PKG00258202-instructions.docx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education Washington, DC 20202

Fiscal Year 2020

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS

UNDER THE

Title III, Part A Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Program

CFDA # 84.031X

CLOSING DATE: 03/06/2020

Form Approved, OMB No. 1840-0816 Expires 12/31/2022

Table of Contents

Page

Dear Applicant Letter ………………………………………………………….. 2

Competition Highlights ………………………………………………………… 4

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants...…………………. 6

Application Transmittal Instructions….………………………………………… 10

Introduction …………………………………………………………………….. 12

Definitions ………………………………………………………………………. 13

Supplemental Information ……………………………………………………….. 14

Project Narrative Instructions…………………………………………………… 16

Guidance for Addressing Selection Criteria……………………………………… 18

Notice Inviting Applications…………………………………………………… 20

Authorizing Legislation …………………………………………………………. 42

Executive Order 12372 – Intergovernmental Review…………………………… 43

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)……………….…...................……… 44

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)……………………………... 45

Instructions for Completing the Application……………..………………………. 47

Instructions for Standard Forms 49

NASNTI Program Profile Form………………………………………………….. 65

Application Checklist ……………………………………………………………. 67

Paperwork Burden Statement…………………………………………………….. 68

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a new grant under the fiscal year (FY) 2020 Title III, Part A, Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program grant competition (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance [CFDA] number 84.031X). This letter highlights specific elements in the Title III, Part A, NASNTI competition application package. As you formulate your application, please review these requirements carefully, and thoroughly review the entire application package before preparing and submitting.

In order to receive a grant under Title III, Part A programs, an institution of higher education (IHE) must have applied for and been designated as an eligible institution. The Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for the Designation as an Eligible Institution was published in the Federal Register on December 16, 2019 (80 FR 68434).

For FY 2020 there are two competitive preference priorities for the Title III, Part A, NASNTI program. Applicants that address only one of the competitive preference priorities can receive up to five additional points addressing priority 1 or priority 2.

Competitive Preference Priority 1 -- Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the Development of Skills that Prepare Students to be Informed, Thoughtful, and Productive Individuals and Citizens (up to 5 points).

Projects that are designed to address the following priority area:

Supporting instruction in personal financial literacy, knowledge of markets and economics, knowledge of higher education financing and repayment (e.g., college savings and student loans), or other skills aimed at building personal financial understanding and responsibility.

OR

Competitive Preference Priority 2 -- Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science (up to 5 points).

Projects that are designed to address the following priority area:

Improving student achievement or other educational outcomes in science, technology, engineering, math, or computer science that are designed to address increasing access to STEM coursework, including computer science, and hands-on learning opportunities, such as through expanded course offerings, dual-enrollment, high-quality online coursework, or other innovative delivery mechanisms.

For FY 2020, the Department anticipates there will be approximately $4,444,000 available for activities under Title III, Part A, Section 319 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). Applicants should refer to Title III, Part A, Section 319 for the allowable activities.

Applications for grants under the FY 2020 Title III, Part A, NASNTI program must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov at: http://www.grants.gov. An applicant who is unable to submit using Grants.gov must submit a written request to waive the electronic submission requirement at least two weeks before the deadline date. In order to submit a paper application, an applicant must have received approval for a non-electronic submission.

For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, please refer to the official NIA for New Awards for the FY 2020 Title III, Part A, NASNTI program published in

Page 2 - Dear Applicant the Federal Register. The Federal Register NIA for New Awards and application instructions are included in this package.

Do not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within this application package and the NIA. The NIA for the FY 2020 Title III, Part A, NASNTI program is the official document and you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official document. I urge you to carefully read all the information contained in this package, including the eligibility requirements found in the HEA as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), and the competition highlights, before preparing your application.

If you have questions or require additional information, please contact Don Crews by email at Don.Crews@ed.gov or by telephone at (202) 453-7920.

Sincerely, /S/

Robert King Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education

Competition Highlights

1. Applications for the FY 2020 Title III, Part A, NASNTI program must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov, accessible at: http://grants.gov. You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of Grants.gov early. A more thorough discussion is included later in this application package.

2. Applications submitted late will not be accepted. The application must be received on or before the deadline date and time. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. Changes to an application will be accepted after the deadline date.

