FY25_BAA_Final_011625.pdf

HE125425R5000-Grants to Military-Connected Local Educational

Agencies for Academic and Support Programs and the World

Language Advancement and Readiness Program

Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Guidelines

CFDA: 12.556

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)

Deadline for Receipt of Applications:

Friday, April 18, 2025, by 11:59PM ET

Discretionary Grant Program, Notice Inviting Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025

I. BASIC INFORMATION

Federal Agency Name: Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)

Funding Opportunity Title: Grants to the Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for

Academic and Support Programs (known herein as MCASP) and the World Language

Advancement and Readiness Program (known herein as WLARP), Fiscal Year 2025.

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

Funding Opportunity Number: HE125425R5000

Assistance Listing Number: 12.556 Competitive Grants: Promoting K-12 Student

Achievement at Military-Connected Schools

Funding Details: DoDEA plans to award multiple grants, subject to funding availability. Each grant will range from $500,000 to $2,000,000. Award amount is subject to eligibility requirements as described within this announcement. Period of performance for each grant awarded under this announcement will begin on September 30, 2025, and will end on May 31, 2030. All applicants who are selected for award will be notified of their award selection no later than September 30, 2025.

Key Dates and Agency Contact Information:

January 17, 2025 Applications Available (https://www.grants.gov)

February 28, 2025 Pre-recorded Technical Assistance Webinar (https://dodeagrants.org/)

April 18, 2025 Deadline for Transmittal of Applications, No Later than 11:59PM

Eastern Time

No Later than

September 30, 2025 Anticipated Award Date

Agency Contact

Information

When contacting DoDEA, include in the subject line of the email, HE125425R5000.

DoDEA Grant Program Office:

Jennifer Dailey-Perkins, Grant Program Manager

DoDEA.Grants@dodea.edu

DoDEA Procurement Division:

Thatsanee Schwarzmann, Grants Officer thatsanee.schwarzmann@dodea.edu

Tresa Simmons, Grants Specialist tresa.simmons@dodea.edu https://www.grants.gov/ https://dodeagrants.org/ mailto:DoDEA.Grants@dodea.edu mailto:thatsanee.schwarzmann@dodea.edu mailto:tresa.simmons@dodea.edu

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is seeking innovative applications to support the academic needs of highly mobile military-connected students and to enhance world language programs for elementary and secondary students. DoDEA plans to award multiple grants, ranging from $500,000 to $2,000,000, for up to five years, subject to funding availability.

Target Audience: Military-connected students in elementary and secondary schools.

Eligible Recipients: A Local Education Agency (LEA) with schools that have a military-connected student enrollment of 10% or greater for the 2023-2024 school year.

Program Goals and Objectives: Under this announcement, eligible LEAs can choose to apply for the following programs. A separate submission is required for each program.

Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for Academic and Support Programs

(MCASP) must address one or more of the following:

• Academic strategies to increase academic achievement.

• Professional learning (e.g., curriculum development, training) for educators.

• Appropriate services to improve the academic achievement of military-connected students.

• Access to virtual and distance learning capabilities and related applications.

• Support for practices that minimize the impact of transition and deployment.

World Language Advancement and Readiness Program (WLARP):

• Eligible schools must be part of an LEA that hosts or has a pending application to host a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) unit.

• Establish, improve, and/or expand one of the DoD Strategic Languages (as outlined in Appendix D) for PK-12 students and must incorporate one or more of the following:

o Promote early language learning to develop higher proficiency and support national security needs.

o Integrate world languages across subject areas and create new language experiences.

o Use technology to enhance language instruction and expand course offerings.

Application Requirements:

• Completion and submission of required federal forms, a written project narrative, and detailed budget table as outlined in Section V.

• Ability to perform post-award requirements to include having a collection method for performance measures and effectiveness data.

