oppED-GRANTS-052518-001-cfda84.015-cid84-015A2018-1-instructions.pdf

FY 2018

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS

NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTERS PROGRAM

AND

FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND AREA STUDIES FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM

CFDA NUMBER: 84.015A and 84.015B

FORM APPROVED

OMB No. 1840-0807 Applications Available: May 25, 2018

DATED MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: June 25, 2018

FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: ED-GRANTS-052518-001

PLEASE SUBMIT ALL APPLICATIONS UNDER THIS OPPORTUNITY NUMBER, EVEN

THOUGH Grants.gov INDICATES CFDA Number 84.015A

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

Competition Highlights

Overview: National Resource Centers Program (NRC)

Overview: Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program (FLAS)

Supplemental Information

FY 2018 Profile Form

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

Submission of Paper Applications if Electronic Submission is Not Possible

Federal Register Notice

Title VI – International Education Programs Sections 601 and 602 Sec. 601. International and Foreign Language Studies Sec. 602. Graduate and Undergraduate Language and Area Studies Centers and Programs . 68 Part 655-International Education Programs General Provisions Part 656-National Resource Centers Program Part 657-Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

Diverse Perspectives and Areas of Need

NRC/FLAS Application Components

Performance Measure Form (PMF)

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (Executive Order 12372)

Instructions for Standard Forms (List)

Instructions for the SF-424

Instructions for Supplemental Information for SF 424

Instructions for ED 524 Summary A and Summary C Itemized Budget Detail

Instructions for SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Frequently Asked Questions

Application Checklist

Paperwork Burden Statement

FY 2018 NRC/FLAS Technical Review Form

Dear Applicant Letter

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a fiscal year 2018 (FY 2018) grant under the National Resource Centers (NRC) Program (CFDA 84.015A), the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships Program (CFDA 84.015B), or both. This application booklet includes information about the programs and the instructions and forms required to submit a complete application package to the U.S. Department of Education (the Department).

Grants awarded under the NRC Program enable institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia of IHEs to establish, strengthen, or operate comprehensive or undergraduate centers that will be national resources for modern foreign language training in combination with research and training in area studies, international studies, or the international aspects of professional studies. FLAS grants provide allocations of fellowships to IHEs to assist meritorious students enrolled in performance-based language training and area studies, international studies, or the international aspects of professional studies.

While we strongly recommend that you read the entire application package before you begin preparing your proposal, this cover letter calls your attention to the following:

• REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF APPLICATION YOU ARE SUBMITTING (NRC, FLAS, or BOTH), you will find the application package (and will submit your application) under Federal Funding Opportunity Number (OPE) National Resource Centers Program CFDA 84.015A. Once we receive the applications, they will be assigned PR Award Numbers, according to the application request(s).

• For the FY 2018 competition, there are two Absolute Priorities for the NRC Program.

Absolute Priority 1.

Applications that provide (1) an explanation of how the activities funded by the grant will reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate debate on world regions and international affairs; and (2) a description of how the applicant will encourage government service in areas of national need, as identified by the Secretary, as well as in areas of need in the education, business, and non-profit sectors.

Absolute Priority 2.

Applications that provide for teacher training activities on the language, languages, area studies, or thematic focus of the Center.

• There are two Competitive Preference Priorities for the NRC Program.

Competitive Preference Priority 1--Collaboration with Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) or Community Colleges (up to 5 points).

Applications that propose significant and sustained collaborative activities with one or more Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) (as defined in this notice) and/or with one or more community colleges (as defined in this notice). These activities must be designed to incorporate international, intercultural, or global dimensions into the curriculum of the MSI(s) or community college(s), and to improve foreign language, area, and intercultural studies or international business instruction at the MSI(s) or community college(s). If an applicant institution is an MSI or a community college, that institution may propose intra-campus collaborative activities instead of, or in addition to, collaborative activities with other MSIs or community colleges.

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Collaborative Activities with Teacher Education Programs (up to 5 points).

Applications that propose collaborative activities with units such as schools or colleges of education, schools of liberal arts and sciences, post-baccalaureate teacher education programs, teacher education programs, and teacher preparation programs on or off the NRC campus. These collaborative activities are designed to support the integration of an international, intercultural, or global dimension and world languages into teacher education, and/or to promote the preparation and credentialing of more foreign language teachers in less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) for which there is a demand for additional teachers to meet existing and expected future kindergarten through grade 12 language program needs.

