Demo Grants for Indian Children Application

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Washington, D.C.

Fiscal Year 2015

Application for New Grants Under

The Indian Education Demonstration Grants Program

CFDA 84.299A

Dated Material - Open Immediately

Closing Date: XXXXXXX

Approved OMB Number: 1810- 0722

Expiration Date: 00/00/201X

Public Burden Statement:

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (Title VII, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20202-4537 or email [email protected] and reference the OMB Control Number 1810- 0722. Note: Please do not return the completed Indian Education Demonstration Grant application to this address.

If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: David Emenheiser, Office of Indian Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3W215, Washington, DC 20202.

Table of Contents

1. Program Background Information 2

2. Definitions 4

3. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 7

4. Notice of Intent to Apply 15

5. Application Procedures 15

6. Application Instructions 23

Electronic Application Submission Checklist 24

Part 1: Preliminary Documents 26

Part 2: Budget Information 33

Part 3: ED Abstract Form 36

Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form 37

Part 5: Budget Narrative 42

Part 6: Other Attachments 47

Part 7: Assurances and Certifications 49

Part 8: Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (Executive Order 12372) 52

7. Reporting and Accountability 53

8. Legal and Regulatory Information 54

Notice Inviting Applications 54

United States Department of Education

O ffice of Elementary and Secondary Education

Office of Indian Education

Dear Colleague Letter

Dear Colleague:

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

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

This competition contains one absolute priority and five competitive preference priorities. The absolute priority is to fund Native Youth Community Projects. We will award up to 9 additional points to an application, depending on how well it meets one or more of the preference priorities.

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

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

Using FY 2015 funds, the Department expects to award $3,000,000 for new grants under this competition. We will award discretionary grants on a competitive basis for a project period of up to months. Grants are expected to be awarded by September.

Please visit our program website at http://www.ed.gov.about/offices/list/oese/index.html for further information. If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact David Emenheiser, Indian Education Demonstration Grants program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 3W215, Washington D.C. 20202-6200.

Program Background Information

Program Overview

The purpose of the Demonstration Grants for Indian Children (Demonstration Grants) program is to provide financial assistance to projects that develop, test, and demonstrate the effectiveness of services and programs to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of preschool, elementary, and secondary Indian students.

Authority

This grant program is authorized under Section 7121 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 7441.

Official Documents Notice

The official document governing this competition is the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published in the Federal Register on [Month Day, Year] (See Legal and Regulatory Documents of this application package). The NIA is also available electronically at the following Web sites: www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister and www.gpoaccess.gov/nara.

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include a State educational agency, local educational agency, Indian tribe, Indian organization, federally supported elementary school or secondary school for Indian students, Indian institution (including an Indian institution of higher education (IHE)), or a consortium of such entities.

Absolute Priority

The FY 2015 competition includes one absolute priority to fund Native Youth Community Projects.

Competitive Preference Priorities:

The FY 2015 competition includes five competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we will award up to nine additional points to an application, depending on how well the application meets one or more of these priorities. These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority One

We award three points to an application proposing to serve a rural local community. To meet this priority, a project must include an LEA that is eligible under the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) or Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) programs or a Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded school that is located in an area designated by the U.S. Census Bureau with a locale code of 42 or 43.

Competitive Preference Priority Two

We award three points to an application submitted by an eligible Indian tribe, Indian organization, or Indian IHE. A consortium of eligible entities or a partnership is eligible to receive the points only if the lead applicant is an Indian tribe, Indian organization, or Indian IHE.

Competitive Preference Priority Three

We award two points to an application that is either--

(a) Designed to serve a local community within a federally designated Promise Zone; or

(b) Submitted by a partnership or consortium in which the lead applicant or one of its partners has received a grant in the last four years under one or more of the following grant programs:

(1) State Tribal Education Partnership (title VII, part A, subpart 3);

(2) Sovereignty in Indian Education Enhancements (Department of Interior);

(3) Alaska Native Education Program (title VII, part C); or

(4) Promise Neighborhoods.

