PKG00260108-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202

FY 2020

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS

UNDER THE EDUCATION INNOVATION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM

READY TO LEARN PROGRAMMING

CFDA Number: 84.295A

FORM APPROVED

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

DATE MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: May 15, 2020

Table of Contents

Program Background Information

PRO G RA M O V E RV I E W

AU T H OR I Z I N G LE G I S L A T I ON

Notice Inviting Applications (NIA)

Application Submission Procedures

SU B M I S S I O N PR OC E D U RE S

AP P L I C A T I ON T I P S

DUNS NU M BE R IN S T RU C T I O N S

Application Instructions

E L E C T RON I C AP P L I C A T I ON F ORM A T

CO M P L E T I N G A N D S U BM I T T I N G Y OU R AP P L I C A T I O N

FY 2020 AP P L I C A T I O N CH E C K L I S T

RE Q U I RE D FO RM S

ST A N D A RD FO RM S IN S T RU C T I ON S

AS S U RA N C E S A N D CE RT I F I C A T I ON S IN S T RU C T I ON S

AP P L I C A T I ON NA R RA T I V E I N S T RU C T I ON S

IN S T RU C T I O N S F OR A BS T RA C T NA RRA T I V E

IN S T RU C T I O N S F OR P RO JE C T N A RRA T I V E

FY 2020 RE A D Y -T O - L E A RN AP P L I C A T I ON I N V I T A T I ON A L PRI ORI T I E S

FY 2020 RE A D Y -T O - L E A RN GRA N T AP P L I C A T I ON SE L E C T I ON C R I T E RI A

SU G G E S T E D P OI N T RA N G E S F OR AP P L I C A N T RE S P ON S E S T O T H E SE L E C T I ON CRI T E R I A

IN S T RU C T I O N S F OR BU D G E T N A RRA T I V E

IN S T RU C T I O N S F OR AP P E N D I C E S

Additional Information

E X E C U T I V E OR D E R 12372

PA P E RW ORK BU RD E N ST A T E M E N T

E L E C T RON I C NOT I F I C A T I ON OP T I ON F OR GRA N T AW A R D S

Program Background Information

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Program Office: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) Ready-to-Learn Programming (RTL)

CFDA Number: 84.295A

Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants

Program Description: Ready to Learn Programming supports the development of educational television and digital media targeted at preschool and early elementary school children and their families. Its general goal is to promote early learning and school readiness, with a particular interest in reaching low-income children. In addition to creating television and other media products, the program supports activities intended to promote national distribution of the programming, effective educational uses of the programming, community-based outreach, and research on educational effectiveness.

Eligible Applicants: To be eligible to receive a Ready-to-Learn Programming grant, an entity shall be a public telecommunications entity (see below) that is able to demonstrate each of the following:

(A) A capacity for the development and national distribution of educational and instructional television programming of high quality that is accessible by a large majority of disadvantaged preschool and elementary school children.

(B) A capacity to contract with the producers of children's television programming for the purpose of developing educational television programming of high quality.

(C) A capacity, consistent with the entity's mission and nonprofit nature, to negotiate such contracts in a manner that returns to the entity an appropriate share of any ancillary income from sales of any program-related products.

(D) A capacity to localize programming and materials to meet specific State and local needs and to provide educational outreach at the local level.

Public Telecommunications Entity: A public telecommunications entity is any enterprise which (a) is a public broadcast station or a noncommercial telecommunications entity; and (b) disseminates public telecommunications services to the public. This definition has been established in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).

Program Requirements: Under section 4643 of the ESEA, awards made under Ready- to- Learn must be used to—

(1) Develop, produce, and distribute educational and instructional video programming for preschool and elementary school children and their parents in order to facilitate student academic achievement;

(2) Facilitate the development, directly or through contracts with producers of children and family educational television programming, of educational programming for preschool and elementary school children, and the accompanying support materials and services that promote the effective use of such programming;

(3) Facilitate the development of programming and digital content containing Ready- to- Learn-based children’s programming and resources for parents and caregivers that is specially designed for nationwide distribution over public television stations’ digital broadcasting channels and the Internet;

(4) Contract with entities (such as public telecommunications entities) so that programming developed under this program is disseminated and distributed to the widest possible audience appropriate to be served by the programming, and through the use of the most appropriate distribution technologies; and

(5) Develop and disseminate education and training materials, including interactive programs and programs adaptable to distance learning technologies, that are designed--

(i) To promote school readiness; and

(ii) To promote the effective use of materials developed under paragraphs (2) and (3) among parents, teachers, Head Start providers, providers of family literacy services, child care providers, early childhood educators, elementary school teachers, public libraries, and after-school program personnel caring for preschool and elementary school children.

