing Date Notice.

3. Narrative

NOTE: It is strongly recommended that the Narrative be uploaded as a Word for Windows file. Do not upload a .DOCX file; instead convert an original .DOCX file to a .doc file before uploading. 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. In addition, uploading a .doc file is preferable to a .pdf file because the latter file format may make it difficult to verify that required font sizes and margins have been followed, resulting in the rejection of your narrative and application.

3. Appendices to Applications

Appendices may include the following:

• Project evaluation chart.

• Narrative summaries of the qualifications of key personnel (maximum one page each).

• Short position descriptions for staff to be hired or determined.

• Project timeline chart.

• Letters of support from partners and other project beneficiaries.

• References cited in the proposal narrative (if applicable).

NOTE: All appendices must be combined into a single file before uploading-- a Word for Windows file (.DOC only; no .DOCX files) or a PDF file (if original files are in different formats). Upload the appendix file to “Other Attachments” in the e-Grants application package. Attempts to upload more than one appendix file will simply replace a previously uploaded file with a subsequent one.

3. Evaluation of Applicants for Awards

Three non-federal reviewers will evaluate each application using the selection criteria included in this application package.

7. Selection Criteria

The selection criteria for this program are from EDGAR 34 CFR part 75 section 75.210. They are listed in this application package under “Guide to Proposal Development.”

8. Notice to Successful Applicants

The Department’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress regarding applications approved for new Comprehensive Program grants. Successful applicants will receive award notices by mail shortly after Congress has been notified. No funding information will be released before Congress is notified.

9. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing.

10. Annual Performance Report Requirements

If you receive a FY 2010 new grant award, you will be required during the funding cycle to submit annual and final performance reports using the FIPSE Grant Database. This online system collects narratives and data about funded projects to help program officers determine if a grantee is making substantial progress toward meeting approved project objectives. The database is accessible at: http://www.fipse.aed.org. The Annual Performance Report used for this program can be found at http://www.ed.gov/programs/fipsecomp/performance.html.

11. Contact Information

For Comprehensive Program program-related questions and assistance, please contact:

Coordinator: Donald Fischer

Address: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

U.S. Department of Education

1990 K Street, N.W., Room 6153

Washington, D.C. 20006-8544

Telephone: (202) 502-7508

Fax: (202) 502-7877

E-mail Address: [email protected]

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

Support Desk: e-Application Support Desk

Telephone: (888) 336-8930

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. Eastern Time

CLOSING DATE NOTICE

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Overview Information

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)--Comprehensive Program

Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2010.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

84.116B.

Dates:

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

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 45 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 105 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The Comprehensive Program supports innovative grants and cooperative agreements to improve postsecondary education. It supports reforms, innovations, and significant improvements of postsecondary education that respond to problems of national significance and serve as national models.

Priorities: Under this competition we are particularly interested in applications that address the following priorities.

Invitational Priorities: For FY 2010, these priorities are invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in centers of excellence for teacher preparation as described in section 242 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

Invitational Priority 2.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in university sustainability initiatives as described in section 881 of HEA.

Invitational Priority 3.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in rural development initiatives for rural-serving colleges and universities as described in section 861 of HEA.

Invitational Priority 4.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in initiatives to assist highly qualified minorities and women to acquire doctoral degrees in fields where they are underrepresented as described in section 807 of HEA.

Invitational Priority 5.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in modeling and simulation programs as described in section 891 of HEA.

Invitational Priority 6.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in higher education consortia to design and offer interdisciplinary programs that focus on poverty and human capability as described in section 741(a)(11) of HEA.

Invitational Priority 7.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in innovative postsecondary models to improve college matriculation and graduation rates, including activities to facilitate transfer of credits between institutions of higher education (IHEs), alignment of curricula on a State or multi-State level between high schools and colleges and between two-year and four-year postsecondary programs, dual enrollment, articulation agreements, partnerships between high schools and community colleges, and partnerships between K-12 organizations and colleges for college access and retention programs.

Invitational Priority 8.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in activities to develop or enhance educational partnerships and cross-cultural cooperation between postsecondary educational institutions in the United States and similar institutions in Haiti.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d.

Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $27,307,000.

Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$750,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $738,000.

Estimated Number of Awards: 37.

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

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs or combinations of IHEs and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies.

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: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, 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 package from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.116B.

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 under Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.

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 is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the application narrative to no more than 20 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, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.

• Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no

smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

• Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman,

Courier, Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font (including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.

The 20-page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the budget narrative; the assurances and certifications; the one-page abstract; the resumes; the bibliography; or the letters of support. However, the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section.

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: [INSERT DATE 45 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application) accessible through the Department’s e-Grants site. 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: August 30, 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 those numbers with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant database; and (3) you must provide those 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 Comprehensive Program--CFDA Number 84.116B must be submitted electronically using e-Application, accessible through the Department’s e-Grants Web site 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 competition 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).

• Within three working days after submitting your electronic application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control Center after following these steps:

(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.

(2) The applicant’s Authorizing Representative must sign this form.

(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.

(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at (202) 245-6272.

• We may request that you provide us original signatures on other 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: Donald Fischer, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6152, Washington, DC 20006-8544. FAX: (202) 502-7877.

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 84.116B)

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.

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 84.116B)

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 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

Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.

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 of this notice.

We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section of 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. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the following two performance measures will be used by the Department in assessing the success of the FIPSE Comprehensive Program:

(1) The extent to which funded projects are being replicated (i.e., adopted or adapted by others).

(2) The extent to which projects are being institutionalized and continued after funding.

If funded, you will be asked to collect and report data from your project on steps taken toward achieving the outcomes evaluated by these performance measures (i.e., replication and institutionalization). Consequently, applicants are advised to include these two outcomes in conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation of their proposed projects. Institutionalization and replication are important outcomes that ensure the ultimate success of projects funded under this program.