Note: An application will not receive points for both (a) and (b).

Competitive Preference Priority Four

We award one point to an application that is not eligible under Priority Two and is submitted by a consortium of eligible entities or a partnership that includes an Indian tribe, Indian organization, or Indian IHE.

Competitive Preference Priority Five

We award one point to an application with a plan for combining two or more of the activities described in section 7121(c) of the ESEA over a period of more than one year.

Note: Applications that propose a project to meet the absolute priority will likely meet this competitive preference priority.

Program Contact

Please contact David Emenheiser by telephone at (202) 260-1488 or via email at [email protected] after reviewing the application package if you have any questions about the program.

Project Period

The project period for this grant is 48 months (4 budget periods of 12 months each).

Note: Continuation of each successive grant period is subject to satisfactory performance, submission of an annual report, and availability of funds.

Grant Award Estimations

We estimate that awards will average $500,000 within the range from $400,000 to $600,000. We expect to award 5-7 grants.

Application Due Date

Applications must be submitted on or before [Month Day, Year]. Please note that the Department of Education (Department) grant application deadlines are 4:30:00 P.M. Washington, D.C. time. Late applications will not be accepted. We strongly suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

Application Submission

Applications must be submitted electronically using the Government-wide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. See “Application Submission Procedures” for information on how to submit applications electronically.

Project Director Time Commitment

Applicants are requested to provide the percentage of the Project Director’s time that will be dedicated to the grant project if funded. For example, if the Project Director works 40 hours per week and spends 20 hours per week working on grant activities, then the time commitment for the Project Director would be 50 percent. We suggest that applicants include this information in the budget narrative or add this information to the Project Director line on the Department of Education Supplement to the Standard Form 424.

E-Mail Addresses

As part of our review of your application, we may need to contact you with questions for clarification. Please be sure your application contains valid e-mail addresses for the project director and authorized representative or another party designated to answer questions in the event the project director and authorized representative are unavailable.

Application Requirements

To be considered for an award under this competition, each eligible applicant must provide a detailed project narrative and budget narrative. Certain eligibility requirements can be addressed by applicants in the application narrative, as they are included under the selection criteria. If these application requirements are fully addressed in the narrative then no further evidence is required (see Part 4, Project Narrative Attachment Form).

Along with the application narrative, an applicant must submit its:

• Signed partnership or consortium agreement;

• Individual Resumes for Project Directors & Key Personnel; and

• Description of continuing activities.

When applicable, the applicant also must submit:

• Documentation of Indian Organization;

• Request for Competitive Preference Three;

• Copy of the indirect cost rate agreement;

• Evidence of submission to BIE; and

• Administrative Cost Limit Waiver Request.

ISDEAA Hiring Preference Requirements

Grants that serve primarily members of federally-recognized tribes are subject to the provisions of section 7(b) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93-638). That section requires that, to the greatest extent feasible, a grantee give to Indians preferences and opportunities for training and employment in connection with the administration of the grant; and give to Indian organizations and to Indian-owned economic enterprises, as defined in section 3 of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 (25 U.S.C. 1452(e)), preference in the award of contracts in connection with the administration of the grant.

Definitions

Federally supported elementary or secondary school for Indian students means an elementary or secondary school that is operated or funded, through a contract or grant, by the Bureau of Indian Education.

Indian means an individual who is--

(1) A member of an Indian tribe or band, as membership is defined by the Indian tribe or band, including any tribe or band terminated since 1940, and any tribe or band recognized by the State in which the tribe or band resides;

(2) A descendant of a parent or grandparent who meets the requirements described in paragraph (1) of this definition;

(3) Considered by the Secretary of the Interior to be an Indian for any purpose;

(4) An Eskimo, Aleut, or other Alaska Native; or

(5) A member of an organized Indian group that received a grant under the Indian Education Act of 1988 as it was in effect on October 19, 1994.

Indian institution of higher education means an accredited college or university within the United States cited in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994, any other institution that qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978, and the Navajo Community College, authorized in the Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978.

