Final For Posting_84.326T FY2026 Application Notice and Instructions_2026_0219.pdf

U.S. Department of Education

State Technical Assistance Projects to Improve

Services and Results for DeafBlind Children

FY 2026 Grant Competition Posted February 20, 2026

Contents Program Information

Award Details

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Costs

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Program Description

Priorities

Selection Criteria

Performance Measures

Application Submission Information

Application Review Information

Award Requirements

Application Checklist

Program Information The purpose of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and improve results for children with disabilities by providing TA, supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research.

DeafBlind children have complex needs and face a unique set of challenges that many of their peers with and without disabilities do not. Consequently, education agencies, providers, teachers, and families need significant support to address the intensive and diverse educational, related services, transitional, and early intervention needs of DeafBlind children to ensure that these children are prepared for lifelong learning and successful transition to postsecondary settings.

The purpose of these grants is to establish and operate State DeafBlind Projects in the States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Assistance Listing Number: 84.326T.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462, 1463 and 1481.

OMB Control Number: 1820–0028.

For Further Information: Rebecca Sheffield, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 4A232, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-6490. Email:

rebecca.sheffield@ed.gov.

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $1,022,860.

Maximum Award: The Award Information section below provides details on the maximum award per grant based on the state served.

Estimated Number of Awards: 8.

Project Period: Up to 24 months.

Application Deadline: April 21, 2026.

Note: This application notice and instructions is the official document governing the grant competition. ED is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Award Details Maximum Award: The following chart lists the maximum amount of funds for individual States and for a single budget period of 12 months. We will not make an award that exceeds the funding levels listed in this notice for individual States, or the combined funding levels listed in this notice for each State member of a consortium, for any single budget period of 12 months.

A State may be served by only one supported project. In determining the maximum funding levels for each State, the Secretary considered, among other things, the following factors:

(1) The total number of children from birth through age 21 in the State. (2) The number of children in poverty in the State. (3) The previous funding levels. (4) The minimum funding amounts. (5) The travel costs associated with serving the geographic location of the State.

State Maximum Funding Level

Connecticut $106,731

Maine $71,055

Massachusetts $166,152

New Hampshire $71,055

Oregon $133,543

Vermont $78,107

Washington $212,573

Wisconsin $183,644

Total $1,022,860

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants State educational agencies (SEAs); State lead agencies (LAs) under Part C of IDEA; local educational agencies (LEAs), including public charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law; Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs); other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; freely associated States and outlying areas; Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.

Note: Non-SEA applicants must include a letter of support from the SEA indicating that the SEA will work with the applicant if the applicant is awarded the grant.

In order to provide SEAs with greater flexibility in how TA is delivered and ensure high-quality TA, and in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127, individual States have the following options: (1) Participating as a member of a multi-State consortium; or (2) applying directly for funds as a single State. Therefore, eligible applicants for funds awarded under the priority may be an entity serving a multi-State consortium or a single State.

Note: For additional information regarding group applications, refer to 34 CFR 75.127, 75.128, and 75.129.

Eligible applicants are invited to submit single-State applications or be a member of a consortium application to provide DeafBlind TA services to individual States. If a State is included in more than one application as a member of a consortium or submits an individual State application, and more than one application is determined to be fundable for the State, the State will be given the option to choose the award (individual State or consortium) under which it will receive funding. A State may not be funded under multiple awards. The maximum level of funding for a consortium will reflect the combined total that the eligible entities comprising the consortium would have received if they had applied separately. For States within a consortium, each State must receive services consistent with its identified funding level.

Costs Cost Sharing

This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

Indirect Cost Rate Information

A grantee may recover the lesser of (a) its actual indirect costs as determined by the grantee’s negotiated indirect cost rate agreement and (b) 10 percent of its modified total direct costs. If a grantee’s allocable indirect costs exceed 10 percent of its modified total direct costs, the grantee may not recoup the excess by shifting the cost to other grants or contracts with the U.S. Government, unless specifically authorized by legislation. The grantee must use non-Federal revenue sources to pay for such unrecovered costs.

Administrative Cost Limitation

This program does not include any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses.

All administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to Cost

Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance.

Subgrantees

Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under this competition may award subgrants--to directly carry out project activities described in its application--to the following types of entities: IHEs, nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the activities proposed in the application, and other public agencies. The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application or that it selects through a competition under procedures established by the grantee, consistent with 34 CFR 75.708(b)(2).