17. VII. Agency Contact

For Further Information Contact: Levenia Ishmell, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6154, Washington, DC 20006-8544. Telephone: (202) 502-7500.

If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (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.

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:

______________________________

Daniel T. Madzelan,

Director,

Forecasting and Policy Analysis.

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

FIPSE Authorizing Legislation

(20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d)

Higher Education Act of 1965

Title VII, Part B, Subparts 741-745

(As amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008)

PART B — FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

SEC. 741. FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.

(a) AUTHORITY — The Secretary is authorized to make grants to, or enter into contracts with, institutions of higher education, combinations of such institutions, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies, to enable such institutions, combinations, and agencies to improve postsecondary education opportunities by–

(1) the encouragement of reform and improvement of, and innovation in, postsecondary education and the provision of educational opportunity for all students, including nontraditional students;

(2) the creation of institutions, programs, and joint efforts involving paths to career and professional training, including–

(A) Efforts that provide academic credit for programs; and

(B) Combinations of academic and experiential learning;

(3) the establishment and continuation of institutions, programs, consortia, collaborations, and other joint efforts based on communications technology, including those efforts that utilize distance education and technological advancements to educate and train postsecondary students (including health professionals serving medically underserved populations);

(4) the carrying out, in postsecondary educational institutions, of changes in internal structure and operations designed to clarify institutional priorities and purposes;

(5) the design and introduction of cost-effective methods of instruction and operation;

(6) the introduction of institutional reforms designed to expand individual opportunities for entering and reentering postsecondary institutions and pursuing programs of postsecondary study tailored to individual needs;

(7) the introduction of reforms in graduate education, in the structure of academic professions, and in the recruitment and retention of faculties;

(8) the creation of new institutions and programs for examining and awarding credentials to individuals, and the introduction of reforms in current institutional practices related thereto;

(9) the introduction of reforms in remedial education, including English language instruction, to customize remedial courses to student goals and help students progress rapidly from remedial courses into core courses and through postsecondary program completion;

(10) the provision of support and assistance to partnerships between institutions of higher education and secondary schools with a significant population of students identified as late-entering limited English proficient students, to establish programs that–

(A) Result in increased secondary school graduation rates of limited English proficient students; and

(B) Increase the number of participating late-entering limited English proficient students who pursue postsecondary education;

(11) the creation of consortia that join diverse institutions of higher education to design and offer curricular and cocurricular interdisciplinary programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, sustained for not less than a 5 year period, that–

(A) Focus on poverty and human capability; and

(B) Include–

(i) A service-learning component; and

(ii) the delivery of educational services through informational resource centers, summer institutes, midyear seminars, and other educational activities that stress the effects of poverty and how poverty can be alleviated through different career paths;

(12) the provision of support and assistance for demonstration projects to provide comprehensive support services to ensure that homeless students, or students who were in foster care or were a ward of the court at any time before the age of 13, enroll and succeed in postsecondary education, including providing housing to such students during periods when housing at the institution of higher education is closed or generally unavailable to other students; and

(13) the support of efforts to work with institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations, that seek to promote cultural diversity in the entertainment media industry, including through the training of students in production, marketing, and distribution of culturally relevant content.

(b) PLANNING GRANTS — The Secretary is authorized to make planning grants to institutions of higher education for the development and testing of innovative techniques in postsecondary education. Such grants shall not exceed $20,000.

(c) CENTER FOR BEST PRACTICES TO SUPPORT SINGLE PARENT STUDENTS —

(1) The Secretary is authorized to award one grant or contract to an institution of higher education to enable such institution to establish and maintain a center to study and develop best practices for institutions of higher education to support single parents who are also students attending such institutions.

(2) The Secretary shall award the grant or contract under this subsection to a four-year institution of higher education that has demonstrated expertise in the development of programs to assist single parents who are students at institutions of higher education, as shown by the institution's development of a variety of targeted services to such students, including on-campus housing, child care, counseling, advising, internship opportunities, financial aid, and financial aid counseling and assistance.

(3) The center funded under this section shall–

(A) Assist institutions implementing innovative programs that support single parents pursuing higher education;

(B) Study and develop an evaluation protocol for such programs that includes quantitative and qualitative methodologies;

(C) Provide appropriate technical assistance regarding the replication, evaluation, and continuous improvement of such programs; and

(D) Develop and disseminate best practices for such programs.

(d) PROHIBITION —

(1) In general. – No funds made available under this part shall be used to provide direct financial assistance in the form of grants or scholarships to students who do not meet the requirements of section 484(a).

(2) Rule of construction. – Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent a student who does not meet the requirements of section 484(a) from participating in programs funded under this part.

(e) PRIORITY — In making grants under this part to any institution of higher education after the date of enactment of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Secretary may give priority to institutions that meet or exceed the most current version of ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 (as such term is used in section 342(a)(6) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)) for any new facilities construction or major renovation of the institution after such date, except that this subsection shall not apply with respect to barns or greenhouses or similar structures owned by the institution.

(f) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF VETERANS OR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY —

(1) Authorization. – The Secretary shall enter into a contract with a nonprofit organization with demonstrated success in carrying out the activities described in this subsection to carry out a program to provide postsecondary education scholarships for eligible students.

(2) Definition of eligible student.--In this subsection, the term `eligible student' means an individual who is enrolled as a full-time or part-time student at an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102) and is–

(A) A dependent student who is a child of–

(i) An individual who is–

(I) serving on active duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency (as defined in section 481); or

(II) Performing qualifying National Guard duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency (as defined in section 481);

or

(ii) A veteran who–

(I) served or performed, as described in clause (i), since September 11, 2001; and

(II) died, or has been disabled, as a result of such service or performance; or

(B) An independent student who–

(i) is a spouse of an individual who is–

(I) serving on active duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency (as defined in section 481); or

(II) Performing qualifying National Guard duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency (as defined in section 481);

(ii) Was (at the time of death of the veteran) a spouse of a veteran who–

(I) served or performed, as described in clause (i), since September 11, 2001; and

(II) died as a result of such service or performance; or

(iii) Is a spouse of a veteran who–

(I) served or performed, as described in clause (i), since September 11, 2001; and

(II) has been disabled as a result of such service or performance.