Indian organization means an organization that--

(1) Is legally established--

(i) By tribal or inter-tribal charter or in accordance with State or tribal law; and

(ii) With appropriate constitution, by-laws, or articles of incorporation;

(2) Includes in its purposes the promotion of the education of Indians;

(3) Is controlled by a governing board, the majority of which is Indian;

(4) If located on an Indian reservation, operates with the sanction of or by charter from the governing body of that reservation;

(5) Is neither an organization or subdivision of, nor under the direct control of, any institution of higher education; and

(6) Is not an agency of State or local government.

Native youth community project means a project that is--

(1) Focused on a defined local geographic area;

(2) Centered on the goal of ensuring that Indian students are prepared for college and careers;

(3) Informed by evidence, which could be either a needs assessment conducted within the last three years or other data analysis, on--

(i) The greatest barriers, both in and out of school, to the readiness of local Indian students for college and careers;

(ii) Opportunities in the local community to support Indian students; and

(iii) Existing local policies, programs, practices, service providers, and funding sources;

(4) Focused on one or more barriers or opportunities with a community-based strategy or strategies and measurable objectives;

(5) Designed and implemented through a partnership of various entities, which--

(i) Must include--

(A) One or more tribes or their tribal educational agencies; and

(B) One or more BIE-funded schools, one or more local educational agencies, or both; and

(ii) May include other optional entities, including community-based organizations, national nonprofit organizations, and Alaska regional corporations; and

(6) Led by an entity that--

(i) Is eligible for a grant under the Demonstration Grants for Indian Children program; and

(ii) Demonstrates, or partners with an entity that demonstrates, the capacity to improve outcomes that are relevant to the project focus through experience with programs funded through other sources.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These FAQs are designed to provide Demonstration Grants applicants with information about the 2015 competition.

1. Who is eligible for the Demonstration Grants?

The entities that are eligible to apply for Demonstration Grants are Indian tribes, Indian organizations, BIE-funded schools, Indian institutions (including Indian institutions of higher education (IHEs)), State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and consortia of such entities. The term “BIE-funded schools” includes tribally-controlled schools funded by BIE, as well as individual BIE-operated schools.

All applications for the Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) priority under the Demonstration Grants competition must be submitted as part of a partnership or a consortium, and the lead entity submitting the application must be one of these eligible entities.

2. Who can participate in a partnership for the Native Youth Community Project?

Any configuration of entities can participate in a partnership for the NYCP priority as long as: 1) the lead applicant is an eligible entity; 2) the partnership includes the required partners, which are at least one tribe or tribal educational agency (TEA) and at least one LEA or BIE-funded school; and 3) at least one partner has the requisite experience in improving student outcomes that are relevant to the project focus, in accordance with the definition of NYCP. (See questions 23 and 24 for more information about successful experience.) Each project may include any other optional entities that will be helpful for the project’s success. For example, community based organizations may be included in a partnership agreement submitted by an eligible lead entity.

The number and variety of partners need to be adequate to meet the objectives of the project. The applicant must decide with which tribes, schools, and other organizations, including Indian IHEs, they should partner based on the needs of the population of American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) children to be served by the project. The capacity and resources of the partners, collectively, must be sufficient to implement the proposed activities.

A tribal college or other Indian IHE can apply under the priority for NYCP either in a consortium or a partnership that includes at least the two required partners. Although not eligible to apply alone, the tribal college could play a major role in the proposed project.

3. What is the difference between a consortium agreement and the partnership agreement required by the NIA?

To be eligible for NYCP, all applicants must submit a partnership agreement, as described in the NIA.

If all participants are independently eligible to apply under Demonstration Grants, the applicants may form a consortium, and the consortium agreement can serve as the partnership agreement required by the NIA. Note that this consortium agreement must meet the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129. For example, if three tribes coordinate their project with two school districts, all five entities could form a consortium and apply with a consortium agreement because tribes and schools are eligible entities. One entity would be designated as the lead applicant and would receive the grant on behalf of the consortium. That consortium agreement would also constitute the partnership agreement required by the NIA.

