[Federal Register: December 30, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 250)] [Notices] [Page 73525-73527] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30de99-62] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No: 84.031] Strengthening Institutions, American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian- Serving Institutions Programs; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 2000 Purpose of Programs The Strengthening Institutions, American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian- Serving Institutions Programs are all authorized under Title III, Part A of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). These programs will be referred to collectively in this notice as the Title III Part A programs. Each provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education to enable them to improve their academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability, and increase their self-sufficiency; thereby supporting the elements of the National Education Goals that are relevant to these institutions' unique missions. Special Notes 1. A grantee under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program authorized under Title V of the HEA may not receive a grant under any part of the Title III Part A program, if any part of its HSI Program grant would overlap with the Title III Part A Program grant. Further, an HSI Program grantee may not give up that grant in order to apply for a grant under any Title III Part [[Page 73526]] A program. Therefore, a current HSI Program grantee may not apply for a grant under any Title III Part A programs under this notice. 2. An institution that does not fall within the limitation described in paragraph one may apply for a fiscal year 2000 grant under any Title III Part A program as well as the HSI Program. However, the institution may receive only one grant under any of those programs. Accordingly, if an institution applies for a grant under more than one program it must indicate that fact in each application, and further indicate which grant it wishes to receive if it is selected to receive a grant under more than one program. 3. We have changed the way we collect information for determining the value of endowment funds and total expenditures for library materials. As a result of that change, we do not now have base year data beyond 1996-1997 data. Consequently, in order to award FY 2000 grants in a timely manner, we will use 1996-1997 base year data. Applications Available: January 10, 2000. Deadline For Transmittal of Applications: February 18, 2000 for Title III Part A Programs development grants; March 2, 2000 for Title III Part A Programs planning grants. Electronic Submission of Planning Grant Applications Methods for Submission of Grant Applications Institutions may submit applications for planning grants under the Title III Part A Programs electronically or in a paper format. Institutions must submit paper applications for development grants under each Title III Part A program. Electronic Submission Starting with the fiscal year 2002 competition, we hope to develop the capability to distribute, receive, and process discretionary grant applications electronically. To that end, we are conducting a limited pilot project under which applicants can submit electronically their applications for selected discretionary grant programs. Applications for planning grants under the Title III Part A Programs (CFDA Nos.: 84.031A, N, T, and W) have been included in the pilot. This pilot will involve the use of E-GAPS, the Electronic Grant Application System portion of the Grant Administration and Payment System (GAPS). If an applicant participates in an E-GAPS Pilot, it is important to note the following: * Participation in the E-GAPS pilot is strictly voluntary. * Applicants will be able to submit all documents electronically including the Application for Federal Education Assistance, ED 424, the ED 524 Budget form and all necessary assurances and certifications. Original signatures on required forms may be requested at a later date. * No points will be added or subtracted from an applicant's score because the applicant chose to submit its application electronically. * The electronic grant application for the Title III Part A Programs-Planning Grants can be accessed at: http://gapsweb.ed.gov/. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 18, 2000 for Title III Part A Programs development grants; May 2, 2000 for Title III Part A Programs planning grants. Available Funds: Approximately $16,000,000 for the Strengthening Institutions Program; $3,000,000 for the American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Program; and $2,000,000 for the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program. Estimated Range of Awards: $330,000-365,000 for development grants under the Strengthening Institutions Program; $30,000-35,000 for planning grants under the Title III Part A Programs; and $347,000- $395,000 for development grants under the American Indian Tribally Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program. Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000 for development grants under the Strengthening Institutions Program; $32,500 for planning grants under the Strengthening Institutions Program; $371,000 for development grants under the American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Program; and $371,000 for development grants under the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program. Estimated Number of Awards: 44 development grants under the Strengthening Institutions Program; 14 planning grants under the Title III Part A Programs; 8 development grants under the American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Program; and 5 development grants under the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program. Project Period: 60 months for development grants under the Strengthening Institutions Program, American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Program, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program; and 12 months for planning grants under the Title III Part A Program. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Special Funding Considerations: In tie-breaking situations, described in 34 CFR 607.23 of the Strengthening Institutions Program regulations, we award one additional point to an applicant institution that has an endowment fund for which the 1996-1997 market value per full-time equivalent (FTE) student was less than the comparable average per FTE student at similar type institutions. We also award one additional point to an applicant institution that had 1996-1997 expenditures for library materials per FTE student that were less than the comparable average per FTE student at similar type institutions. For the purpose of these funding considerations, an applicant must demonstrate that the market value of its endowment fund per FTE student, and library expenditures per FTE student, were less than the following national averages for years 1996-1997: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Average Average market library value of materials endowment expenditures fund, per FTE per FTE student student ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Two-year Public Institutions............ $ 1,332 $ 45 Two-year Nonprofit, Private Institutions 11,556 121 Four-year Public Institutions........... 2,829 165 Four-year Nonprofit Private Institutions 45,579 245 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [[Page 73527]] If a tie remains, after applying the additional point or points, we determine that an institution will receive a grant according to a combined ranking of two-year and four-year institutions. This ranking is established by combining endowment values per FTE student and library expenditures per FTE student. The institutions with the lowest combined library expenditures per FTE student and endowment values per FTE student are ranked higher in numerical order. Applicable Regulations: (a) The Department of Education General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; (b) the regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 607. Amendments to 34 CFR part 607 relating to the American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities and Alaska Native and Native-Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs are published in the final rule portion of the Federal Register of December 15, 1999, 64 FR 70146, 70153-70155. For Applications or Information Contact: Darlene B. Collins, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20006-8513. Telephone (202) 502-7777; E-mail: darlene__collins@ed.gov Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audio tape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding paragraph. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternate format, also, by contacting that person. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format the standard forms included in the application package. Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as well as all other Department of Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at either of the following sites: http://gcs.ed.gov/fedreg.htm http://www.ed.gov/news.html To use the PDF, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you have questions about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 572-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at http://www.access.gpo.gov/ nara/index.html. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1057. Dated: December 23, 1999. Claudio R. Prieto, Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. 99-33958 Filed 12-29-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P