PKG00258610-instructions.docx

U.S. Department of Education

OFFICE OF MIGRANT EDUCATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202-6135

Fiscal Year 2020

APPLICATION FOR NEW GRANTS

UNDER THE CONSORTIUM INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM

CFDA Number: 84.144F

Dated Material – Open Immediately Closing Date: April 27, 2020

Contents

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the Migrant Education Program (MEP) Consortium Incentive Grant program. The MEP, authorized under Title I, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, is a State-administered and State-operated formula grant program. The MEP Consortium Incentive Grant (CIG) program is authorized by section 1308(d) of the ESEA. Under this program, the Department will award competitive incentive grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) in consortia that improve the intrastate and interstate coordination of migrant education programs by addressing key needs of migratory children who have their education interrupted.

CIG awards will be made based on the requirements identified in the Notice Inviting Applications published on February 25, 2020, in the Federal Register (see Legal and Regulatory Information section of this application package). Please note that only SEAs that currently administer MEP programs are eligible to apply for these consortium incentive grants. For fiscal year (FY) 2020, the Department is focusing the CIG competition on three of the program’s eight absolute priorities. In addition to each absolute priority, there are two competitive preference priorities that the Department has selected from the Secretary’s Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs (Supplemental Priorities), published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096), and one invitational priority.

Using FY 2020 funds, the Department expects to award approximately $3,000,000 for new grants under this competition. We will award discretionary grants on a competitive basis for a project period of up to 36 months. Grants are expected to be awarded in July 2020.

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 (34 CFR 75.216 (b) and (c)). And, as part of a broader effort to reduce barriers for applicants seeking funds under a Department discretionary grant competition, the Department has issued a set of Common Instructions for Applicants available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

For this competition it is mandatory for applicants to use the government-wide website, Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov), to apply. We strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with Grants.gov and strongly recommend that you register and submit early.

Applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms. Please review the Application Submission Procedures and Application Instructions found within this package for further information and guidance related to this requirement.

Please visit our program website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-migrant-education/migrant-education-consortium-incentive-grants/ for further information. If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Patricia Meyertholen by telephone at (202) 260-1394 or via email at patricia.meyertholen@ed.gov.

Sincerely, Lisa C. Gillette Director Office of Migrant Education

400 MARYLAND AVE. SW, WASHINGTON, DC 20202

www.ed.gov

The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

Program Information

Program Overview

The Migrant Education Program (MEP), authorized under Title I, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, is a State-administered and State-operated formula grant program.

The MEP provides assistance to State educational agencies (SEAs) to support high quality and comprehensive educational programs that provide migratory children appropriate educational and supportive services that address their unique needs in a coordinated and efficient manner, and give migratory children the opportunity to meet the same State academic content and student academic achievement standards that all children are expected to meet.

ESEA section 1308(d) authorizes the Secretary to “reserve not more than $3 million to award competitive grants of not more than $250,000 [each] on a competitive basis to SEAs that propose a consortium arrangement with another State or other appropriate entity that the Secretary determines, pursuant to criteria that the Secretary shall establish, to improve the delivery of services to migratory children whose education is interrupted.”

Under this program, the Department will award competitive incentive grants to SEAs in consortia that improve the intrastate and interstate coordination of migrant education programs by addressing at least one of three key needs of migratory children who have their education interrupted.

Official Documents Notice

The official document governing this competition is the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published in the Federal Register on February 25, 2020 (see Legal and Regulatory Information section of this application package). The NIA is also available electronically at the following Web sites: www.FederalRegister.gov and www.gpo.gov.

Eligible Applicants

SEAs currently operating MEP programs are the only eligible applicants for these incentive grants. SEAs proposing to participate in consortia must identify a “lead SEA” for the consortium, and we request that they provide the information requested in this application through that lead SEA.

Competition Priorities

Grant competitions may include “Absolute Priorities,” which must be clearly met in order for an application to be considered, and also “Competitive Preference” or “Invitational Priorities,” which are not required to be met but may increase the likelihood of receiving an award.

