oppED-GRANTS-051618-002-cfda84.021-cid84-021A2018-1-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20006-8510 http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/index.html

Fiscal Year 2018

APPLICATION FOR THE

FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD

PROGRAM

(CFDA NUMBER: 84.021A)

Form Approved

OMB No. 1840 - 0792, Exp. Date: 06/30/2020

DATED MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: July 5, 2018 http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/index.html

Table of Contents

Part One: Program-Specific Instructions and Forms

Dear Applicant Letter

Competition Highlights

Supplemental Information

Federal Register Notice

Authorizing Legislation

Code of Federal Regulations

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

Instructions for Completing the GPA Application Package

Instructions for Project Narrative

Guidance on Developing an Evaluation Plan

Instructions for Budget Summary Form & Itemized Line Item Budget

Instructions for Standard Forms

GPA Program FY 2018 Application Checklist

Grants.gov Submission Tips

Application Transmittal Instructions

Part Two: Standard Forms can be found on Grants.gov

Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

Supplemental Information Required for Department of Education

Assurances – Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B)

U.S. Department of Education Budget Information Non-Construction Programs

Section A – Budget Summary (ED 524)

Section B – Budget Summary Non-Federal Funds (ED 524)

Grants.gov Lobbying Form (formerly ED 80-0013)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF LLL)

GEPA Statement

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a fiscal year 2018 (FY 18) grant award under the

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) program. This application booklet includes the instructions and forms required to submit a complete application package to the U.S. Department of Education (the Department).

Grants awarded under the GPA program provide opportunities for faculty, teachers, and undergraduate and graduate students to conduct individual and group projects overseas to carry out research and study in the fields of modern foreign languages and area studies. For FY 18, this competition will support both Fulbright-Hays GPA short-term projects and Fulbright-Hays

GPA advanced overseas intensive language long-term projects. Applicants may apply for either a short-term project or a long-term project but not for both.

While we encourage you to read the entire application package carefully before preparing your application, this cover letter provides the following highlights for your consideration:

Information about the GPA program is accessible on the U.S. Department of Education’s

Web site at:

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

The FY 18 Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published in the Federal Register is the official guidance for the competition. Applicants should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the official NIA document.

The FY 18 “Competition Highlights” section includes information about the absolute and competitive preference priorities for short-term projects and long-term projects, project abstract narrative requirements, and important information about project start and end dates.

In order to submit an application under the GPA program, all applicants must have an active DUNS number. If you do not have an active DUNS number, you may obtain one online at:

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

Applications for grants under the FY 18 GPA Program must be submitted electronically using

Grants.gov. A more thorough discussion is included in the application package. Grants.gov is accessible through its portal page at:

http://www.grants.gov

We strongly encourage applicants to register on Grants.gov early. The registration procedures may require five (5) or more days to complete. Applicants should plan to submit their application 2-3 days prior to the closing date deadline. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on your application and the speed of your Internet connection. The http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsgpa/index.html http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://www.grants.gov/ application submission process must be completed prior to the deadline for transmittal of applications.

After you have submitted your application electronically, you will receive an automatic notification of receipt from Grants.gov that contains a tracking number.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact:

Carla White

Group Projects Abroad Program Officer

(202) 453-6304

GPA@ed.gov

We look forward to receiving your application and appreciate your efforts to promote excellence in international education.

Sincerely, /s/

Cheryl E. Gibbs, Acting Senior Director

International and Foreign Language Education

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1840-0792. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 110 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to GPA Program IFLE/OPE. Department of Education, 400 Maryland

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-6106.

Competition Highlights

1. Grants.gov and Electronic Submission: GPA applications submitted for FY 2018 must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov. You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of Grants.gov early as the registration procedures may require five (5) or more days to complete. A more thorough discussion is included later in this application package. Grants.gov is accessible through its portal page at:

http://www.grants.gov

It is important to know that the Grants.gov site works differently than the Department’s e-Application system, used in past competitions. Please note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving data on your computer. Please be sure to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your computer. You will need to log on to Grants.gov to upload and submit the application.

We also urge you to consider the following three extremely important administrative factors if you are planning to apply for this program:

Grants.gov does not allow applicants to “un-submit” applications. Therefore, if you discover that changes or additions are needed once your application has been accepted and validated by the Department, you must “re-submit” the application. You should know that if the Department receives duplicate applications, we will accept and process the application with the latest “date/time received” validation.

