PKG00248169-instructions.pdf

U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Office of Migrant Education Washington, D.C. 20202-6200

Fiscal Year 2019

Application for New Grants Under the College Assistance Migrant Program

CFDA 84.149A

Dated Material - Open Immediately Closing Date: April 9, 2019

Approved OMB Number: 1894-0006 Expiration Date: 1/31/2021 ii

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is: 1894-0006. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary.

If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Carla Kirksey, Office of Migrant Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E337, Washington D.C. 20202-6135. [Note:

Please do not return the completed application to this address.] iii

Table of Contents Dear Colleague Letter

Program Background Information

Program Overview Official Documents Notice Eligible Applicants Competitive Preference Priorities Program Contact Application Deadline Applicable Regulations Frequently Asked Questions

Application Submission Procedures

Technical Assistance Webinars for Prospective Applicants Tips for Preparing and Submitting an Application Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

Application Instructions

Electronic Application Format Electronic Application Submission Checklist Part 1: Preliminary Documents Part 2: Budget Information Part 3: ED Abstract Form Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form Part 5: Budget Narrative Important Information Regarding Indirect Costs Part 6: Other Attachments Form Part 7: Assurances and Certifications Part 8: Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (Executive Order 12372)

Reporting and Accountability

Legal and Regulatory Information

Notice Inviting Applications Program Statute Program Regulation

Dear Colleague Letter Dear Colleague:

Thank you for your interest in the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), administered by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). This program is authorized under Title IV, Section 418A of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by section 408 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act P.L. 110-315 (H.R. 4137) (HEA, as amended).

The purpose of CAMP is to assist migrant and seasonal farmworkers and members of their immediate family to complete their first academic year of college and to continue in postsecondary education.

Please take the time to review the applicable priorities, selection criteria, and all of the application instructions thoroughly. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or the application does not contain the information required under the program (EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c)). And, as part of a broader effort to reduce barriers for applicants seeking funds under a Department discretionary grant competition, the Department has issued a set of Common Instructions for Applicants available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018- 02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf and also in this application package.

All applicants are eligible to receive up to 100 points based on the published selection criteria.

In addition, there are two competitive preference priorities in this competition: the first competitive preference priority is for projects creating or expanding partnerships between schools, local educational agencies, State educational agencies, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, or institutions of higher education to give students access to internships, apprenticeships, or other work-based learning experiences in STEM fields, including computer science (as defined in Secretary’s Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs). The second competitive preference priority is consideration of a project’s prior experience. Applicants that administer an expiring CAMP project are eligible to receive up to 15 additional points for prior experience of service delivery.

For this competition it is mandatory for applicants to use the government-wide website, Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov), to apply. Please note that the Grants.gov site works differently than the U.S. Department of Education’s e-Application System. We strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with Grants.gov and strongly recommend that you register and submit early.

Applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms. Please review the Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software and Education Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants forms found within this package for further information and guidance related to this requirement.

United States Department of Education

OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

OFFICE OF MIGRANT EDUCATION

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf http://www.grants.gov/

Using FY 2019 funds, the Department expects to award approximately $4,823,000 for new grants under this competition. We will award discretionary grants on a competitive basis for a project period of up to 60 months. Grants are expected to be awarded in June 2019.

Please visit our program website at www.ed.gov/programs/camp for further information. If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Carla Kirksey by telephone at (202) 260-2114 or via e-mail at carla.kirksey@ed.gov, or Steven Carr by telephone at (202) 260-2067 or via email at steven.carr@ed.gov.

Lisa C. Gillette Director Office of Migrant Education http://www.ed.gov/programs/camp mailto:carla.kirksey@ed.gov mailto:steven.carr@ed.gov

Program Background Information

Program Overview The purpose of the CAMP is to provide the academic and financial support necessary to help migrant and seasonal farmworkers and members of their immediate family successfully complete their first year of college.

