PKG00263693-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20202

Fiscal Year 2020

Application for Grants Under

Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success

CFDA # 84.116G

Form Approved OMB No. 1894-0006, Expiration Date: 01/31/2021

CLOSING DATE: November 4, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dear Applicant Letter .......................................................................................................... ….3

Competition Highlights

Supplemental Information

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

Application Transmittal Instructions

Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards

Authorizing Legislation

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)

Instructions for Completing the Application Package

Selection Criteria and Instructions

Instructions for Standard Forms

Instructions for SF 424……………………………………………………………………….41

Instructions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424…43

Assurances – Non-Construction Programs…………………………………………………..45

Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424….48

Instructions for ED 524………………………………………………………………………52

Notice to Applicants………………………………………………………………………….54

Instructions for Completion of SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities………………...55

Instructions for Budget Summary Form and Itemized Budget

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

Application Checklist

Paperwork Burden Statement

Dear Applicant Letter

October 5, 2020

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a grant under the Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program. This grant competition is administered by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) of the U.S. Department of Education (the Department). The purpose of this program is to encourage institutions of higher education (IHEs) to develop model programs to support veteran student success in postsecondary education by coordinating services to address the academic, financial, physical, and social needs of veteran students. Information about this program is accessible on the FIPSE Web site at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/fipse/index.html.

Please note that the FY 2020 CEVSS competition includes one absolute priority and two competitive preference priorities. For additional information about these priorities, see the Notice Inviting Applications in this application package. Please be advised that because limited funds are available this year, the application process will be extremely competitive. For FY 2020, the Department estimates that it will make approximately 16 awards ranging in size from $433,000 - $450,000. The project period may be up to 36 months.

The Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards published in the Federal Register is the official document describing the requirements for submitting a grant application. Please let us know if you have questions or require additional information. Please carefully review these application guidelines and the Federal Register notice.

The Department requires submission of grant applications through Grants.gov, an Internet-based electronic system, unless you have grounds for a waiver. A detailed description of the system is included in this application package. We urge you to acquaint yourself with the Grants.gov system early. The application process can be time consuming if you have not used it before. Make sure you allow yourself ample time to submit the electronic application by the deadline of November 4, 2020. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline date. Grants.gov is accessible through its portal page at: https://grants.gov.

We appreciate your interest in the CEVSS competition and look forward to receiving your application. If you should have any questions, please email Ms. Kelly Harris, project manager for the CEVSS program (Kelly.Harris@ed.gov).

Sincerely, /s/

Sheryl Wilson Director Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions Programs http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/fipse/index.html https://grants.gov/ mailto:Kelly.Harris@ed.gov

Competition Highlights

1. Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success FY 2020 applications must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov. You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of Grants.gov early as the registration procedures may require 5 or more days to complete. A more thorough discussion is included later in this application package. Grants.gov is accessible through its portal page at: http://Grants.gov. The requirements for obtaining an exception to the electronic submission requirement are included in the Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards (Notice) for FY 2020. If you think you may need an exception, you are urged to review the requirements promptly.

2. It is important to know that the Grants.gov site works differently from the Department’s e-Application system, used in past Department competitions. Grants.gov does not allow applicants to “un-submit” applications. Therefore, if you discover that changes or additions are needed once your application has been accepted and validated by the Department, you must “re-submit” the application. You should know that if the Department receives duplicate applications, we will accept and process the application with the latest “date/time received” validation.

3. Please note that you must submit your application by 11:59:59 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or before the application deadline date. Late applications will not be accepted. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

4. Electronic submission of applications is required; therefore, you must submit an electronic application unless you follow the procedures outlined in the Federal Register Notice for FY 2020 and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement.

5. Applicants are strongly recommended to adhere to the page limit specified in the Application Narrative Instructions portion of the application. The Notice for new awards for FY 2020, published in the Federal Register, contains specific information governing recommended page limits and formatting instructions. We strongly recommend the following page limits:

• The selection criteria not to exceed more than 50 pages.

• The absolute priority not to exceed more than 5 pages.

• The competitive preference priorities not to exceed more than a total of 5 pages.

Accordingly, we strongly recommend the application narrative not exceed a total of 50 pages.

6. All attachments must be in .PDF format. Other types of files will not be accepted. Please note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving data on your computer. It is important to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your computer. You will need to log on to Grants.gov to upload and submit the application (this is different from e- Application, where you may have previously worked online and saved data to the Department’s http://grants.gov/ database). You must provide the DUNS number that was used when your organization registered with the System for Award Management (SAM).

