oppED-GRANTS-062818-001-cid84-310A2018-1-instructions.docx

U.S. Department of Education

OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND IMPROVEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202-5960

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR GRANTS UNDER THE

FY 2018 STATEWIDE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CENTERS PROGRAM GRANT

CFDA Number: 84.310A

FORM APPROVED

OMB no. 1894-0006, Expiration Date: 01/31/2021

DATED MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: July 30, 2018

Table of Contents

Program Overview Program Office: Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII)

Program Title: Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFEC)

CFDA Number: 84.310A

Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants

Program Description: The purpose of the SFEC program is to provide financial support to organizations that provide technical assistance and training to State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) in the implementation and enhancement of systemic and effective family engagement policies, programs, and activities that lead to improvements in student development and academic achievement. The Secretary is authorized to award grants to statewide organizations (or consortia of such organizations) in partnership with an SEA to establish SFECs that (1) carry out parent education and family engagement in education programs, and (2) provide comprehensive training and technical assistance to SEAs, LEAs, schools identified by SEAs and LEAs, organizations that support family-school partnerships, and other such programs.

Eligible Applicants: Statewide organizations (or consortia of such organizations) in partnership with at least one SEA.

A Statewide organization means a public or private organization that--

(1) Provides family engagement support or services;

(2) Demonstrates capacity to provide such support or services statewide to all States participating in its proposed project; and

(3) Is not an SEA or LEA.

Note: While each SFEC grantee must partner with at least one SEA, no SEA may partner with more than one SFEC grantee.

Program Website: https://innovation.ed.gov/statewide-family-engagement-centers-program/ Program Contact: Jane Hodgdon Program Email: sfec@ed.gov

Authorizing Legislation

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 1965, AS AMENDED (ESEA)

TITLE IV, PART E—FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS

SEC. 4501. (20 U.S.C. 7241) PURPOSES.

The purposes of this part are the following:

(1) To provide financial support to organizations to provide technical assistance and training to State educational agencies and local educational agencies in the implementation and enhancement of systemic and effective family engagement policies, programs, and activities that lead to improvements in student development and academic achievement.

(2) To assist State educational agencies, local educational agencies, community-based organizations, schools, and educators in strengthening partnerships among parents, teachers, school leaders, administrators, and other school personnel in meeting the educational needs of children and fostering greater parental engagement.

(3) To support State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools, educators, and parents in developing and strengthening the relationship between parents and their children’s school in order to further the developmental progress of children.

(4) To coordinate activities funded under this part with parent involvement initiatives funded under section 1116 and other provisions of this Act.

(5) To assist the Secretary, State educational agencies, and local educational agencies in the coordination and integration of Federal, State, and local services and programs to engage families in education.

SEC. 4502. (20 U.S.C. 7242) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

(a) STATEWIDE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CENTERS.—From the amount appropriated under section 4506 and not reserved under subsection (d), the Secretary is authorized to award grants for each fiscal year to statewide organizations (or consortia of such organizations), to establish statewide family engagement centers that—

(1) carry out parent education, and family engagement in education, programs; or

(2) provide comprehensive training and technical assistance to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools identified by State educational agencies and local educational agencies, organizations that support family-school partnerships, and other organizations that carry out such programs.

(b) MINIMUM AWARD.—In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, ensure that a grant is awarded for a statewide family engagement center in an amount not less than $500,000.

(c) MATCHING FUNDS FOR GRANT RENEWAL.—Each organization or consortium receiving assistance under this part shall demonstrate that, for each fiscal year after the first fiscal year for which the organization or consortium is receiving such assistance, a portion of the services provided by the organization or consortium is supported through non-Federal contributions, which may be in cash or in-kind.

(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall reserve not more than 2 percent of the funds appropriated under section 4506 to carry out this part to provide technical assistance, by competitive grant or contract, for the establishment, development, and coordination of statewide family engagement centers.

SEC. 4503. (20 U.S.C. 7243) APPLICATIONS.

(a) SUBMISSIONS.—Each statewide organization, or a consortium of such organizations, that desires a grant under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, which shall include the information described in subsection (b).