For additional information on verifying submission of your application, please refer to the “Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants” section.

For information on how to submit an application please refer to our Common

Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant

Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

2. Recommended Page Limit: It is recommended that all applicants adhere to a 40-page limit for the Project Narrative portion of the application.

3. Project Abstract Narrative: Applicants are required to submit a one-page project abstract narrative. The abstract narrative should include, in the subject line, the name of the applicant institution, name and contact information of the Project Director, which

GPA project type you are applying for (short-term project types: Short-Term Seminar

Project, Curriculum Development, Group Research or Study Projects or long-term:

Advanced Overseas Intensive Language Training Projects), the educational level and number of project participants, and a brief overview of the proposed project in the body of the abstract. It should also identify which competitive preference priorities will be addressed in the application. The project abstract narrative must be uploaded into the

“ED Abstract Narrative Form” in Grants.gov.

http://www.grants.gov/

4. Deadline Information: The application must be received on or before the deadline date and time. Please note that U.S. Department of Education grant application deadlines fall at 4:30:00 p.m. EST. Late applications will not be accepted. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

5. Project Types to be Competed in FY 2018: Please note that both GPA short-term project (Short-Term Seminars, Curriculum Development, and Group Research or Study) and GPA long-term project (Advanced Overseas Intensive Language Training Projects) will compete in FY 2018. Applicants may apply for either a short-term project or long-term project but not both in the same fiscal year.

6. Applicant Eligibility: Please pay special attention to the Additional Eligibility

Information in the Supplemental Information section to ensure that your application will be found eligible. An eligibility checklist has been included as well for your use.

7. Proposed Grant Dates & Project Activities: The grant performance period for short-term projects is 18 months. Proposed start and end dates should be September 30, 2018 - March 31, 2020 (18 months from date of award). Please note that applicants should plan for the overseas portion of their project as well as most, if not all, of the major project activities to take place within this 18 month period.

The grant performance period for long-term projects is 24 months. Proposed start and end dates should be 24 months from date of award. Proposed start and end dates should be September 30, 2018 – September 30, 2020 Please note that applicants should plan for the overseas portion of their project as well as most, if not all, of the major project activities to take place within this 24 month period.

Start and end dates should be entered in Form SF-424 under Item 17.

8. Program Priorities: Please note the following program priorities for FY 2018:

a. Absolute: Specific geographic regions of the world. We consider only applications that meet this priority. A group project funded under this priority must focus on one or more of the following geographic regions of the world:

Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the Western

Hemisphere (Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean), Eastern and Central Europe and Eurasia, and the Near East.

b. Competitive Preference Priorities: Applicants for short-term projects may address competitive preference priorities 1, 3, and 4. Applicants for long-term projects may address competitive preference priorities 2 and 3. Applicants must specify in the abstract narrative of their applications which competitive preference priorities are addressed in the application. The competitive priorities for FY 2018 are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Applications for GPA short-term

Projects from Selected Institutions and Organizations (3 Points).

Applications for GPA short-term projects from the following types of institutions and organizations:

o Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) o Community colleges o New applicants o State educational agencies

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Applications for GPA long-term

Projects from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) (2 Points).

Applications for GPA long-term advanced overseas intensive language training projects from MSIs.

Competitive Preference Priority 3: Substantive Training and Thematic

Focus on Less Commonly Taught Languages (2 Points).

Applications that propose GPA short-term or GPA long-term projects that provide substantive training and thematic focus on any foreign modern languages except French, German, and Spanish.

Competitive Preference Priority 4: Inclusion of K-12 Educators (2

Points).

Applications that propose GPA short-term projects that develop and improve foreign language studies, area studies, or both at elementary and secondary schools by including K-12 teachers or K-12 administrators as at least 50 percent of the project participants.

Please note that these priorities are explained in detail in the Federal Register notice contained in this application package. You are urged to fully review this document before preparing your application.

Supplemental Information

General Information

The following information supplements the information provided in the “Dear Applicant” letter and the Federal Register notice. Please refer to individual Project Type descriptions for additional information.

A. Eligible Applicants

Institutions of higher education;

State departments of education;

Private nonprofit educational organizations; and

Consortia of institutions, departments, and organizations.