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Applications Available February 20, 2026 Application Deadline April 21, 2026 Deadline for Intergovernmental Review June 22, 2026

Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions.

Note: For new potential grantees unfamiliar with grantmaking at ED, please consult our “Getting Started with Discretionary Grant Applications” webpage.

Program Description

Priorities Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C.

553) the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the absolute priority in this notice.

This notice includes one absolute priority and one competitive preference priority. The absolute priority is from the allowable activities in the statute (see Sections 662(c)(2), 663(c)(8)(A) and (C), and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1462, 1463, and 1481)). The competitive preference priority is from the Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grants Programs, published in the Federal Register on September 9, 2025 (90 FR 43514).

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant http://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/apply-grant/getting-started-discretionary-grant-applications https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/90-FR-43514

All priorities that are being addressed must be identified in the abstract form and the project narrative section of the application. For FY 2026, and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications for this competition, these absolute and competitive priorities are priorities as reflected in this document.

Absolute Priority: We consider only applications that meet the absolute priority.

Competitive Preference Priority: An application may receive a maximum of 10 additional points under the competitive preference priority. ED will not review or award points for the competitive preference priority if an applicant fails to clearly identify it as a competitive preference priority that it wishes ED to consider for purposes of awarding competitive preference priority points.

Priority Type Priority Title Required Priority Language Points Absolute Priority

State Technical Assistance Projects to Improve Services and Results for DeafBlind Children.

Yes Projects to establish and operate State Technical Assistance Projects to Improve Services and Results for DeafBlind Children (State DeafBlind Projects) in the States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. These project(s) will help SEAs, Part C LAs, LEAs (including charter school LEAs), EIS (early intervention services) providers, teachers, service providers, and families to address the educational, related services, transitional, and early intervention needs of DeafBlind children.

Not applicable

Priority Type Priority Title Required Priority Language Points A grant may be awarded to an entity to serve a single State or a multi-State consortium. Funds awarded under this priority may not be used to provide direct early intervention services under Part C of IDEA or direct special education and related services under Part B of IDEA.

Competitive Preference Priority

Returning Education to the States

No

Projects or proposals that will be carried out by State educational agencies (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(49).

0 or 10 points

Absolute Priority Program Requirements:

The projects must achieve, at a minimum, the following expected outcomes:

(a) Provide TA and training on improving outcomes to personnel who serve DeafBlind children;

(b) Increase early identification and referral of DeafBlind children for appropriate services and supports;

(c) Facilitate emerging and developing literacy and numeracy for DeafBlind children by promoting access to the grade level general education curriculum, including grade-level or alternate academic achievement standards, through the use of high-quality practices;

(d) Expand support to DeafBlind children and their families during the transition to post-secondary education or employment.

(e) Increase support to families of DeafBlind children to facilitate their involvement in early intervention, education, and transition opportunities; and

(f) Effective collaboration and coordination with the OSEP-funded National Center on Deafblindness (National Center).

Absolute Priority Application Requirements:

In addition, to be considered for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the following requirements:

(a) Describe, in the narrative section of the application under “Significance,” how the proposed project will:

(1) Provide EIS providers, special education teachers, general education teachers, related services personnel, and SEA, LEA, LA, and EIS administrators with the training and information needed to develop and implement individualized supports to ensure that DeafBlind children have access to, and make progress in, the grade level general education curriculum, including grade-level or alternate academic achievement standards, and have access to high-quality educational opportunities that lead to successful transitions to postsecondary education or employment; and

(2) In conjunction with Department-funded State Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs), ensure that family members and caregivers of DeafBlind children across the State (or the States within a region a consortium will serve) have the training and information needed to establish, maintain, and improve productive partnerships with teachers, school administrators, and service providers.

To address the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section, the applicant must--

(i) Present applicable State, regional, or local data (and, in the case of an application for a consortium, data for each State that the consortium will serve) demonstrating training and information needs of EIS providers, special and general education teachers, related services personnel, and family members and caregivers identified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section, taking into account the varied needs of the population and geographical distribution of DeafBlind children; Demonstrate knowledge of current educational issues and policy initiatives in educating DeafBlind children, including any State-specific policy initiatives, and explain how the applicant will support their implementation; and

(ii) Describe the applicant’s approach to improving educational, social, and communication outcomes for DeafBlind children, and indicate the likely magnitude or importance of these outcomes.