(b) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted under subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(1) A description of the applicant’s approach to family engagement in education.

(2) A description of how the State educational agency and any partner organization will support the statewide family engagement center that will be operated by the applicant including a description of the State educational agency and any partner organization’s commitment of such support.

(3) A description of the applicant’s plan for building a statewide infrastructure for family engagement in education, that includes—

(A) management and governance;

(B) statewide leadership; or

(C) systemic services for family engagement in education.

(4) A description of the applicant’s demonstrated experience in providing training, information, and support to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools, educators, parents, and organizations on family engagement in education policies and practices that are effective for parents (including low-income parents) and families, parents of English learners, minorities, students with disabilities, homeless children and youth, children and youth in foster care, and migrant students, including evaluation results, reporting, or other data exhibiting such demonstrated experience.

(5) A description of the steps the applicant will take to target services to low-income students and parents.

(6) An assurance that the applicant will—

(A) establish a special advisory committee, the membership of which includes—

(i) parents, who shall constitute a majority of the members of the special advisory committee;

(ii) representatives of education professionals with expertise in improving services for disadvantaged children;

(iii) representatives of local elementary schools and secondary schools, including students;

(iv) representatives of the business community; and

(v) representatives of State educational agencies and local educational agencies;

(B) use not less than 65 percent of the funds received under this part in each fiscal year to serve local educational agencies, schools, and community-based organizations that serve high concentrations of disadvantaged students, including students who are English learners, minorities, students with disabilities, homeless children and youth, children and youth in foster care, and migrant students;

(C) operate a statewide family engagement center of sufficient size, scope, and quality to ensure that the center is adequate to serve the State educational agency, local educational agencies, and community-based organizations;

(D) ensure that the statewide family engagement center will retain staff with the requisite training and experience to serve parents in the State;

(E) serve urban, suburban, and rural local educational agencies and schools;

(F) work with—

(i) other statewide family engagement centers assisted under this part; and

(ii) parent training and information centers and community parent resource centers assisted under sections 671 and 672 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1471; 1472);

(G) use not less than 30 percent of the funds received under this part for each fiscal year to establish or expand technical assistance for evidence-based parent education programs;

(H) provide assistance to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and community-based organizations that support family members in supporting student academic achievement;

(I) work with State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools, educators, and parents to determine parental needs and the best means for delivery of services to address such needs;

(J) conduct sufficient outreach to assist parents, including parents who the applicant may have a difficult time engaging with a school or local educational agency; and

(K) conduct outreach to low-income students and parents, including low-income students and parents who are not proficient in English.

(7) An assurance that the applicant will conduct training programs in the community to improve adult literacy, including financial literacy.

(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants for activities described in this part, the Secretary shall give priority to statewide family engagement centers that will use funds under section 4504 for evidence- based activities, which, for the purposes of this part is defined as activities meeting the requirements of section 8101(21)(A)(i).

SEC. 4504. (20 U.S.C. 7244) USES OF FUNDS.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Each statewide organization or consortium receiving a grant under this part shall use the grant funds, based on the needs determined under section 4503(b)(6)(I), to provide training and technical assistance to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and organizations that support family-school partnerships, and activities, services, and training for local educational agencies, school leaders, educators, and parents—

(1) to assist parents in participating effectively in their children’s education and to help their children meet challenging State academic standards, such as by assisting parents—

(A) to engage in activities that will improve student academic achievement, including understanding how parents can support learning in the classroom with activities at home and in after school and extracurricular programs;

(B) to communicate effectively with their children, teachers, school leaders, counselors, administrators, and other school personnel;

(C) to become active participants in the development, implementation, and review of school-parent compacts, family engagement in education policies, and school planning and improvement;

(D) to participate in the design and provision of assistance to students who are not making academic progress;

(E) to participate in State and local decisionmaking;

(F) to train other parents; and

(G) in learning and using technology applied in their children’s education;

(2) to develop and implement, in partnership with the State educational agency, statewide family engagement in education policy and systemic initiatives that will provide for a continuum of services to remove barriers for family engagement in education and support school reform efforts; and

(3) to develop and implement parental involvement policies under this Act.

