SI Application Package Instructions 6-4-19 Final.docx

U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Charter Schools Program Washington, D.C. 20202-5970

Fiscal Year 2019

Application for New Grants Under the Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program--State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program

CFDA 84.282D

Dated Material - Open Immediately Closing Date: July 19, 2019

Approved OMB Number: 1855-0012 Expiration Date: 02/28/2022

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: 1855-0012. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 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 voluntary.

If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Clifton Jones, Charter School Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, 3E211, Washington D.C. 20202-5970.

Table of Contents

United States Department of Education

OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

CHARTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Dear Colleague Letter Dear Colleague:

Thank you for your interest in the Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program-- State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program (State Incentive), administered by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). This program is authorized under Title IV, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) (20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j).

The purpose of the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program is to provide grants to eligible States to help them establish or enhance, and administer, a per-pupil facilities aid program for charter schools in the State, that is specified in State law, and provides annual financing, on a per-pupil basis, for charter school facilities. Eligible applicants are States that establish or enhance, and administer, a per-pupil facilities aid program for charter schools in the State, that is specified in State law; and provides annual financing, on a per-pupil basis, for charter school facilities.

Please take the time to review the applicable priorities, selection criteria, and all of the application instructions thoroughly. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or the application does not contain the information required under the program (EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c)). And, as part of a broader effort to reduce barriers for applicants seeking funds under a Department discretionary grant competition, the Department has issued a set of Common Instructions for Applicants available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf and also in this application package.

All applicants are eligible to receive up to 100 points based on the published selection criteria. In addition, the competition includes three competitive preference priorities focusing on spurring investment in opportunity zones, State support for charter schools, and novice applicants. We are establishing these priorities in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).

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 U.S. Department of Education’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 of Education 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 2019 funds, the Department expects to award $10,000,000 for new grants under this competition, and plans to make between one and three awards. We will award discretionary grants on a competitive basis for a project period of up to 60 months. Grants are expected to be awarded in September 2019.

Please visit our program website at https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/charter-schools/state-charter-school-facilities-incentive-grants/ for further information. If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Clifton Jones by telephone at (202) 205-2204 or via e-mail at Clifton.Jones@ed.gov.

Ellen Safranek Director, Charter Schools Program Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Program Background Information Program Overview Program Office: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP) – State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program

CFDA Number: 84.282D

Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants

Also Known As: State Incentive Facilities Grant Program

Program Description: This program provides competitive grants to help States establish or enhance and administer “per-pupil facilities aid” for charter schools. The Federal funds are used to match programs funded with non-Federal dollars that make payments, on a per-pupil basis, to provide charter schools with facilities financing. The program is intended to encourage States to share in the costs associated with charter schools facilities funding, and as a result States pay an increasing share of the cost of the program. Under this grant, the maximum Federal share of facilities funds decreases each year (from 90 percent in the first year to 20 percent in year five) and phases out entirely after five years.

Eligible Applicants:

States. In order to be eligible to receive a grant, a State shall establish or enhance, and administer, a per-pupil facilities aid program for charter schools in the State, that--

(a) Is specified in State law; and

(b) Provides annual financing, on a per-pupil basis, for charter school facilities.

Note: A State that is required under State law to provide charter schools with access to adequate facility space, but that does not have a per-pupil facilities aid program for charter schools specified in State law, is eligible to receive a grant if the State agrees to use the funds to develop a per-pupil facilities aid program consistent with the requirements in the Notice Inviting Applications.

Competitive Preference Priorities:

This competition includes three competitive preference priorities. We are establishing the competitive preference priorities for the FY 2019 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).

Program Contact If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Clifton Jones by telephone at (202)205-2204 or via e-mail at Clifton.jones@ed.gov.

Application Deadline The deadline for submitting an application is July 19, 2019. Review the instructions in this application package for meeting this deadline.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 226.

All grantees are required to comply with these regulations, as applicable.

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

Technical Assistance Workshops for Prospective Applicants A pre-application webinar is planned, following the publication of the Notice Inviting Application. Detailed information regarding this webinar will be provided on the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program webpage at https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/charter-schools/state-charter-school-facilities-incentive-grants/applicant-info-and-eligibility/. Please check the site regularly for updates.

Electronic Submission:

All applications for grants under this competition must be received on or before 11:59:59 p.m. on July 19, 2019, Eastern Time. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the application deadline date. Late applications will not be accepted. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

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

Applicants should be careful that they download the correct application package for CSP State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program and that they submit their application under the correct CSP grant competition (84.282D). Your application will be reviewed for the competition under which it is submitted, and only applications that are successfully submitted in the required PDF format by the established deadline will be peer reviewed.

FY 2019 CSP State Charter School Facilities Incentive Application Package:

Please note that the application package for FY 2019 CSP State Charter School Facilities Incentive is for applicants to download and use as a guide only. Unless the applicant qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement (see Electronic Submission Policy below and in the FY 2019 Notice), all applications for this competition must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov.

Apply!

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

Funding Opportunity Number: ED-GRANTS-060419-006

Each application will be reviewed under the competition it was submitted under in the Grants.gov system, and only applications that are successfully submitted by the established deadline will be peer reviewed.