If a group applying together for an NYCP grant includes both eligible and non-eligible entities, they cannot form a consortium. The applicant must form a partnership and submit a partnership agreement or memorandum of understanding (MOU) as part of its application. For example, a tribe, a BIE-funded school, and a non-profit organization that is not an Indian organization can apply for a grant under the NYCP priority as a partnership, but not a consortium.

4. How is the NYCP priority different from Demonstration Grant priorities in the past?

The NYCP is a new priority under the Demonstration Grants program under title VII of the ESEA (Indian education). Unlike the Demonstration Grant priorities in recent years, which focused on either early childhood readiness or college readiness, the new NYCP priority allows the local community to choose a project focus based on a needs assessment or other data analysis as well as the areas the community identifies as having the biggest impact on improving outcomes for AI/ AN youth.

5. What can we do with the NYCP grant?

Activities under the NYCP priority must meet the purpose of the Demonstration Grants program, which is to develop, test, and demonstrate the effectiveness of services and programs to improve educational opportunities and achievement of AI/AN children. Therefore, while very broad, the scope of allowable activities under NYCP are limited by statute (ESEA §7121(c)(1)). The beneficiaries of the Demonstration Grants must be Indian children (see definition of “Indian” in §263.20 of the regulations). Although it would be appropriate for an NYCP to focus on parents of AI/AN students (e.g., parental involvement in schools or a family literacy approach) as a strategy to increase college and career readiness of Indian students, a general community-wide program to alleviate the effects of poverty would be outside the scope of NYCP.

6. What age groups are served by NYCP?

The term “youth” in the title of the Native Youth Community Project is not meant to limit the age groups of children served by the projects to adolescents. The NYCP projects are allowed to address barriers experienced by AI/AN children from early childhood through the age limit for which the State provides free public education.

7. What costs are permitted under these grants?

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the costs stipulated in their proposed budget are reasonable and necessary for addressing the proposed project effectively. The application must adequately describe the rationale for the proposed activities and their costs. For example, transportation can be a reasonable and necessary expense for the project, if the applicant provides justification in the application narrative. In other words, an activity and its cost might be reasonable, allowable, and allocable in one project, but not in another. Applicants should review the cost principles, particularly the guidance concerning “reasonable,” “allocable,” and “necessary” costs. The uniform administrative requirements and cost principles are published in 2 CFR part 200, which is available on the U.S. Government Printing Office website at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6214841a79953f26c5c230d72d6b70a1&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl.

8. Can we include planning activities?

No. NYCP grants are for implementation of proposed projects, and grant funds may not be used for planning purposes prior to implementation. In fact, we recommend that applicants plan activities that can begin immediately upon funding and will result in early tangible successes. However, as part of capacity-building efforts related to grant implementation, grantees may use funds to regularly collect and review performance and outcome data in order to improve the implementation of the project.

9. What is the definition of community?

The partnering entities must determine the geographical area to be served by the proposed project, and are responsible for clearly defining and describing the area served by the project. Applicants should describe their rationale for selecting the boundaries of the project’s geographical area. The project must include all AI/AN children or their families who are experiencing the identified barrier or barriers within the defined community. Projects may not select a subpopulation of AI/AN children based on tribal affiliation.

10. How can an applicant meet the rural priority?

LEAs qualify for the rural priority if they are eligible for assistance under either of the Rural Education Achievement Programs (REAP), that is, Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) and Rural and Low-Income Schools (RLIS). BIE-funded schools, which are not eligible for REAP, meet the rural priority if they are located in areas assigned Census locale codes 42 and 42.

The list of LEAs eligible for SRSA and RLIS is available on the REAP program’s webpage on the Department’s website at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/reapsrsa/eligibility.html. Information on Census locale codes is available on the National Center Education Statistics’ webpage on the Department’s web site at http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/rural_locales.asp.