(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a statewide family engagement center from—

(1) having its employees or agents meet with a parent at a site that is not on school grounds; or

(2) working with another agency that serves children.

(c) PARENTAL RIGHTS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this section—

(1) no person (including a parent who educates a child at home, a public school parent, or a private school parent) shall be required to participate in any program of parent education or developmental screening under this section; and

(2) no program or center assisted under this section shall take any action that infringes in any manner on the right of parents to direct the education of their children.

SEC. 4505. (20 U.S.C. 7245) FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN INDIAN SCHOOLS.

The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall establish, or enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, local tribes, tribal organizations, or Indian nonprofit parent organizations to establish and operate family engagement centers.

SEC. 4506. (20 U.S.C. 7246) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2020.

Notice Inviting Applications 2018 SFEC Notice Inviting Applications The full text of the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for the FY 2018 SFEC competition including all relevant deadlines can be found on the SFEC website at the following URL:

https://innovation.ed.gov/statewide-family-engagement-centers-program/ All SFEC applications must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system by 4:30:00 pm Washington, DC time on July 30, 2018. Late applications will not be accepted. 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.

After successfully submitting a Workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANT062818-001) 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.

2018 Application Requirements The full set of application requirements that apply to the FY 2018 SFEC competition can be found in the NIA. Please note that several of these application requirements require applicants to assure that they will adhere to certain requirements if selected for funding, as required under section 4503(b) of the ESEA (see Application Requirements (f) and (g)). By submitting an application under this program, an applicant is assuring that it will meet those requirements, including:

(f) An assurance that they will--

(1) Establish a special advisory committee, the membership of which includes--

(i) Parents, who shall constitute a majority of the members of the special advisory committee;

(ii) Representatives of education professionals with expertise in improving services for disadvantaged children;

(iii) Representatives of local elementary schools and secondary schools, including students;

(iv) Representatives of the business community; and

(v) Representatives of SEAs and LEAs;

(2) Use not less than 65 percent of the funds received under this part in each fiscal year to serve LEAs, schools, and community-based organizations that serve high concentrations of disadvantaged students, including students who are English language learners, minorities, students with disabilities, homeless children and youth, children and youth in foster care, and migrant students;

(3) Operate a SFEC of sufficient size, scope, and quality to ensure that the center is adequate to serve the SEA, LEAs, and community-based organizations;

(4) Ensure that the SFEC will retain staff with the requisite training and experience to serve parents in the State;

(5) Serve urban, suburban, and rural LEAs and schools;

(6) Work with--

(i) Other SFECs assisted under this part; and

(ii) Parent training and information centers and community parent resource centers assisted under sections 671 and 672 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1471; 1472); and

(7) Use not less than 30 percent of the funds received under this competition for each fiscal year to establish or expand technical assistance for evidence-based (as defined in this notice) parent education programs;

(8) Provide assistance to SEAs, LEAs, and community-based organizations that support family members in supporting student achievement;

(9) Work with SEAs, LEAs, schools, educators, and parents to determine parental needs and the best means for delivery of services to address such needs;

(10) Conduct sufficient outreach to assist parents, including parents who the applicant may have a difficult time engaging with a school or LEA; and

(11) Conduct outreach to low-income students and parents, including low-income students and parents who are not proficient in English.

(g) An assurance that the applicant will conduct training programs in the community to improve adult literacy, including financial literacy.

2018 SFEC Application Package Please note that the SFEC Application Package is for applicants to download and use as a guide only. Unless the applicant qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, all SFEC grant applications must be submitted online using Workspace in Grants.gov.

Intent to Apply The Department encourages each potential applicant to notify us of the applicant’s intent to submit an application by sending a short email message. This short email should provide the applicant organization’s name and address. Please send this email notification to the contact under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT with “Intent to Apply” in the email subject line. Applicants that do not complete the Intent to Apply may still submit an application. Please submit the email no later than July 13, 2018.

Apply!