Application Submission Procedures

The deadline for submission of the Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program--State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program applications through Grants.gov is July 19, 2019.

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. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.

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.

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.

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

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center Attention: (CFDA Number 84.282D) LBJ Basement Level 1 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, DC 20202-4260

You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.

(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.

(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.

(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:

(1) A private metered postmark.

(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office.

Note for Mail Delivery of Paper Applications:

If you mail your application to the Department--

(1) You must indicate on the envelope and in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and

(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

Submitting Applications with Adobe Reader Software The Department of Education, 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

SAM.gov ALERT: If you are registering a new entity in SAM.gov, you must provide an original, signed notarized letter stating that you are the authorized Entity Administrator before your registration will be activated. Read the FAQs to learn more about this process change. Entities creating or renewing their registration will be required to submit an original, signed notarized letter confirming the authorized Entity Administrator associated with the DUNS number. For more information on this requirement, please check the FAQs at the following link: https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/sam-update-updated-july-11-2018.

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

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

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

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov Please note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving data on your computer. Please be sure to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your computer. You will need to logon to Grants.gov to upload and submit the application. You must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on 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:

· Ensure that when you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to 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).

· 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.

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

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

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

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

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

III. Verify that the person assigned to submit the application has been designated as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Track your AOR status (see page 7). You must be “active” in order to submit an application on behalf of the organization.

IV. Review the submission for clarity. Applications will be read by multiple peer reviewers; therefore, it is important to ensure that the application can be understood by someone who is unfamiliar with your project. It is highly recommended that an applicant clearly state which priority, requirement or selection criterion their application is responding to throughout their submission.

V. Submit early on Grants.gov. Applications must be finished uploading, and be validated by the Grants.gov system, by 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern time on the deadline date. Validation indicates if the submission was successful and may take up to two days. If the submitted application is deemed invalid due to an error, applicants may correct the error and resubmit only if the 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern time deadline has not passed. Applicants are encouraged to review the submission to be sure that the files transmitted correctly. Grants.gov may not catch all errors. Late submissions or modifications to the submitted application will not be accepted after the deadline.

VI. Each application will be reviewed under the competition it was submitted under in the Grants.gov system, and only applications that are successfully submitted in the required format by the established deadline will be peer reviewed. Applicants should be careful that they download the intended CSP State Charter School Facilities Incentive application package (84.282D) and that they submit their applications under the intended CSP State Charter School Facilities Incentive competition.

NOTE: Applicants will receive multiple emails to confirm submission in Grants.gov, validation, and transmission to the U. S. Department of Education. Once the application is transmitted to the Department, applicants will receive a final email with a unique identifier called a PR Award Number. Use this number when making inquiries about the submitted application.

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 of Education will only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application package.

All applicants interested in completing a CSP State Charter School Facilities Incentive application should first thoroughly review the NIA for FY 2019 published in the Federal Register on June 4, 2019 (84 FR 25776). The NIA will orient applicants to the Facilities Incentive program by providing the following information:

· Background information and purpose of the program;

· Competitive Preference Priorities (optional);

· Program Requirements;

· Key definitions;

· Award Information;

· Eligibility Information;

· Selection Criteria and assigned points;

· Procedural and substantive requirements of the application process; and

· Instructions on how to electronically submit the application.

Applicants should pay close attention to the Competitive Preference Priorities and Selection Criteria, as applications will be evaluated and scored against these criteria.

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

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

Please provide the applicant's DUNS Number. You can obtain your DUNS Number at no charge by calling 18003330505 or by completing a DUNS Number Request Form. The form can be obtained via the Internet at the following URL:

http://www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/index.html The DUNS Number is a unique nine digit number that does not convey any information about the recipient. A built-in check digit helps assure the accuracy of the DUNS Number. The ninth digit of each number is the check digit, which is mathematically related to the other digits. It lets computer systems determine if a DUNS Number has been entered correctly.

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

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

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

1. Table of Contents

2. Responses to Competitive Preference Priorities (if applicable)

3. Responses to the Selection Criteria

Part 5: Budget Narrative Attachment Form

· Budget Narrative Part 6: Other Attachments Form

· Enabling Statutes and Other Relevant Legislation (if applicable)

· Table 1 – Charter School Aid Paid by State (OMB Form 1855-0012)

· Table 2 – Budget Form: Grant Funds Expenditures (OMB Form 1855-0012)

· Table 3 – Grant funds as a Percentage of the Cost of Per-Pupil Facilities Aid (OMB Form 1855-0012)

· Logic Model

· Individual Resumes/Curriculum Vitae for Project Directors & Key Personnel

· Program-Specific Assurances (Matching Requirement)

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 GEPA427 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 applications and related information under discretionary programs. Some of the items are required and some are optional at the discretion of the applicant or the federal agency (agency). Required fields on the form are identified with an asterisk (*) and are also specified as “Required” in the instructions below. In addition to these instructions, applicants must consult agency instructions to determine other specific requirements.

• Pre-application

• Application

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

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

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

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

• Revision - Any change in the federal government’s financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing obligation. If a revision, enter the appropriate letter(s). More than one may be selected. If "Other" is selected, please specify in text box provided.

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