• For the FY 2018 competition, there are two Competitive Preference Priorities for the FLAS Program.

Competitive Preference Priority 1--FLAS Fellowships for Students who Demonstrate Financial Need (up to 5 points).

Applications that propose to give preference when awarding fellowships to undergraduate students, graduate students, or both, who demonstrate financial need as indicated by the students’ expected family contribution, as determined under part F of title IV of the HEA. This need determination will be based on the students’ financial circumstances and not on other aid.

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Academic Year FLAS Fellowships Awarded in the Less Commonly Taught Languages (up to 5 points).

Applications that propose to award at least 25 percent of academic year FLAS fellowships in modern foreign languages other than French, German, and Spanish.

• The FY 2018 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.

• Please be advised that your acknowledgement receipt from the Grants.gov system will reference only the NRC application with a PR Award Number that includes 015A. After the applications are transferred from Grants.gov to the Department’s G5 system, applications will be assigned distinct NRC (015A) and FLAS (015B) PR Award Numbers. Please be assured that if your proposal includes NRC and FLAS, both will be evaluated by the peer review panels.

• Establish a timeline that allows you to submit your application at least 2-3 days prior to the closing date and time. We recommend that you give yourself sufficient lead time because the time it takes to upload an application varies, depending on the size of your application and the speed of your Internet connection.

A hallmark of the NRC and FLAS Programs is breadth and depth of training that contributes to the national need for individuals with expertise and global competence in world languages and area or international studies. This expertise is required not only to meet the demands for careers in education, defense, intelligence, and diplomacy, but a wide range of 21st-century workforce needs, including health sciences, STEM, economics, and information technology.

You may view more information about the NRC and FLAS Programs at:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsnrc/index.html https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsflasf/index.html

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

Sincerely, /signed/

Cheryl E. Gibbs Director, Advanced Training and Research Division Acting Senior Director, IFLE http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsnrc/index.html https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsflasf/index.html

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

1. You may read more about the priorities listed in the cover letter in the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) on pages pp. 24 - 62. You are urged to read the NIA carefully before preparing your application.

2. The Application (Project) Narrative

The Application (Project) Narrative is where you, the applicant address the selection criteria that peer reviewers will use to evaluate your application. The NIA contains the recommended standards for preparing the Application (Project) Narrative.

The recommended maximum number of pages for the Application (Project) Narrative is 50 pages for an application submitted by a single institution. The recommended maximum number of pages for the Application (Project) Narrative for an application submitted by a consortium is 60 pages.

3. Abstract

The recommended maximum number of pages for the project abstract is two pages.

The abstract should include an overview of the project, its goals, and the intended outcomes. Also, for application screening purposes, indicate which competitive preference priority/ies you will address in the Application (Project) Narrative. Do not, however, include your response to the priority/ies in the abstract. While it is useful to cite progress and accomplishments made under previous NRC and/or FLAS grants, be advised that the abstract primarily should focus on the activities and project goals proposed for the next four years.

4. Estimated Funding Amounts

These are estimated amounts for FY 2018. The Department is not bound by these amounts.

• National Resource Centers Program Estimated available funds: $22,743,107 Estimated range of awards: $188,000 - $270,000 per year.

Estimated average size of awards: $215,000 per year.

Estimated number of awards: 100

Project period: up to 48 months (August 15, 2018 – August 14, 2022)

• Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program Estimated available funds: $30,343,000 Estimated range of awards: $154,500 - $351,000 per year.

Estimated average size of awards: $202,500 per year.

Estimated number of institutional awards: 105

Project period: up to 48 months (August 15, 2018 – August 14, 2022)

FLAS Institutional Payments and Subsistence Allowances

Note: An institution may award a fellowship for the duration of one academic year or one summer session, provided the student meets the FLAS eligibility requirements.

Academic Year Fellowships

Academic Year Undergraduate Academic Year Graduate Institutional Payment: $10,000 Institutional Payment: $18,000 Subsistence Allowance: $5,000 Subsistence Allowance: $15,000 Total AY/UG: $15,000 Total AY/G: $33,000

Summer Fellowships (Undergraduate and Graduate)

Institutional Payment: $5,000 Subsistence Allowance: $2,500 Total Summer/ UG and G: $7,500

OVERVIEW: NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTERS PROGRAM (NRC)

AUTHORIZATION

Title VI, Part A, sections 601 and 602 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS

(a) Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 76, 77, 79, 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 3474.