Official Documents Notice The official document governing this competition is the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published in the Federal Register on February 8, 2019. (See Legal and Regulatory Documents of this application package). The NIA is also available electronically at the following Web sites:

www.FederalRegister.gov and www.gpo.gov.

Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants include:

• Institutions of higher education

• Private nonprofit organizations

Competitive Preference Priorities The FY 2019 competition includes one competitive preference priority. Competitive Preference Priority 1: For fiscal year (FY) 2019 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional 3 points to an application that meets this priority. This priority is: Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science. Projects that are designed to address the following priority will be considered for additional points under Competitive Preference Priority 1: Creating or expanding partnerships between schools, local educational agencies, State educational agencies, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, or institutions of higher education to give students access to internships, apprenticeships, or other work-based learning experiences in STEM fields, including computer science (as defined in Secretary’s Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs).

Competitive Preference Priority 2: For FY 2019 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority authorized in section 418A of the Higher Education Act. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 15 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets this priority. This priority is: Consideration of Prior Experience.

Projects that are expiring (current CAMP grantees going into their fifth year) will be considered for additional points under Competitive Preference Priority 2. The Secretary will consider the www.federalregister.gov www.gpo.gov applicant’s prior experience in implementing its expiring CAMP project, based on the performance reports previously provided to the Department.

Program Contact If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Carla Kirksey by telephone at (202) 260-2114 or via e-mail at carla.kirksey@ed.gov .

Application Deadline The deadline for submitting an application is April 9, 2019. Review the instructions in this application package for meeting this deadline.

Applicable Regulations The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 206. (e) The definitions of “migratory agricultural worker” in section 1309(2), “migratory child” in section 1309(3), and “migratory fisher” in section 1309(4) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). (f) The National Farmworker Jobs Program definitions in 20 CFR 685.110 and eligibility regulations in 20 CFR 685.320.

All grantees are required to comply with these regulations, as applicable.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education (IHEs) only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What are the performance reporting requirements for the grant?

A1: Grantees are required to submit the OMB-approved CAMP Annual Performance Report (APR) Form. This form is generally due in November following the most recently ending budget period. A copy of the performance report instructions for the 2018-19 performance period is available at: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/camp/2019-camp-instruction-apr.pdf.

Q2: What is the relationship between the requirement in Section 75.590 of EDGAR for an APR and the selection criterion for evaluation, which comes from section 75.210(h) of

EDGAR?

A2: Section 75.590 of EDGAR requires each grant recipient to submit an APR or, for the last year of a project, a final report in addition to an APR, that evaluates at least annually (1) the https://www2.ed.gov/programs/camp/2019-camp-instruction-apr.pdf recipient's progress in achieving the objectives in its approved application, (2) the effectiveness of the project in meeting the purposes of the program, and (3) the effect of the project on served participants. Excluding the final report, the APR that the program uses identifies the minimum information the Department needs from recipients to satisfy this provision. However section

75.590 does not identify how a grantee is to collect this information.

In evaluating project applications, the Secretary considers, as one of the selection criteria, the quality of the applicant's proposed project evaluation. The elements of this selection criterion come from section 75.210(h) of EDGAR, and are designed to have applicants address how they will conduct their project evaluation. The evaluation an applicant proposes in response to this selection criterion will dictate how and what data that the applicant would collect each year. Thus the applicant's response to the selection criterion governing evaluation would guide the collection of the evaluative information it will report in the APR if the applicant receives a grant award.

Q3: What information specific to project objectives must applicants address in their application?

A3: According to Section 75.112 of EDGAR, applicants must include in their application a narrative that describes how and when the applicant plans to meet each objective of the project, in each budget period of the project. The objectives of the project include the performance measures that the Department has established under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) as well as any other objectives grantees have established that are specific to the project. Hence, in the course of implementing their projects, grantees will need to examine the goals and objectives of the particular project, as well as GPRA measures for the program (See GPRA objectives on page 60 of this application package).

Q4: What are the projected national targets for the CAMP GPRA 1 and GPRA 2 measures for the first year of this grant?