(3) Awarding of scholarships. –Scholarships awarded under this subsection shall be awarded based on need with priority given to eligible students who are eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants under subpart 1 of part A of title IV.

(4) Maximum scholarship amount. –The maximum scholarship amount awarded to an eligible student under this subsection for an award year shall be the lesser of $5,000, or the student's cost of attendance (as defined in section 472).

(5) Amounts for scholarships. –All of the amounts appropriated to carry out this subsection for a fiscal year shall be used for scholarships awarded under this subsection, except that the nonprofit organization receiving a contract under this subsection may use not more than one percent of such amounts for the administrative costs of the contract.

SEC. 742. BOARD OF THE FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT — There is established a National Board of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (in this part referred to as the `Board'). The Board shall consist of 15 members appointed by the Secretary for overlapping 3-year terms. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Any member of the Board who has served for 6 consecutive years shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment to the Board during a 2-year period following the expiration of such sixth year.

(b) MEMBERSHIP — The Secretary shall designate one of the members of the Board as Chairperson of the Board. A majority of the members of the Board shall be public interest representatives, including students, and a minority shall be educational representatives. All members selected shall be individuals able to contribute an important perspective on priorities for improvement in postsecondary education and strategies of educational and institutional change.

(c) DUTIES — The Board shall–

(1) Advise the Secretary on priorities for the improvement of postsecondary education and make such recommendations as the Board may deem appropriate for the improvement of postsecondary education and for the evaluation, dissemination, and adaptation of demonstrated improvements in postsecondary educational practice;

(2) Advise the Secretary on the operation of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, including advice on planning documents, guidelines, and procedures for grant competitions prepared by the Fund; and

(3) Meet at the call of the Chairperson, except that the Board shall meet whenever one-third or more of the members request in writing that a meeting be held.

(d) INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE — The Secretary shall make available to the Board such information and assistance as may be necessary to enable the Board to carry out its functions.

SEC. 743. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

The Secretary may appoint, for terms not to exceed 3 years, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, not more than 7 technical employees to administer this part who may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates.

SEC. 744. SPECIAL PROJECTS.

(a) GRANT AUTHORITY — The Secretary is authorized to make grants to institutions of higher education, or consortia thereof, and such other public agencies and nonprofit organizations as the Secretary deems necessary for innovative projects concerning one or more areas of particular national need identified by the Secretary.

(b) APPLICATION — No grant shall be made under this part unless an application is made at such time, in such manner, and contains or is accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require.

(c) AREAS OF NATIONAL NEED — Areas of national need shall include at a minimum, the following:

(1) Institutional restructuring to improve learning and promote productivity, efficiency, quality improvement, and cost reduction.

(2) Improvements in academic instruction and student learning, including efforts designed to assess the learning gains made by postsecondary students.

(3) Articulation between two- and four-year institutions of higher education, including developing innovative methods for ensuring the successful transfer of students from two- to four-year institutions of higher education.

(4) Development, evaluation, and dissemination of model courses, including model courses that–

(A) Provide students with a broad and integrated knowledge base;

(B) include, at a minimum, broad survey courses in English literature, American and world history, American- political institutions, economics, philosophy, college-level mathematics, and the natural sciences; and

(C) Include study of a foreign language that leads to reading and writing competency in the foreign language.

(5) International cooperation and student exchanges among postsecondary educational institutions.

(6) Support of centers to incorporate education in quality and safety into the preparation of medical and nursing students, through grants to medical schools, nursing schools, and osteopathic schools. Such grants shall be used to assist in providing courses of instruction that specifically equip students to–

(A) Understand the causes of, and remedies for, medical error, medically induced patient injuries and complications, and other defects in medical care;

(B) Engage effectively in personal and systemic efforts to continually reduce medical harm; and

(C) Improve patient care and outcomes, as recommended by the Institute of Medicine.

SEC. 745. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS:

EXECUTIVE ORDER 12372

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# [commenter must insert number--including suffix letter, if any], 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.

.

GENERAL EDUCATION PROVISIONS ACT (GEPA)

SECTION 427

Section 427 of GEPA requires all applicants for new awards to include in their applications a description of the steps the applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, its federally-assisted programs for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs. The 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.

A general statement of an applicant’s nondiscriminatory hiring policy is not sufficient to meet this requirement. Applicants must identify potential barriers and explain steps they will take to overcome these barriers.

NOTES:

• Applicants for new awards must include information in their applications to address this provision in order to receive funding under this program.

• Applicants are required to address this provision by attaching a statement to the ED GEPA 427 Form that must be downloaded from e-Grants.

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 state clearly 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 United States. The following Department goals, as listed in the plan, are:

Goal 1: Improve student achievement, with a focus on bringing all students to grade level in reading and mathematics by 2014

Goal 2: Increase the academic achievement of all high school students

Goal 3: Ensure the accessibility, affordability, and accountability of higher education, and better prepare students and adults for employment and future learning.

What are the performance indicators for this competition?

Two performance indicators measure the success of these projects:

1. The percentage of projects that are adopted in full or in part, or whose materials are used by other institutions, and

2. The percentage of projects with a high likelihood of sustainability beyond federal funding, based on the project officer’s determination.

If funded, you will be asked to collect and report data from your project on steps taken toward achieving these goals. Applicants to this competition are advised to include the two FIPSE performance indicators in conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation of the proposed project. These indicators are related to some of the review criteria discussed below. Thus, it is important to the success of your application that you address them. Their measure, along with measures of goals and objectives specific to your project design, are to be a part of the project evaluation plan.

How does the Department of Education determine whether performance goals have been met?