(d) 34 CFR parts 655 and 656.

(e) The notice of final priorities for these programs published in the Federal Register on May

30, 2014 (79 FR 31028).

PURPOSE

The NRC Program provides grants to institutions of higher education and consortia of such institutions to establish, strengthen, and operate comprehensive and undergraduate foreign language and area or international studies centers to serve as national resources for (a) teaching of any modern foreign language; (b) instruction in fields needed to provide full understanding of areas, regions, or countries in which the modern foreign language is commonly used; (c) research and training in international studies and international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study; and (d) instruction and research on issues in world affairs that concern one or more countries.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

An institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education is eligible to receive a grant.

ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES

A grant may be used to pay all or part of the cost of establishing or operating a center or program, including the cost of--

(A) teaching and research materials;

(B) curriculum planning and development;

(C) establishing and maintaining linkages with overseas institutions of higher education and other organizations that may contribute to the teaching and research of the center or program;

(D) bringing visiting scholars and faculty to the center to teach or to conduct research;

(E) professional development of the center's faculty and staff;

(F) projects conducted in cooperation with other centers addressing themes of world regional, cross-regional, international, or global importance;

(G) summer institutes in the United States or abroad designed to provide language and area studies training in the center's field or topic; and

(H) support for faculty, staff, and student travel in foreign areas, regions, or countries, and for the development and support of educational programs abroad for students.

THE EXPECTATIONS OF AN NRC, PER THE PROGRAM REGULATIONS

A comprehensive or an undergraduate National Resource Center—

(a) Teaches at least one modern foreign language;

(b) Provides—

(1) Instruction in fields necessary to provide a full understanding of the areas, regions, or countries in which the modern foreign language taught is commonly used;

(2) Resources for research and training in international studies, and the international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study; or

(3) Instruction and research on issues in world affairs that concern one or more countries;

(c) Provides outreach and consultative services on a national, regional, and local basis;

(d) Maintains linkages with overseas institutions of higher education and other organizations that may contribute to the teaching and research of the Center;

(e) Maintains important library collections;

(f) Employs faculty engaged in training and research that relates to the subject area of the Center;

(g) Conducts projects in cooperation with other centers addressing themes of world, regional, cross-regional, international, or global importance;

(h) Conducts summer institutes in the United States or abroad designed to provide language and area training in the Center's field or topic;

(i) Supports instructors of the less commonly taught languages; and

(j) Encourages projects that support students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to achieve foreign language proficiency.

SCOPE OF TRAINING AND INSTRUCTION

Grants may be awarded to Centers that−

(a) Focus on—

(1) A single country or on a world area (such as East Asia, Africa, or the Middle East) and offer instruction in the principal language or languages of that country or area and those disciplinary fields necessary to provide a full understanding of the country or area; or

(2) International studies or the international aspects of contemporary issues or topics (such as international business or energy) while providing instruction in modern foreign languages; and

(b) Provide training at the—

(1) Graduate, professional, and undergraduate levels, as a comprehensive Center; or

(2) Undergraduate level only, as an undergraduate Center.

TYPES OF CENTERS

Comprehensive Center means a Center that—

(1) Contributes significantly to the national interest in advanced research and scholarship;

(2) Offers *intensive language instruction;

(3) Maintains important library collections related to the area of its specialization;

(4) Makes training available to a graduate, professional, and undergraduate clientele; and

(5) Engages in curriculum development and community outreach

*Intensive language instruction means instruction of at least five contact hours per week during the academic year or the equivalent of a full academic year of language instruction during the summer (§656.7(e)).

Undergraduate Center means a center that−

(1) Contributes significantly to the national interest through the education of students who matriculate into advanced language and area studies programs or professional school programs;

(2) Incorporates substantial international and foreign language content into baccalaureate degree program;

(3) Makes training available predominantly to undergraduate students; and

(4) Engages in research, curriculum development, and community outreach.

OVERVIEW: FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND AREA STUDIES

FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM (FLAS)

AUTHORIZATION

Title VI, Part A, sections 601 and 602 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS

(a) Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 76, 77, 79, 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 3474.

(d) 34 CFR parts 655 and 657.

(e) The notice of final priorities for this program published in the Federal Register on May 30, 2014 (79 FR 31031).

