This web resource is intended to assist potential applicants who are interested in applying for discretionary grant funding from the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. These technical assistance documents are designed to provide basic grant application information, helpful tips, and suggestions in a clear, user-friendly manner.

Please note that you should not rely on this material as the sole source of information, and you should consult the appropriate rules and regulations that apply to each grant program.

• Commonly Used Definitions in Grant Application Packages
• Completing Forms for a Discretionary Grant
• Frequently Asked Questions on Discretionary Grants
• Grant Writing Tips
• Organizing Your Grant Application
• Publications and Resources
• Sample Budget Narrative

Applicant is the entity requesting a grant.

Application Control Center is located in the Department of Education and is officially authorized to receive applications for discretionary grants.

Application for Federal Education Assistance (also known as ED Form 424) is the grant application form, sometimes referred to as the application "cover page," used by the Department of Education.

Application notice is published in the Federal Register and invites applications for one or more discretionary grant competitions. It provides basic program and fiscal information on each competition, informs potential applicants when and where they can obtain applications, and cites the deadline date for a particular competition.

Application package contains the application notice for one or more programs, and all the information and forms needed to apply for a discretionary grant.

Appropriations legislation is a law passed by Congress to provide a certain level of funding for a grant program in a given year.

Assurances are a variety of requirements, found in different Federal laws, regulations, and executive orders, which applicants agree in writing to observe as a condition of receiving federal assistance.

Authorizing legislation is a law passed by Congress that establishes or continues a grant program.

Authorized Representative is the official within an applicant organization with the legal authority to give assurances, make commitments, enter into contracts, and execute such documents on behalf of the applicant as may be required by a grant maker. The signature of the Authorized Representative certifies that commitments made on grant proposals will be honored and ensures that the applicant agrees to conform to the grant maker's regulations, guidelines, and policies. Note that the Authorized Representative is not necessarily the Project Director.

Budget period is an interval of time into which a project period is divided for budgetary purposes, usually 12 months.

Budget narrative explains the budget. Explanations can include the derivation of amounts (for example, a $1,250 budget item derives from 100 people at five meetings each using a $2.50 expendable item), the itemization of totals, the purpose of purchased supplies and services, and the justification of the size of salaries, fringe benefits, and indirect costs.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) is a publication and database produced by the General Services Administration that lists the domestic assistance programs of all Federal agencies. It gives information about a program's authorization, fiscal details, accomplishments, regulations, guidelines, eligibility requirements, information contacts, and application and award process.

Certification is a statement, signed by an applicant or grantee as a prerequisite for receiving Federal funds, that it meets or will adhere to certain conditions and/or will undertake or not undertake certain actions.

CFDA number is an identifying number for a Federal assistance program, composed of a unique two-digit prefix to identify the Federal agency (e.g., 84 for the Department of Education), followed by a period and a unique three-digit code for each authorized program.

Combined Application Notice is a notice published by the Department of Education in the Federal Register that identifies programs and competitions under which the Secretary has invited, or plans to invite, applications for new awards for a particular Fiscal Year. The notice provides the actual or estimated information on the date the competition will be announced in the Federal Register; the date application packages will be available; the application deadline date; the deadline for Intergovernmental Review; the range of awards; the average size of awards; and the number of awards. The Combined Application Notice also provides a contact name and phone number to get further information.

Competitive review process is used by the Department of Education to select discretionary grant applications for funding, in which applications are scored by subject-area experts and the most highly scored applications are considered for funding.

Deadline date is the date by which an applicant must mail a discretionary grant application for it to be considered for funding by the Department. Under some competitions, the Department requires that the application be received by the deadline date.

Discretionary grant is an award of financial assistance in the form of money by the Federal government to an eligible grantee, usually made on the basis of a competitive review process.

D-U-N-S Number is a nine-digit number assigned to an organization by Dun & Bradstreet. The number does not convey any information about the recipient. A built-in check digit helps assure the accuracy of the D-U-N-S Number. The ninth digit of each number is the check digit, which is mathematically related to the other digits.

ED is the acronym for the U.S. Department of Education (i.e., Education Department).

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) governs the Department's discretionary grant programs.

Federal Register is a daily compilation of Federal regulations and other Federal agency documents of public interest, which is prepared by the National Archives and Records Administration for public distribution by the Government Printing Office.