A4: The national target for measure 1 for FY 2019 is that 86 percent of CAMP program participants will complete the first academic year of their postsecondary program, and for measure 2 the target for FY 2019 is that 90 percent of CAMP participants who complete their first academic year of college will continue their postsecondary education. Targets for subsequent years will be determined after additional baseline data is collected on the APR.

Applicants must propose annual targets for these measures in their applications. Grantees will be held accountable for serving the number of students they propose to serve in their application.

At minimum, applicants must include in their applications:

• the number of CAMP participants the applicant expects to serve each year of the grant;

• the number of CAMP participants the applicant expects will complete the first academic year of their postsecondary program (GPRA measure 1); and,

• the number of CAMP participants who, after completing the first academic year of college, the applicant expects will continue their postsecondary education (GPRA measure 2).

Applicants must report annually in their APRs their success in meeting these GPRA measures as well as the individual measures they have established for their projects.

Q5: Are the GPRA targets considered to be the objectives for the program?

A5: GPRA targets are the core objectives that apply to all CAMP grantees, but projects may also establish their own goals and objectives, within the scope of the program's authorizing legislation and regulations.

Q6: If the GPRA targets are the core objectives of the project, what are the merits of going beyond these requirements to write other project goals/objectives?

A6: The GPRA targets may not address all the needs you have identified for your project.

Q7: In addition to the GPRA targets, how many objectives are recommended?

A7: There is no minimum or maximum number of proposed project objectives. However, be mindful you will be competing with others, you will be held to everything you propose, and you will have to report on each project objective in the APR.

Q8: Should the page count of each section of the application be based on how many points are allotted to each selection criteria section?

A8: The Department recommends a 25-page limit; how the applicant chooses to distribute the narrative among the sections is its decision.

Q9: Can the applicant reference in one section a chart that is in another section, if the chart supports the section where the reference is made?

A9: Readers will only consider information that is in that section. However, readers may refer to information in the budget narrative when scoring other sections.

Q10: What fonts must be used in the application?

A10: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, and Arial are suggested fonts, and all are recommended to be either 12 point or larger, or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

Q11: Can sections that will take a considerable amount of space in the narrative be addressed in tables?

A11: Tables are appropriate to display quantitative data or a combination of quantitative and qualitative data (e.g., a table of project specific objectives with numerical targets); however, tables are not appropriate for a narrative. Moreover, narratives displayed in tables may be confusing to readers and result in a low score.

Q12: Do charts, tables, etc. need to be in 12 pt. font Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New or Arial font also?

A12: Chart, tables, etc. are recommended to be in 12 pt. font Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New or Arial font.

Q13: Does the Table of Contents count towards the recommended 25-page limit for the project narrative?

A13: No.

Q14: How long can the abstract be?

A14: The Department recommends one double-spaced page for the abstract.

Q15: What information should be included in the abstract?

A15: The project abstract should include a concise description of the following information, preferably in the following order:

• Name of Applicant

• City and State of Applicant

• Project objectives and activities

• Applicable priorities

• Proposed project outcomes

• Number of participants to be served annually, distinguished by commuter or residential

• Number and location of proposed sites

• Project targets for meeting each of the GPRA measures each year

Q16: Can footnotes be in a bibliography format in the appendices, since they take up space (especially double-spaced) in the actual narrative?

A16: The applicant may include a bibliography in the appendices; however, readers will not score information in the appendices.

Q17: Is it okay to include "cover pages" for the appendices (that would not count toward the recommended page limit)?

A17: Applicants may organize appendices as they choose. The recommended page limit for the appendices is 20 pages.

Q18: What parts of the budget narrative must be double spaced?

A18: It is recommended the narrative text be double-spaced but charts, tables and graphs can be single-spaced.

Q19: How do we determine if costs are reasonable? Are there guidelines to determine if costs are allowable, allocable and reasonable?

A19: See "Important Notes" under Part 5, Budget Narrative on page 50 of the application.