PURPOSE

The FLAS Fellowship Program awards allocations of fellowships, through institutions of higher education, to meritorious students enrolled in programs that offer performance-based instruction in less commonly taught languages in combination with area studies, international studies, or the international aspects of professional studies.

TYPE/DURATION OF FELLOWSHIPS

An institution may award a fellowship to an eligible student for one academic year or one summer session, if the summer session provides the fellow with the equivalent of one academic year of modern foreign language study.

FLAS INSTITUTIONAL ELIGIBILITY

(a) The Secretary awards an allocation of fellowships to an institution of higher education or to a consortium of institutions of higher education that—

(1) Operates a Center or program approved by the Secretary under this part;

(2) Teaches modern foreign languages under a program described in paragraph (b) of this section; and

(3) In combination with the teaching described in paragraph (a) (2) of this section—

(i) Provides instruction in the disciplines needed for a full understanding of the area, regions, or countries in which the foreign languages are commonly used; or

(ii) Conducts training and research in international studies, the international aspects of professional and other fields of study, or issues in world affairs that concern one or more countries.

(b) In teaching those modern foreign languages for which an allocation of fellowships is made available, the institution must be either using a program of performance-based training or developing a performance-based training program.

(c) The Secretary uses the criteria in §657.21 both to approve Centers and programs for the purpose of receiving an allocation of fellowships and to evaluate applications for an allocation of fellowships.

(d) An institution does not need to receive a grant under the NRC Program (34 CFR part 656) to receive an allocation of fellowships.

BIENNIAL SURVEY REQUIREMENT

All institutions receiving FY 18 FLAS grant awards must conduct a survey of FLAS alumni once every two years over a period of eight (8) years. The survey is mandated by sec. 601 (d) of the HEA to determine postgraduate employment, education, or training of FLAS fellows.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

1. The Application (Project) Narrative is where you, the applicant, respond to the program selection criteria. The full text of the selection criteria used to evaluate NRC and/or FLAS applications are included in the FY 18 NIA published in Federal Register. The selection criteria are from 34 CFR sections 656.21 (comprehensive centers), 656.22 (undergraduate centers), and 657.21 (FLAS applicants) and may be found on pp 57-69.

The list of selection criteria (by headings) and the maximum possible points may be found on pp 96 - 97. When responding to the selection criteria in the Application (Project) Narrative, please use the selection criteria order as they are presented in the program regulations. Please be advised that the selection criteria in the technical review form (TRF) follows the order presented in the program regulations.

2. In addition to the Application (Project) Narrative, an NRC and/or FLAS application also includes the following:

ED Form 524 (Section A Budget Summary).

Budget detail (Section C Budget Narrative).

Description to demonstrate compliance with General Education Provisions Act

Section 427.

Application Profile Sheet: Applicant type (Comprehensive Center, Undergraduate NRC, FLAS fellowships), single institution or consortium; world region or thematic focus; FLAS allocation request, and FLAS-eligible languages.

Abstract.

Diverse perspectives and areas of need descriptions.

Course list that include courses with 25% - 100% area-related content.

Timeframe Courses 2016-2017 Courses and enrollments 2017-2018 Courses being offered 2018-2019 Courses to be offered

Curriculum vitae for faculty and instructors.

Position descriptions for positions to be filled and paid from the grant.

Performance Measure Form.

Letters of support (recommended maximum: 5).

Federal forms, assurances, and certifications.

3. Recommended Start Date The Department recommends a start date of August 15, 2018.

4. Peer Review Process A three-member panel of independent reviewers with area studies and world language expertise evaluates each application. Each reviewer provides his/her scores and comments to indicate the extent to which the applicant has responded to the NRC and/or FLAS selection criteria.

5. Notifying Successful Applicants If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to access an electronic version of your GAN. The email will be sent to both the project director and certifying representative in order for them to view and print the Adobe Acrobat version of the electronically- signed GAN. If neither the project director nor certifying representative is registered in G5, they will immediately be prompted to register once the link is accessed. Because the Department issues signed GANs electronically, it is important that the email addresses provided for the project director and the certifying representative are correct.

6. Notifying Ineligible or Unsuccessful Applicants If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you in writing.

7. Peer Reviewers’ Technical Review Forms (TRFs) All applicants will receive copies of the peer reviewers’ TRFs (evaluations).