Funding priorities are a means of focusing a grant competition on the areas in which the Secretary is particularly interested in receiving applications. Priorities can be absolute, which the applicant must address in order to be considered for funding; competitive, which the applicant has the option of choosing whether or not to address and for which they may receive additional points, or invitational, which the applicant is encouraged but not required to address.

Grant application reviewer is an individual who serves the Department by reviewing new discretionary grant applications; also referred to as "field reader" or "peer reviewer."

Grantee is an individual or organization that has been awarded financial assistance under one of the Department's discretionary grant programs.

Grant Award Notification is an official document signed by the authorized official stating the amount and the terms and conditions of an award for a discretionary grant.

Human subject is defined as "a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research obtains data through intervention or interaction with the individual or obtains identifiable private information."

Indirect costs are costs an organization incurs for common or joint objectives that cannot be readily and specifically identified with a particular grant project or other institutional activity.

Indirect cost rate is a percentage established by a Federal department or agency for a grantee organization, which the grantee uses in computing the dollar amount it charges to the grant to reimburse itself for indirect costs incurred in doing the work of the grant project.

Institutional Review Boards are authorized to approve, request modification in, or disapprove research activities and to conduct continuing reviews of the research activities at intervals appropriate to the degree of risk, but not less than once a year.

Program regulations implement legislation passed by Congress to authorize a specific grant program, and include applicant eligibility criteria, nature of activities funded, selection criteria under which applications will be selected for funding, and other relevant information.

Project period is the total amount of time during which the Department authorizes a grantee to complete the approved work of the project described in the application. Project periods of more than one year are divided into budget periods.

PR/Award number is the identifying number for a discretionary grant application (e.g., S184H001203), which is issued when the application is received by the Department's Application Control Center.

Research is defined as "a systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge." It includes activities that meet this definition, whether or not conducted under a program considered "research" for other purposes. For example, if an activity follows a deliberate plan whose purpose is to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge, such as an exploratory study or the collection of data to test a hypothesis, it is research.

Here are some tips to help you complete the Federal forms required to submit an application for funding from the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS). This information should be used as a supplement to the OMB-approved directions that accompany the official forms.

You will need to submit the following forms with your application:

• ED Form 424--Application for Federal Education Assistance
• ED Form 524--Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs
• Standard Form 424B--Assurances, Non-Construction Programs
• ED80-0013--Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other
• Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements
• Standard Form LLL--Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

• ED80-0014--Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary Exclusion -- Lower Tier Covered Transactions

Your agency's authorized representative (usually not the project director) must sign each form. Electronic versions of these Federal forms and the OMB instructions can be found at www.ed.gov/offices/OCFO/grants/appforms.html.

ED Form 424-Application for Federal Education Assistance

[Graphic of Sample Form]

This is the first page of your application and contains all of the administrative information ED needs to make a grant award. The form contains 15 blocks: 1-8 requests information about the applicant; 9-13 asks information about the application; 14 asks for the estimated (yearly) funding, and 15 asks information about the person who is authorized to legally bind the applicant entity. Below is a brief description of the information we are looking for in each block.

Applicant Information

1. Name and Address is the name of the organization applying for the grant, for example, Enterprise School District, and its mailing address. The applicant will have fiscal and administrative control of the grant award funds. The Organizational Unit refers to the division within the applicant's organization that will be responsible for the grant (e.g., Office of Curriculum and Instruction). If you are unclear about the Organizational Unit for the applicant, leave the box empty.

2. The D-U-N-S Number is a nine-digit number provided by Dun & Bradstreet, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities. This number does not convey any information about the recipient - a built-in check digit helps assure the accuracy of the number. If you do not have a D-U-N-S Number, you may obtain one at no charge by calling 800/333-0505 or by completing a D-U-N-S Number Request Form on the Internet at www.dnb.com.

3. TIN (Tax Identification Number) should be available through your organization's accounting office.

4. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number designates the competition under which you are applying. Every Federal grant program has its own identification number. You can find the CFDA number for the competition in the Federal Register notice and the application package. Title is the title of the grant competition. An example of a CFDA number and title is 84.215F, Carol M. White Physical Education Program.