(b) Describe, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project design,” how the proposed project will—

(1) Identify the needs of the intended recipients for TA and information;

(2) Ensure that services meet the needs of the intended recipients of the grant and that any proposed products are first approved by the OSEP project officer and then developed in coordination with the National Center;

(3) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet this requirement, the applicant must provide measurable intended project outcomes.

(4) Be based on current research and make use of high-quality practices. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) The current research and high-quality practices that ensure access to the grade-level general education curriculum, including grade-level or alternate academic achievement standards, and high-quality educational opportunities that lead to successful transitions to postsecondary education or employment;

(ii) How the proposed project will provide responsive, high-quality training and TA to the family members and caregivers of DeafBlind children and TA and professional development to practitioners identified in paragraph (a) of the application and administrative requirements in this section; and

(iii) The process the proposed project will use to incorporate current research and high-quality practices in the development and delivery of its products and services;

(5) Provide TA services that are of high quality and sufficient intensity and duration to achieve the intended outcomes of the proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) The proposed approach to universal, general TA, which must describe--

(A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of recipients, that will receive the products and services;

(B) The services that the project proposes to make available;

(ii) The proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA, which must describe--

(A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of recipients, that will receive the services;

(B) The services that the project proposes to make available;

(iii) The proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA, which must describe—

(A) Its proposed approach to collaboration with SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS providers, PTIs, and other relevant entities, as appropriate, to support project initiatives, to leverage their available resources, and to develop supports for families, and to provide TA and training to teachers, EIS providers, and other service providers;

(B) Its proposed plan for assisting LEAs and EIS providers to address the varied needs of the population of DeafBlind children based on best practices and current research on effective training and professional development; and

(C) Its proposed plan for working with individuals and entities at each level of the education system (e.g., SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS providers, schools, and families) to promote communication among the different groups and ensure that systems are in place to support the effective use of high-quality practices for educating DeafBlind children.

(6) Implement services in collaboration with the National Center to meet the TA objectives within the State(s) served. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the intended project outcomes;

(ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the intended outcomes of this collaboration;

(iii) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to achieve the intended project outcomes; and

(iv) How the applicant will facilitate States’ ability to use and benefit from the National Center’s initiatives, products, and TA, including those initiatives that cross State boundaries.

(c) In the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building,” describe how the proposed project will collect and analyze data on specific and measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes of the project. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(1) The proposed evaluation methodologies, including instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses;

(2) The proposed standards or targets for determining interim and final outcomes;

(3) The proposed methods for collecting data on implementation supports and fidelity of implementation;

(4) How the proposed project will apply evaluation results to examine and improve the project’s implementation strategies and the progress toward achieving the project’s intended outcomes; and

(5) How the methods of evaluation will produce quantitative and qualitative data that demonstrate whether the project has achieved its intended outcomes.

(d) Describe, in the narrative section of the application under “Adequacy of resources,” how--

(1) The project will make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities;

(2) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to carry out the proposed activities;

(3) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the anticipated results and benefits, and funds will be spent in a way that increases their efficiency and cost-effectiveness, including by reducing waste or achieving better outcomes.

(e) Describe, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the management plan,” how--

(1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project’s intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel, consultants, and subcontractors, as applicable; and

(ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;

(2) Key project personnel and any consultants and subcontractors will be allocated to the project and how these allocations are appropriate and adequate to achieve the project’s intended outcomes;

(3) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and subcontractors have the qualifications and experience to carry out the proposed activities and achieve the project’s intended outcomes;

(4) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and services provided are of high quality, relevant, and useful to recipients;

(5) If applicable, how the States within a consortium will receive appropriate services; and

(6) If applicable, how the proposed project will ensure that the distribution of resources is equitable within a consortium; and

(f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant must--

(1) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the narrative;

(2) Include, in the budget, attendance at the following:

(i) A one-day planning meeting preceding each OSEP-hosted project directors’ conference held in Washington, DC, or virtually, in coordination with the National Center;

(ii) A two-day project directors’ conference in Washington, DC, during each year of the project period; and

(3) Provide an assurance that the project will reallocate unused travel funds no later than the end of the third quarter if the kick-off or planning meetings are conducted virtually;

(4) If the project maintains a website, ensure that it will be of high quality, with an easy-to-navigate design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility.