Note: Under section 4643 of the ESEA, not less than 60 percent of the amount appropriated under the above statutory requirements for each fiscal year may be used to carry out activities under paragraphs (2) through (4) above.

Administrative Costs: Under section 4643 of the ESEA, an entity that receives a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section may use up to 5 percent of the amount received under the grant, contract, or agreement for the normal and customary expenses of administering the grant, contract, or agreement. This limit applies to the total of indirect costs and directive administrative costs claimed by the grantee.

Application Requirements: Under section 4643 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), to be eligible to receive a cooperative agreement under Ready- to- Learn, an eligible entity must include in its application--

(1) A description of the activities to be carried out under this section;

(2) A list of the types of entities with which such entity will enter into contracts under subsection section 4643(a)(1)(B)(iv) of the ESEA ;

(3) A description of the activities the entity will undertake widely to disseminate the content developed under this section; and

(4) A description of how the entity will comply with subsection section 4643(a)(2) of the ESEA.

Application Package: This application package contains the information and instructions you will need to apply for the Fiscal Year 2020 RTL grant competition. Please carefully review the entire package before preparing and submitting your application. We strongly encourage you to ensure your organization meets the eligibility requirements for being a public telecommunications entity before preparing an application. Note that all applications must be submitted using Grants.gov, and you must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting your application. Information on how to register is included in the Notice Inviting Applications and in this package.

Program Contact: Brian Lekander, Brian.Lekander@ed.gov or readytolearn@ed.gov.

mailto:Brian.Lekander@ed.gov mailto:readytolearn@ed.gov

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

The Ready to Learn Programming Grant Program was authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Title IV:

21st Century Schools, Part F – National Activities, Subpart 4 – Academic Enrichment, Sec. 4643 Ready to Learn Programming.

(a) Awards to Promote School Readiness through Ready To Learn Programming. -

“(1) IN GENERAL- Awards made to eligible entities described in paragraph (3) to fulfill the purpose described in section 4641(a)(2) shall —

(A) be known as ‘Ready to Learn Programming awards’; and

(B) be used to —

(i) to develop, produce, and distribute accessible educational and instructional video programming for preschool and elementary school children and their parents in order to facilitate student academic achievement;

(ii) to facilitate the development, directly or through contracts with producers of children and family educational television programming, of educational programming for preschool and elementary school children, and the accompanying support materials and services that promote the effective use of such programming;

(iii) to facilitate the development of programming and digital content containing Ready-to-Learn-based children's programming and resources for parents and caregivers that is specially designed for nationwide distribution over public television stations' digital broadcasting channels and the Internet;

(iv) to contract with entities (such as public telecommunications entities) so that programs developed under this section are disseminated and distributed to the widest possible audience appropriate to be served by the programming, and through the use of the most appropriate distribution technologies; and

(v) to develop and disseminate education and training materials, including interactive programs and programs adaptable to distance learning technologies, that are designed —

(I) to promote school readiness; and (II) to promote the effective use of materials developed under subparagraphs (B) and (C) among parents, teachers, Head Start providers, Even Start providers, providers of family literacy services, child care providers, early childhood development personnel, elementary school teachers, public libraries, and after-school program personnel caring for preschool and elementary school children.

(2) AVAILABILITY- In awarding or entering into grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that eligible entities described in paragraph (3) make programming widely available, with support materials as appropriate, to young children, parents, child care workers, Head Start providers, Even Start providers, and providers of family literacy services to increase the effective use of such programming.

(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES- To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreements under this section, an entity shall be a public telecommunications entity that is able to demonstrate each of the following:

(A) A capacity for the development and national distribution of educational and instructional television programming of high quality that is accessible by a large majority of disadvantaged preschool and elementary school children.

(B) A capacity to contract with the producers of children's television programming for the purpose of developing educational television programming of high quality.

(C) A capacity, consistent with the entity's mission and nonprofit nature, to negotiate such contracts in a manner that returns to the entity an appropriate share of any ancillary income from sales of any program-related products.

(D) A capacity to localize programming and materials to meet specific State and local needs and to provide educational outreach at the local level.