11. What does it mean to have a goal of college and career readiness as required by the definition of NYCP?

The goal of all NYCP projects must be to improve the college and career readiness of Indian students in the local community. Each applicant must develop its own objectives for reaching that goal based on the needs assessment. The objectives may address in or out of school issues. For example, a community might choose the objective of increasing 3rd grade reading scores, increasing graduation rates, or creating more culturally appropriate climates among the early learning programs in the community.

There are many different measures for being on track for college and careers depending on the present levels of performance and development of the AI/AN children. Applicants are free to use the measure or measures that make sense for their respective communities.

12. What if our community supports readiness for careers in a subsistence economy?

To participate in NYCP, the community’s needs assessment should reveal the barriers and opportunities for the AI/AN youth, whether they want to participate fully in careers needed in the community or pursue postsecondary education and training. Communities with subsistence economies are encouraged to use the information gathered through the needs assessment, including their local resources, to consider how NYCP funding might introduce creative opportunities to prepare their AI/AN children to become lifelong adult contributors to the community, such as financial literacy and capability, legal and treaty negotiations, and effective language and communication.

13. What must be included in the needs assessment or data analysis?

Based on a needs assessment or other data analysis, communities applying for NYCP will work together to address local barriers to the college and career readiness of Indian children, as well as to identify opportunities and existing resources.

To conduct the needs assessment, each community will analyze data relating to their defined geographic area and participant population to identify and assess the barriers, opportunities, and resources for AI/AN students for college and career readiness, prior to applying for a grant. It is possible to use an existing analysis, as long as it has been completed within the last 3 years.

After analyzing the community needs and opportunities, the partnership will choose the strategy or strategies that best address that need or opportunity, based on factors that include the existing resources and expertise of partners in the project. Given the limited amount of funds available for these FY 2015 grants, we expect that applicants will tailor their projects in order to address the significant need or opportunity identified by the partnership.

The needs assessment will be reviewed under the selection criterion Need for Project. The evidence from the needs assessment, however, informs the entire project and thus may affect aspects of the application evaluated under several selection criteria. In order for the peer reviewers to have the information they need to rate applications, the applicants should include a clear description of the evidence on needs, opportunities, and resources. Specifically, applicants should tell the readers what is lacking in the community, what is present in the community, and what policies and practices will support or hinder the project’s efforts. Based on this information, the proposed project should address the optimal way to remediate the needs by leveraging the available strengths and the supports.

14. What is meant by opportunities in the definition of NYCP?

The definition of NYCP requires that the project be informed by data on not only barriers but also “opportunities in the local community to support Indian students;” and requires that the project be “focused on one or more barriers or opportunities.” In this context, opportunities mean untapped resources that might be used to address the barriers identified through the needs assessment (e.g., expanding a program to encourage enrollment in advanced secondary school classes, providing extracurricular opportunities, such as debate or chess, led by tribal elders, or many other possibilities).

15. What are examples of existing resources in the definition of NYCP?

The NYCP definition requires applicants to examine existing resources in determining the best strategy to reach the project goal. These resources could include existing funding sources, such as the school district’s title VII formula grant or title I formula grant, discretionary grants received by the district, tribe, or other organization, philanthropic resources such as donations from private entities, and other sources. In addition, existing resources include the skills and knowledge of project partners. For example, if a tribe identified drug abuse as the greatest barrier to college and career readiness, and a local community organization has successfully started a program for middle school students to prevent drug use, that organization would be a valuable partner that could bring important resources to the project.

16. Must an applicant hire a contractor to conduct a needs assessment?

No. Applicants are not required to hire a contractor to perform a needs assessment or data analysis. An applicant may conduct its own needs assessment or may use an existing needs assessment, as long as it was conducted for the same local community, was conducted recently (i.e., within the last 3 years), and is relevant to the NYCP priority.