(5) Include, in Appendix A, an assurance to assist OSEP with the transfer of any needs assessment and Child Count data to recipients of a new award at the end of this award period, as appropriate.

Note: States are invited to form consortia to apply for funding under this priority in accordance with the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR 75.127 to 75.129. A consortium may be comprised of any two or more of the following States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Selection Criteria Selection criteria outline how the application will be scored. The maximum possible total score an application can receive for addressing the criteria is 100 points. The maximum possible score for addressing each criterion is indicated in parentheses following the criterion. The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.210

(a) Significance (up to 10 points). The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The extent to which the specific nature and magnitude of gaps or challenges are identified and the extent to which these gaps or challenges will be addressed by the services, supports, infrastructure, or opportunities described in the proposed project.

(2) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to be attained by the proposed project, especially contributions toward improving teaching practice and student learning and achievement.

(b) Quality of the Project Design (up to 35 points): The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified, measurable, and ambitious yet achievable within the project period, and aligned with the purposes of the grant program.

(2) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge and an evidence-based project component.

(3) The extent to which the training or professional development services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to build recipient and project capacity in ways that lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of those services.

(4) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project involve the use of efficient strategies, including the use of technology, as appropriate, and the leveraging of non-project resources.

(c) Quality of the Project Evaluation or Other Evidence-Building (up to 20 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building, the Secretary considers:

(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building are thorough, feasible, relevant, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project.

(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building are appropriate to the context within which the project operates and the target population of the proposed project.

(3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building will provide performance feedback and provide formative, diagnostic, or interim data that is a periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

(4) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building include the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quality data that are quantitative and qualitative.

(d) Adequacy of Resources (up to15 points): The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The extent to which the key personnel in the project, when hired, have the qualifications required for the proposed project, including formal training or work experience in fields related to the objectives of the project, and represent or have lived experiences of the target population.

(2) The adequacy of support for the project, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant or the lead applicant organization.

(3) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.

(e) Quality of the Management Plan (up to 20 points): The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.

(2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

(3) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality and accessible products and services from the proposed project for the target population.

Performance Measures ED has developed the following performance measures for the purposes of reporting to ED under 34 CFR 75.110:

Program Performance Measures. The Department developed the following performance measures, including long-term measures, to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities program:

Program Measure Description Program Performance Measure 1 The percentage of Technical Assistance and

Dissemination products and services deemed to be of high quality by an independent review panel of experts qualified to review the substantive content of the products and services.

Program Performance Measure 2 The percentage of Special Education Technical Assistance and Dissemination products and services deemed by an independent review panel of qualified experts to be of high relevance to educational and early intervention policy or practice.

Program Performance Measure 3 The percentage of all Special Education Technical Assistance and Dissemination products and services deemed by an independent review panel of qualified experts to be useful in improving educational or early intervention policy or practice.

Program Performance Measure 4 The cost efficiency of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination Program includes the percentage of milestones achieved in the current annual performance report period and the percentage of funds spent during the current fiscal year.

Long-Term Performance Measure The percentage of States receiving Special Education Technical Assistance and Dissemination services regarding scientifically or evidence-based practices for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities that successfully promote the implementation of those practices in school districts and service agencies.

In accordance with 34 CFR 75.110(b), applications must describe:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.110 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.110#p-75.110(b)

1. The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data.

2. The applicant's capacity to collect and report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in other projects or research.

In addition to providing performance measure information in applications, all grantees must submit an annual performance report with information that is responsive to these performance measures.

The Department will also closely monitor the extent to which the products and services provided by the project meet needs identified by stakeholders and may require the project to report on such alignment in its annual and final performance reports.

Application Submission Information Registration

To apply, you must first be registered in two systems: SAM.gov and Grants.gov. If you are already registered, make sure your registration is active and up to date.

Grants.gov registration involves several steps, including registration on SAM.gov. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot apply until all registration steps are complete. Once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to become available in Grants.gov. For detailed information on the registration steps, please go to: Grants.gov Applicant Registration.

Please note that your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.

SAM.gov

You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process early.