Table of Contents

I. BASIC INFORMATION

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

III. ELIGIBILITY

Eligible Applicants

Funding Details

Cost Sharing

IV. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Authorization

V. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

Address to Request Application Package

Content and Form of Application Submission

VI. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINE

Grants.gov Application Submission and Receipt Procedures

How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

Certifications and Assurance

VII. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Background

Review Criteria

Review and Selection Process

VIII. AWARD NOTICES

Funding Amount and Period of Performance

Monitoring and Support

Award Notification

IX. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Reporting

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

Pre-Award Costs

Pre-Award Technical Assistance

Relevant Details

Certification regarding Restrictions on Lobbying

Code of Conduct

Appendix A: Cover Page Sample and Application Template for Narrative

Application Template for Project Narrative

Sample Abstract

Appendix B: Application Templates

Logic Model

Evaluation Plan Template

Appendix C: Sample Detail Budget Table *

Appendix D: Approved List of Foreign Languages

Appendix E: Scoring Criteria

III. ELIGIBILITY

Eligible Applicants

Local Education Agencies (LEAs), including charter schools recognized as LEAs by state law, can apply for this funding. For this announcement, an LEA is a local or state authority or board of education that controls free public, local education. An LEA includes local school districts that offer free public education for elementary and secondary students, like a County Public Schools System. However, it does not include schools that charge tuition, such as a private PK-12 school. For-profit organizations, foreign institutions, and individuals cannot apply. Federal agencies and current federal employees also cannot receive this funding but can be project partners. Current DoDEA grant recipients can apply. Resources will be provided to LEAs for their eligible schools.

Eligible schools must meet these criteria:

All Applicants: Schools must have at least 10% military-connected students for the

2023-2024 school year. This can be verified through various sources like the district’s

U.S. Department of Education Impact Aid totals or State Military Student Identifier data.

Each school must individually meet the 10% requirement. A military-connected student is defined as a student who is a dependent of a member of the Armed Forces, a civilian employee of the Department of Defense, or someone employed on Federal property.

WLARP Applicants Only: Schools must be part of an LEA that currently hosts or has applied to host a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) unit in one of their high schools. JROTC programs are elective courses run by the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps in over 3,000 high schools nationwide. To check if an LEA has a

JROTC program, visit the respective service JROTC website.

Funding Details

The amount available through this announcement will be dependent upon final FY 2025 budgetary decisions. Publication of this notice does not obligate DoDEA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funding. If any applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement from the authorized DoDEA Grants Officer or

DoDEA Grant Program Manager, the applicant does so solely at the LEA’s own risk of such costs not being included under an award if an award is made to the applicant. Pre-award costs are not allowed under this award unless prior written approval has been given by the DoDEA Grants Officer or DoDEA Grant Program Manager in accordance with 2

CFR 200.458 and 200.407.

All applicants can request funding up to the amount prescribed in the funding formula outlined in Table 1. The funding formula for this opportunity is based ONLY on the total number of military- connected students at eligible/target school(s).

Table 1. DoDEA FY25 MCASP and WLARP Grant Funding Formula

Number of Military-Connected

Students at Eligible School(s)

Award Amount

(Total for 54 months)

500 or fewer $500,000.00

501 – 750 $750,000.00

751 – 1,000 $1,000,000.00

1,001 – 1,250 $1,250,000.00

1,251 – 1,500 $1,500,000.00

1,501 or greater $2,000,000.00

Cost Sharing

The non-Federal share of costs refers to that portion of the project or program costs not borne by the Federal Government. This may include cash and third-party in-kind contributions. These costs must reflect the realistic capacity of the applicants and any third-party contributors. Cost sharing is NOT required. Providing cost sharing, or non-federal share is not an eligibility factor nor requirement for this NOFO and providing cost share will not result in a more favorable competitive ranking. Per 2 CFR 200, Subpart E

Costs Principles, items that are proposed for cost share must be allowable, reasonable and allocable.

IV. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Since 2009, over three million public school students in 39 states have been impacted by this program. Additionally, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have expressed concern about the lack of military personnel with advanced language skills and believe this could be addressed by promoting foreign language study programs targeting elementary and secondary students. As a result, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 authorized the development of a competitive grant program to provide support to eligible entities for the establishment, improvement, or expansion of world language study for students at public schools in an LEA that hosts a unit of the

Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC).1 To this end, DoDEA provides a competitive grant program to domestic public schools that identify a need focused on academic mastery, narrowing learning gaps for students that transition, and/or providing consistent access to educational programs. This funding opportunity has two applicable programs, Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for Academic and Support

Programs (MCASP) and the World Language Advancement and Readiness Program

(WLARP). Applicants can apply for funding to implement MCASP and/or WLARP at

1 Section 1751, Public Law 116-92, Dec. 20, 2019.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E their respective LEA. Please note that even if an eligible LEA applies for both programs, an applicant will only be awarded a grant under one program, not both. The determination of which program the applicant will be awarded will be at DoDEA’s discretion. The following provides a description of both programs for LEAs to select for funding.