3. We recommend that applicants follow specific formatting requirements. A “page” is 8.5” x 11”, on one side only, with one-inch margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be within the one- inch margin. Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, captions and all text in charts, tables, and graphs. Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. Do not use less than a 12-point font.

4. Applicants are required to submit a Project Abstract. The Project Abstract is limited to a one-page single-spaced word document. The abstract must include the name of the institution, city, and purpose. No charts. The abstract must be uploaded into the “ED Abstract Form” in Grants.gov.

5. Applicants are required to complete a program profile form. Applicants are asked to carefully read the questions on the Program Profile located on pages 79-80 and check the box or place an “X” next to the box certifying that they will comply with the statutory requirements and program assurances cited in the applicable regulations. Upon completion of the program profile sheet, you are required to copy and paste the Program Profile Form into a separate document or recreate the form exactly as it appears and attach the form to the “Other Attachments Form” in Grants.gov as a .pdf document.

6. We recommend that applicants adhere to the suggested page limit for the Project Narrative portion of the application. We recommend that you limit the section of the narrative that addresses the selection criteria to no more than 50 pages for the Individual Development Grant and 65 pages for the Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants.

7. Applicants must follow specific submission procedures. Included in this application package is a document containing submission procedures to ensure your application is received in a timely and acceptable manner. Consult and follow the Federal Register notice to ensure proper guidance for application submission. Exceptions to the electronic submission requirement are also outlined in the Federal Register notice. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline in order to ensure fairness to all applicants.

8. NASNTI applicants. An institution of higher education is eligible to receive funds if such institution is a Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution. Applicants, at the time of submission, will be required to certify that 10 percent of their total undergraduate enrollment is Native American.

9. SEC. 306 of the HEOA. Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Part A of Title III (20 U.S.C. 1059F et seq.) is amended by adding after section 318 the following:

SEC. 319, Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions authorizes competitive grants to eligible institutions of higher education as defined under Section 312(b) of the HEA that have, at the time of application, an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent Native American students. The program authorizes grants that enable these institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native American students and low-income individuals

10. For FY 2020 there are two competitive preference priorities for the Title III, Part A, NASNTI program. Applicants that address one of the competitive preference priorities can receive up to five additional points.

· Competitive Preference Priority 1 -- Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the Development of Skills that Prepare Students to be Informed, Thoughtful, and Productive Individuals and Citizens (up to 5 points): Supporting instruction in personal financial literacy, knowledge of markets and economics, knowledge of higher education financing and repayment (e.g., college savings and student loans), or other skills aimed at building personal financial understanding and responsibility.

· Competitive Preference Priority 2 -- Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science (up to 5 points): Improving student achievement or other educational outcomes in science, technology, engineering, math, or computer science that are designed to address increasing access to STEM coursework, including computer science, and hands-on learning opportunities, such as through expanded course offerings, dual-enrollment, high-quality online coursework, or other innovative delivery mechanisms.

11. Consider how apprenticeships fit within the requirements outlined for this grant competition.

12. You are reminded that the document published in the Federal Register is the official document and that you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official document.

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

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

Browser Support

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

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

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files

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

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html.

Helpful Reminders

1. REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.sam.gov) which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take upwards of several weeks to complete, depending upon the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an applicant. 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.

1. 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.

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

1. VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, log in 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 Reader Software Tip Sheet at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or 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. Eastern Time, unless you follow the procedures in the Federal Register notice and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. If electronic submission is optional and you have problems that you are unable to resolve before the deadline date and time for electronic applications, please follow the transmittal instructions for hard copy applications in the Federal Register notice and get a hard copy application postmarked by midnight on the deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

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

Dial-Up Internet Connections

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

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application:

1. When you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in either Portable Document Format (PDF) 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.

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

1. When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters, and, in general, applicants should not use any special characters. However, Grants.gov does allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

1. Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments is less than 5 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.

Updated 02/21/2019

Application Transmittal Instructions

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

This program requires the electronic submission of applications; specific requirements and waiver instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice.

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

If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you must meet the following deadline requirements:

Applications Submitted Electronically:

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on Grants.gov Web site (http://www.grants.gov) by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern time on or before the deadline date.

If you submit your application through the Internet via the Grants.gov Web site, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement when we receive your application.

For more information on using Grants.gov, please refer to the “Notice Inviting Applications” that was published in the Federal Register or visit http://www.grants.gov.