5. The Project Director is the person who will oversee the day-to-day operation of the grant program. If that person has not been selected, provide the name and complete contact information of someone who can answer questions about the application if we need additional information.

6. Novice Applicant is defined in the application package if the grant program will give special consideration to a new applicant. You should read the notice in the Federal Register and the application package carefully to determine if this consideration will be applied to the grant competition under which you are applying.

7. Debt Delinquency. If the organization applying for the grant is delinquent in any debt to the Federal government, such as audit disallowances, loans, or taxes, you should check "Yes" and include an explanation of the issue.

8. Type of Applicant refers to the organization applying for the grant. The Federal Register notice and the application will include information about the types of organizations that are eligible applicants for a specific competition. Check the one that most closely describes your organization.

Application Information

9. Type of Submission is Application, Non-Construction for discretionary grants from OSDFS.

10. Executive Order 12372 applies to all OSDFS grants unless the applicant's state chooses not to participate. Check the State Single Point of Contacts list found in the application package to see if yours is a participating state. If your state does participate, you must submit a copy of your application to the state contact listed in the application package and list the date the letter was sent in this section of the application. Failure to do so may result in loss of a grant award. If your state declines to review your application, check the second box under "No - Program has not been selected by State for Review." If your state is not included in the Single State Point of Contact list, you are not subject to Executive Order 12372 and should check "No - Program is not covered by E.O. 12372."

11. Proposed Project Dates should reflect the entire time period of the grant. Grant length varies according to the program's statute; the Federal Register notice and the application package will have guidelines for the length of the grant. Unless otherwise directed, you should keep these dates in line with the Federal fiscal year: October 1 through September 30.

12. Human Subjects Research applies to all applicants that plan to conduct research activities involving human subjects at any time during the proposed project period. Research is defined as an activity following a deliberate plan whose purpose is to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge, such as an exploratory study or the collection of data to test a hypothesis. For additional information about the protection of human subjects in research, check the Department's Protection of Human Subjects in Research Web site at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.html.

13. Title of your proposed project should be included in this section.

Estimated Funding

14. Estimated Funding should reflect the funds requested for the first year of the project only. Federal refers to the amount of funds requested from ED. The other categories are sources of additional funding, if any, to support the program. Some competitions require matching funds from the applicant. Check the Federal Register announcement and application package to find out about the requirements of a specific program.

Authorized Representative

15. The Authorized Representative is the designated representative of the applying agency. This person is authorized to commit the applying organization to the financial and programmatic plans set forth in the grant.

ED 524 Form-Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs

[Graphic of Sample Form]

This form is divided into three parts, each of which must be provided, as applicable.

1. Section A is required of all applicants. In this section, you must list by budget category all funds you are requesting to operate your program.

2. Section B may be optional, depending on the requirements of the program. Here you will record the non-Federal funds to be used to support the program, such as matching or in-kind funding. Not every competition requires matching funds. Check the application package and Federal Register notice for the program in which you are interested to see if it has a matching requirement. Remember that ED staff will monitor matching funds along with expenditures of Federal program funds. If you offer a match, you will be held accountable to provide it even if the program does not require a match.

3. Section C is required of all applicants and is the budget narrative portion of your application. In this section you must provide a detailed explanation of all proposed expenditures for your project. These expenditures should be carefully linked to the goals, objectives, and activities described in the project narrative portion of your application. ED staff will review all information about your proposed expenditures and determine whether the expenditures are allowable (either permitted or not specifically prohibited), allocable (can be directly allocated to your project); and reasonable (costs that would be incurred by a "prudent person"). Any costs not fully described or justified can be deleted from your funding request during the budget review conducted by our staff. As you prepare your budget narrative, keep the following in mind:

   1. Personnel

      • Only project staff members that are employees of the applicant should be in this category.
      • Staff who are working on the project and are being paid with an in-kind contribution or whose salaries are included as part of a cost-sharing/matching requirement should be included in this category under Section B.

      • Examples include but are not limited to key personnel (e.g., Project Director, Project Coordinator), professional staff (e.g., trainer), paraprofessionals, and support staff.

   2. Fringe Benefits

      • This category includes the direct cost of all fringe benefits paid to staff whose salaries will be paid by the grant.

      • Examples include but are not limited to life insurance, health insurance, retirement plan, and vacation and sick pay.