17. What barriers or opportunities should a community choose to focus on?

There are many possible theories of action from which a project can choose to address the community’s needs. The strongest theory of action will arise from an in-depth examination of the needs done through the needs assessment or other data analysis (discussed in questions 13-16). While there are many interrelated and complex factors that impact students, based on the needs assessment, an applicant should focus on the barrier or barriers the community believes will be most impactful given the size of the estimated grant awards. Over time, if additional funding is available, it may be possible to expand the areas for a more comprehensive approach.

For example, in a community that identifies a high drop-out rate in the local public high school as the greatest barrier to college and career readiness for AI/ AN students, the theory of action should link the strategy to an underlying reason for and likely effect on the drop-out rate. If a student survey reveals that the most common reason for dropping out is lack of engagement in school due to a school culture that is not welcoming for AI/AN students, the strategy could be a redesigned high school curriculum that integrates the local tribe’s history and culture, as well as professional development for teachers and administrators on cultural competency.

18. What is a measurable objective?

Measurable objectives state what will be done, to whom, by whom, when, and how it will be measured. Grantees must use measurable objectives in carrying out the strategy chosen to meet the purpose of the program and reach the goal of the project. The measurable objectives indicate how the scientific research or modified program will result in the increased college and career readiness of Indian children. The measurable objectives might be significant activities or benchmarked steps, on which projects will report data using the annual performance report. Data collection might be more frequent based on the project management and evaluation plans.

19. What are the possible roles for IHEs in NYCPs?

IHEs, including Native American Serving Non-tribal Institutions, can be vital partners in an NYCP; an Indian IHE can be a lead applicant. Although postsecondary education, training, or employment services are not allowable, an IHE might provide direct services to AI/AN youth. For example, an IHE could provide secondary transition services, offered to school-aged AI/AN children, that prepare them for postsecondary education, training, or employment. An IHE may partner with the tribe and school to provide dual enrollment for youth in secondary school. Also, the IHE might supervise internships for their pre-service teacher trainees, who implement project activities, such as before and after school programs for AI/AN children.

20. Can a tribe apply if the community includes students from multiple tribes?

Yes. We expect grantees to serve students from all tribes within the community of the NYCP project. For schools that have students from multiple tribes with a presence in the community, we would encourage a tribe planning a NYCP application to consult with other relevant tribes. One option would be for all the affected tribes to be partners in the project. Another option is for the tribes in the community to agree to collaborate with the tribe or tribes that will serve as the project partner or partners.

21. Would we be more likely to be successful with a tribal lead or LEA lead?

Generally, the scoring of applications does not depend on the entity designated as the lead applicant; rather, the selection criteria address the strength of the project described in the application and the quality of the project’s model. However, an application should clearly designate the lead applicant, as well as the roles of each partner in the project. Note that under the competitive priorities for FY 2015, we give more points under priority two for applications with a tribal lead than we do under priority four for applications with tribal partners that are not the lead applicant.

22. Can we submit more than one application with different partners?

An entity is allowed to be a partner in multiple applications. In fact, one entity can be the lead applicant on multiple applications. Each application will be separately screened to determine whether the application meets requirements, and will be separately reviewed for quality. The proposed projects should not refer to services or activities that would be provided by a project described in another application. Also, the resources of the partnering entities, including personnel, must be sufficient to cover the commitments in all proposed projects. In other words, each project must be able to be implemented, as written, regardless of whether another proposed project is funded or not.

23. What does “demonstrates the capacity to improve outcomes” mean?

Each eligible NYCP applicant must demonstrate that either the lead applicant or one of the partners in the project has the capacity to improve student outcomes that are relevant to the project focus, through prior experience with programs funded through other sources. Under selection criterion (e) “Quality of Experience,” peer reviewers will judge the extent to which the applicant demonstrates this capacity. Evidence of past success is not required to meet the What Works Clearinghouse standards. However, the evidence of past success should be relevant to the project focus.