An applicant that receives a grant award will be required to submit annual progress reports and a final report as a condition of the award. The reports will document the extent to which project goals and objectives are met.

The most recent version of this program’s annual performance report can be viewed at http://www.ed.gov/programs/fipsecomp/performance.html.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE

APPLICATION PACKAGE

These instructions must be used in preparing an application. An application consists of four parts, which correspond to the sequence of your application sections. The parts are as follows. Remember to upload all forms and sections and follow carefully the e-Application instructions.

FORMS I:

Basic Forms

• Application for Federal Assistance – Standard Form (SF) 424

• Standard Budget Sheet (ED 524)

• ED Supplemental Information Form for SF 424

Applicants must complete the SF 424 form first. Some of the information provided in the SF 424 is automatically inserted into other sections of the e-Grants application package.

Do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the SF 424.

Assurances

• SF-424B - Assurances Non-Construction Programs

FORMS II:

Certifications

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

• Certification Regarding Lobbying

Other Forms

• Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF-424

• 427 GEPA

NARRATIVES

Project Narrative

• Project Abstract

• Project Narrative

• Other Appendices (upload as one integrated file)

Project Abstract: Attach your one-page project abstract here. The abstract identifies the problem being addressed, presents a concise description of proposed project objectives and activities, and indicates intended outcomes. It should also indicate what makes the project innovative and a potential model for replication by others. NOTE: Do NOT upload a .DOCX file; instead upload a .doc file.

The Project Narrative includes the narrative section addressing the program selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted for this competition. The narrative must describe the innovative aspects of your project and your project’s potential for replication. This attachment has a strict page limit of 20 double-spaced pages.

NOTE: We strongly recommend that this file be submitted in Word for Windows as a .doc file (not .DOCX file). Although .pdf is allowable, we cannot always verify that .pdf files adhere to stated restrictions on type font, type size, and margins.

The Other Appendices is a location where you upload a single file that contains the following:

• Project evaluation chart. (See instructions under Selection Criterion 4.)

• Narrative summaries of the qualifications of key personnel (maximum one page each).

• Project timeline chart

• Letters of support from partners and other project beneficiaries (optional).

• References cited in the proposal narrative, if you choose to use endnotes (optional).

• Other pertinent information.

NOTE: Remember to attach appendices as a single .doc (no .DOCX) or .pdf file. If you attempt to upload more than one file, each uploaded file will delete and replace the previously uploaded one.

Budget Narrative

• Line Item (Detailed) Budget

The Budget Narrative: Attach a detailed line item budget and any explanatory supplemental budget information. The budget should demonstrate and justify that all costs are reasonable and necessary to accomplish the proposed project activities. The detailed budget maps precisely, line item by line item, to the Standard Budget Sheet SF 524) and breaks down costs under each line item sub-total.

WARNING: Applicants should not upload Word 2007.DOCX files when attaching the Narrative to their application. All attachments must be in .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format. Other types of files will not be accepted. If you do not follow these instructions, we will not review your application. Finally, when attaching files, applicants should limit the length of file names. Long file names can cause difficulties with the opening and processing of your application. File names should not exceed 50 characters.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW AND

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PROJECT NARRATIVE

The Comprehensive Program Competition at a Glance

Purpose

The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) supports innovative grants and cooperative agreements to improve postsecondary education. It supports reforms, innovations, and significant improvements of postsecondary education that respond to problems of national significance and serve as national models.

Eligibility

FIPSE supports a wide range of non‑profit providers of educational services. Proposals may be submitted by public or private two‑ and four‑year colleges and universities; graduate and professional schools; community organizations; libraries; museums; trade and technical schools; consortia; student groups; state and local government agencies (but not federal agencies); non-profit corporations; associations; and combinations of these organizations. Proposals may be submitted by newly formed as well as established organizations. Individuals and for‑profit schools and organizations are not eligible to apply. Other organizations may be eligible; the list here is not exhaustive. The beneficiaries of projects proposed to FIPSE must be U.S. organizations, students, and faculty.

Awards

The Department estimates that 37 new awards will be made in FY 2010 under this competition. The Department expects to award grants with an estimated total award ranging from $500,000 to $750,000 and an estimated average award of $738,000 over a typical three-year period.

These figures are estimates only and do not bind the Department of Education to a specific number of grants, or to the amount of any grant, unless that amount is otherwise specified by statute or regulations.

Cost Sharing

While there is no mandated matching requirement, FIPSE does expect grantees and their collaborating partners to share in the operational cost of funded projects to ensure that the activities persist beyond the federally funded period. Please note that the "Adequacy of Resources" selection criterion that constitutes a potential 20 percent of the total score.

Most FIPSE projects are expected to continue after the federal funding period has ended. In most cases, grantees should therefore plan to assume the costs of sustaining program administration and operations after a FIPSE grant ends.

Equipment, Infrastructure, and Student Financial Aid

FIPSE does not expect to provide support for large equipment purchases or for the development of computer networks or other infrastructure. Nor do FIPSE grants provide resources/funding for undergraduate or graduate student stipends in the form of scholarships, fellowships, internships, or tuition payments. Applicants are encouraged to leverage institutional and private resources to underwrite these costs.

There is one notable exception regarding tuition payments. When graduate student assistants are employed as project staff, FIPSE may support tuition payments – but only if the payment of tuition is customarily part of an institution’s compensation package for graduate assistants.

Application Process and Deadlines

This competition will employ a single-stage application and review process in FY 2010. Applicants are required to submit a proposal narrative consisting of 20 numbered pages, doubled-spaced, plus a one-page abstract, budget, budget narrative, and appendices through the Department's e-Grants system by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time on the closing date. Eligible applicants may submit more than one application if each is for a different project. The review process is more fully described in the section of this document entitled “Guide to Proposal Development.”

Application Notice

The official Application Notice is published in the Federal Register. The information in this application package is intended to aid in preparing proposals for this competition. Nothing in this application package supersedes the information published in the Federal Register.