To register, go to SAM.gov and click on "Get Started."

Click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register in SAM.gov.

If you need help, you can call 866-606-8220 or live chat with the Federal Service Desk.

Grants.gov

You must also have an active account with Grants.gov.

To register, go to Grants.gov and click “Register.” When ready, click on “Get Registered Now” and complete the required fields.

For more information or assistance, click on “Applicant Registration Page.”

http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/entity-registration https://sam.gov/sites/default/files/2024-11/entity-checklist.pdf https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://grants.gov/ https://grants.gov/register https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/register.faces?INITIAL_LOAD=true https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/register.faces?INITIAL_LOAD=true https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

ED strongly recommends that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application.

Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. If Grants.gov rejects your application, you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

You must provide the Unique-Entity ID (UEI) on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This UEI is assigned to your organization in SAM at the time your organization registers in SAM. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.

A Grants.gov applicant must apply online using Workspace, a shared environment in Grants.gov where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. The Grants.gov website contains further instructions on how to apply.

Intergovernmental Review

This is subject to Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. One of the objectives of Executive Order 12372 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 developed to coordinate and review proposed Federal financial grant applications. Grant applicants need to contact State Single Points of Contact (SPOC) for information on their State’s procedures. Multi- State applicants should follow procedures specific to each state. Further information about the SPOC List and the official list of entities can be found online.

Verify Submission

Verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, log in to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once ED receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.ojp.gov/IntergovernmentalReviewSPOCList.pdf

Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received,” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site.

For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet . If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to the Grants.gov Support Center for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs as well as additional information on Workspace.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at: support@grants.gov. You may also access the Grants.gov Self- Service Knowledge Base web portal.

Application Review Information Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217, information outside the rank order of applications, including: the information in each application; and any other information—

(1) Relevant to a criterion, priority, or other requirement that applies to the selection of applications for new grants;

(2) Concerning the applicant's performance and use of funds under a previous award under any ED program; and https://www.grants.gov/applicants/encountering-error-messages https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.217#p-75.217(d)(3) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.217#p-75.217(d)(3)

(3) Concerning the applicant's failure under any ED program to submit a performance report or its submission of a performance report of unacceptable quality.

Before making awards, ED staff will screen applications submitted in accordance with the requirements in this notice to determine whether applications have met eligibility and other requirements, including whether an application may fail to meet the “General Terms and Conditions” applicable to awarded funds referenced elsewhere within this notice. This screening process may occur at various stages of the review and selection process.

Applicants that are determined to be ineligible will not receive a grant, regardless of whether the application was included in the peer review process. Applications not selected for funding will be informed of the Secretary's decision in accordance with 34 CFR 75.218.

Peer reviewers will read, prepare a written evaluation of, and score the assigned applications, using the selection criteria provided in this notice.

Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions, applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness of the review process.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from ED (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

Award Requirements Terms and Conditions

If you are awarded a grant under this competition, you must ensure and may be required to demonstrate that federal funds will not be used under this project in any manner that violates the United States Constitution, Title VI or Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq. or 42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794), the Age https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.218 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-100.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-100.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-104.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-106.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-108.8 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-110.23 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/2000d https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/2000d https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/2000e https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1681 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/29/794

Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.), the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. 7905), section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1011f), or other applicable federal law. To the extent that a grantee uses grant funds for such unallowable activities, ED may take appropriate enforcement action, including under section 451 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) and/or the potential recovery of funds under section 452 of GEPA, or may pursue termination under 2 CFR 200.340. The Grant Award Notification document accompanying your award may contain further terms and conditions, as necessary, to ensure grantee compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and administrative priorities.

Applicable Regulations

(a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3474.

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 institutions of higher education (IHEs) only.

Continuation Awards

In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: whether a grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, whether the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance targets in the grantee's approved application, or whether the continuation of the project is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/6101 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/12131 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7905 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1011f https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.340 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.340 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.253 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-100.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-104.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-106.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-108.8 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-110.23

Other General Requirements

(a) Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).