   3. Travel

      • All travel must be justified and clearly linked to the goals and objectives of your project.
      • Travel costs are expenses for transportation, lodging, subsistence, and related items incurred by employees who are in travel status on official business of the organization.
      • Identify all staff that intends to travel, and include destination and duration, number of trips, and cost per trip.
      • Document the established mileage rate for any local travel.

      • Check the application package for information on ED-required travel for project directors and others.

   4. Equipment

      • Equipment is tangible, non-expendable items having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. However, consistent with the grantee's policy, the grantee may establish lower limits.

   5. Supplies

      • Supplies or materials are tangible, expendable items. Direct supplies and materials differ from equipment in that they are consumable, expendable, and have a relatively low unit cost. Computers are supplies if their unit cost is less than $5,000.

      • Supplies and materials purchased with grant funds should directly benefit the grant project and be necessary for achieving the goals of the project.

   6. Construction

      • Since discretionary grants available through the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools are Non-Construction grants, no costs should be listed in this category.

      • Minor remodeling is acceptable, such as putting a fresh coat of paint on office walls, as long as it is allocable to your project. These costs should be placed in the "Other" category.

   7. Contractual

      • For purposes of a discretionary grant, a contract is a written binding agreement between two or more parties for the purpose of acquiring property and/or services in accordance with specific terms and conditions. Property and/or services procured under a contract arrangement should directly benefit the grant project and be necessary to achieving the goals of the project.
      • All products or services delivered by a contractor should be fully described and justified.

      • Examples include but are not limited to professional services (e.g., consultants, evaluators, trainers), leases (e.g., office equipment, office space), miscellaneous services (e.g., transportation, printing) and maintenance/repair (e.g., building maintenance).

   8. Other

      • This category is where applicants may place all direct costs that are not clearly covered by the other direct cost categories. This category may include a wide variety of costs that do not seem to fit elsewhere in the budget.
      • Be sure to avoid the term "miscellaneous," and fully describe and justify all items.

      • Examples include but are not limited to communication costs (e.g., telephone, postage) and conference registration fees. Release time for teachers to attend training or substitute teachers compensation should be put in this category, not in personnel.

   9. Total Direct Costs are the sum of lines 1-8.

   10. Indirect Costs

       • Indirect costs are defined as charges an organization incurs that benefits all projects generally and not one in particular, and they cannot be assigned to specific activities of a project.
       • Examples may include but not be limited to utilities charges and facilities charges (e.g., telephone usage, rental fees).
       • Be sure to check the application package to determine if any restrictions have been placed on indirect costs.
       • If no restrictions have been placed on indirect costs, you may charge the negotiated indirect cost rate that has been established between the applicant and cognizant Federal agency. For local educational agencies, the allowable indirect cost rate is established by the State Department of Education.

       • For more information about indirect cost rates, please contact the Department of Education's Indirect Cost Group at 202/708-7770 or visit www.ed.gov/offices/OCFO/intro.html.

   11. Training Stipends

       • There are basically three types of projects that might include budget requests for stipends, tuition allowances, or other types of similar charges to support the objectives of the project: fellowship or scholarship programs, educational training projects; and projects where students receive tuition remission or other forms of compensation as, or in lieu of, wages. If teachers are paid overtime to receive training after working hours or on weekends, the costs are added to the Other category.

   12. Total Costs (lines 9-11)

ED80-0013--Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements

The purpose of this form is to certify that the applying organization has not and will not lobby Congress in connection with the grant, and that if any non-Federal funds have been used to lobby, this information will be disclosed on Standard Form LLL; the applying organization is not debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment, has not been convicted of fraud, and is not currently being indicted; and the applying organization, if awarded, will maintain a drug-free workplace.

Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered Transactions

If the applicant proposes to use contracts to carry out a portion of the work, the contractor (not the applicant) must sign the certification. If contracts will not be used, mark "not applicable" on the form.

Standard Form 424B--Assurances, Non-Construction Programs

The purpose of this form is to certify that the applying organization and its authorized representative are aware of the legal requirements of the grant and are willing to comply with them.

Standard Form LLL--Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

The purpose of this form is to disclose any lobbying activities that use any non-Federal funds to influence Congress in the grant-making process. If this does not apply to your grant, you should mark the form as "Not Applicable" and include it in the application.