Contact Information

This is for information only. Do not use this address to submit applications.

U.S. Department of Education (FIPSE)

1990 K Street, N.W., 6^th floor

Washington, DC 20006-8544

Tel: 202-502-7500

Fax: 202-502-7877

E-mail: [email protected]

Web Site

For information about FIPSE’s past and current projects, successfully evaluated projects from previous years, application information, evaluation resources, and more, visit FIPSE’s Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/fipse.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A FIPSE GRANT?

The Importance of Innovation and Significance

What is an innovation?

All funded projects must reflect innovation. Innovation means “new.” For FIPSE innovation means new or improved substantive ideas, information, or content that is cutting-edge and nationally significant. It involves fresh, new content. It may take the form of a product, a format, a program, a practice, a process, or any other structure or dynamic phenomenon that is not conventional or standard in a field or discipline. For example, it may involve a new instructional process that increases the depth and speed of learning. It may be a set of administrative procedures that is significantly more effective or more cost-effective than conventional procedures.

Many previous innovations in postsecondary education have become standard practices or are now obsolete. For example, in 1999 Internet-based courses were considered innovative; now most institutions of higher education use the Internet for instruction. FIPSE grants are new in a national context. We are looking for a new or improved model that can be developed and tested by an organization or consortium of organizations. After the model is rigorously evaluated, if it is found to be effective, we may wish to disseminate it nationally. For this reason, local innovations in an institution or organization without national significance are less competitive than those that can benefit many organizations and audiences nation-wide.

The Importance of Impact

Innovation by itself is not enough. FIPSE challenges applicants to conceive, design, and manage projects in ways that promote sustained operations and growth, increase impact in other settings, and achieve other lasting and widespread effects. A widely felt problem in postsecondary education, an innovative solution, ability to document outcomes, and likely impact on the field – all four elements – are important in FIPSE’s evaluation of a proposed project. (See discussion of the selection criteria for evaluating proposals in the “Guide to Proposal Development” section.)

FIPSE expects applicants and their partners to evaluate and disseminate projects. If the innovation succeeds, what other types of institutions would be interested in adapting it? What evidence must be gathered to “prove the concept” in a convincing way to other institutions and professional organizations to encourage use of the reform elsewhere? How can the project’s products be best packaged to ensure adaptation on other campuses?

There is no single way to construct an ambitious project, and your strategies will depend very much on your institution's or organization's staff members and resources and on the nature of the problem you are addressing. Nevertheless, FIPSE suggests you consider one or more of the following strategies:

• Partner with other organizations or create a consortium collaborating on a particular reform idea.

• Partner with the private sector, especially publishers, technology companies, and other organizations that have marketing expertise, resources to distribute products, etc.

• Tackle bigger units (i.e., instead of individual courses, think about departmental, institutional, or system reform, etc.) and a greater range of associated issues.

• Enlist additional institutions to expand later implementation and pilot test phases of the project.

• Work to expand reform efforts already initiated by associations, state systems, foundations, etc.

• Create portable products and helpful materials.

• Conduct training workshops to help others implement your ideas.

• Use the Internet not just to post materials but also to create communities of professionals collaboratively working to implement and test new reform ideas.

• Form an advisory board of experts, including potential adapters from institutions other than current partners, to advise project staff on implementation and dissemination issues.

• Make an assessment of outcomes an integral part of your discussions about project modifications.

Previous experience with FIPSE projects demonstrates that it is frequently better to increase participation early as a means to gather the additional resources and support you will need to sustain project growth after the end of FIPSE funding.

The Importance of Evaluation

All applicants to FIPSE are required to conduct a project evaluation as part of the grant activities. As a general rule, applicants are encouraged to allocate at least 10 percent of the federal budget request to cover the cost of evaluation activities and the salary of the independent evaluator. You will be required to hire an outside evaluator for your project. This evaluator should be someone with experience in program evaluation and educational research skills – attributes commonly found in the social science disciplines. This person will work with you to locate or design appropriate measurement instruments, set up a schedule so that preliminary results can inform decisions about adjusting project activities, and help you clearly understand what baseline and project data you will need to collect to be able to ultimately assess whether your project met its educational goals. For a longer discussion of the role of the outside evaluator, please refer to the “Role of the Outside Evaluator” on the FIPSE Web site.

Your independent evaluator must be someone who does not stand to gain personally or professionally from the project results. You do not need to name your outside evaluator in your application. You will need to locate an outside project evaluator and submit his/her name to FIPSE within 90 days of your grant’s start date. At this time FIPSE cannot recommend specific evaluators. For general guidance as to where to look for a project evaluator, please refer to “Finding a FIPSE Project Evaluator” on the FIPSE Web site.

The evaluation section of your application should briefly present two to five main project goals primarily focused on educational outcomes for postsecondary students or professional development of those working in the field of postsecondary education. Reviewers will look for assessment that focuses on gains or changes in knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or attitudes.  The evaluation may also include assessment of other outcomes, particularly if the project aims to change organizational structures, create cost-efficiencies, or achieve other ends not specifically represented by learning. An evaluation section that states that you will discuss program administration, describe your activities, and presents the results of a satisfaction survey will be considered a poor evaluation plan. Please consult “What a FIPSE Program Evaluation Is Not” on the FIPSE Web site for additional guidance.

In this application you should briefly explain the data gathering procedures you plan to use to monitor and assess progress toward your primary objectives. When describing the measurement instruments you plan to use (surveys, interviews, focus groups, assessments of e-portfolios or capstone projects, measures of class performance, scores on standardized tests, cost-benefit analyses, etc.), be sure to mention why they are appropriate to gauging the success of your endeavor. Though this section of the application is brief, it should make a convincing case to the proposal reviewers that at the conclusion of the grant you would be in a position to discuss the extent to which the project goals you set have been achieved. The proposal reviewers will be looking for evidence that you have thought about how you will know what worked, what didn’t work as planned, and what adjustments could be made to enhance program outcomes in the future. Collection of this evidence is critical to achieving FIPSE’s goal of making data about educational improvements and innovations available to the postsecondary education community.