(4) COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES- An entity receiving a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section shall consult with the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services —

(A) to maximize the utilization of quality educational programming by preschool and elementary school children, and make such programming widely available to federally funded programs serving such populations; and

(B) to coordinate activities with Federal programs that have major training components for early childhood development, including programs under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) and Even Start, and State training activities funded under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), regarding the availability and utilization of materials developed under paragraph (1)(E) to enhance parent and child care provider skills in early childhood development and education.

(b) APPLICATIONS- To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under subsection (a), an entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. The application shall include –

(1) a description of the activities to be carried out under this section;

(2) a list of the types of entities with which such entity will enter into contracts under subsection (a)(1)(B)(iv);

(3) a description of the activities the entity will undertake widely to disseminate the content developed under this section; and

(4) a description of how the entity will comply with subsection (a)(2).

(c) REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS-

(1) ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SECRETARY- An entity receiving a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an annual report. The report shall describe the program activities undertaken with funds received under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, including each of the following:

(A) The programming that has been developed, directly or indirectly, by the eligible entity, and the target population of the programming.

(B) The support and training materials that have been developed to accompany the programming, and the method by which the materials are distributed to consumers and users of the programming.

(C) The means by which programming developed under this section has been distributed, including the distance learning technologies that have been utilized to make programming available, and the geographic distribution achieved through such technologies.

(D) The initiatives undertaken by the entity to develop public-private partnerships to secure non- Federal support for the development, distribution, and broadcast of educational and instructional programming.

(2) REPORT TO CONGRESS- The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives a biannual report that includes the following:

(A) A summary of the activities assisted under subsection (a).

(B) A description of the education and training materials made available under subsection

(a)(1)(B)(v), the manner in which outreach has been conducted to inform parents and child care providers of the availability of such materials, and the manner in which such materials have been distributed in accordance with such subsection.

(d) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS- An entity that receives a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section may use up to 5 percent of the amount received under the grant, contract, or agreement for the normal and customary expenses of administering the grant, contract, or agreement.

(e) FUNDING RULE- Not less than 60 percent of the amount used by the Secretary to carry out this section for each fiscal year shall be used to carry out activities under clauses (ii) through (iv) of subsection (a)(1)(B).

Notice Inviting Applications (NIA)

2020 RTL Notice Inviting Applications The full text of the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for the FY 2020 Ready-to-Learn competition including all relevant deadlines can be found on the RTL website at the following URL:

https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/innovation-early-learning/ready-to-learn-television-rtl/

All RTL applications must be received on or before 4:30:00 pm Eastern Time on May 15, 2020. Please note that the U.S. Department of Education grant application deadline is 4:30:00 P.M., Eastern Time. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on the application deadline date. Late applications will not be accepted. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

After successfully submitting a Workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (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.

2020 RTL Application Package Please note that the RTL Application Package is for applicants to download and use as a guide only. All RTL grant applications must be submitted online using Workspace in Grants.gov unless electronic submission is not possible.

Intent to Apply The Secretary strongly encourages each potential applicant to notify the Department of its intent to submit an application for RTL funding by completing the FY 2020 Intent to Apply survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8WFHQXT. This survey will help us plan for an efficient peer review.

This link will ask for the applicant name, Invitational Priorities addressed (if any), and the names of key partners on the project. If an entity plans to submit multiple applications, they should fill out the form once per application. The survey should be filled out no later than April 6, 2020. This survey will help us to plan for an efficient peer review. Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent may still apply for funding.

Potential Applicants may alternatively submit a brief email to the Ready to Learn staff indicating their intent to submit an application. This email should include the applicant name, Invitational Priorities addressed (if any), and the key partners on the project. We request the e-mail notification should be sent to the RTL program staff at Readytolearn@ed.gov by April 6, 2020. Applicants that fail to provide this e-mail notification may still apply for funding.

Apply!

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

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

Funding Opportunity Number: ED-GRANTS-031620-001.

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/08/18/2014-19426/applications-for-new-awards-preschool-development-grants-development-grants https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/innovation-early-learning/ready-to-learn-television-rtl/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/innovation-early-learning/ready-to-learn-television-rtl/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/download-application-package.html?p_p_id=grantsdownloadpackage_WAR_grantsdownloadpackageportlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_pos=1&p_p_col_count=2&_grantsdownloadpackage_WAR_grantsdownloadpackageportlet_mvcPath=%2Fdownload.jsp&id=203626 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8WFHQXT mailto:Readytolearn@ed.gov https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

Application Submission Procedures

SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

U.S. Department of Education

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

The deadline for submission of all RTL applications through Grants.gov is at 4:30:00 P.M., Eastern Time on May 15, 2020.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Helpful Reminders

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

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. [Note: Your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually]

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

SAM.gov ALERT: If you are registering a new entity in SAM.gov, you must provide an original, signed notarized letter stating that you are the authorized Entity Administrator before your registration will be activated. Read the FAQs to learn more about this process change. Entities creating or renewing their registration will be required to submit an original, signed notarized letter confirming the authorized Entity Administrator associated with the DUNS number. For more information on this requirement, please check the FAQs at the following link:

https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/sam-update-updated-july-11-2018.