MCASP: Project scope for MCASP applicants may range in size and complexity. Efforts may have an emphasis on hands on, problem-based learning activities, education outcomes, convergence of multiple curricular disciplines, and/or career pathways/opportunities. The following are examples of successfully funded prior proposals:

a. Engaging students where disciplines converge, including programs that meaningfully integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects as well as other disciplines such as Career and Technical Education (CTE), arts & humanities.

b. Designing innovative learning experiences to teach literacy, mathematics, computer science, and/or other CTE courses.

c. Developing partnerships to implement education and outreach programs with a holistic approach to understanding real-world applications.

d. Filling gaps in schools that lack necessary infrastructure through innovative programming and/or novel interventions to address student achievement gaps in any curricular subject.

WLARP: To be successful in national security efforts and effectively collaborate with global populations, world language skills are a critical defense competency. Experts indicate that students learning languages starting at the K-12 levels develop higher language proficiency than those starting in college; therefore, introducing elementary and secondary students to world languages is critical to developing and sustaining the pipeline of individuals with skills needed to address national security and economic competitiveness needs. As a result, the Department of Defense (DoD) is committed to increasing world language skills and cultural knowledge capability and capacity by identifying and training students who could become potential service members with high aptitude to learn world languages. The goal of any proposed effort under this announcement must provide solutions that will establish, improve, or expand world language study for PK-12 public school students in an LEA that hosts a unit of the

JROTC. For this effort, world language is defined as American Sign Language (ASL) and/or any of the languages included on the DoD Strategic Language List (SLL) as defined in DoD Directive 5160.41E, Defense Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture

Program, and can be found at Appendix D of this announcement.

Applicants seeking funding for WLARP should include in their application a project narrative that focuses on one or more of the following scope areas:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/516041Ep.pdf?ver=2020-08-25-152344-143 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/516041Ep.pdf?ver=2020-08-25-152344-143 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/516041Ep.pdf?ver=2020-08-25-152344-143

• Establish and implement programs that showcase a meaningful integration of world language(s) across subject areas. Projects under this scope would include world language immersion or partial world language immersion of any of the languages included on the DoD SLL (Appendix D) and/or ASL.

• Establish and implement an exploratory pilot program that seeks to create new world language experiences for students. For example, this type of project may link native speakers of languages other than English within the LEA with the target schools in order to promote two-way language learning. The language used for this scope must be included on the DoD SLL (Appendix D) and/or ASL.

• Improve or expand content-based instruction in the target school’s current world language program of one or more of the languages included on the DoD SLL

(Appendix D) and/or ASL.

• Effectively use technology, such as computer-assisted instruction or distance (virtual) learning, to establish or expand course offerings of one or more world languages included on the DoD SLL (Appendix D) and/or ASL.

Applicants can see examples of successful projects funded in the past by visiting dodeagrants.org and checking the map at the bottom of the homepage.

All MCASP and WLARP applications should:

• Address the program description.

• Demonstrate potential to make a substantial impact.

• Create meaningful content and participant experiences that meet the intent of either the MCASP or WLARP program.

• Collect a set of program-specific measures of performance to include capture of participation rates and measures of effectiveness appropriate to the goals of the project.

• Provide a clear overview and rationale for how grant funding will be allocated.

• Contain a strategy for program sustainability once the period of performance of this award ends.

Authorization

Authority for this competitive grant is provided by the following: 2007 National Defense

Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 574(d) (now Section 574(c)) of Public Law 109-364, Oct. 17, 2006 (made permanent through Section 552, Public Law 115-91, Dec. 12, 2017); and

2020 NDAA Section 1751 of P.L. 116–92. This publication also constitutes a Notice of

Funding Opportunity (NOFO) as contemplated in the Department of Defense Grants and

Agreements Regulations (DoDGARS) 32 CFR 22.315 – Merit-based, competitive procedures.

DoDEA will not issue paper copies of this announcement. DoDEA reserves the right to select for award all, some, or none of the applications in response to this announcement.

Application packages to include project narratives and budgets (or any other material) submitted in response to this NOFO will not be returned. DoDEA will treat all applications as sensitive competitive information and will disclose their contents only for the purposes of

DoDEA’s evaluation of the grant applications.