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), 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 84.031X) 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.

Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center Attention: (CFDA Numbers 84.031X) 550 12th Street, SW.

Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza Washington, DC 20202-4260

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--

(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the Department--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.

Late Applications If your application is late, we will notify you that we will not consider the application.

Introduction Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions

(NASNTI)

PROGRAM AUTHORITY

Title III, Part A, Section 319 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98 and 99), and the program regulations in 34 CFR part 607.6.

PURPOSE

The overall purpose of the program is to provide grants and related assistance to NASNTI to enable these institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

An institution of higher education is eligible to receive funds from the amounts made available under this section if such institution is a NASNTI.

ACTIVITIES FUNDED UNDER TITLE III, PART A, SECTION 319 (DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY) – 84.031X

Grants awarded under this section shall be used by Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions to assist such institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand such institutions’ capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.

1.) The purchase, rental or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes;

2.) Renovation and improvement in classroom, library, and other instructional facilities;

3.) Support of faculty exchanges, and faculty development and faculty fellowships to assist faculty in attaining advanced degrees in the faculty’s field of instruction;

4.) Curriculum development and academic instruction;

5.) The purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials;

6.) Funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management;

7.) The joint use of facilities such as laboratories and libraries;

8.) Academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services;

9.) Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial literacy and economic literacy of students or the student’s families.

DEFINITIONS

Native American – The term “Native American” means an individual who is of a tribe, people, or culture that is indigenous to the United States.

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI) – The term “Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution” means an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101(a), that at the time of application-

(A) Is an eligible institution under section 312(b)

(B) Has an enrollment of undergraduate students that is not less than 10 percent Native American students; and

(C) Is not a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316 of the HEA, as amended).

Supplemental Information

The following information supplements the information provided in the “Dear Applicant” letter and the Federal Register NIA.

1. Certification of Eligibility

All applicants for the NASNTI program must have received a Designation of Eligibility in order to be considered for funding.

2. Estimated Funding

· Available Funds for FY 2020 Title III, Part A, NASNTI $4,444,000

Program Name And Type of Award Minimum/ Maximum Award Amount Estimated Number of Awards Estimated Average Award Amount

Native American- Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI)

Title III, Part A, Five-year Individual Development Grants

Title III, Part A, Five-year Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants

$200,000- $300,000

$300,000 - $400,000

$250,000

$350,000

The U.S. Department of Education is not bound by these estimates.

3. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs was issued to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying on state and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.

Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State’s process under Executive Order 12372.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SPOC-Feb.-2018.pdf

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

5. Evaluation of Applications A three-member panel of non-federal reviewers evaluates each application. Each reviewer assigns points for each selection criterion and prepares evaluation comments.

6. Selection Criteria The selection criteria in EDGAR 34 CFR part 75 section 75.210 are used to evaluate applications. The selection criteria and maximum possible points are included in the Federal Register Notice.

7. Notice to Successful Applicants The Department’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress regarding applications approved for new program grants. Successful applicants will receive award notices by email shortly after the Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before the Congress is notified.

8. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing.

9. Annual Performance Report Requirements If you receive a new grant award under the NASNTI program, you will be required to complete an Interim Performance Report after six months into the grant period, an Annual Performance Report each year and Final Performance Report at the end of the grant period.

Grantees will be reminded of these reporting requirements prior to the due dates.

10. Contact Information NASNTI Program

Don Crews Grants Management Specialist U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. Room 250-14 Washington, DC 20202

(202) 453-7920 (Telephone)

(202) 205-0063 (Fax) Don.Crews@ed.gov (E-mail Address)

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

Support Desk: Grants.gov support Desk Telephone: (800) 518-4726 Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. Eastern Time

Project Narrative Instructions

This project narrative shall be attached to the “Project Narrative Attachment Form” in the application package, in Grants.gov.

Before preparing the Project Narrative, applicants should review the program statute, program regulations, the Federal Register Notice, and the Dear Applicant Letter for specific guidance and requirements.

The Secretary evaluates an application according to the program specific criteria in EDGAR 34 CFR part 75 §75.210. The Program Narrative should provide in detail the information that addresses each selection criterion. The maximum possible score for each category of selection criterion is indicated in parenthesis. For ease of reading by the reviewers, applicants should follow the sequence of the criteria as provided below. Applications should be written in a clear and concise manner. You should limit the section of the narrative that addresses the selection criteria to not more than 50 pages for the Individual Development Grant application and 65 pages for the Cooperative Arrangement Development application.