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 4:30:00 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/answer.do?sysparm_kbid=d2e67885db0d5f00b3257d321f96194b&sysparm_search=kb0013183 https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/answer.do?sysparm_kbid=d2e67885db0d5f00b3257d321f96194b&sysparm_search=kb0013183 https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/sam-update https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/sam-update-updated-july-11-2018 https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/sam-update-updated-july-11-2018 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 4:30:00 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 4:30:00 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: support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at:

https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants.

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 4:30:00 p.m. 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.)

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html file:///C:/Users/Jamila.Smith/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/FQ9EI2QQ/support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application, especially the requirement that applicants only include read-only, flattened .PDF files in their application:

• Ensure that you attach .PDF files only for any attachments to your application, and they must be in a read-only, flattened format. PDF files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the Federal Register application notice. Applicants must submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their application. Specifically, the Department will be unable to review any attachments that contain files within a file, such as PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are password protected files will be unable to be reviewed.

• 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 T IPS

I. Register or maintain registration on SAM.gov. The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov and before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. Also note that you will need to update your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.

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

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

IV. Carefully review the FY2019 NIA for eligibility requirements. Clearly state which absolute priority under which you are submitting an application. Applications will be reviewed by absolute priority, so it is important that you clearly indicate the absolute priority under which you intend the Department to review your application.

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

VI. Submit all files in .PDF format. While Grants.gov may accept other format types, the Department’s system, which receives the files from Grants.gov, will only accept .PDF files. Files submitted in formats other than .PDF may not convert in a legible manner and, in these instances, cannot be reviewed. Ensure that you attach .PDF files only for any attachments to your application, and they must be in a read-only, flattened format. PDF files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the Federal Register application notice.

Applicants must submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their application. Specifically, the Department will be unable to review any attachments that contain files within a file, such as PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are password protected files will be unable to be reviewed.

VII. Submit early on Grants.gov. Applications must be finished uploading, and be validated by the Grants.gov system, by 4:30:00pm, Eastern Time on May 15, 2020. Validation indicates if the submission was successful and may take up to two days. If the submitted application is deemed invalid due to an error, applicants may correct the error and resubmit only if the 4:30:00pm Eastern Time deadline has not passed. Applicants are encouraged to review the submission to be sure that the files transmitted correctly. Grants.gov may not catch all errors.

Late submissions or modifications to the submitted application will not be accepted after the deadline.

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

DUNS NUMBER INSTRUCTIONS

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

NOTE: Check with your fiscal office to see if your institution has an assigned D-U-N-S before contacting Dun & Bradstreet.

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

http://www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/index.html

The D-U-N-S Number is a unique nine-digit number that does not convey any information about the recipient. A built-in check digit helps assure the accuracy of the D-U-N-S Number. The ninth digit of each number is the check digit, which is mathematically related to the other digits. It lets computer systems determine if a D-U-N-S Number has been entered correctly.

Dun & Bradstreet, a global information services provider, has assigned D-U-N-S numbers to over 43 million companies worldwide. Live help Monday-Friday 8am-6pm (EST) Dial 1-888-814-1435.

Note: Electronic submission via Grants.gov must use the D-U-N-S number your organization used when it registered in the System for Award Management.

http://www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/index.html

Application Instructions

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FORMAT

All applicants interested in completing an RTL application should first thoroughly review the NIA published in the Federal Register on March 16, 2020. The NIA will orient applicants to the RTL program by providing the following information:

• Purpose of the program and background information;

• Eligibility requirements;

• Invitational Priorities;

• Selection Criteria and assigned points;

• Key definitions; and

• Procedural and substantive requirements of the application process.

Applicants should pay close attention to the selection criteria as applications will be evaluated and scored against these criteria.

COMPLETING AND SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

A complete application consists of the following components:

Required Forms:

• ED Standard Forms;

o Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424) o Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424 o Department of Education Budget Summary Form (ED 524) Sections A & B o Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) o Grant Application Form for Project Objectives and Performance Measures Information

• Assurances and Certifications o GEPA Section 427 o Grants.gov Lobby form (formerly ED 80-0013 form)

Application Narrative:

The RTL application will use the following Grants.gov Narrative Forms.