For the FY 2020 CIG competition, applicants must address at least one of three absolute priorities described in the NIA. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet one or more of these priorities. These absolute priorities are from the notice of final requirements for this program, published in the Federal Register on March 3, 2004 (69 FR 10110), and from the notice of final priority for this program, published in the Federal Register on March 12, 2008 (73 FR 13217). For this competition, the term “scientifically based” has been replaced with “evidence-based” in Absolute Priorities 2 and 3 as explained in the Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking section of the NIA.

This competition includes two competitive preference priorities selected from the Secretary’s Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs (Supplemental Priorities), published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096), and one invitational priority.

An applicant must clearly indicate in the abstract section of the application which absolute priority or priorities it is applying under. In addition, the applicant must indicate in the abstract section which competitive preference or invitational priority it is addressing. While we encourage applicants to address only one competitive preference priority, if an applicant addresses more than one competitive preference priority, the Department will instruct readers to score the first competitive preference priority identified in the abstract section of the application.

To read the absolute priorities, competitive preference priorities, and invitational priority for this grant competition, please reference the NIA for this competition in the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2020-03763.

Program Contact

If you have any questions about the program or competition after reviewing the application package, please contact Patricia Meyertholen by telephone at (202) 260-1394 or via e-mail at Patricia.Meyertholen@ed.gov.

Authority

ESEA section 1308(d) authorizes the Secretary to “reserve not more than $3 million to award competitive grants of not more than $250,000 [each] on a competitive basis to SEAs that propose a consortium arrangement with another State or other appropriate entity that the Secretary determines, pursuant to criteria that the Secretary shall establish, to improve the delivery of services to migratory children whose education is interrupted.”

Under this program, the Department will award competitive incentive grants to SEAs in consortia that improve the intrastate and interstate coordination of migrant education programs by addressing one of three key needs of migratory children who have their education interrupted.

CIG awards will be made based on the requirements identified in the NIA published on February 25, 2020, in the Federal Register. The NIA refers to two absolute priorities established in the notice of final requirements published in the Federal Register on March 3, 2004 (69 FR 10110), and an additional absolute priority published in the Federal Register on March 12, 2008 (73 FR 13217). Applicants must propose projects that focus on at least one these three priorities.

Applicable Regulations

Applicants should review and understand that the following regulations are applicable to CIG awards:

(a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75 (except 75.232), 76, 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 notice of final requirements published in the Federal Register on March 3, 2004 (69 FR 10110).

(e) The notice of final priority published in the Federal Register on March 12, 2008 (73 FR 13217).

(f) The notice of final requirement published in the Federal Register on December 31, 2013 (78 FR 79613).

(g) The MEP regulations in 34 CFR 200.81-200.89.

(h) The Supplemental Priorities.

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

Reporting

In order to receive a second- and third-year award in FY 2021 and FY 2022, respectively, recipients of an FY 2020 MEP CIG award must submit to the Department, through the lead SEA, an interim performance report prior to the end of the consortium’s first project year and an annual performance report at the end of years one and two.

In addition, grantees must submit, through the lead SEA, a final report no more than 90 days after the end of the third project year. These reports must address the SEA’s performance of activities and objectives of the approved consortium, whether or not the SEA supports the activities with CIG funds. Pursuant to the requirements in 34 CFR 75.590, these reports will need to address (1) the recipient’s progress in achieving the objectives of the consortium in its approved application; (2) the effectiveness of the consortium in meeting the purposes of the consortium; and (3) the effect of the consortium on participants being served by the consortium. In providing this information, recipients must use the Department’s generic performance report, U.S. Department of Education Form ED 524B. The current version is available at http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

An SEA receiving a CIG award must also submit the financial reports required under section 76.720 of EDGAR and 2 CFR 200.327 of the OMB uniform grant requirements with regard to the use of CIG funds—whether used in whole or in part as supplemental MEP formula grant funds or to fund consortium incentive grant activities. The SEA does not need to submit a performance report on the use of CIG funds otherwise required under 2 CFR 200.328(b). For specific requirements on grantee financial reporting, please see the Federal Financial Report Form, SF-425, which can be found online at https://www.grants.gov/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html.

Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the Department has established the following performance indicators to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the MEP, of which the CIGs are a component:

a. The percentage of MEP students that scored at or above proficient on their State’s annual Reading/Language Arts assessments in grades 3-8.

b. The percentage of MEP students that scored at or above proficient on their State’s annual Mathematics assessments in grades 3-8.

c. The percentage of MEP students who were enrolled in grades 7-12, and graduated or were promoted to the next grade level.

d. The percentage of MEP students who entered 11th grade that had received full credit for Algebra I or a higher Mathematics course

An SEA receiving a CIG award is required, under 34 CFR 80.40(b), to report on the GPRA indicators as part of its Consolidated State Performance Report.

Amount and Use of Awards

For the FY 2020 competition, SEAs may propose a consortium for a performance period of up to three years. The Department will award $3 million in total CIG awards in FY 2020, and, depending on availability, intends to award another $3 million in total CIG awards in each of FYs 2021 and 2022 to those SEAs that received CIG awards in FY 2020 and have demonstrated substantial progress toward meeting the objectives described in an approved consortium’s application.

An SEA that participates in a consortium deemed to be of sufficient high quality with regard to the program’s selection criteria specified in this application package will receive only one incentive grant award per year regardless of the number of consortia in which it participates. The amount of an SEA’s incentive grant award will be calculated on the basis of a two-tiered formula in which SEAs whose MEP allocations are $1 million or less will, in general, receive a grant award that is twice the amount of the award provided to SEAs whose MEP allocations are greater than $1 million. Within each tier, awards will be of equal size. However, no SEA will receive an incentive grant award that exceeds the amount of its Title I, Part C, MEP formula grant or $250,000, whichever is less.

The Department estimates that FY 2020 awards will range from $50,000 to $150,000. The actual size of an SEA’s award will depend on the number of successful SEA applications and the size of the SEA’s MEP formula grant allocation.

SEAs in consortia receiving awards must implement the activities described in their project applications as a condition of their receipt of funds. CIG awards are treated as additional funds available to the SEA under the MEP State formula grant program. Awarded funds may be used to implement the approved consortium activities, or to carry out any other activities authorized under the MEP.

Duration of Funding Period

The Department expects to make initial awards under the MEP CIG program in July 2020. The initial award period will run through September 30, 2021. Because the Department awards CIG funds as additional funds available under the MEP State formula grant program, SEAs have an additional twelve months as permitted by the “Tydings Amendment” (section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act, as amended) to obligate these awards. Thus, any FY 2020 CIG funds that are not obligated by September 30, 2021, remain available for obligation until September 30, 2022. Similarly, second project year funding (to be awarded in FY 2021) will be available for obligation until September 30, 2023; and, third project year funding (to be awarded in FY 2022) will be available for obligation until September 30, 2024.

Definitions

The following definitions apply to this competition.

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, Web sites, 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.

The definition of “computer science” is from the Supplemental Priorities.

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.

The definition of “demonstrates a rationale” is from 34 CFR 77.1(c).

Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by one or more of strong evidence, moderate evidence, promising evidence, or evidence that demonstrates a rationale.

The definition of “evidence-based” is from section 34 CFR 77.1.

Recognized postsecondary credential means a credential consisting of an industry-recognized certificate or certification, a certificate of completion of an apprenticeship, a license recognized by the State involved or Federal Government, or an associate or baccalaureate degree.

The definition of “recognized postsecondary credential” is from section 3(52) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Regular high school diploma means the standard high school diploma awarded to the preponderance of students in the State that is fully aligned with State standards, or a higher diploma, except that a regular high school diploma shall not be aligned to the alternate academic achievement standards described in section 1111(b)(1)(E); and does not include a recognized equivalent of a diploma, such as a general equivalency diploma, certificate of completion, certificate of attendance, or similar lesser credential.

The definition of “regular high school diploma” is from 8101(43) of the ESEA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many Absolute Priorities must my application address?

A: The application must address at least one of the three Absolute Priorities described in the NIA.

Q: Can my application receive more points by addressing more than one Competitive Preference Priority?