Awards will take the form of individual grants, not cooperative agreements. According to 2

CFR 200.1, a subaward is defined as an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out most of a Federal award received by the pass-through entity. No subawards will be considered under this NOFO. Any grant awarded under this announcement will be governed by the award terms and conditions that conform to DoD’s implementation of OMB circulars applicable to financial assistance. Terms and conditions will include revisions to reflect DoD implementation of new OMB guidance in 2

CFR Part 200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit

Requirements for Federal Awards.”

The applicant must meet the minimum standards for receiving federal funds, as defined in 32

CFR 22.415, which states that to be qualified, a potential recipient must do the following:

1) Have the management capability and adequate financial and technical resources, given those that would be made available through the grant or cooperative agreement, to execute the program of activities envisioned under the grant or cooperative agreement.

2) Have a satisfactory record of executing such programs or activities (if a prior recipient of an award).

3) Have a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics.

4) Be otherwise qualified and eligible to receive a grant under applicable laws and regulations.

The applicant must agree to abide by all federal rules and regulations regarding performance and financial management, including, but not limited to 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative

Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Any inconsistencies in the requirements of award will be resolved in the following order of precedence:

1) Federal statutes.

2) Federal regulations.

3) 2 CFR part 200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards"

4) 2 CFR part 1104, “Implementation of Governmentwide Guidance for Grants and Cooperative Agreements”

5) Award-specific terms and conditions.

6) DoD General Terms and Conditions.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200

V. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

Applications will only be received electronically, as editable PDFs, Word documents, or

Excel spreadsheets through https://www.grants.gov/ no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time on April 18, 2025. Applications are NOT to be submitted via email. Access to complete instructions may be found at the following URL: https://grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants

Award Notification: It is anticipated that final selections for award will be made no later than September 30, 2025.

Address to Request Application Package

All relevant materials are available with this announcement on Grants.gov.

Content and Form of Application Submission

Applications submitted under this NOFO must seek to address unclassified efforts. As a corollary, no classified applications shall be submitted. Application submissions will be protected from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with applicable laws and DoD regulations. All eligible applications will be merit reviewed and rank ordered for potential award, inclusive of risk assessment. Failure to follow the below directions will result in the submitted application not being considered for funding.

An application must include all elements related to (1) and (2) below. Elements (3) and

(4) are optional and not included in the merit review process nor the total package page limit. Any non-requested elements submitted as part of a full application package will be removed from the application prior to merit review. See full details of each element below the list.

1. Required Federal Forms

2. Project Narrative

3. References Cited

4. Letter(s) of Support and Supporting Documents

1. Required Federal Forms

Prospective applicants must complete the mandatory forms in accordance with the instructions provided on the forms and the additional instructions below. Files that are attached to the forms must be in Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf) unless otherwise specified in this announcement. At the time of application submission, applicants must complete and submit the following federal forms with signatures of the Authorized

Representative of the submitting LEA:

▪ SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

▪ SF-424-A, Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs

▪ SF-424-B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants

2. Project Narrative

Submit Project Narrative as an editable PDF using the following format:

1) Paper Size – 8.5 x 11-inch paper

2) Margins – 1 inch

3) Spacing – single spaced

4) Font – Times New Roman, 12-point

5) Page limit – The project narrative cannot exceed 30 pages. While this page limit does not include cover page, abstract, table of contents or appendices that may provide additional context for narrative claims, the entire package (narrative + appendices) cannot exceed 60 pages.

6) The project narrative components should include the following (scoring criteria are detailed in Appendix E):

o Overview Materials (including cover page with enrollment numbers, abstract, and Table of Contents) o Executive Summary (< 500 words) o Needs Assessment and Rationale for the Project o Project Goals o Planning/Implementation Years Narrative o Logic Model o Professional Learning Plan o Project Evaluation Plan o Sustainability Plan o Appendix A: Key Personnel Qualifications o Appendix B: Budget Narrative and Detail Budget Table

Overview Materials (pass/fail):

Applicants must use the template for the application found in Appendix A of this

NOFO for submission of your grant project proposal.

• Cover Page must include all contact information (including mailing address), names of military installations served, which program LEA is applying for funding (either MCASP or WLARP), project focus (scope) area(s), enrollment data for eligible/target schools, JROTC unit located within school district (if

WLARP applicant), and an authorized signature.