Q20: Does the annual requested amount include indirect costs?

A20: Yes.

Q21: What is meant by a maximum award limit that an applicant may request?

A21: The Department has established a maximum CAMP award of $425,000 for any of the five single budget periods of 12 months. This limit applies only to the amount of Federal funds requested in Section A of ED Form 524, and does not apply to other funds a grantee or its partners may contribute to the project.

Q22: May a project budget exceed the maximum award amount if it includes funding from non-Federal sources?

A22: Yes. The project budget may exceed this amount of $425,000 for any of the five single 12-month budget periods if volunteered non-Federal funds are combined in the project budget.

If other non-Federal funds are contributed to the project, applicants must enter those amounts in Section B of ED Form 524 and provide a Section C budget detail that identifies and describes these non-Federal funds.

Applicants should be aware that amounts representing the difference between the 8 percent restricted indirect cost rate and a greater indirect cost rate negotiated with an agency may not be charged to direct cost categories, used to satisfy matching or cost-sharing requirements, or charged to another Federal award. [§75.562(c)(5)]

Q23: Can the project director be the authorized representative or principal investigator (PI) as well?

A23: In cases where a nonprofit organization is very small or operating solely on the Federal CAMP grant, the organization's CEO could technically be both the authorized representative (person who signed and represents the application) as well as the project director. It would not be reasonable, however, to have one person be both the PI (i.e., supervisor over the project staff) and the director.

Q24: Are external evaluators preferred, particularly those that may be directors or PIs of other projects?

A24: An applicant should conduct its evaluation in the manner that it determines to be most effective for the project. OME cannot say that one manner of evaluation is "preferred" over another, though many grantees find an outside evaluator to be an effective practice.

Q25: Should we list all project personnel as key personnel?

A25: While it is up to the applicant to decide which personnel are “key personnel,” the applicant should be aware that, according to Section 200.308(c)(2) of the OMB Uniform Administrative requirements Guidance, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (OMB Uniform Requirements), grantees must request prior approval from ED program officials for any change in key personnel.

Q26: Are the costs of instructional items, such as textbooks, to be included on the Training Stipend line of the budget form?

A26: Depending on how instructional items are used, they may be included on the Other or Supply lines or the Training Stipends. For example, if a project purchases a “lending library” of textbooks, to be collected at the end of each term and used again for new participants, the costs could be included on the Other or Supply line items; if the textbooks are given to participants with the expectation that participants keep the textbooks after completing the program, it would be appropriate to include the costs in the Training Stipends line.

Q27: In regards to participant eligibility, what is the definition of "immediate family?"

A27: The program’s definition of "immediate family" can be found in the Department’s regulations, 34 CFR section 206.5(c)(5), and is defined as:

(i) A spouse.

(ii) A parent, step-parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, or anyone with guardianship.

(iii) Any person who—

(A) Claims the individual as a dependent on a Federal income tax return for either of the previous two years, or

(B) Resides in the same household as the individual, supports that individual financially, and is a relative of that individual.

Q28: What is meant by successfully completing the first year of college for CAMP? Is the first year a calendar-12 months, or number of academic units the institution establishes for completing the freshman year of college?

A28: The institution needs to define the "completion of the first academic year." There is no standard definition that fits all grantees, due to variations in academic schedules. However, the definition must meet certain minimum standards which can be found in the CAMP APR available on-line.

Q29: Is it appropriate to design a project that incorporates early awareness of postsecondary education with students currently in high school or adult basic education courses with an end goal of having them enroll and complete one year of college?

A29: CAMP students must have completed high school or its equivalent (either with a high school diploma or with a HSE certificate) and be eligible for enrollment in an IHE. To be served by CAMP, students must be enrolled or admitted for enrollment as a full time student at the participating IHE.

Q30: There is a MEP student in high school who is interested in our CAMP program, but the student does not demonstrate academic need, should we turn him/her away?