A Grants.gov applicant must apply online using Workspace. Instructions on getting started on your Workspace Application can be found on the Grants.gov website here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html. For access to complete instructions on how to apply, refer to: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

Funding Opportunity Number: ED-GRANTS- 062818-001 Each application will be reviewed under the competition it was submitted under in the Grants.gov system, and only applications that are successfully submitted by the established deadline will be peer reviewed.

Grants.gov Submission Procedures & Tips for Applicants

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.

1. 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.

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.

1. 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.

1. 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. Please begin this process as soon as possible after the release of this application package. 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.

SAM.gov ALERT If you are registering a new entity in SAM.gov, you must provide an original, signed notarized letter stating that you are the authorized Entity Administrator before your registration will be activated. Read the FAQs to learn more about this process change.

Additionally, beginning on April 27, 2018, entities renewing or updating their registration will be required to submit an original, signed notarized letter confirming the authorized Entity Administrator associated with the DUNS number before the registration is activated.

Please begin the SAM registration, including any necessary renewals or updates, as soon as possible. Also, please alert the ED contact for this competition (sfec@ed.gov) if you experience any delays due to the requirement to submit a notarized letter designating an Entity Administrator.

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 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.

1. 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 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:

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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 sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

1. 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.

APPLICATION TIPS

1. Register or maintain registration on SAM.gov. 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 entered into the SAM database by an entity. 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. Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to allow 24 to 48 hours for the information

1. Register early on Grants.gov. The registration process may take up to two weeks to complete. For additional information on the registration and submission process please review the resources available on the Grants.gov Website.

1. Verify that the person assigned to submit the application has been designated as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). You must be “active” in order to submit an application on behalf of the organization.

1. Carefully review the FY2018 NIA for eligibility requirements.

1. Review the submission for clarity. Applications will be read by multiple peer reviewers; therefore it is important to ensure that the application can be understood by someone who is unfamiliar with your project.

1. Submit all files in .PDF format. While Grants.gov may accept other format types, the Department’s system, which receives the files from Grants.gov, will only accept .PDF files. Files submitted in formats other than .PDF may not convert in a legible manner and, in these instances, cannot be reviewed. 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.

1. Submit early on Grants.gov. Applications must be finished uploading, and be validated by the Grants.gov system, by 4:30:00pm, Washington, DC, time on the application deadline. Validation indicates if the submission was successful and may take up to two days. If the submitted application is deemed invalid due to an error, applicants may correct the error and resubmit only if the 4:30:00pm Washington, DC time deadline has not passed. Applicants are encouraged to review the submission to be sure that the files transmitted correctly. Grants.gov may not catch all errors. Late submissions or modifications to the submitted application will not be accepted after the deadline.

1. Each application will be reviewed under the competition it was submitted under in the Grants.gov system, and only applications that are successfully submitted by the established closing date will be peer reviewed.

1. NOTE: Applicants will receive multiple emails to confirm submission in Grants.gov, validation, and transmission to the Department of Education. Once the application is transmitted to the Department, applicants will receive a final email with a unique identifier called a PR Award Number. Use this number when making inquiries about the submitted application. Please review the email carefully to ensure that you submitted the application under the intended competition.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR D-U-N-S NUMBER

All applicants must have a D-U-N-S number in order to apply for federal funds.

NOTE: Check with your fiscal office to see if your institution has an assigned DUNS number before contacting Dun & Bradstreet.

Please provide the applicant’s DUNS number. You can obtain your DUNS number at no charge by calling 1-800-333-0505 or by completing a D-U-N-S Number Request Form. The form can be obtained via the internet at the following URL:

http://www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/index.html The DUNS number is a unique nine-digit number that does not convey any information about the recipient. A built in check digit helps assure the accuracy of the DUNS number. The ninth digit of each number is the check digit, which is mathematically related to the other digits. It lets computer systems determine if a DUNS number has been entered correctly.

Dun & Bradstreet, a global information services provider, has assigned DUNS numbers to over 43 million companies worldwide.

For live help Monday-Friday 9am-6pm (EST) dial 1-888-814-1435.