For Grants.gov related questions and assistance, please contact:

Support Desk e-Mail: support@Grants.gov Support Desk Telephone: (800) 518-4726 Contact Telephone Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week, except Federal holidays Online Web Site: http://Grants.gov

Also, refer to the “Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants” section found in this application booklet.

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

7. In the FY 2020 competition, the Department has established one absolute priority and two competitive preference priorities which are outlined below:

Absolute Priority:

For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Projects that include the following required activities:

• Establishing a Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success on the campus of the institution to provide a single point of contact to coordinate comprehensive support services for veteran students;

• Establishing a veteran student support team, including representatives from the offices of the institution responsible for admissions, registration, financial aid, veterans benefits, academic advising, student health, personal or mental health counseling, career advising, disabilities services, and any other office of the institution that provides support to veteran students on campus;

• Providing a coordinator whose primary responsibility is to coordinate the model program;

• Monitoring the rates of veteran student enrollment, persistence, and completion; and

• Developing a plan to sustain the Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success after the grant period.

Competitive Preference Priorities:

For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional two points to an application that meets competitive preference priority 1, and one additional point to an application that meets competitive preference priority 2, for a maximum of up to three additional points.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Applications from New Potential Grantees (2 points)

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant has never received a grant, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127- 75.129, under the CEVSS program.

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Spurring Investments in Qualified Opportunity Zones (1 point)

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the following:

(a) The area in which the applicant proposes to provide services overlaps with a Qualified Opportunity Zone, as designated by the Secretary of the Treasury under section 1400Z-1 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). An applicant must—

(i) Provide the census tract number of the Qualified Opportunity Zone(s) in which it proposes to provide services; and

(ii) Describe how the applicant will provide services in the Qualified Opportunity Zone(s).

Note: Applicants addressing this priority could consider indicating how they plan to conduct outreach and recruitment of veterans that reside in Qualified Opportunity Zones which, compared to areas that are not Qualified Opportunity Zones, have higher average poverty rates, lower median household incomes, higher unemployment rates, and lower levels of educational attainment.[1]

8. As you develop your proposal, we ask you to carefully consider the specific content that you will provide in the Project Narrative in the application. This part of the application must address the selection criteria as listed in this application booklet and the Federal Register.

9. In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, all successful applicants funded under the FY 2020 Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success competition may receive grant awards of up to three years (36 months) duration.

10. All applicants must provide a one-page abstract. Upload a one-page abstract as a PDF document. The abstract provides a concise description of the proposed project objectives, activities, and intended outcomes. The abstract should also indicate whether you are addressing the absolute priority and/or the competitive preference priorities. Complete instructions for submitting the abstract are included in the “Instructions for Completing the Application Package” section of this application. The abstract must be uploaded into the ED Abstract Form in Grants.gov.

https://www.federalregister.gov/select-citation/2020/03/09/34-CFR-75.127 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/27/2019-25819/final-priority-for-discretionary-grant-programs#footnote-1-p65301

11. Information on the Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success Program is accessible at the

Department’s website at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/fipse/index.html.

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/fipse/index.html

Supplemental Information

The following supplements the information provided in the “Dear Applicant” letter and the notice.

1. Estimated Funding

Estimated Available Funds: $6,930,000 Estimated Range of Awards: $433,000 - $450,000 Estimated Average Size of Awards: $441,500 Maximum Amount of Award: $450,000 Estimated Number of New Awards: 16 Project Period for Award: 36 months

The Department is not bound by these estimates.

2. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

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

3. Length of New Award

Applicants may apply for up to three years (36 months) of funding.

4. Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success Program Assurances

All applications must comply with the Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success Program statutory and regulatory requirements. The assurances are included in the application package and must be signed by a certifying official in Grants.gov. By submitting a Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success Program application, an applicant certifies that it has read the assurances and will fully comply with the requirements.

5. Evaluation of Applications for Awards

A panel of two non-federal reviewers will review each application in accordance with the selection criteria. Each reviewer will prepare a written evaluation of the information presented in the project narrative section of the application.

All applications for grants under the Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success Program will be evaluated as new submissions according to the selection criteria listed in the program statute (20 U.S.C. 1161(t)).

6. Selection Criteria

The selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 are used to evaluate applications.

7. Applicant Funding

Applicants should pay close attention to the “Maximum Award” section of the notice. The Department will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum amount specified for the specific project type as indicated in the notice.