A30: The CAMP program regulations state that the prospective student must "be determined by the grantee to need the academic and supporting services and financial assistance provided by the project in order to complete an academic program of study at the IHE." So, if you determine that the CAMP candidate does not need the academic services offered by your project, then, no, that student may not participate. Keep in mind, however, that the regulations refer to three types of need (academic, supporting services, and financial), and your determination of a student’s need should incorporate your assessment of all three factors.

Q31: How many students is the CAMP project required to serve per year? Are applicants expected to continue serving these students until graduation, while adding new students each year?

A31: While there is no required number to be served, applicants should be mindful that they are competing with other applicants. Grantees will be held accountable for serving the number of students they propose to serve in their applications. The first requirement of the grant (as measured by GPRA 1) is for students to complete the first academic year. The second requirement (as measured by GPRA 2) is for those students who completed the first academic year, to remain in postsecondary education (their second year). CAMP projects must provide follow-up services (referrals to resources and data collection of progress) for students continuing in postsecondary instruction beyond their first year, and may use up to 10 percent of their budget to do so.

Q32: Can program directors write the actual grant?

A32: Program staff that are directly funded by the Federal grant and write a grant proposal for future funding have to do so outside of their time serving in their capacity with the project.

Program staff may not write a grant application for future Federal funding while being paid directly by a Federal grant.

Q33: Does the Department have the authority to adjust an award amount in a successful proposal?

A33: Yes. If there are not enough funds or if an applicant proposes budget items and activities which the program staff determines to be unallowable or unreasonable during the budget analysis, the Department has the authority to adjust an award amount.

Q34: How many applications is the Department expecting and how many applications does the Department plan to fund?

A34: We expect to receive approximately 50 CAMP applications, and we plan to fund 11 new CAMP programs.

Q35: If the applicant has a current TRIO program federal grant can the applicant receive prior experience points from the TRIO program grant?

A35: No. Prior experience points will only be given to applicants with expiring CAMP projects.

Q36: To what extent does prior project performance affect eligibility for a new grant?

A36: The Secretary awards up to 15 additional points to applicants whose projects expire this year (grantees going into their fifth year). These points are largely awarded based on the grantee’s prior performance as determined by related data already collected by the Department.

Moreover, under EDGAR section 75.217(d)(3)(ii), the Secretary determines the order in which applications will be selected for funding, considering an applicant’s performance under a previous award from any Department program, among other information. Even if an application is evaluated by a panel of readers and assigned a score within the funding range, the Secretary may exclude an application from funding following our review of past performance results.

Q37: On the cover sheet, Application for Federal Assistance SF 424, what amounts should an applicant enter in the section “Estimated Funding?”

A37: Enter only the Year One amounts from each applicable source and the total Year One budget.

Q38: What will happen if an applicant requests more than the maximum award limit for Federal (CAMP) funds?

A38: The Department may reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award limit of $425,000 in Federal funds for any of the five single 12-month budget periods.

Q39: What will happen if an applicant requests less than the minimum award limit for Federal CAMP funds?

A39: The Department will reject any application that proposes a CAMP award that is less than $180,000 for any of the five single 12-month budget periods as reflected in the applicant’s ED 524 Budget Form, Table A, submitted as a part of the project application.

Q40: Must an applicant propose a project budget covering 60 months in duration?

A40: Yes, applicants must propose a project of 60 months (five 12-month budget periods) in duration. However, if an applicant receives a grant award, annual continuation funding is contingent upon availability of funds and grantees meeting minimum performance standards.

Applicants under this competition are required to provide detailed budget information for each year of the proposed project and for the total grant, and we may reject any application that does not do so as reflected on the applicant’s ED 524 form, Table A, submitted as a part of the application.

Q41: When completing ED 524 Form, should the applicant enter whole dollar amounts for budget costs?

A41: Yes, round budgeted amounts to the nearest dollar.

Q42: As the Department makes continuation awards, will it hold grantees accountable for meeting national GPRA targets?