8. Reporting Requirements If you receive a FY 18 new grant award, you will be required to submit performance reports in the fall and spring, and a final performance and financial status report at the end of the project period. All performance reports for the NRC program and the FLAS program must be submitted electronically into the IFLE web-based reporting system, International Resource Information System (IRIS). This online system collects narrative, data, and budget information about funded projects to enable IFLE program officers to determine whether grantees are making substantial progress toward approved project objectives. For more information about IRIS and to view the reporting instructions, please go to https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsnrc/performance.html https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsflas/performance.html

In addition to the FLAS institutional and student performance reports, pre-and post-evaluations of FLAS recipients’ speaking skills are also required. The evaluation that the language instructor is required to administer is also accessible in IRIS.

9. Diverse Perspectives and Areas of National Need The Title VI International Education Programs legislation ((20 U.S.C §1122(e)) requires that each institution of higher education or consortium of such institutions desiring a grant under the NRC and/or FLAS programs shall include the following descriptions in their grant applications:

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsnrc/performance.html https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsflas/performance.html

• An explanation of how the activities funded by the grant will reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate debate on world regions and international affairs; and

• A description of how the applicant will encourage government service in areas of national need, as identified by the Secretary, as well as areas of need in education, business, and non-profit sectors.

Note: If an application is submitted on behalf of a consortium, the application must include diverse perspectives and areas of national need descriptions for all institutions in the consortium.

10. Consultation with Federal Agencies Section 601(c)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) requires that the Secretary consult with Federal agency heads to receive their recommendations regarding areas of national need for expertise in foreign languages and world regions. These agencies’ recommendations may be viewed on this web page:

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/index.html

11. Contact Information

Cheryl E. Gibbs (Asia, Pacific Islands) Director, Advanced Training and Research Division Acting Senior Director, IFLE International and Foreign Language Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW/ Room 257-15 Washington, D.C. 20202 Telephone: (202) 453-5690 cheryl.gibbs@ed.gov

Carolyn Collins (Canada, Latin America, Western Europe) Telephone: (202) 453-7854 carolyn.collins@ed.gov

Tim Duvall (Africa, International, Middle East, Russia and Eastern Europe) Telephone: (202) 453-7521 timothy.duvall@ed.gov

12. Address to Request Application Package For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applications to the 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.

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/index.html mailto:cheryl.gibbs@ed.gov mailto:carolyn.collins@ed.gov mailto:timothy.duvall@ed.gov http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf

FY 2018 PROFILE FORM

NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTERS │CFDA 84.015A

FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND AREA STUDIES FELLOWSHIPS│CFDA 84.015B

(www.Grants.gov Part III/Other Attachments Form)

Type of Application (check all that apply) � Comprehensive National Resource Center � Undergraduate National Resource Center � Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships

Federal Funds Requested NRC Request Year 1: ___________Year 2: _____________Year 3: ____________Year 4: ____________

FLAS Request Year 1: ___________Year 2: _____________Year 3: _____________Year 4:____________

Type of Applicant � Single institution __________________________________________________________ � Consortium of institutions Lead ________________________________________________________________ Partner 1_____________________________________________________________ Partner 2_____________________________________________________________ Partner 3_____________________________________________________________

NRC (Center, Institute, Program) Focus An application may focus on a single country or on a world area or on international studies or the international aspects of contemporary issues or topics (see 34 CFR Part 656, §656.4)

� AFRICA � MIDDLE EAST

� CANADA � PACIFIC ISLANDS

� EAST ASIA/PAN ASIA � RUSSIA, EASTERN EUROPE, EURASIA

� EUROPE � SOUTH ASIA

� INTERNATIONAL � SOUTHEAST ASIA

� LATIN AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN � WESTERN EUROPE

FLAS-eligible Languages: These are the languages for which students may apply for FLAS fellowships (now), because the institution is either using a program of performance-based training or developing a performance-based training program.

Bengali, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu

GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND TIPS FOR APPLICANTS

All applicants are required to submit applications electronically using Grants.gov.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

To facilitate your use of Grants.gov, this document includes important submission procedures you need to be aware of to ensure your application is received in a timely manner and accepted by the Department of Education.

Browser Support The latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari are supported for use with Grants.gov. However, these web browsers undergo frequent changes and updates, so we recommend you have the latest version when using Grants.gov. Legacy versions of these web browsers may be functional, but you may experience issues.