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirement - Section 427

This requires an applicant, as a condition of receiving a grant, to identify barriers to equitable participation in its federally assisted program and to provide a description of the steps proposed to overcome those barriers. Barriers might include gender, race, national origin, disability, age, language background, or other unique factors in the setting in which the program will be carried out. The application package contains a full explanation of how to meet this requirement. Note that a general statement of the applicant's nondiscrimination policy is not sufficient to meet this requirement.

What is a discretionary grant?
A discretionary grant awards funds on the basis of a competitive process. The Department reviews applications in light of the legislative and regulatory requirements established for a program. This review process gives the Department discretion to determine which applications best address the program requirements and are, therefore, most worthy of funding.

How does the Department set up discretionary grant programs?
Congress establishes discretionary grant programs through authorizing legislation and appropriations legislation. The Department then usually writes program regulations based on the authorizing legislation, which describe how the programs are to be administered. After these program regulations are published in final form and Congress appropriates funds for the program, the Department can elicit applications and award grants.

How do I find out about the Department's discretionary grant programs?
There are different ways to get information about the discretionary grant programs at the Department of Education. The Department maintains a site on the World Wide Web. You can obtain information on discretionary grant funding by Principal Office and by types of programs available by logging on to the Department's Web site at: www.ed.gov.

To get a general overview of the Department's programs, you can write or phone the Department to get a copy of the Guide to U.S. Department of Education Programs, or you can acquire it through the Department's Web site. The Guide describes the various discretionary grant programs sponsored by the Department and provides a telephone number for each program to call for further information.

The Department publishes an application notice in the Federal Register to inform potential applicants of each new discretionary grant competition. An application notice invites applications for one or more competitions, gives basic program and funding information on each competition, and informs potential applicants when and where they may obtain applications. Program offices publish an application notice for each individual program.

Program Offices also include their proposed program schedules in the Department's Combined Application Notice. The Combined Application Notice is generally published once a year in the Federal Register and is posted on the Department's Web site. It lists most of the discretionary grant competitions planned for each Principal Office for the coming year, and includes anticipated application deadlines and other pertinent information.

How do I learn if I am eligible to receive a discretionary grant?
The first thing to consider before applying for a grant is to determine whether your organization is eligible under the program. If you are not sure about the grant programs under which you would be eligible, start with the Guide, discussed above. The Guide has an index to help you identify the grant program in which you might be interested. The Guide also gives the CFDA number for each grant program, a system of numbering based on the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. To receive the appropriate information, it is essential that you use this number when contacting the Department about the specific grant program of interest to you.

Once you know the number and title of the grant program under which you want to apply, you may wish to review the program regulations provided in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The CFR is updated once a year only and, therefore, might not include recent changes to program regulations. You should contact the program office listed in the Guide to verify the most recent version of the program regulations.

The application package lists the eligibility requirements, generally drawn from the legislation establishing the program. Eligibility might be limited to a particular type of organization (e.g., state education agencies), organizations that serve only a particular group (e.g., disadvantaged students), or organizations that meet some other criteria. In some cases, an organization wishing to apply under a particular program must first apply to the Department to be certified as eligible for that program.

Requirements vary from program to program, so be sure to read the application package carefully before preparing your application. Information about the specific eligibility requirements for a program also is available in the application notice or Notice Inviting Applications that the Department publishes in the Federal Register for each new competition.

How can I receive a discretionary grant application package?
There are several ways to receive an application package. You may visit the Department's Web site (http://www.ed.gov/index.jsp), click on the tab for Grants and Contracts, and then click on the link to Finding and Applying. You also may contact EDPubs, the Department's online publications ordering system, via their Web site (http://www.edpubs.ed.gov/webstore/Content/search.asp) or telephone (877) 433-7827. Lastly, you may contact the office responsible for the program that interests you and request an application package.

How do I apply for funding from a Department discretionary grant program?
Follow the application instructions in the package. You generally will be required to complete and submit to the Department by a specified date certain standard forms, a narrative description of the proposed project, and an estimated budget.

How do I get help filling out the application forms?
The application packages released by the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools contain detailed instructions on how to complete an application. However, if something is still not clear to you after reading the instructions, you should contact us for assistance. The notice inviting applications in the Federal Register provides the name of a contact person. Also, application packages often contain a "Dear Applicant" letter, which usually gives the name of a contact person for applicant inquiries.