8. Selection of Grantees

The Secretary will select applications for funding in rank order, according to the average score received from the peer review and from the competitive preference priorities addressed by the applicant. If the Secretary has insufficient funding to award multiple applications with the same score, consistent with section 873(d)(2)(A) and (B) of the HEA, in making a selection, the Secretary will consider (a) the number of veteran students enrolled at each IHE; including the need to provide (i) an equitable distribution of such grants to IHE’s of various types and sizes; (ii) an equitable geographic distribution of such grants; and (iii) an equitable distribution of such grants among rural and urban areas. The Department’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress regarding applications approved for new Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success Program grants. Successful applicants will receive award notices by e-mail shortly after the Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before the Congress is notified.

9. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing following the notice to successful applicants.

10. Annual Performance Report Requirements

If you receive a new grant award in FY 2020 you will be required during the funding cycle to submit annual and final performance reports using the FIPSE Grant Database. This online system collects narratives and data about funded projects to help program officers determine if a grantee is making substantial progress toward meeting approved project objectives. The database is accessible at: HTTPS://HEPIS.ed.gov/.

11. Contact Information

U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 Kelly Harris E-mail: Kelly.Harris@ed.gov Tel: 202-453-7346

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

Support Desk: Grants.gov Support Desk Telephone: (800) 518-4726 Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week, except Federal holidays Email: support@grants.gov https://hepis.ed.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and

Tips for Applicants

***Updated 02/21/2019***

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

U.S. Department of Education 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

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.

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

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 SAM 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, log in to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once the Department of Education receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at:

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

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800- 518-4726 or support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants.

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, unless you follow the procedures in the Federal Register notice and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. If electronic submission is optional and you have problems that you are unable to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html 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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants resolve before the deadline date and time for electronic applications, please follow the transmittal instructions for hard copy applications in the Federal Register notice and get a hard copy application postmarked by midnight on the deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs found at this Grants.gov link:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html, as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace.

Dial-Up Internet Connections

When using a dial up connection to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g. cable modem/DSL/T1. While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours to complete your grant submission using a dial up connection.

If you do not have access to a high-speed connection and electronic submission is required, you may want to consider following the instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

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

• When you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in either Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word. Although applicants have the option of uploading any narrative sections and all other attachments to their application in either PDF or Microsoft Word, we recommend applicants submit all documents as read-only flattened PDFs, meaning any fillable PDF files must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files and not as interactive or fillable PDF files, to better ensure applications are processed in a more timely, accurate, and efficient manner.

• 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.

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

Application Transmittal Instructions

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

Applications Submitted Electronically

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

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

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

Other Submission Instructions

For detailed instructions on applications sent by mail or delivery, please review the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs Notice, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR- 2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

Late Applications

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

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf

Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student

Success Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2020 for the

Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.116G. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1894-0006.

DATES:

Applications Available: October 5, 2020.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 4, 2020.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: January 4, 2021.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to

Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the

Federal Register on February 13, 2019, (84 FR 3768), and available at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Harris, U.S. Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 268-30, Washington, DC

20202. Telephone: (202) 453-7346. Email: Kelly.Harris@ed.gov.

http://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to encourage institutions of higher education (IHEs) to develop model programs to support veteran student success in postsecondary education by coordinating services to address the academic, financial, physical, and social needs of veteran students.

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority and two competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR

75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority is from the activities specified in section 873 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from the notice of final administrative priorities for discretionary grant programs

(Administrative Priorities) published in the Federal Register on March

9, 2020 (85 FR 13640). Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from the

Notice of Final Priority for Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2019 (84 FR 65300)

(Opportunity Zones NFP).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR

75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

Projects that include the following required activities:

(a) Establishing a Center of Excellence for Veteran Student

Success on the campus of the institution to provide a single point of contact to coordinate comprehensive support services for veteran students;

(b) Establishing a veteran student support team, including representatives from the offices of the institution responsible for admissions, registration, financial aid, veterans benefits, academic advising, student health, personal or mental health counseling, career advising, disabilities services, and any other office of the institution that provides support to veteran students on campus;

(c) Providing a coordinator whose primary responsibility is to coordinate the model program;

(d) Monitoring the rates of veteran student enrollment, persistence, and completion; and

(e) Developing a plan to sustain the Center of Excellence for

Veteran Student Success after the grant period.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional two points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1, and one additional point to an application that meets Competitive

Preference Priority 2, for a maximum of up to three additional points.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1--Applications From New

Potential Grantees. (2 points)

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant has never received a grant, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, under the CEVSS program.