B. Eligible GPA Project Participants

An individual is eligible to participate in a GPA project if s/he is:

A citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States; and

Currently employed full-time in a U.S. school system, institution of higher education, Local Education Agency or State Education Agency (not applicable to students);

And, at least one of the following:

A teacher in an elementary or secondary school (please see note below);

A faculty member who teaches modern foreign languages or area studies;

An experienced education administrator responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs in modern foreign languages or area studies at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary levels;

A graduate student or junior or senior in an institution of higher education, who is a prospective teacher in the areas of social sciences, humanities and foreign languages. The student should meet the provisions set by his or her local and state education agencies.

For the GPA long-term Advanced Overseas Intensive Language Training project, the participating student, other than those planning a teaching career, should be planning to apply his or her language skills and knowledge of countries vital to the United States’ national security in fields outside teaching, including government, the professions, or international development.

(Note: All GPA participants must be educators, students, pre-service teachers or administrators who fulfill the criteria above and the selection criteria set by their respective projects and are currently teaching, studying, and/or administering in the eligible fields of humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, and/or area studies.

Area studies is defined as a program of comprehensive study of the aspects of a society or societies, including the study of their geography, history, culture, economy, politics, international relations, or languages. Project participants may also be working in interdisciplinary areas such as business, health, social work, math, science, counseling, engineering, the environment and technology. If an educator or student is working in a variety of subject areas, s/he must spend the majority of his/her time working with eligible subjects.)

C. Additional Eligibility Information

Please note that an applicant may be found ineligible according to the following criteria.

Please check this list carefully prior to application submission.

Applicant is not an eligible institution or organization or insufficient information is presented to show that the applicant is eligible.

Application was not submitted by the due date and/or on time.

Applicant submitted an incomplete application and/or a significant item(s) was missing from the body of the application.

Applicant requested funding for an amount that exceeded the limitation stated in the Federal Register notice.

Applicant submitted a proposal for a project to spend less than the minimum timeframe allowed abroad (four weeks for short-term projects or a quarter semester for long-term projects).

Application was submitted for study/travel in an ineligible country.

Applicant’s project activities are not suitable for the GPA program (e.g. sending

U.S. educators abroad to teach or teaching foreign languages to U.S. students).

Applicant requested funding for expenses in the U.S.

D. Criteria for Funding

All applications for grants under the GPA program will be evaluated using the selection criteria listed in the program regulations (34 CFR 664).

E. Length of New Award

Applicants may apply for a maximum grant performance period up to 18 months in duration for short-term projects and 24 months in duration for long-term projects.

Successful applicants will only receive funding for one budget period. Continuation funds will not be awarded in subsequent years.

F. Financial Provisions

The grant does not provide funds for project-related expenses within the United States.

Grant funds may be used only for the following:

A maintenance stipend of fifty percent of the amount established in the U.S.

Department of State publication, “Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowances For

Foreign Areas”; http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp

Round-trip international travel;

A local travel allowance for necessary project-related travel within the host country;

Purchase of project-related artifacts, books, and other teaching materials in the country of study;

Rent for instructional facilities in the country of study;

Clerical and professional services performed by resident instructional personnel in the country of study; and

Other expenses in the country of study for the project’s success and approved in advance by the U.S. Department of Education.

Indirect costs are not allowed under this grant.

For the GPA short-term projects, a minimum of 16 hours of pre-departure orientation

(guided activities) should be included in the project design. However, please note that as a U.S.-based-activity, related costs will not be paid for using GPA grant funds.

Follow-up activities in the United States, including outreach, curriculum development, and dissemination activities should also be included in the project design, but will not be paid for with GPA grant funds.

Please note that the GPA program will NOT provide funds for:

U.S.-based salaries and fringe benefits; and

U.S.-based activities such as pre-departure orientations and post-travel follow-up.

The U.S. Department of Education encourages cost sharing by the participants and their affiliated institutions, school districts, or organizations to cover the expenses within the

U.S., and to make up the difference between the grant and the costs of the activities abroad. Please note that if an applicant is awarded a grant, the full amount of cost sharing indicated in the applicant’s budget will need to be provided.

For GPA long-term advanced overseas intensive language training projects, a minimum of 16 hours of pre-departure orientation and/or preparation activities should be included in the project design.

All institutions that receive a GPA long-term grant must have the appropriate language instructor administer pre-and-post language program evaluations to all participants. The language instructors are required to submit the evaluation results into the International

Resource Information System (IRIS). The GPA grant may pay for costs associated with pre-and post-foreign language assessment in the host country.

http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp

Please note that National Resource Center (NRC) institutions may not use NRC funds to offset the domestic costs associated with GPA projects.