• Abstract of no longer than 250 words is required. The abstract is placed on the cover page and should be a concise overview of the objectives of the project, project activities, location of the project, expected outcome(s), and the proposed rationale/impact for the work. NOTE: Project abstracts of applications that receive funding may be posted on program-related websites and/or included in notices that DoDEA may send to members of Congress.

• Table of Contents lists the elements in the grant proposal narrative with the corresponding section and page numbers.

Executive Summary (pass/fail):

The executive summary should be a concise overview of the project's key points and objectives, with no more than 500 words. It should be brief and to the point, summarizing the essential details of the project. The executive summary should clearly state the problem the project addresses and outline the proposed solution, while also emphasizing the potential impact and significance of the project for the target population.

Needs Assessment and Rationale for the Project (see Table 7 for scoring criteria)

Project Goals (see Table 8 for scoring criteria)

Planning and Implementation Years Narrative (see Table 9 for scoring criteria)

Logic Model (see Table 10 for scoring criteria)

Professional Learning Plan (see Table 11 for scoring criteria)

Project Evaluation Plan – including template (see Table 12 for scoring criteria)

Sustainability Plan (see Table 13 for scoring criteria)

Appendix A: Key Personnel Qualifications (pass/fail – see table 14 for scoring criteria) – Key personnel are individuals who are essential to the successful implementation of a federal award. For all DoDEA grants, the key personnel are specifically identified as the Project Director and External

Evaluator. The Project Director (PD) is primarily responsible for the overall administration and reporting of the project funded by the award. Here are some key responsibilities of the PD:

1. Leadership and Direction: The PD leads the project, ensuring it aligns with the terms, conditions, and objectives of the award.

2. Compliance: Ensures adherence to all applicable federal regulations, monitoring, and reporting requirements.

3. Financial Management: Works with school district finance office to ensure that funds are used appropriately and in accordance with the terms of the award.

4. Reporting: Submits required performance and financial reports and ensures timely communication with the DoDEA.

It is recommended that the PD is employed by the district and lives within the commuting area of the targeted schools to ensure oversight and timely monitoring of grant requirements. It is required that the PD is at minimum 0.5 full time equivalent (FTE) for the duration of the grant.

Describe key personnel involved in the grant to include expectations for the project director and external evaluator. This portion of the narrative should address how key personnel will do the following:

a) Use background knowledge and experience to direct a project with the chosen focus to include addressing project barriers and challenges (e.g., poor staff investment, school leadership turnover, low band width for technology devices) collaboratively with district and/or school staff. (Project Director)

b) Utilize the project plan activities and tools presented in the logic model and planning/implementation year narrative to continually monitor and redirect strategy and professional learning implementation. (Project Director)

c) Provide the external evaluator with formative and summative project data to analyze project progress and student outcomes. (Project Director)

d) Use different types of metrics (e.g., quantitative, qualitative), conduct higher-level analyses, and effectively use data visualization to show progress toward goal(s), as evidenced in performance reporting (i.e., planning year report, annual reports, and closeout report). (External Evaluator)

e) Use collaborative and participatory approaches to work with project staff by providing actionable information to improve strategy and professional learning implementation for ongoing implementation and sustainability. (External

Evaluator)

f) List support staff positions including names/roles, if known.

Append a document as Appendix A—not to exceed two pages in length—listing the qualifications for the project director and external evaluator. If either is yet to be determined (TBD), append a description of the criteria that will be used to advertise the position(s). Resumes of key personnel can be attached as an additional appendix and will not be included in merit review.

Appendix B: Budget Narrative and Detail Budget Table (pass/fail – see Table

15 for scoring criteria) - The application must include a cost proposal detailing direct labor (personnel), fringe benefits, travel, contracts, equipment, supplies, and indirect costs. The cost proposal is a budget narrative explaining and justifying budget figures in detail. A Microsoft Excel file shall be provided to support the narrative so the Government can determine reasonableness and should address the following:

a. Overview and rationale for how grant funds (and any matching funds) will be allocated. Justifications for costs must be explicitly stated.

b. Existing resources and other support the LEA expects to receive for the proposed project. They may include any resources or support (monetary or in-kind) that applicants expect to receive from community partners. A letter of support from the community partner (if applicable) should be included as a separate appendix. The letter should provide details about the resources and/or support that will be provided to the applicant as part of the project. This will not be included in merit review.

c. Role/position for each person being funded through the grant and how their scope of work is reasonable for grant funding.

d. Estimates for implementing and maintaining strategies and action items, as well as district standards for inventory control for supplies and equipment.