For additional information or updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser information in the Applicant FAQs: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#browser

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files Required Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

1) Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

2) Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

a. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#browser https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

b. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

c. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

3) Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab.

Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

4) Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Helpful Reminders

1) REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.sam.gov) which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take upwards of several weeks to complete, depending upon the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the Registration steps are complete. Please note that once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov, and before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html [Note:

Your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.]

Primary information about SAM is available at www.sam.gov . However, to further assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account the Department of Education has prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html

2) SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 4:30:00 p.m.

Washington, DC time on the deadline date.

Note: To submit successfully, you must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This DUNS number is typically the same number used when your organization registered with the SAM. If you do not enter the same DUNS number on your application as the DUNS you registered with, Grants.gov will reject your application.

3) VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned.

Once the Department of Education receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time, on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site:

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

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: mailto:support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time, unless you follow the procedures in the Federal Register notice and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. If electronic submission is optional and you have problems that you are unable to resolve before the deadline date and time for electronic applications, please follow the transmittal instructions for hard copy applications in the Federal Register notice and get a hard copy application postmarked by midnight on the deadline date.

(See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov Please go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs found at this Grants.gov link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace.

Dial-Up Internet Connections When using a dial up connection to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g. cable modem/DSL/T1. While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours to complete your grant submission using a dial up connection. If you do not have access to a high-speed connection and electronic submission is required, you may want to consider following the instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application, especially the requirement that applicants only include read-only, flattened .PDF files in their application:

• Ensure that you attach .PDF files only for any attachments to your application, and they must be in a read-only, flattened format. PDF files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the Federal Register application notice.

Applicants must submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their application. Specifically, the Department will not accept any attachments that contain files within a file, such as PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file.

Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are password protected files will not be read.

• Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. Therefore, each file uploaded to your application package should have a unique file name.

• When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters, and, in general, applicants should not use any special characters.

However, Grants.gov does allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

• Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments is less than 5 MB.

Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.

DUNS Number and SAM Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification Number, and System for Award Management

To do business with the Department, and to submit your application electronically using Grants.gov, you must—

• Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);

• Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), the Government’s primary registrant database;

• Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and

• Maintain an active SAM registration with current information while your application is under review by the Department and, if you are awarded a grant, during the project period.

You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet at the following website:

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. A DUNS number can be created within one to two business days.

If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the IRS or the Social Security Administration. If you need a new TIN, please allow two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.

The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM.gov database. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.

Note: Once your SAM.gov registration is active, it may be 24 to 48 hours before you can access the information in, and submit an application through, Grants.gov.

If you are currently registered with SAM.gov, you may not need to make any changes.

However, please make certain that the TIN associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM.gov or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet, which you can find at:

http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.

In addition, in order to submit your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) register as an applicant using your DUNS number; and (2) be designated by your organization’s E-Biz Point of Contact as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR).

Details on these steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov web page:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues with the Grants.gov System If you experience problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk immediately, toll-free, at 1-800-518-4726. The Grants.gov Support Center will provide you with a ticket number documenting your communication. You must retain your ticket number for future reference as proof of your communication with the Support Center. Please subsequently contact a person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section in the competition NIA and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number.

If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems within the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30:00 p.m., Eastern Time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, provided we can verify the technical issues affected your ability to submit your application on time via your Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number.

Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply only to technical problems with the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register in order to submit your application to Grants.gov (including with the required DUNS number and TIN currently registered in SAM) before the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

SUBMISSION OF PAPER APPLICATIONS IF ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION IS

NOT POSSIBLE

We discourage paper applications, but if electronic submission is not possible (e.g., you do not have access to the internet), you must provide a written statement that you intend to submit a paper application. Send this written statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days, or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal holiday).

If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. Please send this statement to the person listed in the For Further Information Contact section of the competition NIA.

If you submit a paper application, you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center Attention: (CFDA Number 84.015A; 84.015B; 84.015A and 84.015B) LBJ Basement Level 1 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, DC 20202-4260

You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.

2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal

Service.

3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.

4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:

1) A private metered postmark.

2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office.

We will not consider applications postmarked after the application deadline date.

Note for Mail Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail your application to the Department—

1) You must indicate on the envelope and in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and

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

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; National Resource Centers Program for Foreign Language and Area Studies or…