We recommend that applicants limit the section of the application that addresses the competitive preference priorities to eight additional pages. Please include a separate heading when responding to a priority. Responses to a priority shall be attached to the Other Attachments Form in Grants.gov.

Your development grant application (individual or cooperative arrangement) must contain the following:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

· Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

· Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424

Note: Applicants must complete the SF 424 form first because the information you provided here is automatically inserted into other sections of Grants.gov.

2. U.S. Department of Education Budget Summary Forms

· ED 524 (Section A and Section B)

The “U.S. Department of Education Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs” Form (found in Grants.gov) is where applicants provide budget information for Section A – Budget Summary U.S. Department of Education Funds and Section B – Budget Summary Non-Federal Funds. Applicants should include costs for all project years. Note: Section C – Budget Narrative section in the selection criteria should be included in the “Project Narrative Attachment Form.”

3. ED Abstract Form

The “ED Abstract Form” (found in Grants.gov) is where applicants will attach, in a .pdf document, their one-page project abstract that will provide an overview of the proposed project. Do not use charts.

4. Other Attachments Form

· Program Profile Page

· Competitive Preference Priority

5. Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF424-B)

6. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

7. ED GEPA 427 Form

8. Certification Regarding Lobbying (ED 80-0013)

9. Program Narrative Selection Criteria

As part of addressing the selection criteria and developing your program application, we presume that your institution has analyzed the major problems affecting it and designed specific strategies to address and possibly resolve these problems. You should be ready to carry out the proposed project once you receive the grant and should not use the funds for intensive planning activities.

Be sure to include a Table of Contents. The Table of Contents will not be included in the page count. Prepare your complete program narrative in .pdf format and attach it to the “Project Narrative Attachment Form” in Grants.gov.

Content: This is the narrative portion of your application where you address the weighted selection criteria that the readers will use to evaluate your application and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your proposal. These pages will be included in the mandatory page count.

For each proposed activity, separately address the selection criteria I through VII, in the same order as they appear below and as precisely as possible, to ensure your application contains the information readers will need to judge the quality of the proposed development grant activities.

I. Need for the project. (Maximum 20 points) II. Quality of the project design. (Maximum 25 points) III. Quality of the project services. (Maximum 10 points) IV. Quality of project personnel. (Maximum 10 points) V. Adequacy of resources. (Maximum 5 points) VI. Quality of the management plan. (Maximum 15 points) VII. Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 15 points)

THE FOLLOWING GUIDANCE MAY ASSIST YOU IN ADDRESSING EACH OF THE WEIGHTED SELECTION CRITERIA:

Need: When addressing this criterion, applicants should provide detailed information that not only identifies a need for their proposed project, but they should also provide data that supports their claim for a need for the proposed project. Supporting documentation may consist of recent statistics from State, local and Federal sources; mission statement; comparison data from similar institutions; etc.

Project Design: When addressing this criterion, applicants should clearly and succinctly identify the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved. A mere listing of the goals, objectives, and outcomes is not sufficient. The identified goals, objectives, and outcomes should not only address the identified need for the project but should also be measurable and support the purpose of the program.

Project Services: When addressing this criterion, applicants should clearly spell out the activities and services they are proposing and the intended recipients or beneficiaries of each service activity. A mere listing of the services and beneficiaries is not enough. Provide details as to the types of activities and services to be provided and the extent to which the activities and services reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. In other words, will the proposed activities and services meet the need of the project?

Project Personnel: The minimum qualifications must be identified for all project personnel positions. The minimum educational qualifications should include the type of degree required and the acceptable field(s) of study. The type and minimum amount of work-related experience should also be described for each position.

Adequacy of Resources: This section should provide information that shows that the proposed budget will provide adequate resources necessary to successfully carry out the proposed project. Applicants should demonstrate how the proposed costs would enable them to carry out the project and that the proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and significance of the proposed project.

In response to this criterion, applicants must also provide a detailed, itemized budget (ED Form 524) and a detailed budget narrative for each 12-month budget period. The budget narrative addressing the selection criterion is to be included in the Project Narrative.