The detailed budget table must include all figures, calculations, and supporting documentation to determine cost allowability, allocability, and reasonableness. It should outline costs per unit item and provide evidence (e.g., quotes, websites, invoices) for all allocable costs. Ensure links have appropriate access permissions

(unlocked) and are viable. The Grants Officer must be able to verify that all proposed costs are allocable, allowable, and reasonable. The budget should be detailed enough for DoDEA staff and the review panel to assess the project's proposed effort, including all anticipated expenses. Note that food and beverage costs, except for subsistence during authorized travel (per diem), are not allowable under this NOFO. Failure to provide detailed cost data for the entire grant period may result in application denial. Additional information may be requested by DoDEA if needed. Refer to Appendix C in this NOFO for a sample

Detail Budget Table.

The detailed budget table must be submitted as an appendix (labeled as Appendix

B) in Microsoft Excel and clearly referenced within the budget narrative. It should identify and justify the costs of the proposed work, correlating with the budget narrative and sustainability section. The table must include a total 5-year summary and a detailed year-by-year breakdown by cost category, separated into

Federal and non-Federal categories (if applicable). It should be detailed enough to clearly understand the cost breakdown and calculations used to derive line-item subtotals in each object class of the SF-424A budget. The following direct cost funding budget category requirements apply to all awarded grants under this announcement:

a) Personnel: This includes individual labor categories or persons, with associated labor hours and unburdened direct labor rates. Provide escalation rates for out years. All DoDEA grants require at least a part-time (0.5 FTE)

Project Director to serve as key personnel. Example of allowable personnel costs under this NOFO include:

• Project Director Salary

• Instructional Coach and Content Specialist Salaries

• Substitute Teacher Costs

• Stipends and/or Honorariums

• Extra Staff Hours

Any support positions required for grant implementation must be clearly outlined in both the budget narrative and detail budget table. Salaries of administrative and clerical staff are normally indirect costs (and included at an indirect cost rate). Direct charging for administrative/clerical services is appropriate only if they meet all three of the following conditions:

(1) The administrative or clerical services are integral to a Federal award;

(2) Individuals involved can be specifically identified with a Federal award; and

(3) The costs are not also recovered as indirect costs.

Direct charging of administrative and/or clerical support costs may be appropriate if an extensive level of support (significantly greater than normal and routine) is needed for grant planning and implementation. Budgets proposing direct charging of administrative or clerical salaries must be supported with a budget justification which adequately describes the major project and the administrative and/or clerical work to be performed. See 2

CFR 200.430, Compensation – personal services for additional information.

b) Fringe Benefits: These are allowances and services provided by employers to their employees in addition to regular salaries and wages. These benefits include costs of leave, employee insurance, pensions, and unemployment benefit. Other fringe benefits include Costs for employer contributions or expenses for social security, employee life, health, unemployment, and worker's compensation insurance, pension plan costs, and other similar benefits are allowable if they are permitted under established recipients’ written policies. The application should show the rates and calculation of the costs for each rate category. Fringe benefits are only allowable to be charged to the grant for employees who are working on this grant. The overall cost of each type of benefit to include the percentage rate at which it is paid must be listed in the applicant’s detail budget table. See 2 CFR 200.431, Compensation – fringe benefits, for additional information.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.430 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.430 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.431

c) Travel: As a condition of accepting this grant award, the LEA is required to attend the Annual DoDEA Community of Practice (CoP) meeting. This meeting serves as the post-award orientation meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that both the grant recipient and the awarding agency are on the same page regarding the grant's terms and conditions, reporting requirements, and overall expectations. The meeting also provides grant professionals with resources to build the capacity of grant professionals. The project director is required to attend this meeting, which is expected to occur in November 2025. Any additional staff who are essential to the project may also attend at the district’s discretion. Applicants may allocate up to