A: No. The Department may award an additional 10 points to an application that meets one of the competitive preference priorities. An applicant may not earn more than 10 competitive preference points regardless of the number of competitive preference priorities it chooses to address. If an applicant addresses more than one competitive preference priority, readers will score the first competitive preference priority identified in the abstract section of the application.

Q. To what extent does an application have to address an absolute priority?

A. At least some of the proposed activities must address the absolute priority. Applications may include other proposed activities including those that address the competitive preference or invitational priorities.

Q: What must grantees include in their CIG application in order to be considered for an award?

A: As described in the 2004 NFR, in order for SEAs to be considered for incentive grants, a proposed consortium must address the following:

1. At least one of the three absolute priorities identified for this competition;

2. The identity of the lead SEA for the consortium, and of each other SEA or entity participating in the consortium;

3. The goals and measurable outcomes of the consortium, and the activities that each participating SEA or entity in the consortium will conduct during each project year to improve the delivery of services to migratory children whose education is interrupted;

4. An explanation of the need for and value of the proposed consortium to each participating SEA, and of how the proposed consortium will improve interstate or intrastate coordination of migrant education programs;

5. A description of the process each participating SEA will use for evaluating its progress in achieving the measurable outcomes of the consortium; and

6. A signed statement from the Chief State School Officer (or his or her authorized representative) of each SEA that is participating in the proposed consortium of his or her SEA's commitment to implement its activities as described in the application.

Number 2 is addressed through the cover sheet submitted in Part III of the application. Number 6 is submitted as part of Part IV of the application. Numbers 1 and 3-5 should be addressed as part of the consortium’s response to the selection criteria in Part III of the application.

Q: Which forms do Non-Lead SEAs submit and do they need to be submitted via Grants.gov?

A: Non-Lead SEAs must submit the following four documents:

· Signed Statement

· Section 427 of the Department’s General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)

· Grants.gov Lobbying Form – “Certification Regarding Lobbying” (ED 80-013 Form)

· Disclosure of Lobbying Activity (SF LLL Form)

Non-Lead SEAs can submit these documents to the Lead SEA for inclusion in the application submitted via Grants.gov or they can be submitted to the person listed as the Program Contact for this grant competition. With the exception of the signed statements (see Application Instructions, Part IV: Other Attachments Form for more information), these documents must be submitted by the application closing date identified in the NIA. The Lead SEA must submit these four documents as part of its application submission via Grants.gov.

Q: Do all states that participate in the consortium need to register in Grants.gov?

A: No. Only the Lead SEA submitting the application needs to register in grants.gov.

Q: How early should the Lead SEA submit a consortium’s application?

A: The Lead SEA should start the application as soon as possible. The Lead SEA is required to obtain several credentials before uploading the consortium application to Grants.gov. Obtaining these credentials (DUNS Number, Tax Identification Number, System for Award Management (SAM) certification, etc.) can sometimes take weeks. Therefore, we strongly recommend that applicants start the application process as soon as possible.

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

A: In order to receive a second- and third-year award in FY 2021 and FY 2022, respectively, recipients of an FY 2020 MEP Consortium Incentive Grant award must submit to the Department, through the lead SEA, an interim performance report prior to the end of the consortium’s first project year and an annual performance report at the end of years one and two.

In addition, grantees must submit, through the lead SEA, a final report no more than 90 days after the end of the third project year. For more information see the section of this application package titled Reporting.

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

A: According to 34 CFR 75.112, applicants must include in their application a narrative that describes how and when the applicant plans to meet each objective of the project, in each budget period of the project. The objectives of the project are established by the consortium and are specific to the project. We encourage grantees to keep in mind the performance measures the Department has established for the MEP under the Government Performance and Results Act when developing project-specific objectives.

Q: How many project objectives are recommended?

Q: There is no minimum or maximum number of proposed project objectives. However, applicants should be mindful that they will compete with others, and will be held to all proposed objectives, and if selected for an award, will also have to report on each project objective in the APR.

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

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

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

A: Yes.

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

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

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

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

Q: How long can the abstract be?

A: The Department recommends one to two double-spaced pages for the abstract.

Q: What information should be included in the abstract?