• ED Abstract Narrative Form;

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

Specific instructions are included on page 36 of this application package.

• Project Narrative Form;

o The Project Narrative Form is where you will attach the responses to the selection criteria, the invitational priorities, and the program requirements. Applicants should include a Table of Contents that includes all responses to the selection criteria. Specific instructions are included on page 37 of this application package.

Applicants are recommended to limit the project narrative to 50 pages. The Table of Contents does not count towards this recommended limit.

• Budget Narrative Form; and o The Budget Narrative Form is where you will attach a budget narrative. Do not include multiple budgets for you and your partner(s). Only one combined budget should be submitted to represent costs for all entities involved in the proposed project. Specific instructions are included on page 41 of this application package.

• Other Attachments Form (upload appendices here) o The Other Attachments Form is where you will attach the application appendices. Specific

Appendix instructions are included on page 44 of this application package. Applicants should not include substantive, project-related information that they wish peer reviewers to consider anywhere in the application other than in the Project Narrative Form and Budget Narrative Form sections.

o Other Attachments Form (appendices)

▪ Appendix A: Include Information Demonstrating the Eligibility of the Applying

Public Telecommunications Entity

▪ Appendix B: Resumes of Key Personnel

▪ Appendix C: Letters of Support and Memoranda of Understanding, if applicable

▪ Appendix D: Other, if applicable

NOTE: If you have multiple documents to be attached to one of the above narrative sections (except for Other Attachments), it is recommended that you merge them into one .PDF file and upload them to the appropriate narrative.

FY 2020 APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Applicants may use this checklist once they have completed their RTL application. The checklist contains all mandatory parts of the application.

ED Standard Forms

Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424) Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424 Department of Education Budget Summary Form (ED 524) Sections A & B Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) Grant Application Form for Project Objectives and Performance Measures Information

Assurances and Certifications

GEPA Section 427 Grants.gov Lobby form (formerly ED 80-0013 form)

Application Narrative

Abstract Narrative Form Project Narrative Form Budget Narrative Form Other Attachments Form (Upload Appendices here)

Appendices:

Appendix A: Demonstrate the Eligibility of the Applying Public Telecommunications Entity

Appendix B: Resumes of Key Personnel

Appendix C: Letters of Support and Memoranda of Understanding, if applicable

Appendix D: Other, if applicable

NOTE: Eligible applicants should attach all appendices to the Other Attachments Form. The Grants.gov system will allow applicants to attach as many as ten separate appendices in this section; however, applicants are encouraged to limit the number of appendix entries to a reasonable number for a reviewer to read. The entire application package should be no larger than 8MB. Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.

REQUIRED FORMS

STANDARD FORMS INSTRUCTIONS

Applicants must submit along with their project narratives the required standard forms, assurances, and certifications included in the list below.

• Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424);

NOTE: Applicants should attach documenting the applicant’s eligibility requirements in Appendix A.

• Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424;

• Department of Education Budget Summary Form (ED 524) Sections A & B;

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL);

• General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements - Section 427;

• Grants.gov Lobbying form (formerly ED 80-0013 form); and

• Grant Application Form for Project Objectives and Performance Measures Information.

The following pages provide a copy of the instructions for completing these forms. Electronic copies of the required forms can be found at the following addresses:

http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html, or on the Grants.gov website:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=0 and the Grants.gov submission package.

OMB Number: 4040-0004 http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=0

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICA TION FOR FE DERA L ASSISTANCE (SF-424)

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

Item Entry: Item: Entry:

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

• Pre-application

• Application

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

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

11. Catalog Of Federal Domestic Assistance Number/Title:

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

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

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

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

• Revision - Any change in the federal government’s financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing obligation. If a revision, enter the appropriate letter(s).

More than one may be selected. If "Other" is selected, please specify in text box provided.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16. Congressional Districts Of: 16a. (Required) Enter the applicant’s congressional district. 16b. Enter all district(s) affected by the program or project. Enter in the format: 2 characters state abbreviation – 3 characters district number, e.g., CA-005 for California 5th district, CA-012 for California 12 district, NC-103 for North Carolina’s 103 district. If all congressional districts in a state are affected, enter “all” for the district number, e.g., MD-all for all congressional districts in Maryland. If nationwide, i.e. all districts within all states are affected, enter US-all. If the program/project is outside the US, enter 00-000.