$10,000 in their travel budget for this meeting attendance. This meeting is held annually. Recipients are required to attend the meeting only in the calendar year they receive the award. However, all active grant recipients are welcome to attend the meeting annually. Any remaining funds not expended for the COP may be reallocated to other grant expenditures or used for other proposed travel. All other proposed travel costs (i.e. for training and professional learning) must include the following for each trip: the purpose of the trip, origin and destination if known, approximate duration, the number of travelers, and the estimated cost per trip. This must be justified based on the organization’s historical average cost per trip or other reasonable basis for estimation. Such estimates and the resultant costs claimed must conform to the applicable Federal cost principals. If the actual trip details are unknown, applicants should state the basis for the proposed travel costs. Applicant should refer to their written travel policy for guidance regarding acceptable travel cost. In the absence of an acceptable, written recipient policy regarding travel costs, the rates and amounts established under 5 U.S.C. 5701-11

(“Travel and Subsistence Expenses; Mileage Allowances”), or by the General

Services Administration federal travel per diem rates. Please note: no overseas student travel will be funded in any way through the grant award. See 2 CFR

200.475 for additional information.

d) Equipment: Equipment is defined by 2 CFR 200.1 as tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost that equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the recipient for financial statement purposes, or $10,000 or more per unit. An applicant is expected to be familiar with the management requirements and disposition of equipment as listed in the 2 CFR 200.313 and 2 CFR 200.439 if the LEA chooses to acquire equipment for grant implementation. All equipment, if procured, will be tracked annually through the completion of the Tangible Personal

Property Report (SF-428). This is a standard federal form for awarding agencies to collect information on tangible property (i.e., equipment). The form consists of cover sheet (SF-428) and three attachments to be used as https://www.gsa.gov/travel-resources https://www.gsa.gov/travel-resources https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.475 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.475 required: Annual Report, SF-428-A; Final (Award Closeout) Report, SF-428-

B; and a Disposition Request/Report, SF-428-C. A Supplemental Sheet, SF-

428-S, may be used to provide details on individual items. Please note: no vehicles or trailers, to include fifth wheels, will be funded through this NOFO.

e) Supplies: Per the 2 CFR 200.1, supplies are all tangible personal property other than those described in the definition of equipment. For example, a computing device is considered a supply if the acquisition cost is below

$10,000, per unit item, regardless of the length of its useful life. All materials and supplies needed to achieve application goals should be itemized in a

Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and attached to NOFO submission. The itemized list should include all proposed materials and supplies including quantities, unit prices, and the basis for the estimate (e.g., quotes, prior purchases, catalog price lists, accessible links, etc.).

f) Contractual: A contract, as defined by 2 CFR 200.1 and 2 CFR 200.331, is a legal instrument through which a recipient purchases goods and services necessary for the project under the Federal award. Procurement standards are outlined in 2 CFR 200.317-200.327. All procurement transactions must be conducted in a manner that provides full and open competition and is consistent with the standards set forth in 200.319 and 200.320. Grants will be evaluated by an external third-party evaluator, with up to 5% of the total grant award funds allocated for this purpose. The evaluator must not be a current employee of the LEA. To promote new methodologies, objectivity, talent, inclusion, diversity, creativity, and accountability, returning grantees may not use the same evaluator for more than two active DoDEA grants. Evaluators should be selected competitively from organizations such as local colleges, universities, research/evaluation organizations, or through professional websites like the American Evaluation Association. Consultants are allowable under this NOFO. If consultants are used, provide a detailed breakdown of their hours, proposed hourly rate, current resume, other proposed costs.

Federal employees cannot be paid as contractors.

g) Other Direct Costs: Provide an itemized list of all other proposed other direct costs such as professional learning fees, report and publication costs, and the basis for the estimate (e.g., quotes, prior purchases, catalog price lists, accessible links, etc.). Examples include:

• Professional Learning Fees – e.g., Conference, Course Registration Fees

• Digital Subscriptions – e.g., software subscriptions

• Participation & Entrance Fees – e.g., Science Center Entrance Fees

• Membership – e.g., professional learning association membership

• eSports set up and licensing

h) Indirect Costs: If a cost has been incurred for common or joint objectives of an organization and cannot be readily identified with a particular cost https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.331 http://www.eval.org/ objective or if the cost can benefit more than one program, it is considered anindirect cost. Some examples of indirect cost include insurance against theft and damage to computer equipment purchased with grant funds and costs of an employee personal assistance program to provide mental health, alcohol, and drug counseling and referral services. Under this NOFO, applicants may elect to charge a de minimis rate of up to 15 percent of modified total direct cost for their indirect cost allocation. If the applicant has an indirect rate that has been approved/negotiated by a Government agency, provide a copy of the memorandum/agreement for DoDEA to determine allowability of use for the approved/negotiated rate. See 2 CFR 200.414, Indirect Cost, for additional information.