G. Evaluation of Applications for Awards

A two to three-member panel of non-federal evaluators reviews each application. Each reviewer will prepare a written evaluation of the application and assign points for each selection criterion.

H. Selection of Grantees

For FY 2018, GPA short-term project applications will be reviewed by separate panels according to world area. GPA long-term projects will be reviewed by one panel across world areas. A rank order from highest to lowest score will be developed for each of the two types of projects and will be used for funding purposes. If there are insufficient funds to fund all applications with the same total score, the Secretary will choose among the tied applications. Please note that once Departmental approval has taken place for recommended applications, approval must also be obtained from the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board.

I. Applicant Funding

The Department is often unable to award the full amount of funds requested. Applicants should pay close attention to the “Maximum Award” section of the Federal Register notice. The Department will not fund any application at an amount exceeding the applicable maximum award level.

J. Notice to Successful Applicants

The Department's Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform Congress regarding applicants approved for new GPA grants. Successful applicants will receive award notices by mail shortly after Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before Congress is notified. Notification should occur before September 2018.

K. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing.

*Please note that all applicants (successful and unsuccessful) will receive copies of evaluators’ scores and comments for reference purposes.

L. Restrictions on Participants

Individuals who are not currently employed and/or studying full-time or its equivalent are not eligible. The program will allow a combination of teaching and studying at 100% total to be eligible.

Individuals who do not meet the GPA program’s eligibility criteria listed in the

“Eligible GPA Project Participants” section of Supplemental Information.

M. Restriction on Non-Participants

Spouses, other family members, and friends who have not been selected to participate in this project according to the selection criteria stated in the approved application are not permitted to travel with or join the group at any point during the program.

N. Performance Reports

All GPA grantees must submit project performance reports using the International

Resource Information System (IRIS) electronic reporting system. If you wish to view the performance report currently required, visit the IFLE Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsgpa/performance.html. Please be advised that the report is for informational purposes only and does not reflect the actual reporting instrument that you will use, if you receive a FY 2018 grant award. The performance report will assist IFLE staff in determining whether or not the GPA project is making substantial progress toward meeting the approved project objectives and whether or not a continuation award (if applicable) is in the best interest of the Federal government.

Project Directors will be responsible for overall project reports as well as entering project participant information into the system and ensuring that participants complete and submit individual reports.

The IRIS reporting instrument includes sections for grantees to input data that responds to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) to assess overall program performance.

O. Resources for Proposal Development

National Resource Centers (NRCs) are funded by the U.S. Department of Education and serve the general purpose of training specialists in modern foreign languages and area or international studies. Most NRC institutions have outreach coordinators whose general purpose is to disseminate information and assist other institutions and individuals with accessing needed information and resources. Institutions interested in submitting proposals to the GPA program are encouraged to contact NRCs and their outreach coordinators for assistance in accessing suitable resources for proposal and program development. Additional information can be found at the NRC program website at:

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsnrc/awards.html

Language Resource Centers (LRCs) are funded by the U.S. Department of Education and serve the general purpose of serving as resources for improving the nation’s capacity for teaching and learning foreign languages through teacher training, research, materials development, and dissemination projects. LRC institutions disseminate information and assist other institutions and individuals with accessing needed information and resources.

Additional information can be found at the LRC portal website at: http://www.nflrc.org/ http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsgpa/performance.html http://www.nflrc.org/

P. Contact Persons

For program-related questions and assistance, please contact:

GPA Short-term Projects (84.021A):

Carla White

Address: International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE)

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW Room 258-22

Washington, DC 20202

Telephone: (202) 453-6304

E-mail Address: GPA@ed.gov

For technical and Grants.gov-related questions and assistance, please contact:

Grants.gov Support Desk

Telephone: (800)-518-4726

Email: support@grants.gov

Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closed federal holidays) mailto:support@grants.gov

Q. Project Type Descriptions

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program

Project Type 1: Short-Term Seminar Project

Project Features:

Promote the integration of international studies into the social sciences and/or humanities curriculum throughout U.S. school systems at all levels;

Increase linguistic and/or cultural competency among U.S. students and educators; and

Focus on a particular aspect of area study, such as the culture of the area or a portion of the culture of the country of study.

Time Frame & Participant Numbers:

Minimum 4 weeks in country of study (not including pre-departure training in U.S.).

Grant performance period a maximum of 18 months.