(b) Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect to the aspects of their proposed projects relating to the absolute priority, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

Application Checklist The application will require you to fill out several forms, which are listed and linked in grants.gov. See below for a description of forms and sections:

1. Standard Documents

Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

ED Grant Application Form for Project Objectives and Performance Measures Information

2. Budget Information

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

3. ED Abstract Form

Project Abstract

4. Project Narrative

Application Narrative (Project Narrative Attachment Form)

5. Budget Narrative

Budget Narrative Attachment Form

6. Other Attachment Forms

Individual Resumes for Project Director & Key Personnel

Documentation of Nonprofit Status

7. Assurances and Certifications

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL)

Grants.gov Lobbying Form (ED 80-013 Form)

Part 1: Standard Documents

❑ Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

For additional information on Form SF 424, please visit Forms Repository for SF-424 and SF-424 Instructions.

❑ ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

These forms require basic identifying information about the applicant and the application. Please provide all requested applicant information (including name, address, e-mail address and UEI). When applying electronically via Grants.gov, https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/instructions/SF424_4_0-V4.0-Instructions.pdf you will need to ensure that the UEI on your application is the same as the UEI your organization used when it registered with the System for Award Management.

Applicants are advised to complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF

424) first. Grants.gov will automatically insert the correct Assistance Listing Number and program name automatically wherever needed on other forms.

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

For more information, review the Grants.gov Forms Repository. ED Grant Application Form for Project Objectives and Performance Measures Information

This form collects project objectives and quantitative and/or qualitative program and project-specific performance measures at the time of application submission.

Part 2: Budget Information

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

This part of your application contains information about the Federal funding you are requesting. Remember that you must provide all requested budget information for each year of the project and the total column in order to be considered for Federal funding. Specific instructions for completing the budget forms are provided within this application package.

Applicants must provide a summary of requested Federal funds for each line-item category included on the worksheet. Applicants should provide dollar amounts for all requested years of the desired grant award. Please see Example ED 524 Budget Information Form.

Instructions for completing ED Form 524 Section A:

• Name of Institution/Organization: Enter the name of the applicant in the space provided.

• Personnel (line 1): Enter project personnel salaries and wages only. Include fees and expenses for consultants on line 6.

• Fringe Benefits (line 2): The institution’s normal fringe benefits contribution may be charged to the program. Leave this line blank if fringe benefits applicable to direct salaries and wages are treated as part of the indirect cost.

• Travel (line 3): Indicate the travel costs of employees and participants only.

Include travel of persons such as consultants on line 6.

https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.ed.gov/media/document/ed-524-form-budget-information-non-construction-programs https://www.ed.gov/media/document/ed-524-form-budget-information-non-construction-programs

• Equipment (line 4): Indicate the cost of tangible, non-expendable personal property that has a usefulness greater than one year and acquisition costs that are the lesser of the capitalization level established by the applicant entity for financial statement purposes or $10,000 per article. Lower limits may be established to maintain consistency with the applicant’s policy.

• Supplies (line 5): Show all tangible, expendable personal property. Direct supplies and materials differ from equipment in that they are consumable, expendable, and of a relatively low unit cost. Supplies purchased with grant funds should directly benefit the grant project and be necessary for achieving the goals of the project.

• Contractual (line 6): The contractual category should include all costs specifically incurred with actions that the applicant takes in conjunction with an established internal procurement system. Include consultant fees, expenses, and travel costs in this category if the consultant’s services are obtained through a written binding agreement or contract.

• Construction (line 7): Construction funds are not authorized.

• Other (line 8): Indicate all direct costs not covered on lines 1-6. For example, include costs such as space rental, required fees, honoraria and travel (where a contract is not in place for services), training, and communication and printing costs. Do not include costs that are included in the indirect cost rate.

• Total Direct Costs (line 9): The sum of lines 1-8.

• Indirect Costs (line 10): Indicate the applicant’s approved indirect cost rate, per sections 75.560-75.564 of EDGAR. If an applicant does not have an approved indirect cost rate agreement with a cognizant Federal agency, the applicant must apply to ED for a temporary indirect cost rate if it wishes to charge indirect costs to the grant. For more information, go to ED’s website. In addition, a grantee, if it is eligible, may also use a de minimis rate as provided for under 2 CFR 200.414(f).

• Training Stipends (line 11): Not Applicable for this program.

• Total Cost (line 12): This should equal to sum of lines 9-11 (total direct costs + indirect + stipends). The sum for column one, labeled Project Year 1 (a), should also be equal to item 15a on the application cover sheet (SF Form 424).

Part 3: ED…