For example, if a tribe partners with a local school district and the partnership determines that the greatest barrier to student outcomes is high-school dropout rates, the partnership may choose a strategy focused on the local middle school and high school that includes cultural competence training for teachers and a new after-school program. In that case, the tribe could not submit evidence of its past success in the Head Start program that it runs, because that is not directly related to the specific strategy chosen for its NYCP. However, after researching local or national programs that have evidence of success in lowering the drop-out rate, the partnership could add a partner that has experience and success with such a program. The evidence of past success does not need to be specific to AI/AN students, but if it is not, the program model chosen must be modified to be culturally appropriate.

24. Do programs “funded through other sources” include philanthropic resources, as well as Federal, State, tribal, and local sources?

Yes. As noted in the answer above, applicants must show that either the lead applicant or one of the partners has the demonstrated capacity to improve student outcomes that are relevant to the project focus, through prior experience with programs funded through other sources. We intend that applicants and their partners can describe this past experience with reference to programs funded from a wide range of sources, such as philanthropies, foundation grants, and state, local, or tribally-funded programs. Examples of federal programs from which a partner can show evidence of success include grants funded through other offices in the Department (e.g., Office of Special Education Programs, Office of Career Technical and Adult Education, and Office of Postsecondary Education) and through components of other departments (e.g., Head Start, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Indian Health Service, Temporary Aid for Needy Families, and Bureau of Indian Education).

25. What does it mean to have scientific research as the basis for the project?

One application requirement is that the proposed project must be based either on scientific research or on an existing program that has been modified to be culturally appropriate. The selection criteria under Quality of Project Design include the extent to which the project is based on scientific research or an existing program that has been modified to be culturally appropriate, and also the extent to which the project is supported by strong theory. Strong theory means “a rationale for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.” (34 CFR 77.1(c)) A logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means “a well-specified conceptual framework that identifies key components of the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e., the active “ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key components and outcomes, theoretically and operationally.” (34 CFR 77.1(c))

26. What is community collaborative effort and how does it increase?

One of the GPRA performance measures (see NIA section VI.4) is designed to assess successful place-based projects in terms of increased community participation and collaboration in the project. Although this element is difficult to assess with objective measurable data, all projects can collect self-reported data on collaborative efforts. For example, a grantee could conduct a pre- and post-assessment by giving a survey at the start of the grant period and at the end of each grant year. The survey could be given to participating partner entities as well as parents, businesses, school staff, etc., and could contain questions about the status of collaboration around student outcomes, the perceived relationship between school district and tribe, and other indicators.

Grantees will report the data for GPRA measures in the annual performance report (APR) due at the end of each budget period. The Office of Indian Education (OIE) will aggregate the data across all projects to report on the program’s overall performance. Projects also include project-specific data on their APRs. OIE project staff will work with the directors of funded projects to ensure appropriate project-specific data are collected and reported.

27. What technical assistance (TA) will be available to applicants and grant recipients?

OIE will broadcast a pre-application webinar after the NIA is published in the Federal Register. The pre-application TA, including this webinar, will support potential applicants in how to develop partnerships, how to conduct a local needs assessment, how to design activities that address the barriers, and how to create a logic model that displays the relationship between the activities and desired changes/improvements.

After grants are awarded, grant recipients will receive on-going TA. This TA will support projects in working in, and with, tribal communities to improve student achievement, building the capacity of existing organizations and institutions, conducting community outreach, gaining stakeholder buy-in, and developing strategies for reaching the project objectives.

28. Who must comply with the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) hiring preference?

NYCP grants that are primarily for the benefit of members of federally-recognized tribes are subject to the provisions of section 7(b) of the ISDEAA (Pub. L. 93-638). That section requires that, to the greatest extent feasible, a grantee—

1. Give to Indians preferences and opportunities for training and employment in connection with the administration of the grant; and

2. Give to Indian organizations and to Indian-owned economic enterprises, as defined in section 3 of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 (25 U.S.C. 1452(e)), preference in the award of contracts in connection with the administration of the grant.