4 weeks of host country training: 12 participants plus Project Director = 13 minimum

6 weeks of host country training: 10 participants plus Project Director = 11 minimum

8 weeks of host country training: 8 participants plus Project Director = 9 minimum

Key Personnel Type & Number:

One Project Director (with GPA funds).

If necessary, travel funds for one additional administrative person may also be supported by GPA funds. The individuals identified in these roles, their qualifications and specific responsibilities within the project should be well justified in the proposal.

If any other Key Personnel are necessary, they must be paid for with cost share funds.

Participant Eligibility: All participants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents, studying full-time or employed. They should be teaching, studying or administering in the fields of humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, and/or area studies. The group may include:

Elementary or secondary school teachers;

Faculty members at higher education institutions;

Administrators at state departments of education, higher education institutions or school districts who are responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs at school systems at all levels; and

Graduate students or juniors/seniors in higher education institutions, who are prospective teachers in the areas mentioned above.

Allowable Costs: Please refer to the “Financial Provisions” section of Supplemental

Information.

Maximum Grant Award: up to $100,000.

Please Note: Applicants may submit a proposal for a student study abroad, pre-service teacher training, or other similar project under the Short-Term Seminar Project category. All participants must be students according to the fourth bulleted criteria listed above. Additionally, it is strongly recommended that the length of all student study abroad projects be set at six weeks or longer, but preferably the equivalent of a semester.

Project Type 2: Curriculum Development Project

Acquire first-hand resource materials including artifacts, books, documents, educational films, museum reproductions, recordings, and other instructional material for curriculum development in modern foreign language and area studies;

Provide for systematic use and dissemination in the United States of the acquired materials; and

Minimum 4 weeks in country of study (not including pre-departure training in U.S.)

Grant performance period a maximum of 18 months.

4 weeks of host country training: 12 participants plus Project Director = 13 minimum

6 weeks of host country training: 10 participants plus Project Director = 11 minimum

8 weeks of host country training: 8 participants plus Project Director = 9 minimum

If necessary, travel funds for one additional administrative person may also be supported with GPA funds. The individuals in these roles, their qualifications and specific responsibilities within the project should be well justified in the proposal.

Participant Eligibility: All participants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents and studying full-time or employed. They should be teaching, studying or administering in the fields of humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, and/or area studies. The group may include:

Elementary or secondary school teachers;

Faculty members at higher education institutions;

Administrators at state departments of education, higher education institutions or school districts who are responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs at school systems at all levels; and

Graduate students, or juniors/seniors in higher education institutions, who are prospective

Project Type 3: Group Research or Study Project

Designed to undertake research or study in a country outside of the United States.

Minimum 12 weeks in the country of study.

Grant performance period a maximum of 18 months.

12 weeks of host country training: 3 participants plus Project Director = 4 minimum

Participant Eligibility: All participants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents and employed or studying full-time. They should be teaching, studying or administering in the fields of humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, and/or area studies. The group may include:

Faculty members at higher education institutions; and

Graduate students, or juniors/seniors in higher education institutions, who are prospective

A prerequisite for participants is that they: (1) must possess the necessary language proficiency to conduct the research or study; (2) must possess disciplinary competence in their area of research; and (3) shall have completed at least one semester of intensive language training and one course in area studies relevant to the project.

Project Type 4: Advanced Overseas Intensive Language Training Project

The language to be studied must be indigenous to the country of study and maximum use should be made of local institutions and personnel;

Language training must be given at the advanced level (equivalent to that provided to students who have successfully completed at least two academic years of language training); and

The project must be designed to take advantage of advanced foreign language training opportunities present in the country of study that may not available in the United States.

GPA long-term grantees must have the appropriate language instructor administer pre-and-post language program evaluations to all participants. The language instructors are required to submit the evaluation results into IRIS. The GPA grant may pay for costs associated with pre-and post-foreign language assessment in the host country.

Time Frame:

Project activities may be carried out during a full year, an academic year, a semester, a trimester, a quarter, or a summer in the country of study (8 weeks minimum).

Grant performance period a maximum of 24 months.

Continuation funds will not be awarded in subsequent years.

One overall project director (with GPA funds).

If necessary, the GPA program may support a second key person, whose qualifications and responsibilities with the project should be well justified in the proposal.

Participant Type & Number: A typical group is a minimum of 12 student participants but could include many more. All participants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents and studying full-time. Participant groups must change each year and participants must have successfully completed at least two academic years of training in the language to be studied.