References Cited (optional): If literature references are cited in the project narrative, then a References Cited section should be included as an appendix.

Each reference should include the names of all authors in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication, the article title, publication or publication title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication.

Letter(s) of Support and Supporting Documents (optional): If substantive partnerships are described in the project narrative, letters of commitment could be provided as an appendix, but are not required and will not be included in the merit review. There is no specified format or content required for the letter(s) of support other than being authored by the appropriate representative and supporting commitment to the applicant and his or her project. Commitment may include

(but is not limited to) funding, related materials and/or computer investments, technical advisement, and organizational or infrastructure support. The letter(s) can include all commitments and investments made by the representative towards the applicant and the overall statement about the relevance of the MCASP and/or

WLARP project.

VI. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINE

Grants.gov Application Submission and Receipt Procedures

Applicants can only respond to this NOFO via Grants.gov. The deadline to submit completed required forms, written project narrative and detailed budget is Friday, April

18, 2025, by 11:59PM Eastern Time.

How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

Instructions: Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information. The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRd93f2a98b1f6455/section-200.414

1) Register with the System for Award Management (SAM) and obtain a Unique

Entity ID (UEI). This is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-

282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all federal awards. The federal government's primary database for complying with

FFATA reporting requirements is www.sam.gov. OMB designated www.sam.gov as the central repository to facilitate applicant and recipient use of a single public website that consolidates data on all federal financial assistance. Under the law, it is mandatory to obtain a UEI number and register in sam.gov before submitting an application. Applicants must enter the UEI number in the data entry field labeled

"UEI" on the SF-424 form.

2) Register with SAM: In addition to having an UEI number, organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with SAM. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://sam.gov/content/home

3) Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step is to create an account with

Grants.gov. Applicants must know their organization's UEI number to complete this process. Completing this process automatically triggers an email request for applicant roles to the organization's E-Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) for review. The EBiz POC is a representative from your organization who is the contact listed for SAM. To apply for grants on behalf of your organization, you will need the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) role. More detailed instructions may be found at the following URL:

https://www.grants.gov/register

4) Authorize Grants.gov Roles: After creating an account on Grants.gov, the EBiz

POC receives an email notifying them of your registration and request for roles.

The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been approved as an AOR.

5) When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization's AOR that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize individuals who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as an AOR; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. For an overview of Workspace, refer to the following URL: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.grants.gov/register https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview

Online Submission. All applications must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern time on April

18, 2025. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant AOR will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from

Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When DoDEA successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role.

Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by DoDEA.

Certifications and Assurance

1) SAM registration and annual renewal require attestment to general certification and assurances. Please ensure your district’s SAM registration is active at time of application. Applicants may be requested to submit additional certifications and assurances even if they have submitted the annual renewal. DoDEA will inform applicants if additional certifications are needed.

2) All potential conflicts of interest, including financial, that could cause bias or lack of fairness in determining the application, evaluation, selection, or administration of a notice of funding must be included.

VII. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Background

If awarded, in case of disagreement with any requirements of award, the recipient shall contact the DoDEA Grants Officer who issued the grant to resolve the issue. The recipient shall not assess any costs to the award or accept any payments until the issue is resolved.

Applicants should be aware of the following:

• Information regarding the application packages can be found at the following URL:

https://grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants

• Grant applications will be reviewed only if they (1) meet the criteria specified by this

NOFO and (2) are submitted through Grants.gov.

• DoDEA may make award(s) based on initial applications received, without discussions or technical assistance. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint. DoDEA reserves the right (though it is under no obligation to do so), however, to enter discussions and/or technical assistance with one or more applicants to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the project description, budget, or other aspects of an application prior to making an award determination.

Review Criteria

DoDEA will use peer reviewers to assist in the merit review of applications. Peer reviewers who are not U.S. Government employees must sign non-disclosure agreements before receiving full or partial copies of applications and reports submitted by the applicants. Awards under this NOFO will be made to Applicants based on the criteria listed in Appendix E.