PKG00265046-instructions.pdf

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

Office of Well Rounded Education Washington, D.C. 20202-6200

Fiscal Year 2021

Application for New Grants Under the Assistance for Arts Education Program

CFDA 84.351A

Dated Material - Open Immediately

Closing Date: March 16, 2021

Approved OMB Number: 1894-0006

Expiration Date: 01/31/2021 ii

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is: 1894-0006. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 216 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this application, please contact the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education directly at 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202 or email to: ICDocketMgr@ed.gov. [Note: Please do not return the completed application to this address.]

If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Bonnie Carter, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Well-Rounded Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E308, Washington D.C. 20202-6200, Bonnie.Carter@ed.gov.

mailto:ICDocketMgr@ed.gov mailto:Bonnie.Carter@ed.gov iii

Table of Contents Dear Colleague Letter

Program Background Information

Program Overview Applicant Guide Pre-Application Meeting for Prospective Applicants

Application Submission Procedures

Application Transmittal Instructions Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

Application Instructions

Electronic Application Format Electronic Application Submission Checklist Part 1: Preliminary Documents Part 2: Budget Information Part 3: ED Abstract Form Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form Part 5: Budget Narrative Important Information Regarding Indirect Costs Part 6: Other Attachment Form Part 7: Assurances and Certifications Part 8: Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (Executive Order 12372)

Reporting and Accountability

Legal and Regulatory Information

Program Statute Notice Inviting Applications

Dear Colleague Letter

Dear Colleague:

Thank you for your interest in the Assistance for Arts Eduction (AAE) program, administered by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). The AAE program is authorized under section 4642 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). The AAE program promotes arts education for students, including disadvantaged students and students who are children with disabilities, through activities such as (a) professional development for arts educators, teachers, and principals; (b) development and dissemination of accessible instructional materials and arts-based educational programming, including online resources, in multiple arts disciplines; and (c) community and national outreach activities that strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, local educational agencies (LEAs), communities, or centers for the arts, including national centers for the arts.

For FY 2021, the AAE competition includes two competitive preference priorities and one invitational priority:

Competitive Preference Priority 1 - Applications from New Potential Grantees Competitive Preference Priority 2 - Applicants that are National NonProfit Organizatiions

Invitational Priority - Art Therapy

Please take the time to review the applicable priorities, selection criteria, and all of the application instructions thoroughly. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or if the application does not contain the information required under the program (EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c)).

For this competition, it is mandatory for applicants to use the government-wide website, Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov), to apply. Please note that the Grants.gov site works differently than the Department’s e-Application System. We strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with Grants.gov and strongly recommend that you register and submit early.

Applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department will be posted using Adobe forms.

Therefore, applicants will need to download a compatible version of Adobe reader. Please review the Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software and Education Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants forms found within this package for further information and guidance related to this requirement.

Using FY 2021 funds, the Department expects to award an estimated $16,500,000 in new grants under this competition. We will award discretionary grants on a competitive basis for a project

United States Department of Education

OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

OFFICE OF WELL ROUNDED EDUCATION

http://www.grants.gov/ period of 60 months. The deadline to submit applications is March 16, 2021. Grants are expected to be awarded before the end of the fiscal year.

Please visit our program websites at: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/arts-in-education-national-program/;

https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/arts-in-education-model-development-and-dissemination-grants-program/;

and https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/arts-in-education-professional-development-for-arts-educators/.

for further information.

If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Bonnie Carter, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 3E308, Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone: (202) 401-3576. Email: Bonnie.Carter@ed.gov.

Michelle Georgia Acting Director Office of Well Rounded Education https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/arts-in-education-national-program/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/arts-in-education-national-program/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/arts-in-education-model-development-and-dissemination-grants-program/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/arts-in-education-model-development-and-dissemination-grants-program/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/arts-in-education-professional-development-for-arts-educators/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/arts-in-education-professional-development-for-arts-educators/

Program Background Information

Program Overview

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

Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) Grant Program

CFDA Number: 84.351A

Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants

Program Purpose: The Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) program promotes arts education for students, including disadvantaged students and students who are children with disabilities, through activities such as (a) professional development for arts educators, teachers, and principals; (b) development and dissemination of accessible instructional materials and arts-based educational programming, including online resources, in multiple arts disciplines; and (c) community and national outreach activities that strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, local educational agencies (LEAs), communities, or centers for the arts, including national centers for the arts.

Eligible Applicants:

(1) An LEA in which 20 percent or more of the students served by the local educational agency are from families with an income below the poverty line;

(2) A consortium of such LEAs;

(3) An SEA;

(4) An IHE;

(5) A museum or cultural institution;

(6) The Bureau of Indian Education;

(7) An eligible national nonprofit organization; or

(8) Another private agency, institution, or organization.

Note: Under 34 CFR 75.51, nonprofit organizations must demonstrate status by providing: (1) proof that the Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item described above if that item applies to a State or national parent organization, together with a statement by the State or parent organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.