A federally-recognized tribe that receives a NYCP grant is subject to the hiring preference. If such a tribe partners with an SEA or LEA or any other entity, that entity would be subject to the hiring preference when using NYCP funds. However, a State-recognized tribe generally would not be subject to this hiring preference.

Notice of Intent to Apply

The Department will be able to review grant applications more efficiently if we know the approximate number of applicants that intend to apply. Therefore, the Assistant Secretary strongly encourages each potential applicant to notify us of their intent to submit an application for funding no later than [INSERT DATE 35 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]. To do so, please email [email protected] with the subject line “Intent to Apply,” and include the following information:

1. Applicant's name, mailing address, and phone number;

2. Contact person’s name and email address;

3. A defined local geographical community to be served;

4. Name(s) of partnering LEA(s) or BIE-funded school(s);

5. Name(s) of partnering tribe(s) or TEA(s); and

6. If appropriate, name(s) of other partnering organization(s).

Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent to apply may still apply for funding; applicants that do submit a notice of intent to apply are not bound to apply or bound by the information provided.

Application Procedures

Technical Assistance Workshop

The Department intends to hold a pre-application webinar designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. Information about webinar times and instructions for registering are on the Department Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/indiandemo/applicant.html. Please check the site regularly for updates.

Tips for Preparing and Submitting an Application

Beginning the Application Process

• Read this application package in its entirety, including the NIA, and make sure you follow all of the instructions.

• Read the Frequently Asked Questions section in this application package.

• If you do not understand an instruction or requirement, contact David Emenheiser, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Indian Education, Room 3W215, Washington, D.C. 20202. Telephone: (202) 260-1488 or by email: [email protected] for information about this grant competition.

Preparing Your Application

• Organize your narrative according to the selection criteria headings and respond comprehensively.

• Be thorough in your responses. Write so that someone who knows nothing about your community and the proposed activities, curricula, programs, and services can understand what you are proposing and why.

• Make sure your budget provides sufficient itemization and detailed descriptions about planned expenditures so Department staff can easily determine how amounts were calculated.

• Link your planned expenditures to the proposed activities, curricula, programs, and services. Do not request funds for miscellaneous purposes. Make sure you demonstrate that your proposed expenditures are necessary to carry out your program.

Submitting Your Application

• Use the checklist provided in this application package to ensure your application is complete before submitting it.

• Make sure all required forms are included and signed by an Authorized Representative of your organization.

• Transmit your application by the deadline date and time. When submitting your application electronically, you must use Grants.gov at: www.grants.gov. Unless you qualify for an exception in accordance with the instructions found in the NIA, you must submit your application electronically.

What Happens Next?

• When your application is submitted through Grants.gov, the PR/Award number will be generated automatically. Please refer to this PR/Award number if you need to contact us about your application.

• Staff members screen each application to ensure that all program eligibility requirements are met and that all forms are included and signed by the Authorized Representative. Ineligible applicants will receive a notification letter, including the reasons for ineligibility.

• If eligible, your application will be assigned to a panel of independent reviewers who will evaluate and score your proposal according to the selection criteria in this package. Your application will receive a score from 0 to 100, depending upon how well it addresses the selection criteria.

• A Grant Award Notification will be sent to applicants whose proposals rank high enough to be awarded a grant. Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will receive peer reviewers’ comments approximately 6 to 8 weeks after grant awards are announced. Unsuccessful applicants will also receive a notification letter. Please be sure your application contains a valid mailing address for both the Project Director and the Authorized Representative so that reviewers’ comments can be successfully delivered.

Application Submission

The deadline for submission of Indian Education Demonstration Grants Program applications through Grants.gov is [TBD].

Application Transmittal Instructions

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

We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described in the Federal Register notice for this competition, you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions.

Applications Submitted Electronically

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

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

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

Please note the following:

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

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

• When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend your file names be less than 50 characters. The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.

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

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

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

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: (CFDA Number 84.299A)

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 84.299A)

550 12th Street, SW.

Washington, DC 20202-4260

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

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications:

If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--

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

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

Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software

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

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

Important issues to consider:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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