NOTE: Electronic submission via Grants.gov must use the DUNS number your organization used when it registered in the Central Contractor Registry.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING AN APPLICATION

Carefully read the entire application package, the Federal Register notice, and the authorizing legislation.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Attachment Forms Applicants applying for the SFEC program will use the following Grants.gov and ED narrative attachment forms:

The ED Abstract Narrative Attachment Form is where you will attach your one-page program abstract.

The Project Narrative Attachment Form is where the applicant will attach the narrative sections addressing the Selection Criteria and, if relevant, one or two of the Competitive Preference Priorities.

The Budget Narrative Attachment Form is where the applicant will attach a detailed line-item budget and any supplemental budget information. Matching funds are required in years two through five for the SFEC program.

The Other Attachments Form is where the applicant will attach proposal appendices. This is where you will include information such as the signed preliminary memorandum of understanding, logic model, resumes/curriculum vitae of key personnel, letters or support, etc. The Grants.gov system will allow applicants to attach as many as ten separate appendices in this section.

Please complete the SF 424 first. Grants.gov will automatically insert the correct CFDA (84.310A) and program name wherever needed thereafter.

NOTE: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form (SF 424).

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ED ABSTRACT NARRATIVE

The abstract narrative must not exceed one page and should use language that will be understood by a range of audiences. The abstract should include the following items: project title, project goals and expected outcomes, brief project description, key partner organizations, and an identification of any competitive preference priorities for which the applicant is applying.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROJECT NARRATIVE

The Project Narrative should describe the project that an applicant would carry out if funded and include the eligible applicant’s response to the selection criteria since the application will be evaluated and scored against these criteria. Also, the narrative should address any competitive preference priority for which the applicant is applying.

The NIA provides applicants with instructions for preparing and submitting the application, information describing the competitive preference priorities that have been established for this competition, the selection criteria that will be used to evaluate the application, and other pertinent information concerning the competition for awards.

It is expected that applicants will use the selection criteria to frame their project narratives. Make sure your narrative addresses all of the elements.

A note about evaluation: A strong evaluation plan should be included in the application narrative and should be used, as appropriate, to shape the development of the project from the beginning of the grant period. The plan should include benchmarks to monitor progress toward specific project objectives and also outcome measures to assess the impact on teaching and learning or other important outcomes for project participants. More specifically, the plan should identify the individual and/or organization that have agreed to serve as evaluator for the project and describe the qualifications of that evaluator. The plan should describe the evaluation design, indicating: (1) what types of data will be collected; (2) when various types of data will be collected; (3) what methods will be used; (4) what instruments will be developed and when; (5) how the data will be analyzed; (6) when reports of results and outcomes will be available; and (7) how the applicant will use the information collected through the evaluation to monitor progress of the funded project and to provide accountability information both about success at the initial site and effective strategies for replication in other settings. Applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate level of resources to project evaluation.

Successful applicants will be expected to report annually on the progress of each project or study included in the grant, including a description of preliminary or key findings and an explanation of any changes in goals, objectives, methodology, or planned products or publications.

Formatting We suggest you limit the project narrative to the equivalent of no more than 40 pages, using 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, except 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. An application submitted in any other font (including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.

Competitive Preference Priorities For the purpose of this application, the Department has established two competitive preference priorities under the SFEC Program for the FY 2018 grant competition. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional three points to an application that meets either Competitive Preference 1(a) or Competitive Preference Priority 1(b), and we award up to an additional three points to an application depending on how well the application meets Competitive Preference Priority 2, for a maximum of six additional points under these priorities.

Competitive Preference Priority 1 (0 or 3 points).

The Secretary gives priority to projects that are designed to--

(a) Create SFECs that will provide direct services to parents and families through evidence-based (as defined in this notice) activities.

(b) Provide families with evidence-based (as defined in this notice) strategies for promoting literacy. This may include providing families with access to books or other physical or digital materials or content about how to support their child’s reading development, or providing family literacy activities (as defined in section 203(9) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act).

Note: An application will not receive points for both (a) and (b) under Competitive Preference Priority 1.