Program Contact: Bonnie.Carter@ed.gov

Applicant Guide These guidelines will help applicants to understand the Department’s expectations for addressing the priorities, requirements, definitions and selection criteria which are in the notice inviting applications (NIA), published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2021. (See the Legal and Regulatory section of this application package which includes AAE’s NIA.)

The program narrative is the section of the application that directly responds to the priorities, requirements and selection criteria. The narrative should follow the order of the selection criteria listed below and in the NIA.

Applicants should describe, in detail, the activities planned for the entire 60-month project period. We encourage you to limit the project narrative to 25 pages. In addition, all applications must be entered into the Grants.gov system. E-mailed applications are not acceptable.

Applicants have the option of uploading narrative sections and all other attachments to their application in either Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word. However, we recommend applicants submit all documents as read-only, flattened PDFs, to better ensure applications are processed in a more timely, accurate, and efficient manner. If you choose to submit your application in Microsoft Word, you may do so using any version of Microsoft Word (i.e., a document ending in a .doc or .docx extension). If you upload a file type other than PDF or Microsoft Word or if you submit a password-protected file, we will be unable to review that material. Please note that this will likely result in your application not being considered for funding. The Department will not convert material from other formats to PDF or Microsoft Word.

A minimum of three peer reviewers will evaluate each application. Reviewers will be asked to review the applicants’ responses to each of the criteria identified below and score each of their assigned applications. The points for the selection criteria add up to a score of 100. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses. Not responding to a specific criterion could negatively affect your score.

Additionally, there is an opportunity to score up to a maximum of 10 points if an application meets one or more of the two competitive preference priorities noted. Priority 1 is from the Administrative Priorities for Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on March 3, 2020 (85 FR 13640) (Administrative Priorities) (5 points) and Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from section 4642 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7292) (5 points). The maximum score for each competitive preference priority is indicated in parentheses.

Application Requirements

For FY 2021 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, the following application and program requirements from section 4642 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7292) apply. In order to receive funding, an applicant must submit an application that meets the following requirements:

U.S. Census Data: Applicants that are LEAs must provide, in the application, data from the most recent U.S. Census as evidence that the LEAs meet the statutory requirement that 20 percent or more of the students served by the LEA (or for each LEA within a consortium of LEAs) are from families with an income below the Federal poverty line.

Note: Other applicants that are eligible under the definition of an LEA, such as County Offices of Education, Education Service Districts, and Regional Service Education Agencies, must provide the most recent U.S. Census data for each of the individual LEAs served. For charter schools for which U.S. Census data is not available, eligibility will be based on a determination by the State educational agency (SEA), consistent with the manner in which the SEA determines the charter school LEA’s eligibility for the Title I allocations, that 20 percent of the students aged 5-17 in the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line. Applicants must submit documentation from the State certifying official verifying that the SEA has determined this eligibility requirement is met for each LEA not listed in the Small Area Income Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) data.

Program Requirements

Projects funded under this program must include—

(1) Professional development for arts educators, teachers, and principals;

(2) Development and dissemination of accessible instructional materials and arts-based educational programming, including online resources, in multiple arts disciplines; and

(3) Community and national outreach activities that strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, LEAs, communities, or centers for the arts, including national centers for the arts.

The program requirements apply for FY 2021 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition. Please refer to the NIA in the Legal and Regulatory section of this application package for specific information about the program requirements.

Competitive Preference Priorities

This competition includes two competitive preference priorities:

Priority 1 is from the Administrative Priorities for Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on March 3, 2020 (85 FR 13640) (Administrative Priorities). Priority 2 is from section 4642 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7292).

For FY 2021 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities.

Applicants may apply under any, all, or none of the competitive preference priorities.

The competitive preference priorities for this competition are:

Priority 1 – Applications from New Potential Grantees (0 or 5 points)

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the following:

(a) The applicant has not had an active discretionary grant under the program from which it seeks funds, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, in the five years before the deadline date for submission of applications under the program.

(b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant or contract is active until the end of the grant’s or contract’s project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee’s or contractor’s authority to obligate funds.

Note: For purposes of this priority, “the program” includes the AENP, AAEDD, and PDAE programs because they are all authorized under AAE.

Priority 2 – Applicants that are National Nonprofit Organizations. (0 or 5 points) Under this priority, the Secretary gives priority to eligible entities that are eligible national nonprofit organizations. The term “eligible national nonprofit organization” means an organization of national scope that—

(a) Is supported by staff, which may include volunteers, or affiliates at the State and local levels; and

(b) Demonstrates effectiveness or high-quality plans for addressing arts education activities for disadvantaged students or students who are children with disabilities..

Invitational Priority

We are particularly interested in applications that address the following invitational priority.

Invitational Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

This priority is: Art Therapy

Under this priority, an applicant must describe how it will include art therapy in their project to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, or reduce and resolve conflicts and distress.