Participants should be studying in the fields of humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, and/or area studies. Generally, the group may include:

Graduate students, or juniors or seniors in higher education institutions, who are prospective teachers in the areas mentioned above; and

Graduate students, or juniors or seniors in higher education institutions, who plan to apply their language skills and knowledge of countries vital to the United States’ national security in fields outside teaching, including government, the professions, or international development.

Maximum Grant Award: up to $250,000.

Federal Register Notice

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Fulbright-Hays Group Projects

Abroad Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of

Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) program, Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.021A.

DATES:

Applications Available: May 16, 2018.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 5, 2018

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for

Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant

Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018

(83 FR 6003) and available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-

12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carla White, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 258-22, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-6304. Email: GPA@ed.gov.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Fulbright-Hays GPA program is to promote, improve, and develop modern foreign languages and area studies at varying levels of education. The program provides opportunities for faculty, teachers, and undergraduate and graduate students to conduct individual and group projects overseas to carry out research and study in the fields of modern foreign languages and area studies. This competition will support both Fulbright-Hays GPA short-term projects (GPA short-term projects) and Fulbright-Hays GPA long-term projects (GPA long-term projects).

There are three types of GPA short-term projects: (1) short-term seminar projects of four to six weeks in length designed to increase the linguistic or cultural competency of

U.S. students and educators by focusing on a particular aspect of area study, such as the culture of an area or country of study (34 CFR 664.11); (2) curriculum development projects of four to eight weeks in length that provide participants an opportunity to acquire resource materials for curriculum development in modern foreign language and area studies for use and dissemination in the United States (34 CFR 664.12); and (3) group research or study projects of three to twelve months in duration designed to give participants the opportunity to undertake research or study in a foreign country (34 CFR

664.13).

GPA long-term projects are advanced overseas intensive language projects that may be carried out during a full year, an academic year, a semester, a trimester, a quarter, or a summer.

GPA long-term projects are designed to take advantage of the opportunities in the foreign country that are not present in the

United States when providing intensive advanced foreign language training. Only participants who have successfully completed at least two academic years of training in the language to be studied are eligible for language training under this program.

In addition, the language to be studied must be indigenous to the host country and maximum use must be made of local institutions and personnel (34 CFR 664.14).

Applicants may submit only one GPA short-term or GPA long-term application under this notice and must identify whether they are applying for a GPA short-term project or a GPA long-term project grant.

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority and four competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR

75.105(b)(2)(ii), the absolute priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 664.32). Competitive Preference

Priorities 1 and 2 are from the notice of final priorities and definitions published in the Federal Register on June 16, 2016

(81 FR 39196). Competitive Preference Priority 3 is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 664.32), and Competitive

Preference Priority 4 is from the notice of final priorities published in the Federal Register on September 24, 2010 (75 FR

59050).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2018 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34

CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Specific Geographic Regions of the World.

A group project that focuses on one or more of the following geographic regions of the world: Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the Western

Hemisphere (Central and South America, Mexico, and the

Caribbean), Eastern and Central Europe and Eurasia, and the Near

East.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2018, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR

75.105(c)(2)(i), we award three additional points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1; two additional points to an application that meets Competitive

Preference Priority 2; two additional points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 3; and two points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 4.

Applicants for GPA short-term projects may address Competitive

Preference Priorities 1, 3, and 4. Applicants for GPA long-term projects may address Competitive Preference Priorities 2 and 3.

An applicant must identify the priority or priorities that it believes it meets and provide documentation supporting its claims.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1--Applications for GPA

Short-term Projects from Selected Institutions and Organizations

(3 Points).

Applications for GPA short-term projects from the following types of institutions and organizations:

• Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs)

• Community colleges

• New applicants

• State educational agencies

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Applications for GPA

Long-term Projects from MSIs (2 Points).

Applications for GPA long-term advanced overseas intensive language training projects from MSIs.

Competitive Preference Priority 3--Substantive Training and

Thematic Focus on Less Commonly Taught Languages (2 Points).

Applications that propose GPA short-term projects or GPA long-term projects that provide substantive training and thematic focus on any modern foreign language except French, German, or Spanish.

Competitive Preference Priority 4--Inclusion of K-12

Educators (2 Points).

Applications that propose short-term projects abroad that develop and improve foreign language studies, area studies, or both at elementary and secondary schools by including K-12 teachers or K-12 administrators as at least 50 percent of the project participants.