The Importance of Dissemination

Dissemination for FIPSE is not simply the process of spreading the word about a new model practice, though this may be a first step in a project just getting off the ground. Rather, dissemination is viewed as a proactive process designed to influence the actual adaptation or transfer of a project to new settings. Hence, some might find that “technology transfer,” “diffusion,” “implementation assistance,” or other similar concepts closely match the meaning we intend.

FIPSE expects grants to include appropriate strategies to promote sustainability and scale-up at their originating institution(s) and dissemination to other settings. It is anticipated that funded projects will build enough momentum both to sustain their own operation and to continue growing and influencing postsecondary practice after the end of the FIPSE support. Applicants should think about what it will take for a project to be transferred to new settings. Who needs to hear about the project? What type of evaluation data will be needed to convince others to implement or adapt the project idea? What barriers will others face and what kinds of help might they need to address the barriers? Applicants should conceive their projects with such questions in mind and include activities aimed at building momentum and project scale-up.

FY 2010 INVITATIONAL PRIORITIES

The purpose of all applications under the Comprehensive Program must be the improvement of postsecondary education. In FY 2010, the Secretary of Education is particularly interested in applications that meet the following invitational priorities. However, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets an invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications. Such an application will not receive extra points or any other advantage over applications not addressing any of these invitational priorities.

Invitational Priorities:

1. Centers of excellence for teacher preparation as described in section 242 of the HEA.

2. University sustainability initiatives as described in section 881 of HEA.

3. Rural development initiatives for rural-serving colleges and universities as described in section 861 of HEA.

4. Initiatives to assist highly qualified minorities and women to acquire doctoral degrees in fields where they are underrepresented as described in section 807 of HEA.

5. Modeling and simulation programs as described in section 891 of HEA.

6. Higher education consortia to design and offer interdisciplinary programs that focus on poverty and human capability as described in section 74(a)(11) of HEA.

7. Innovative postsecondary models to improve college matriculation and graduation rates, including activities to facilitate transfer of credits between institutions of higher education, alignment of curricula on a state or multi-state level between high schools and colleges and between two-year and four-year postsecondary programs, dual enrollment and articulation agreements and partnerships between high schools and community colleges, and partnerships between K-12 organizations and colleges for college pathway programs.

8. Activities to develop or enhance educational partnerships and cross-cultural cooperation between postsecondary educational institutions in the United States and similar institutions in Haiti.

Guide to Proposal Development¹

This discussion is intended to help you conceive and write a strong proposal by alerting you to the ways in which it will be read and judged and by providing you instructions on how to submit an application. We recognize that some of the issues raised here may not pertain to your particular project, and the following remarks are not intended to oblige you to organize your proposal around direct responses to all of them.

This competition is a single-stage competition. All applicants must submit a proposal consisting of a 20-page narrative (pages numbered and double-spaced), plus a one-page abstract, a budget summary, a detailed budget narrative, a single file containing all appendices, as well as other standard forms. Applications must be submitted electronically via the e-Grants application system.

Understanding Funding Practices and Review Processes

Before You Prepare an Application

FIPSE funds national, not local, innovations.

Model programs addressing many common issues of postsecondary reform already exist. Some have been developed with the support of FIPSE or other funding agencies; many others have been implemented without outside grant support. Applicants should conduct a literature review that summarizes current research and practice supporting the significance of the project. Please tell us if your project takes a new direction or builds on previously effective national efforts.

FIPSE’s Web site at http://www.ed.gov/FIPSE contains information on resources that would be useful to a prospective applicant in developing a proposal. The Web site also directs you to descriptions of projects FIPSE has funded since 1994 (see www.fipse.aed.org), evaluation information and suggestions, material on other competitions, and funding advice from FIPSE program officers.

Prospective applicants should note that, although FIPSE staff cannot review draft proposals, program officers are happy to discuss project ideas by telephone or in person. To set up an appointment call the FIPSE office at 202-502-7500.

Cost Sharing/Institutional Support

This grant competition does not mandate any particular rate for cost sharing or matching funds. However, Selection Criterion 5 (adequacy of resources) addresses the applicant institution’s and partners’ significant support the project, both philosophically and financially. Because FIPSE applicants are often seeking support that will develop or strengthen their own programs or capacities, FIPSE expects the host institution and its partners to contribute substantial resources (funding shown in the Budget Summary Form, ED 524, Section B). This will not always be the case, however, as individual circumstances and the resources available to participating institutions vary.

Indirect Cost Rates

FIPSE does not have a restricted, training, or other reduced rate that automatically caps the rate at which a grantee can charge indirect costs. Applicants requesting reimbursement of indirect costs must complete the “Indirect Cost Information” section of the required Budget Summary Form (ED 524). For additional information on reimbursement of indirect costs, see instructions at the end of this application package.

Conflicts of Interest

All applicants are reminded to review the requirements of Sections 74.42 (Codes of Conduct) and 75.525 (Conflict of Interest) of the Department of Education General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). Applicants must disclose any personal and financial interests that may be involved among the participants in the proposed project. Not long ago FIPSE received an application in which both the proposed project director and the project evaluator were members of an advisory board to the profit-making organization whose product was to be tested under the non-profit organization’s project. In such an instance, neither FIPSE nor the American public can have confidence in the reported results of a project, regardless of whether the applicant has a real financial interest in the product. Such entanglements should be avoided. Failure to disclose such entanglements will preclude further consideration of an application.

Recommended Proposal Outline

We recommend that you organize your proposal in sections that map to each of the review criteria:

• Need for the project.

• Significance of the project.

• Quality of the project design.

• Quality of the project evaluation.

• Adequacy of resources.