Selection Criteria

The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum possible score for addressing all criteria is 100 points. The maximum possible score for addressing each criterion is indicated in parentheses. The selection criteria for this competition are as follows:

(a) Quality of the project design (up to 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 the following factors:

(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 design for implementing and evaluating the proposed project will result in information to guide possible replication of project activities or strategies, including information about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the project.

(4) The extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.

(5) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)).

(b) Quality of project services (up to 25 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project. In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the training or professional development services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of those services.

(2) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as measured against rigorous academic standards.

(3) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the proposed project on the intended recipients of those services.

(4) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project services.

(c) Quality of project personnel (up to 10 points).

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

In addition, the Secretary considers the qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel.

(d) Quality of the management plan (up to 20 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.

(2) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project.

(3) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products and services from the proposed project.

(4) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of services, or others, as appropriate.

(e) Quality of the project evaluation (up to 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 the following factors:

(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 include the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible.

(3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide valid and reliable performance data on relevant outcomes.

Note: This selection factor for project evaluation relates only to performance measure (1) under the Performance Measures section of the NIA.

Definitions

There are certain defined terms (in italics) throughout this application package. These definitions are from sections 4642 and 8101 of the ESEA, as amended, and 34 CFR 77.1 of the Education Department General Administration Regulations. Please refer to the NIA in the in the Legal and Regulatory section of this application package for the defined terms relevant to this program.

Pre-Applicaton Meeting for Prospective Applicants To assist applicants in preparing applications, the Department will host one (1) pre-application meeting.

Date Time Microsoft Teams Meeting Link

February 1, 2 PM – 4PM

EST

Join on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 202-991-0393,,866311007# United States, Washington DC Phone Conference ID: 866 311 007# Find a local number | Reset PIN https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjhkY2NjNDMtNjBmYy00MTcyLTgxZWUtNGRjMmMyYTA5ZDhh%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22bd5d4514-84de-4928-a9fd-6ae10bbad677%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%223c0510a9-8b34-460c-a4c8-ee4f5d3489c7%22%7d tel:+12029910393,,866311007#%20 https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/ee044638-d5bf-4256-b781-acd8a60a5d7c?id=866311007 https://mysettings.lync.com/pstnconferencing

For further information about the AAE pre-application meetings or to request a copy of the recorded AAE pre-application presentation when it becomes available, please send your inquiries to AssistanceforArtsEducation@ed.gov.

Application Submission Procedures

The deadline for submission of AAE Program applications through Grants.gov is March 16, 2021.

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

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

We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described in the Federal Register notice for this competition, you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions.

Applications Submitted Electronically:

Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov; applications submitted via email will not be accepted.

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

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

On December 31, 2017, Grants.gov retired the Legacy PDF format for submitting grant applications. A Grants.gov applicant must apply online using Workspace, a shared environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. An applicant can create an individual Workspace for each application notice and establish for that application a collaborative application package that allows more than one person in the applicant’s organization to work concurrently on an application. The Grants.gov system also enables the applicant to reuse forms from previous submissions, check them in and out to complete them, and submit the application package. For access to further instructions on how to apply using Grants.gov, refer to: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

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

You may access the electronic grant applications at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.XXX not 84.XXXA).

Please note the following:

• You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in either .pdf (Portable

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

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

• When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend your file names be less than 50 characters. The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.

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

Extensions apply only to technical problems with the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register in order to submit your application to Grants.gov (including with the required DUNS number and TIN currently registered in SAM) before the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

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

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

Important issues to consider:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

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

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

Browser Support

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

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

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files Required

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

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

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

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

a. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader. NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Helpful Reminders

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

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

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

2) SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m.

Eastern Time on the deadline date.

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

3) VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once the Department of Education receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Software Tip Sheet at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

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

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 11:59:59 p.m., unless you follow the procedures in the Federal Register notice and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before 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.)

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

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

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

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

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

• 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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments is less than 5 MB.

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

Application Instructions

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

In accordance with EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c), an application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or the application does not contain the information required under the program.

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

Information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe and links to download the latest version is available on Grants.gov. Also, please review the Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software and Education Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants forms found within this package for further information and guidance related to this requirement.

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

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

mailto:support@grants.gov

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

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

Part 1: Preliminary Documents Application for Federal Assistance (form SF 424) ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

Part 2: Budget Information ED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)

Part 3: ED Abstract Form Project Abstract

Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form Application Narrative

Part 5: Budget Narrative Attachment Form Budget Narrative

Part 6: Other Attachments Form Individual Resumes for Project Directors & Key Personnel Certification of LEA Eligiblity

Part 7: Assurances and Certifications Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B Form) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) Grants.gov Lobbying Form General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427 (ED GEPA 427 form)

Part 8: Intergovernmental Review (Executive Order 12372) State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) List

Part 1: Preliminary Documents Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424) ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

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

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

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

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

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

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SF-424

This is a standard form required for use as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications and…