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Spurring Investments in

Qualified Opportunity Zones. (1 point)

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the following:

(a) The area in which the applicant proposes to provide services overlaps with a Qualified Opportunity Zone, as designated by the

Secretary of the Treasury under section 1400Z-1 of the Internal

Revenue Code (IRC). An applicant must—

(i) Provide the census tract number of the Qualified Opportunity

Zone(s) in which it proposes to provide services; and

(ii) Describe how the applicant will provide services in the

Qualified Opportunity Zone(s).

Note: Applicants addressing this priority could consider indicating how they plan to conduct outreach and recruitment of veterans that reside in Qualified Opportunity Zones which, compared to areas that are not Qualified Opportunity Zones, have higher average poverty rates, lower median household incomes, higher unemployment rates, and lower levels of educational attainment.1

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1161t.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General

Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to

1 Brett Theodos, Brady Meixell, and Carl Hedman, “Did States Maximize Their Opportunity Zones Selections?” Urban Institute, 2018, available at:

https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/98445/did_states_maximize_their _opportunity_zone_selections_7.pdf.

https://www.federalregister.gov/select-citation/2020/03/09/34-CFR-75.127

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 Administrative Priorities.

(e) The Opportunity Zones NFP.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $6,930,000.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $433,000 to $450,000 for up to 36 months.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $441,500 for up to 36 months.

Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $450,000 for a 36-month period.

Estimated Number of Awards: 16.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs and consortia of IHEs.

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements.

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of

Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal

Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to

Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.

Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under

Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this program.

3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 50 pages and (2) use the following standards:

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

• Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, http://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf footnotes, quotations, references, and captions as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.

• Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, and no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

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

The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract and the bibliography. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.

Note: The Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs Form (ED 524)

Sections A-C are not the same as the narrative response to the Budget section of the selection criteria.

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. Applicants should address each of the following selection criteria separately for each proposed activity. The selection criteria are worth a total of 100 points; the maximum score for each criterion is noted in parentheses.

(a) Need for project. (Maximum 10 points) The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or the activities to be carried out by the proposed project.

(2) The extent to which the proposed project will provide services or otherwise address the needs of students at risk of educational failure.

(3) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses.

(b) Significance. (Maximum 10 points) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the needs of the target population.

(2) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to be attained by the proposed project.

(c) Quality of the project design. (Maximum 30 points) The

Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project.

In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the

Secretary considers:

(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.

(2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target population or other identified needs.

(3) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of

Federal financial assistance.

(d) Quality of project personnel. (Maximum 15 points) The

Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project.

(1) In determining the quality of project personnel, the

Secretary considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.

(2) In addition, the Secretary considers:

(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director or principal investigator.

(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel.

Note: As stated in the absolute priority for this competition, a proposed Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success must have a coordinator whose primary responsibility is to coordinate the model program. In response to this selection criterion, the application must describe the qualifications of this individual, the members of the veteran student support team described in the absolute priority, and any other individuals who will help carry out the proposed project. The grant project director may or may not be the coordinator of the Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success. Applicants should consider emphasizing how the training and experience of veteran employees staffing the project, if applicable, will support the goals of the project.

(e) Adequacy of resources. (Maximum 20 points) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the

Secretary considers:

(1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization.

(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and benefits.

(3) The potential for continued support of the project after

Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated commitment of appropriate entities to such support.

Note: A budget summary and budget narrative attached to your proposal should itemize the support you are requesting through the CEVSS

Program.

(f) Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 15 points) The

Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers:

(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project.

(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for examining the effectiveness of the project implementation strategies.

(3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide timely guidance for quality assurance.

2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as the applicant’s use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable quality.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department

(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). The projects must also be awarded and operated in a manner consistent with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution.

A panel of two non-Federal reviewers will review and score each application in accordance with the selection criteria. A rank order funding slate will be made from this review. Awards will be made in rank order according to the average score received from the peer review and from the competitive preference priorities addressed by the applicant.

If the Secretary has insufficient funding to award multiple applications with the same score, consistent with section 873(d)(2)(A) and (B) of the HEA, in making a selection, the Secretary will consider

(a) the number of veteran students enrolled at each IHE; and (b) the need for model programs to address the needs of veteran students at a wide range of IHEs, including the need to provide (i) an equitable distribution of such grants to IHEs of various types and sizes; (ii) an equitable geographic distribution of such grants; and (iii) an equitable distribution of such grants among rural and urban areas.

3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2

CFR 200.205, before awarding grants under this program the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR

3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this competition to receive an award that over the course of the project period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold

(currently $250,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that is in the integrity and performance system

(currently referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and

Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.

Please note that, if the total value of…