Management Plan: Describe the plan of management. Who will be responsible for which task? What are the expected timelines and proposed budgets for each activity or service? What are the expected milestones for accomplishing the proposed activities or services? Have you included procedures that will ensure feedback and the opportunity for continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project? Be sure that the management plans are clearly and concisely defined.

Project Evaluation: A strong evaluation plan should be included and should be used, as appropriate, to shape the development of the project from the beginning of the grant period. The evaluation plan should include benchmarks to monitor progress toward meeting specific project objectives based on the program’s performance indicators. Specifically, the plan should identify the individual or organization that has agreed to serve as evaluator for the project and describe the qualifications of the evaluator. The plan should describe the evaluation design, indicating: (1) what types of data will be collected; (2) when various types of data will be collected; (3) what methods will be used; (4) what instruments will be developed and when; (5) how the data will be analyzed; (6) when reports and outcomes will be available; and (7) how the applicant will use the information collected through evaluation to monitor progress of the funded project. Applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate level of resources to project evaluation and should explain the measures and strategies that will be used to ensure that the evaluation is appropriately rigorous and independent.

Notice Inviting Applications

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Program AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2020 for the Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers 84.031X. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1840-0816.

DATES:

Applications Available: February 5, 2020.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 6, 2020.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 5, 2020.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Crews, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 268-42, Washington, DC 20202-4260. Telephone: (202) 453-7920. Email: Don.Crews@ed.gov.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description Purpose of Program: The NASNTI Program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) to enable them to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native American students and low-income individuals. Institutions may use these grants to plan, develop, or implement activities that strengthen the institution.

Priorities: This notice contains two competitive preference priorities. These priorities are from the Secretary’s Notice of Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096) (Supplemental Priorities).

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional five points to an application, depending on how well the application responds to one of the following priorities. Applicants should clearly identify which competitive preference priority, if any, they intend to address and will only receive points for addressing one of the following priorities.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1--Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the Development of Skills that Prepare Students to be Informed, Thoughtful, and Productive Individuals and Citizens (up to 5 points).

Projects that are designed to address supporting instruction in personal financial literacy, knowledge of markets and economics, knowledge of higher education financing and repayment (e.g., college savings and student loans), or other skills aimed at building personal financial understanding and responsibility.

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science (up to 5 points).

Projects designed to improve student achievement or other educational outcomes in one or more of the following areas: Science, technology, engineering, math, or computer science (as defined in this notice). Projects that are designed to address increasing access to STEM coursework, including computer science (as defined in this notice), and hands-on learning opportunities, such as through expanded course offerings, dual-enrollment, high-quality online coursework, or other innovative delivery mechanisms.

Definitions: The definitions below are from 34 CFR part 77.1 and the Secretary’s Notice of Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096) (Supplemental Priorities).

Computer science means the study of computers and algorithmic processes and includes the study of computing principles and theories, computational thinking, computer hardware, software design, coding, analytics, and computer applications.

Computer science often includes computer programming or coding as a tool to create software, including applications, games, websites, and tools to manage or manipulate data; or development and management of computer hardware and the other electronics related to sharing, securing, and using digital information. In addition to coding, the expanding field of computer science emphasizes computational thinking and interdisciplinary problem-solving to equip students with the skills and abilities necessary to apply computation in our digital world.

Computer science does not include using a computer for everyday activities, such as browsing the internet; use of tools like word processing, spreadsheets, or presentation software; or using computers in the study and exploration of unrelated subjects.

Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in the project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve relevant outcomes.

Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a framework that identifies key project components of the proposed project (i.e., the active “ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the theoretical and operational relationships among the key project components and relevant outcomes.

Note: In developing logic models, applicants may want to use resources such as the Regional Educational Laboratory Program’s (REL Pacific) Education Logic Model Application, available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/elm.asp, to help design their logic models. Other sources include: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014025.pdf, https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014007.pdf, and https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2015057.pdf.

Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).

Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s) the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the specific goals of the program.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1059f (title III, part A, of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)).

Note: In 2008, the HEA was amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), Pub. L. 110-315. Please note that the regulations in 34 CFR part 607 have not been updated to reflect these statutory changes.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

(b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 607. (e) The Supplemental Priorities.

II. Award Information Type of Award: Discretionary grants. Five-year Individual Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants will be awarded in FY 2020.

Note: A cooperative arrangement…