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

· Name of the lead state

· Name of each state participating in the consortium

· Project objectives and activities

· Applicable priorities

· Proposed project outcomes

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

A: Yes. The applicant may include a bibliography in the appendices; however, reviewers will not score information in the appendices.

Q: May applicants include "cover pages" for the appendices (that would not count toward the recommended page limit)?

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

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

A: No. Obtaining a Support Desk Case Number from Grants.gov does not guarantee that an applicat ion will be accepted when submitted late. The program office must confirm that a technical problem with the Grants.gov system caused the application to be submitted late before the program office can determine if accepting the late application is appropriate.

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

· Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. Applicants may single space all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. Charts, tables, figures, and graphs presented in the application narrative count toward the page limit.

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

· Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

· The 25-page limit is suggested for the project narrative section. This suggestion does not apply to the cover sheet; the assurances and certifications, the signed statements, or the abstract.

Q: Will application reviewers be provided with a scoring guide?

A: Yes. Application reviewers will be provided with the following scoring rubric. Reviewers are strongly encouraged, but not required, to adhere to the scoring rubric.

Maximum Score: 2 Points

Maximum Score: 3 Points

Maximum Score: 5 Points

Maximum Score: 7 Points

Maximum Score: 8 Points

Maximum Score: 9 Points

Maximum Score: 10 Points

Application Submission Procedures

Technical Assistance Session for Prospective Applicants

The Office of Migrant Education will conduct a pre-application workshop approximately two days after the publication of the NIA in the Federal Register. An announcement will be sent via the MEPSTATE listserv and information will be posted to the website at: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-migrant-education/migrant-education-consortium-incentive-grants/applicant-information-migrant-education-consortium-incentive-grants/.

Tips for Preparing and Submitting an Application

Beginning the Application Process

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

· Read the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

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

· If you do not understand an instruction or requirement, contact Patricia Meyertholen, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Migrant Education, Room 3E315, Washington, D.C. 20202. Telephone: (202) 260-1394 or by email: Patricia.Meyertholen@ed.gov for information about this grant competition.

Preparing Your Application

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

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

Submitting Your Application

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

· Make sure the Authorized Representative from the Lead SEA signs the appropriate forms.

· Make sure the non-Lead SEAs sign and submit the appropriate forms to the Lead SEAs for submission in Grants.gov or to the program contact identified in this application package.

· Transmit your application by the deadline date and time. When submitting your application electronically, you must use Grants.gov at: www.grants.gov. Unless you qualify for an exception in accordance with the instructions found in Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, you must submit your application electronically.

What Happens Next?

· Once the Department receives your application from Grants.gov, an agency tracking number (PR Award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html. Please refer to this PR/Award number if you need to contact us about your application.

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

· If eligible, your application will be assigned to a panel of Department of Education reviewers who will evaluate and score your proposal according to the selection criteria in this package. Your application will receive a score from 0 to 100, not including competitive preference priority points.

· A Grant Award Notification will be sent to SEAs whose consortium proposals rank high enough to be awarded a grant. Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will receive peer reviewers’ comments after grant awards are announced. Unsuccessful applicants will also receive a notification letter sent to the lead State.

Electronic Notification for Grant Awards

· If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN); OR we may send you an e-mail containing a link to access G5, the Department’s Grant Management System. The email will be sent to both the project director and authorizing representative in order for them to view and print the Adobe Acrobat version of the electronically signed GAN. If neither the project director nor authorizing representative is registered in G5, they will immediately be prompted to register once the link is accessed. The electronic signature and issuance of the GAN makes it crucial that your application include correct email addresses for both the project director and authorizing representative.

Application Deadline The deadline for submitting an application is April 27, 2020. Review the instructions in this application package for meeting the deadline.

Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs

The application and submission information comes directly from the Department’s Common Instructions, referenced in the NIA and available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

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.

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.

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.

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 www.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 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., 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

1. 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:

· PDF files and Microsoft Word documents are the onlyED approved file type accepted as detailed in the Federal Register application notice. Applicants should submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their application. Specifically, the Department will not accept any attachments that contain files within a file, such as PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or Microsoft Word documents 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 the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf).

In accordance with 34 CFR 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.

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.

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

Information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe and links to download a compatible version is available on Grants.gov.