A42: Yes. Section 75.253(a)(2)(i) of EDGAR states that the Secretary may make a continuation award for a budget period after the first budget period of an approved multi-year project if the recipient has made substantial progress toward meeting the objectives in its approved application. In determining substantial progress for making continuation awards, the Department will use project performance data reported in the APR. While grantee GPRA performance data will not be the only factor the Department will use in determining whether a project has made substantial progress in meeting its goals and objectives, these data will be a significant factor.

Q43: Is the geographic distribution of existing projects and new applicants taken into account when awarding new projects?

A43: Yes, the Secretary will consider the need to provide an equitable geographic distribution of grants in selecting applications for awards, in accordance with section 418A of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070d-2(g)).

Q44: If an applicant encounters a problem while uploading an application, does obtaining a Support Desk Case Number from Grants.gov mean that the application will be accepted even though it may be submitted after the deadline?

A44: Obtaining a Support Desk Case Number from Grants.gov does not guarantee that an application will be accepted when submitted late. The program office must confirm that a technical problem with the Grants.gov system caused the application to be submitted late before the program office can determine if accepting the late application is appropriate.

Q45: How early should applicants submit applications?

A45: Start the application as soon as possible. An applicant is required to obtain several credentials before uploading an application to Grants.gov. Obtaining these credentials (Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, Tax Identification Number (TIN), System for Award Management (SAM) certification, etc.) can take several weeks.

Q46: Will an application that fails to adhere to the formatting standards outlined in this application be rejected?

A46: No. However, the Department recommends any project narrative [Part 4] not exceed 25 pages and meet the following standards:

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

• Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions.

Applicants may single space all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. Charts, tables, figures, and graphs presented in the application narrative count toward the page limit.

• Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch) throughout the entire application package.

• 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.

• The 25-page limit is suggested for the project narrative section. The suggestion does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification;

the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract.

Application Submission Procedures

Technical Assistance Webinars for Prospective Applicants Pre-application webinars are planned following the publication of the Notice Inviting Applications. The dates and times of these webinars will be posted on the program website at:

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/hep/applicant.html. Please check the site regularly for updates.

Tips for Preparing and Submitting an Application

Beginning the Application Process

• Read this application package in its entirety, including the NIA, and make sure you follow all of the instructions.

• Read the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary

Grant Programs at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf http://www2.ed.gov/programs/hep/applicant.html and included in this application package for your quick reference.

• Read the Frequently Asked Questions section in this application package.

• If you do not understand an instruction or requirement, contact Carla Kirksey, U.S.

Department of Education, Office of Migrant Education, Room 3E337, Washington, D.C.

20202. Telephone: (202) 260-2114 or by email: Carla.Kirksey@ed.gov for information about this grant competition.

Preparing Your Application

• Organize your narrative according to the selection criteria headings and respond comprehensively.

• Be thorough in your responses. Write so that someone who knows nothing about your community and the proposed activities, curricula, programs, and services can understand what you are proposing and why.

• Make sure your budget provides sufficient itemization and detailed descriptions about planned expenditures so Department staff can easily determine how amounts were calculated.

• Link your planned expenditures to the proposed activities, curricula, programs, and services. Do not request funds for miscellaneous purposes. Make sure you demonstrate that your proposed expenditures are necessary to carry out your program.

Submitting Your Application

• Use the checklist provided in this application package to ensure your application is complete before submitting it.

• Make sure all required forms are included and signed by an Authorized Representative of your organization.

• Transmit your application by the deadline date and time. When submitting your application electronically, you must use Grants.gov at: www.grants.gov. Unless you qualify for an exception in accordance with the instructions found in Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf, and in this application package, you must submit your application electronically.

What Happens Next?

• Once the Department 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html. Please refer to this PR/Award number if you need to contact us about your application.

• The Department screens each application to ensure that all program eligibility requirements are met and that all forms are included and signed by the Authorized Representative. Ineligible applicants will receive a notification letter, including the reasons for ineligibility.

• If eligible, your application will be assigned to a panel of independent reviewers who will evaluate and score your proposal according to the selection criteria in this package. Your application will receive a score from 0 to 100, not including competitive preference http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html priority (CPP) points. We award three (3) additional points for competitive preference priority one, depending on how well the application addresses the selection criteria, and up to an additional 15 points for competitive preference priority two (consideration of prior experience).

• A Grant Award Notification will be sent to applicants whose proposals rank high enough to be awarded a grant. Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will receive peer reviewers’ comments after grant awards are announced. Unsuccessful applicants will also receive a notification letter. Please be sure your application contains a valid mailing address for both the Project Director and the Authorized Representative so that reviewers’ comments can be successfully delivered.

Application Deadline The deadline for submitting an application is April 9, 2019. Review the instructions in this application package for meeting the deadline.

Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs The application and submission information that follows comes directly from the Department’s Common Instructions, referenced in the NIA and available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package: You can obtain an application package from the Department’s website or Grants.gov. To obtain a copy via the Department’s website, use the following address: www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements concerning the content and form of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for the program.

3. Submission Dates and Times: Submit applications for grants under the program electronically using Grants.gov. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, please refer to Other Submission Requirements in section 5 of these instructions. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact Carla Kirksey by telephone at (202) 260- 2114 or via e-mail at carla.kirksey@ed.gov.

If the Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the application process, the individual’s application remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in the competition NIA.

4. 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—

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

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

c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and

d. 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.

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:

https://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.

5. Other Submission Requirements:

a. Electronic Submission of Applications. We are participating as a partner in the Government-wide Grants.gov site. Submit applications electronically using Grants.gov and do not email them unless explicitly allowed in a competition NIA. On December 31, 2017, Grants.gov retired the https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

Legacy PDF format for submitting grant applications. A Grants.gov applicant must apply online using Workspace, a shared environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. An applicant can create an individual Workspace for each application notice and establish for that application a collaborative application package that allows more than one person in the applicant’s organization to work concurrently on an application. The Grants.gov system also enables the applicant to reuse forms from previous submissions, check them in and out to complete them, and submit the application package. For access to further instructions on how to apply using Grants.gov, refer to:

www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.You may access the electronic grant applications at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.299 not 84.299B).

Please note the following:

• Applicants needing assistance with Grants.gov may contact the Grants.gov Support Center either by calling 1–800–518–4726 or by sending an email to support@grants.gov.

The Grants.gov Support Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for Federal holidays.

• Applications received by Grants.gov are date- and time-stamped upon submission. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date- and time-stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if it is received—that is, date- and timestamped by the Grants.gov system— after 4:30:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was late.

• The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your internet connection.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you leave yourself plenty of time to complete your submission.

• You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for the program to ensure that you submit your application on time. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department’s G5 system home page at www.G5.gov. In addition, for specific guidance and procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please refer to the Grants.gov website at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

• When you submit your application electronically, all documents must be submitted in this manner, including all information you typically provide on the following forms: The Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications.

• When you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a read-only flattened Portable Document Format (PDF), meaning any fillable documents must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-fillable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.)

or submit a password-protected file, we will be unable to review that material. Please note that this will likely result in your application not being considered for funding. The Department will not convert material from other formats to PDF.

• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. Grants.gov also will notify you automatically by email if your application met all of the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors (such as submission of your application by someone other than a registered AOR, issues with your DUNS number, or inclusion of an attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you must still meet the deadline for submission of applications. Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.

Email confirmations and receipts from Grants.gov do not indicate receipt by the Department, nor do they mean that your application is complete or has met all application requirements. While your application may have been successfully validated by Grants.gov, it also must be reviewed in accordance with the Department’s application requirements as specified in the competition NIA and in these application instructions. It is your responsibility to ensure that your submitted application has met all of the Department’s requirements. Additionally, we may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date.

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.

b. Submission of Paper Applications. 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 a 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…