Review Requirements and Process

Applicants will submit at the Department of Education's e-Grants Web site an application consisting of the following requirements for the proposal narrative:

1. Limit the length of the project narrative to 20 numbered pages, double‑spaced (no more than three lines per vertical inch), plus a one-page abstract, budget summary, budget narrative (detailed line-item budget), and appendices.

2. Only the following fonts may be used:

• Times New Roman

• Courier

• Courier New

• Arial

Applications submitted in any other font (take care NOT to use Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.

3. Use minimum 1-inch margins on all four sides of the page, and avoid font sizes smaller than 12 point. Make sure your line spacing is set for double-spacing and not 1.5 lines or other spacing.

In addition to the 20-page proposal narrative, abstract, budget summary, and budget narrative (detailed line-item budget), include in the application package an appendix containing the following items. Note: Include these and other appendix items in a single appendix file:

• Project evaluation chart (required), indicating for project objectives and activities the evaluation methods that will be used.

• Short position descriptions (maximum one page each) for all key personnel – project director, co-director (if applicable), evaluator (required), and others.

• Project timeline chart.

• Letters of support or commitment from partners and other project beneficiaries (if applicable).

• References cited in the proposal narrative (if applicable).

• Other information documenting your proposed project.

Your application package should give external reviewers and the FIPSE staff a concrete understanding of the problem you are addressing and the solutions you propose, including a description of how you will evaluate the results. Use clear, direct language and avoid jargon, clichés, and acronyms whenever possible. As noted above, explain how your project strategy differs from and improves upon current practice at your institution and elsewhere in the nation.

Proposals will be evaluated by three outside reviewers, identified each year from among faculty, administrators, and professionals across the country that have specialized knowledge on your topic. Additional experts may review proposals when technical questions arise. The FIPSE staff will read proposals and reviewers’ evaluations of them. Project directors may be telephoned to clarify information about their projects. Staff may also contact others who know the applicant's work and plans or those who will be affected by the project.

ALIGNING YOUR PROPOSAL TO THE REVIEW SELECTION CRITERIA

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and Your Application

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 is a statute that requires all federal agencies to manage their activities with attention to the consequences of those activities. Each agency states what it intends to accomplish, identifies the resources required, and regularly reports its progress to the Congress. In doing so, GPRA is improving accountability for the expenditures of public funds, improving Congressional decision-making with more thorough and objective information on the effectiveness of federal programs, and promoting a new government focus on results, cost-effectiveness, service delivery, and customer satisfaction.

The success of FIPSE’s Comprehensive Program is measured by 1) the percentage of projects that are adopted in full or in part, or whose materials are used by other institutions and 2) the percentage of projects with a high likelihood of sustainability beyond federal funding, based on the project officer’s determination. These two results constitute FIPSE’s indicators of the success of the grants made under this competition.

If funded, you will be asked to collect and report data from your project on steps taken toward achieving these goals. Applicants to the Comprehensive Program are advised to include the two FIPSE performance indicators in conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation of the proposed project. These indicators are related to some of the review criteria discussed below. Thus, it is important to the success of your application that you address them. Their measure, along with measures of goals and objectives specific to your project design, are to be a part of the project evaluation plan.

An applicant that receives a grant award will be required to submit annual progress reports and a final report as a condition of the award. The reports will document the extent to which project goals and objectives are met. The forms for these reports can be viewed at http://www.ed.gov/programs/fipsecomp/performance.html.

Selection Criteria

FIPSE suggests that you organize your proposal narrative according to the selection criteria. Each selection criterion is presented in bold type and followed by a discussion of how it applies to the competition. The reviewers of your proposal use these criteria to guide their assignment of ratings, so it is in your interest address explicitly each one. The overall assessment of a proposal is based on the extent to which it satisfactorily addresses all the selection criteria.

Proposals will be considered in light of the following five criteria and their factors (sub-criteria). All criteria are weighted equally:

1. The need for the project, as determined by the following factor (20 points):

1. -- the magnitude or severity of the problem addressed by the project.

You should make clear the national implications of your stated problem. The priorities described in this competition identify some areas of needed reform, but you may choose to focus on a topic not specifically mentioned in these guidelines, or you may choose to address more than one topic in a single project.

Is the problem you have identified central to your institution's vitality or to the effectiveness of your educational services? Does the same problem affect other institutions around the country? Have attempts to remedy the situation been made by you or by others in the past, and with what results? What will be the local and national consequences of a successful completion of your project? Are other institutions or organizations likely to benefit or learn from your experience in ways that would enable them to improve their own programs and services?

In short, the need or problem should be widely experienced, and your strategies should address the central causes of the problem.

2. The significance of the project, as determined by the following factors (20 points):

1. the national significance of the proposed project;

2. the extent to which the proposed project involves the development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, or are alternatives to, existing strategies; and

3. the potential replicability of the proposed project or strategies, including, as appropriate, the potential for implementation in a variety of settings.

It is not enough to address an important problem; you must also offer a solution to that problem. This solution must be innovative when compared to what others on the nation have done to address the problem. Furthermore, it must be a solution that has potential for large-scale implementation and replicability.

Reviewers look for any evidence illustrating how your project differs from or improves upon previous efforts. Describe how your project will demonstrate effective, new reform strategies.

3. The quality of the project design, as determined by the following factors (20 points):

1. the extent to which the design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target population or other identified needs;

2. the extent to which the proposed design includes a thorough, high-quality review of the relevant literature, a high-quality plan for project implementation, and the use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of project objectives; and

c) the extent to which the project is designed to build capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of federal financial assistance.

Your narrative should offer reviewers a clear description of who will do what, when, where, why, and with what anticipated results. The project's goals and objectives must be clearly identified and measurable. Responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks must also be specified.

In the appendix to your proposal, include the qualifications of key personnel, including the project director, project co-director, evaluator, and major consultants or subcontractors. Please note that standard curriculum vitae are not appropriate for this purpose. What is needed is a brief (one page maximum) bio of each individual's background, with a special focus on those experiences related to the topic of your application. (Vitae for key personnel will be requested from successful applicants after awards are announced.)