Definitions:

The following definitions are from the notice of final priorities and definitions published in the Federal Register on

June 16, 2016 (81 FR 39196) and are designed to provide clarity for applicants addressing the competitive preference priorities.

Community college means an institution that meets the definition in section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of

1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1058(f)); or an institution of higher education (IHE) (as defined in section 101 of the HEA (20

U.S.C. 1001)) that awards degrees and certificates, more than 50 percent of which are not bachelor’s degrees (or an equivalent).

Minority-serving institution (MSI) means an institution that is eligible to receive assistance under sections 316 through 320 of part A of title III, under part B of title III, or under title V of the HEA.

New applicant means any applicant that has not received a discretionary grant from the Department of Education under the

Fulbright-Hays Act prior to the deadline date for applications under this program.

State educational agency means the State board of education or other agency or officer primarily responsible for the supervision of public elementary and secondary schools in a

State. In the absence of this officer or agency, it is an officer or agency designated by the Governor or State law.

Program Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6).

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General

Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget

Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and

Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485.

(c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part

664. (e) The notice of final priorities and definitions published in the Federal Register on June 16, 2016 (81 FR

39196). (f) The notice of final priorities for this program published in the Federal Register on September 24, 2010 (75 FR

59050).

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

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $2,792,440.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2018 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards:

GPA short-term projects: $50,000 - $100,000.

GPA long-term projects: $50,000 - $250,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

GPA short-term projects: $80,059.

GPA long-term projects: $185,025.

Maximum Award: We will not make a GPA short-term award exceeding $100,000 for a single project period of 18 months. We will not make a GPA long-term project award exceeding $250,000 for a single budget period of 24 months.

Estimated Number of Awards: 25.

GPA short-term projects: 10.

GPA long-term projects: 15.

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

Project Period:

GPA short-term projects: Up to 18 months.

GPA long-term projects: Up to 24 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: (1) IHEs, (2) State departments of education, (3) Private nonprofit educational organizations, and (4) Consortia of these entities.

Eligible Participants: Citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States, who are (1) faculty members who teach modern foreign languages or area studies in an IHE, (2) teachers in elementary or secondary schools, (3) experienced education administrators responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs in modern foreign language or area studies at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary levels, or (4) graduate students, or juniors or seniors in an IHE, who plan teaching careers in modern foreign languages or area studies.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Submission Instructions: For information on how to submit an application please refer to our Common

Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education

Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

2. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.

3. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in

34 CFR 664.33. We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative

(Part III) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 40 pages and (2) use the following standards:

● A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.

● Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.

● Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

● Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

The recommended 40-page limit does not apply to Part I, the

Application for Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental information form required by the Department of

Education; Part II, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs

(ED 524); Part IV, assurances, certifications, and the response to section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act; the table of contents; the one-page project abstract; the appendices; or the line-item budget. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 664.31 and are as follows:

(a) Plan of operation. (20 points)

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) High quality in the design of the project;

(ii) An effective plan of management that insures proper and efficient administration of the project;

(iii) A clear description of how the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of the program;

(iv) The way the applicant plans to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; and

(v) A clear description of how the applicant will ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition.

(b) Quality of key personnel. (10 points)

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information to determine the quality of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) The qualifications of the project director;

(ii) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be used in the project;

(iii) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs

(b)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section will commit to the project;

and

(iv) The extent to which the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition.

(3) To determine the qualifications of a person, the

Secretary considers evidence of past experience and training in fields related to the objectives of the project as well as other information that the applicant provides.

(c) Budget and cost effectiveness. (10 points)

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the project has an adequate budget and is cost effective.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) The budget for the project is adequate to support the project activities; and

(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project.

(d) Evaluation plan. (20 points)

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the evaluation plan for the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows that the methods of evaluation are appropriate for the project and, to the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable.

(e) Adequacy of resources. (5 points)

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the applicant plans to devote adequate resources to the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows that the facilities, equipment, and supplies that the applicant plans to use are adequate.

(f) Potential impact of the project on the development of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in

American education. (15 points)

(g) The project's relevance to the applicant's educational goals and its relationship to its program development in modern foreign languages and area studies. (10 points)

(h) The extent to which direct experience abroad is necessary to achieve the project's objectives and the effectiveness with which relevant host country resources will be utilized. (10 points)

2. 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(d)(3), the past performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as the applicant’s use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions.