PKG00257978-instructions.pdf

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

Charter School Programs Washington, D.C. 20202-5970

Fiscal Year 2020

Application for New Grants Under the Expanding Opportunities Through Quality Charter School Programs - Grants To State Entities

Program

CFDA 84.282A

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Dated Material - Open Immediately Closing Date: April 13, 2020

Approved OMB Number: 1894-0006

Expiration Date: 1/31/2021 iii

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 60 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 application, please contact (Charter School Programs, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, 3E311, Washington D.C. 20202-5970) directly. Note: Please do not return the completed application this address.

If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Ashley Gardner, Charter School Programs, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, 3E311, Washington D.C. 20202-5970.

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Table of Contents

Dear Colleague Letter

Program Background Information

Program Overview

Application Submission Procedures

Application Transmittal Instructions

Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

Submission Problems – What should you do?

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Dial-Up Internet Connections

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

Part 6: Other Attachment Form

Part 7: Assurances and Certifications

Part 8: Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (Executive Order 12372)

Reporting and Accountability v

Legal and Regulatory Information

Notice Inviting Applications

Program Statute

Dear Colleague Letter

Dear Colleague:

Thank you for your interest in the Charter School Programs (CSP) State Entities (SE) program, administered by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). The CSP is authorized under Title IV, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) (20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j).

The purpose of the State entities competition (84.282A) is to award grants to State entities to enable them to award subgrants to eligible applicants to enable such eligible applicants to open and prepare for the operation of new charter schools and to replicate and expand high-quality charter schools. Grant funds must also be used to provide technical assistance, which includes technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies in opening and preparing for the operation of new charter schools, or replicating or expanding high-quality charter schools; and working with authorized public chartering agencies to improve authorizing quality, including developing capacity for, and conducting, fiscal oversight and auditing of charter schools.

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)).

In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from the notice of final priority, published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2019 (84 FR 65300) (Opportunity Zones NFP), and Competitive Preference Priorities 2-7 are from section 4303(g)(2) of the ESEA.

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. Therefore, applicants will need to download a compatible version of Adobe reader. 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.

Using FY 2020 funds, the Department expects to award $82 million for new grants under this

United States Department of Education

OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

CHARTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

http://www.grants.gov/ competition. We will award discretionary grants on a competitive basis for a project period of up to 60 months.

Please visit our program website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/charter-school-programs/fy-2020-competition/ for further information. If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Ashley Garder by telephone at (202) 453-9526 or via e-mail at charterschools@ed.gov.

/s/ Ellen Safranek Director, Charter School Programs https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/charter-school-programs/fy-2020-competition/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/charter-school-programs/fy-2020-competition/ mailto:charterschools@ed.gov

Program Background Information

Program Overview

Program Office: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)

Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP), Grants to State Entities

CFDA Number: 84.282A (Grants to State Entities)

Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants

Also Known As: Grants to State Entities, Public Charter Schools Program, State Entity Grants

Program Description: The purpose of the CSP Grant to State Entities (State entities) competition (CFDA 84.282A) is to award grants to State entities to enable them to award subgrants to eligible applicants to enable such eligible applicants to open and prepare for the operation of new charter schools and to replicate (as defined in the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA)) and expand (as defined in the NIA) high-quality charter schools (as defined in the NIA).

Grant funds must also be used to provide technical assistance, which must include technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies in opening and preparing for the operation of new charter schools, or replicating or expanding high-quality charter schools; and working with authorized public chartering agencies to improve authorizing quality, including developing capacity for, and conducting, fiscal oversight and auditing of charter schools.

Eligible Applicants: State entities in States with a State statute specifically authorizing the establishment of charter schools.

Under section 4303(e)(1) of the ESEA, no State entity may receive a grant under this competition for use in a State in which a State entity is currently using a CSP State Entities grant.

Accordingly, State entities in States in which a State entity has a current CSP State Entities grant that is not in its final budget period (i.e., Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin) are ineligible to apply for a CSP State Entities grant under this competition. State entities in States in which a State entity has a current CSP State Entity grant that is in its final budget period (i.e., Texas), however, are eligible to apply for a new CSP State Entity grant under this competition.

Consistent with section 4303(e)(1), if a State entity is approved for a new CSP State Entities grant under this competition for use in a State in which a State entity has a current CSP State Entities grant that is in its final budget period, all funding under the current CSP State Entities grant must be obligated prior to the end of the final budget period. Likewise, if multiple State entities in a State submit applications that receive high enough scores to be recommended for funding under this competition, only the highest-scoring application among such State entities would be funded.

State entities in States in which an SEA has a current CSP Grant for SEAs that was awarded under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (i.e., prior to FY 2017) are eligible to apply for a CSP State Entities grant under this competition, so long as no other State entity in the State has a current CSP State Entities grant that is not in its final budget period.Please note: No applicant may receive a new award to conduct the same activities that are approved under the existing active SEA grant; newly proposed activities must be outside the scope of currently funded activities.

State Entity means --

a. A State educational agency;

b. A State charter school board;

c. A Governor of a State; or

d. A charter school support organization.

Eligible applicant, when used with respect to subgrants made by a State entity, means a developer that has--

(a) Applied to an authorized public chartering authority to operate a charter school; and

(b) Provided adequate and timely notice to that authority.

Funding Restrictions: A State entity receiving a grant under this program shall use not less than 90 percent of the grant funds to award subgrants to eligible applicants for activities related to opening and preparing for the operation of new charter school or to replicate or expand high-quality charter schools; reserve not less than seven percent of funds to provide technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies in opening and preparing for the operation of new charter schools or to replicate or expand high-quality charter schools and in improving authorizing quality, including developing capacity for, and conducting, fiscal oversight and auditing of charter schools; and reserve not more than three percent of funds for administrative costs, which may include technical assistance. A State entity may use a grant received under this program to carry out technical assistance activities authorized under this program directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements.

Additional information on funding restrictions including limitations on subgrants can be found in the NIA.

Competition Highlights

Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Program Grants to State Entities (84.282A)

Application available: January 27, 2020 Webinars for potential applicants: January 30, 2020, 2:00 p.m., Washington DC time February 4, 2020, 2:00 p.m., Washington DC time

Deadline for transmitting applications: April 13, 2020 Awards expected to be announced by: September 29, 2020

FY 2020 CSP Grants to State Entities Application

The full text of the Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for FY 2020 under the Grants to State Entities competition can be found on the Federal Register website at the following URLs:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-01-27/pdf/2020-01324.pdf (PDF) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/01/27/2020-01324/applications-for-new-awards-expanding-opportunity-through-quality-charter-schools-program-csp-grants (Text)

Eligibility:

Electronic Submission:

All applications for grants under this competition must be received on or before 11:59:59 p.m. on April 13, 2020, Washington, DC time. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 11:59:59 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. 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.

An applicant may check the status of its application(s), any time after submission, by using the "Track My Application" feature available from the upper navigation on the Grants.gov site. Applicants may also check the status of a submission by logging into their Grants.gov account using the Applicant Login. After logging in, an applicant should click on the "Check Application Status" link on the left-hand menu. Applicants should be careful that they download the correct application package for CSP grant to State entities and that they submit their application under the correct CSP grant competition (84.282A). Your application will be reviewed for the competition under which it is submitted, and only applications that are successfully submitted in the required PDF format by the established deadline will be peer reviewed.

FY 2020 CSP State Entities Application Package:

Please note that the application package for FY 2020 CSP Grants to State Entities is for applicants to download and use as a guide only. Unless the applicant qualifies for an exception to the electronic https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/01/27/2020-01324/applications-for-new-awards-expanding-opportunity-through-quality-charter-schools-program-csp-grants https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/01/27/2020-01324/applications-for-new-awards-expanding-opportunity-through-quality-charter-schools-program-csp-grants http://grants.gov/applicants/applicant_profile.jsp http://grants.gov/applicants/applicant_profile.jsp http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/download-application-package.html?p_p_id=grantsdownloadpackage_WAR_grantsdownloadpackageportlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_pos=1&p_p_col_count=2&_grantsdownloadpackage_WAR_grantsdownloadpackageportlet_mvcPath=%2Fdownload.jsp&id=203626 submission requirement (see Electronic Submission Policy below and in the FY 2020 Notice), all applications for this competition must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov.

Pre-Application Meetings: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Thursday, January 30, 2020 and

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 4, 2020

The Department will hold a pre-application meeting via webinar for prospective applicants on Thursday, January 30, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Washington, DC time. There is no registration fee to attend this meeting. Presentation materials may be requested after the webinar by contacting the CSP office at charterschools@ed.gov. To register to attend this meeting, please click here and use the password ”State”, or go to https://doed.webex.com/doed/j.php?MTID=m794ab4be475d1c42c675a3aa77a9f082

An additional webinar focusing on budget requirements and providing additional time for questions, “FY20 SE Pre-application Budget and Technical Assistance Webinar”, will be held Tuesday, February 4, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Washington, D.C. time. There is no registration fee to attend this meeting. Presentation materials may be requested by contacting the CSP office at charterschools@ed.gov. To register to attend this meeting, please click here and use the password ”State”, or go to, or go to https://doed.webex.com/doed/j.php?MTID=md70f408d097524e5af4a73fe681577af

Apply: All applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov.

To submit an application on the Grants.gov website, hover over the “Applicant” tab. Select the “Apply for Grants” option, then click on “Download a Grant Application Package.” Type in the CFDA (84.282A) or the Funding Opportunity Number (ED-GRANTS-012720-001). Click “Download Package.” For assistance with the use of the Grants.gov system, please contact the Grants.gov help desk, at (800)518-4726, or email support@grants.gov.

mailto:charterschools@ed.gov https://doed.webex.com/doed/j.php?MTID=m794ab4be475d1c42c675a3aa77a9f082 https://doed.webex.com/doed/j.php?MTID=m794ab4be475d1c42c675a3aa77a9f082 mailto:charterschools@ed.gov https://doed.webex.com/doed/j.php?MTID=md70f408d097524e5af4a73fe681577af https://doed.webex.com/doed/j.php?MTID=md70f408d097524e5af4a73fe681577af http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html mailto:support@grants.gov

Application Submission Procedures

The deadline for submission of Chater Schools Program State Entities Program applications through Grants.gov is April 13, 2020.

Application Transmittal Instructions

Attention Electronic Applicants: This program requires the electronic submission of applications--specific requirements and instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice.

Please note that you must follow the Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant competition.

We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described in the Federal Register notice for this competition, you 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.

Applications Submitted Electronically

Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.

Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in Federal Register notice for this competition, we will not consider your application if it is date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application deadline date.

You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in this application package to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system.

On December 31, 2017, Grants.gov retired the 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.XXX not 84.XXXA).

Please note the following:

• You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in either .pdf (Portable Document Format) or Microsoft Word. Although applicants have the option of uploading any narrative sections and all other attachments to their application in either PDF or Microsoft Word, we recommend applicants submit all documents as read-only flattened PDFs, meaning any fillable PDF files must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files and not as interactive or fillable PDF files, to better ensure applications are processed in a more timely, accurate, and efficient manner. If you choose to submit your application in Microsoft Word, you may do so using any version of Microsoft Word (i.e., a document ending in a .doc or .docx extension).

• Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission.

• When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend your file names be less than 50 characters. 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 do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.

• If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.

According to the instructions found in the Federal Register notice, only those requesting and qualifying for an Exception to the electronic submission requirement may submit an application via mail, commercial carrier or by hand delivery.

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center Attention: (CFDA Number 84.282A) LBJ Basement Level 1

400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, DC 20202-4260

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

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

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

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

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

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

(1) A private metered postmark.

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

If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application.

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

Note for Mail Delivery of Paper Applications:

If you mail your application to the Department--

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

(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at

(202) 245-6288.

Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software

The Department of Education, working with Grants.gov, is currently using Adobe Reader software exclusively and applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms.

Please note: The compatible version of Adobe Reader is required for viewing, editing and submitting PDF forms through Grants.gov. Applicants should confirm the compatibility of their Adobe Reader version before downloading the application. To ensure applicants have a version of Adobe Reader on their computer that is compatible with Grants.gov, applicants are encouraged to use the test package provided by Grants.gov that can be accessed at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

Important issues to consider:

• If the applicant opened or edited the application package with any software other than a compatible version of Adobe Reader, the application package may contain errors that will be transferred to the new package even if you later download the compatible Adobe Reader version.

• Applicants cannot copy and paste data from a package initially opened or edited with an incompatible version of Adobe Reader and will need to download an entirely new package using the compatible version of Adobe Reader.

• Some applicants using an incompatible version of Adobe Reader may have trouble opening and viewing the application package while others may find they can open, view and complete the application package but may not be able to submit the application package through Grants.gov.

• Grants.gov does not guarantee to support versions of Adobe Reader that are not compatible with Grants.gov.

• Any and all edits made to the Adobe Reader application package must be made with a compatible version of Adobe Reader.

• If more than one person is entering text into a Workspace PDF form, the same version of Adobe Reader software should be used by each person. Check the version number of the Adobe software on each user's computer to make sure the versions match. Using different versions of Adobe Reader may cause submission and/or save errors – even if each version is individually compatible with Grants.gov.

For your convenience, a compatible version of Adobe Reader is available for free download at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

We strongly recommend that you review the information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe available at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html before downloading, completing or submitting your application.

Applicants are reminded that they should submit their application a day or two in advance of the closing date as detailed in the Federal Register Notice. If you have any questions regarding this matter please email the Grants.gov Contact Center at support@grants.gov or call 1-800-518- 4726.

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

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.

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

Browser Support

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

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

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files Required

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

3) Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24- 48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

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

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

Helpful Reminders

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

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

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

2) SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload 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 11:59:59 p.m.

Eastern Time on the deadline date.

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

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

3) VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern 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 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern 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 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 11:59:59 p.m., 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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants 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 note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving data on your computer. Please be sure to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your computer. You will need to logon to Grants.gov to upload and submit the application.

You must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on 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

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 or Microsoft Word documents in their application:

• Ensure that you attach .PDF files only or Microsoft Word files for any attachments to your application, and any PDFs must be in a read-only, flattened format (meaning any fillable documents must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files). PDF files and Microsoft Word files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the common instructions. 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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are password protected files will not be read.

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

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

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

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

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

Application Instructions

Electronic Application Format

Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically, unless you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement in accordance with the instructions in this application package.

In accordance with EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c), 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.

Important note: Applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms. Therefore, applicants will need to download a compatible version of Adobe reader (see Grants.gov for compatible versions).

Information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe and links to download the latest version is available on Grants.gov. Also, 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.

We strongly recommend that you review these details on www.Grants.gov before completing and submitting your application. In addition, applicants should submit their application a day or two in advance of the closing date as detailed below. If you have any questions regarding this matter please email the Grants.gov Contact Center at support@grants.gov or call 1-800-518- 4726.

Note: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to any forms unless it is specifically required by the instructions for the individual section of the application. Although several forms accept attachments, the Department of Education will only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application package.

Electronic Application Submission Checklist

It is recommended that your electronic application be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process. Instructions for all parts and forms of the application are found either on the following pages of the application package or individually for each form on Grants.gov.

Review your electronic application to ensure you have completed the following forms and sections:

Part 1: Preliminary Documents

Application for Federal Assistance (form SF 424)

ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

Part 2: Budget Information

ED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)

Part 3: ED Abstract Form

Project Abstract

Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form

Application Narrative

Part 5: Budget Narrative Attachment Form

Budget Narrative

Part 6: Project Objectives and Performance Measures Information Form

Project Objective and Performance MEasures

Part 7: Other Attachments Form

Appendix A Charter Schools Program Assurances

Appendix B Resumes/Curriculum Vitae

Appendix C Letters of Support

Appendix D Proof of Nonprofit Status (if applicable)

Appendix E Proprietary Information

Appendix F Additional Information:

Part 8: Assurances and Certifications

Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B Form)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL)

Grants.gov Lobbying Form

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427 (ED GEPA427 form)

Part 9: Intergovernmental Review (Executive Order 12372)

State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) List

Part 1: Preliminary Documents

Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424)

ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

These forms require basic identifying information about the applicant and the application. Please provide all requested applicant information (including name, address, e-mail address and DUNS number).

When applying electronically via Grants.gov, you will need to ensure that the DUNS number you enter on your application is the same as the DUNS number your organization used when it registered with the System for Award Management.

Applicants are advised to complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424) first.

Grants.gov will automatically insert the correct CFDA and program name automatically wherever needed on other forms.

NOTE: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form (SF 424). Although this form accepts attachments, the Department of Education will only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SF-424

This is a standard form required for use as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications and applications and related information under discretionary programs. Some of the items are required and some are optional at the discretion of the applicant or the federal agency (agency). Required fields on the form are identified with an asterisk (*) and are also specified as “Required” in the instructions below. In addition to these instructions, applicants must consult agency instructions to determine other specific requirements.

Item Entry: Item: Entry:

1. Type of Submission: (Required) Select one type of submission in accordance with agency instructions.

• Pre-application

• Application

• Changed/Corrected Application – Check if this submission is to change or correct a previously submitted application. Unless requested by the agency, applicants may not use this form to submit changes after the closing date.

10. Name Of Federal Agency: (Required) Enter the name of the federal agency from which assistance is being requested with this application.

11. Catalog Of Federal Domestic Assistance Number/Title:

Enter the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number and title of the program under which assistance is requested, as found in the program announcement, if applicable.

2. Type of Application: (Required) Select one type of application in accordance with agency instructions.

• New – An application that is being submitted to an agency for the first time.

• Continuation - An extension for an additional funding/budget period for a project with a projected completion date. This can include renewals.

• Revision - Any change in the federal government’s financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing obligation. If a revision, enter the appropriate letter(s). More than one may be selected. If "Other" is selected, please specify in text box provided.

A. Increase Award D. Decrease Duration B. Decrease Award E. Other (specify) C. Increase Duration

12. Funding Opportunity Number/Title: (Required) Enter the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and title of the opportunity under which assistance is requested, as found in the program announcement.

13. Competition Identification Number/Title: Enter the competition identification number and title of the competition under which assistance is requested, if applicable.

14. Areas Affected By Project: This data element is intended for use only by programs for which the area(s) affected are likely to be different than the place(s) of performance reported on the SF-424 Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form. Add attachment to enter additional areas, if needed.

3. Date Received: Leave this field blank. This date will be assigned by the Federal agency.

15. Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project: (Required) Enter a brief descriptive title of the project. If appropriate, attach a map showing project location (e.g., construction or real property projects). For pre-applications, attach a summary description of the project.

4. Applicant Identifier: Enter the entity identifier assigned buy the Federal agency, if any, or the applicant’s control number if applicable.

5a. Federal Entity Identifier: Enter the number assigned to your organization by the federal agency, if any.

16. Congressional Districts Of: 16a. (Required) Enter the applicant’s congressional district. 16b. Enter all district(s) affected by the program or project. Enter in the format: 2 characters state abbreviation – 3 characters district number, e.g., CA-005 for California 5th district, CA-012 for California 12 district, NC-103 for North Carolina’s 103 district. If all congressional districts in a state are affected, enter “all” for the district number, e.g., MD-all for all congressional districts in Maryland. If nationwide, i.e. all districts within all states are affected, enter US-all. If the program/project is outside the US, enter 00-000. This optional data element is intended for use only by programs for which the area(s) affected are likely to be different than place(s) of performance reported on the SF-424 Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form. Attach an additional list of program/project congressional districts, if needed.

5b. Federal Award Identifier: For new applications, enter NA. For a continuation or revision to an existing award, enter the previously assigned federal award identifier number. If a changed/corrected application, enter the federal identifier in accordance with agency instructions.

6. Date Received by State: Leave this field blank. This date will be assigned by the state, if applicable.

7. State Application Identifier: Leave this field blank. This identifier will be assigned by the state, if applicable.

8. Applicant Information: Enter the following…