4) The quality of the project evaluation, as determined by the following factors (20 points):

1. the extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project;

2. the extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible; and

3. the extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other settings.

Evaluation should be an important part of your project planning. Include in your proposal a description of how you intend to document the activities and results of your project. Formative evaluation can help you manage your project more effectively, and a strong summative evaluation, especially if it documents the project's effects on the learner, can turn a successful project into a national model for improvement in postsecondary education. As you develop your evaluation plan, place yourself in the position of a recipient of your final evaluation report at the end of the project period. What would count as solid quantitative and qualitative evidence that your project had succeeded or failed? It may be difficult, within the term of the grant, to assess accomplishment of long‑range objectives, but you should be able to identify some short‑term indicators. Bear in mind that the goals of local institutionalization and wider impact may well elude you unless you can provide solid evidence that your project is achieving its aims. Developing such evidence should not be put off until the last stages of a project. It must be a consideration from the design stage onward.

Before a project can become a model, its proponents must be able to prove that it has achieved its aims in its original setting. That is why a solid evaluation plan, one that focuses as much as possible on precisely how the project has improved educational outcomes, is an essential component of FIPSE projects. Include in the appendix to your application a two-column chart, the first column listing for each year of the project the major goals and objectives, and the second column listing what evaluation measures will be used to show attainment of that goal or objective. A third column may be added to show responsibilities, timelines, and milestones.

Directly or indirectly, learners should be the principal beneficiaries of your project. Our focus on the learner means that FIPSE is especially interested in evaluation plans that assess projects in terms of their consequences for student learning. FIPSE does not support basic research; rather, its focus is on implementation of projects that demonstrate, test, and take to larger scale effective approaches to postsecondary education.

In addition to project-specific objectives, the evaluation plan must include as objectives the two FIPSE performance indicators discussed above in the section on the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). The plans must also include measures of the two indicators: 1) replication (the extent to which a project is being adopted in full or in part by others, or its materials are being used by other institutions) and 2) sustainability (the likelihood that a project will be continued and institutionalized beyond federal funding).

5) The adequacy of resources for the proposed project, as determined by the following factors (20 points):

1. the extent to which costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project;

2. the relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the proposed project to its implementation and success; and

3. the potential for continued support of the project after federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated commitment of appropriate entities to such support.

FIPSE grants provide seed capital for the initial development or expansion of innovative projects. FIPSE does not typically support existing program operations. FIPSE grants support programs or activities that are intended to continue after a grant ends. Your proposal should have a clear and convincing plan for long‑term continuation that includes explicit commitments from those who will be responsible for sustaining the activity.

A budget summary (SF 524 A and B) and budget narrative (SF 524 C) attached to your proposal should itemize the support you request from FIPSE and the support you expect to obtain from sources other than FIPSE. It must be clear from the proposal narrative how your budget request relates to the attainment of your goals and objectives.

FIPSE is especially interested in projects designed to be cost‑effective, designed to increase the likelihood that successful efforts will be continued beyond the period of a FIPSE grant and designed to be replicated by others. But cost‑effectiveness must not imply insufficient resources to accomplish the project's goals and objectives. Costs should be allocated, and will be judged, in relation to the scope of the project and the requirements for achieving its objectives.

It is important to provide evidence that the plans you propose have the support of those who will authorize them, those who will carry them out, and those who will be affected by them. Your proposal may include, in an appendix, letters of specific commitment and support from senior administrators of the host institution, any partners in the project, other key constituents, and, if desired, national experts on the issues addressed in the proposal. Applicants are advised that the quality of letters of commitment and support is important, not the number of letters.

When planning for long‑term institutionalization, it is often desirable to create a project budget in which there is increasing reliance on institutional resources and gradually decreasing FIPSE support during the life of the grant. FIPSE expects applicants to demonstrate significant financial support of proposed projects. Issues of cost are almost always critical for institutionalization. FIPSE expects funded projects to continue after FIPSE funding ends. Proposals requiring grant dollars for equipment, student financial aid, or faculty and student incentive payments are rarely competitive. Instead, FIPSE expects that projects requiring such funds will acquire them or equivalent in-kind contributions from other sources. Grants cannot be used for the purchase of real property or for construction. See the section above on “Cost Sharing/Institutional Support.”

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Before you submit the application package, please review the following list to ensure that you have attached all required materials/files in the prescribed format.

FORMS I: Application for Federal Assistance – Standard Form (SF) 424

Standard Budget Sheet

SF-424 B - Assurances Non-Construction Programs

NOTE: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form 424. Although this form accepts attachments, the Department of Education will review only materials/files attached to the attachment forms listed above.

FORMS II: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Certification Regarding Lobbying

ED Supplemental Information for SF-424

427 GEPA

NARRATIVES: Project Abstract

Upload a one-page Abstract as a Word document (.doc; not .DOCX).

Project Narrative

Please note that the Project Narrative must not exceed 20, double-spaced pages. However, this does not include the Abstract, the Table of Contents, the Budget Narrative, or Other Attachments.

Other Appendices

Other Appendices include documents such as the following:

• Project evaluation chart

• Key personnel one-page resumes

• Short position descriptions

• Project timeline chart

• Letters of support or commitment from project partners and other beneficiaries

• References cited in the Project Narrative (if applicable)

NOTE: Other Appendices must be submitted in one of the following file types: .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format. Applicants should not upload Word 2007 .DOCX files. All of the "Other Appendices" must be uploaded as a single merged file.

Budget Narrative (Line Item Detailed Budget)

The Budget Narrative is not included in the 20-page Project Narrative limit.

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¹This program information is intended to aid applicants in applying for assistance under this competition. Nothing in this application package is intended to impose any paperwork, application content, reporting, or grantee performance requirement beyond those specifically imposed under the statute and regulations governing the competition.