Please note that applicants responding to Competitive Preference Priority 1(a) or (b) may choose to submit the Department of Education Evidence Form (1894-0001) in Grants.gov with their application. It is not a required form. Applicants may find this form helpful in identifying the level of evidence and citation of studies that support the selection of the activity, strategy, or intervention included in the project. This form is discussed below in the “Forms and Instructions” section of the application instructions.

Competitive Preference Priority 2 (up to 3 points).

The Secretary gives priority to projects that are designed to provide families with the information and tools they need to make important decisions regarding the educational choice (as defined in this notice) that is most appropriate for their children.

Selection Criteria The selection criteria outlined below will be used to evaluate the quality of applications submitted for funding. The full description of the selection criteria is contained in the Notice Inviting Applications. Within each criterion, there are specific factors that will be used in evaluating that criterion. In addition, the applicant should note the earlier discussion regarding addressing the required program components and authorized activities when responding to the selection criteria.

The maximum score that an applicant can earn for the selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses following that criterion.

We refer you to the NIA for a full description of each selection criterion and its subfactors. Applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully read each criterion and its subfactors when preparing their applications. These are the criteria that will be used to review and score applications.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BUDGET NARRATIVE

Before preparing the budget narrative, applicants should review the Federal Register notice and the authorizing legislation for specific guidance and requirements. Note that applications will be evaluated according to the specific selection criteria specified in the Federal Register notice.

The budget should include only costs that are allowable, reasonable, and necessary for carrying out the objectives of the SFEC project. Rules about allowable costs are set out in 2 CFR Part 200[footnoteRef:1], as adopted by the Department at 2 CFR Part 3474.[footnoteRef:2] [1: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=a00c8ef91d397f640d8c236871fe5eef&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl] [2: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=a00c8ef91d397f640d8c236871fe5eef&node=pt2.1.3474&rgn=div5]

Provide an itemized budget breakdown narrative, by project year, for each budget category listed in Section A of the ED 524 form. The project period is 5 years. Applicants must include all 5 years in their budget request. The budget and budget narrative must demonstrate the SFEC requirement for a 15% non-Federal matching contribution in years 2 through 5. The match may be cash or in-kind donations.

Provide the rate and base on which fringe benefits are calculated. Please check all figures and combined totals in the budget narrative, and compare the amounts with those reflected on the ED 524. Provide other budget explanations or comments deemed necessary. Be sure to include travel for key grant staff to attend an annual project directors convening in Washington DC.

Provide documentation of the applicant’s indirect cost rate. The Department reimburses grantees for its portion of indirect costs that a grantee incurs in projects funded under this program. Any grantee charging indirect costs to a grant from this program must use the indirect cost rate negotiated with its cognizant agency for indirect costs.

Note: Applicants should pay special attention to specific questions on the application budget form (U.S. Department of Education Budget Information Non-Construction Programs Form 524 Sections A, B and C) about their cognizant agency and the indirect cost rate they are using in their budget.

If an applicant selected for funding under this program has not already established a current indirect cost rate with its cognizant agency, ED generally will authorize the grantee to use a temporary rate of 10 percent of budgeted direct salaries and wages, or a de minimis rate of 10 percent of MTDC, as defined in 2 CFR 200.68.

Use of the temporary rate of 10 percent of budgeted direct salaries and wages is subject to the following limitations:

1. The grantee must submit an indirect cost rate proposal to its cognizant agency within 90 days after ED issues the GAN.

1. If after the 90-day period, the grantee has not submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to its cognizant agency, the grantee may not charge its grant for indirect costs (except when ED finds exceptional circumstances) until it has negotiated an indirect cost rate agreement with its cognizant agency.

1. The grantee may only recover indirect costs incurred on or after the date it submitted its indirect cost rate proposal to its cognizant agency or at the start of the of the project period, whichever of the two occurs later.

1. The total amount of funds recovered by the grantee under the federally recognized indirect cost rate is reduced by the amount of indirect costs previously recovered under the temporary indirect cost rate.

1. The grantee must obtain prior approval from the Secretary to shift direct costs to indirect costs in order to recover indirect costs at a higher negotiated indirect cost rate.

1. The grantee may not request additional funds to recover indirect costs that…