Where do I send the completed application?
You should send your grant application to the Application Control Center, which is the administrative unit in the Department authorized to accept applications for discretionary grants. You should do so unless the mailing instructions in the application package indicate otherwise.

What happens if I miss the application deadline?
To be assured of consideration under a discretionary grant competition, an application from an eligible entity - with all forms and other required paperwork - must be mailed to the Application Control Center (or other place specified in the application package) by the deadline date. Applications postmarked after the deadline date will not be read and will not be eligible for an award. On rare occasions, we may extend a deadline for an entire competition. When this happens, a notice is published in the Federal Register. Under no circumstances is the deadline waived for a single late application.

What if I find an error or realize I have omitted something in my application after the deadline?
In order to assure fairness to all applicants, the Department does not allow an applicant to submit additional materials after the deadline.

What happens to an application once the Department receives it?
The Department's Application Control Center records each application, assigns it a PR/Award number, and sends the application to the appropriate program office, which screens the application for eligibility and completeness. The grant team assigned to the program then arranges a competitive review of all eligible applications. The grant team ranks the applications based on reviewers' scores and considers the most highly ranked applications for funding. The authorized program official then awards grants to the successful applicants. If you need to contact us, please identify your application by its PR/Award number.

What happens if my application is not eligible?
If an application does not meet the eligibility criteria for the particular program to which it was sent, the Department notifies the person who signed the application that the application is not eligible and will not be considered. The notification from the Department explains the reason(s) that the application will not be reviewed.

How does the Department review my application?
For the majority of the Department's grant competitions, program offices recruit grant application reviewers from outside the Federal government who have expertise in the subject area(s) of the applications being considered. Each reviewer reads and scores a group of assigned applications. After the reviewers score the applications, the grant team conducts an internal review to assure that the reviewers' scoring sheets are correctly completed and that the application meets all the requirements of the program. These two review processes become the basis for a final listing of applicants that the grant team considers for funding.

What criteria do reviewers use to score my application?
Reviewers score each application against the selection criteria published in the Federal Register as part of the program regulations. In reviewing applications, reviewers are not permitted to use additional criteria or consider any information that is not in the application.

Does a high score guarantee funding?
No. Even if your proposal ranks high and the grant team considers it for funding, your application still might not be funded because of one or more of the following reasons: the large number of high quality applications that were received under the competition; the limited amount of funds Congress has allocated to the program; and/or a geographic distribution requirement for the number of grants awarded to specific regions of the nation for the program under which you applied.

How long does it take the Department to decide on my application?
Although the time varies from program to program, it takes approximately four to six months from the time the Department receives a new application to the time the award is made.

How can I become an application reviewer?
Send a current resume detailing your education and professional background to the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools along with a letter expressing your interest in becoming a reviewer.

Answers to these and other questions can be found online at www.ed.gov/fund/grant/about/grantmaking/index.html.

• Allow plenty of time to prepare your proposal carefully and thoughtfully. Do not rush through the process.

• Read the application package in its entirety before starting to write. Be sure you are an eligible applicant and your proposed project addresses the funding priority for Fiscal Year 2003.

• Follow the formatting guidelines carefully and precisely. For example, if guidelines request a font size of 12-point or larger, do not use 10-point size. Also, if page limitation is set at 25 pages, do not exceed this number.

• Structure your narrative according to the selection criteria. This helps to ensure that you cover all required information and also makes it easier for reviewers to evaluate your proposal.

• Be clear, concise, and specific in your responses to the selection criteria.

• Justify your funding request in accordance with project activities keeping in mind that all costs must be reasonable and necessary to carry out your project. Be specific about how the funds will be used and link them to items in your program narrative. Here are some things to avoid:

  • If there is a limitation on the award amount noted in the application package, do not request funds in excess of that amount. Note that the estimated range of awards is not a limitation.
  • Do not request funds for "miscellaneous" purposes.
  • Do not request funds for anything that is not directly related to the program you described in the narrative portion of your application.
  • Entertainment expenses are usually unallowable.

  • Gifts and incentives for program participants are usually unallowable.

• Check your budget figures for consistency. The amounts on the application face sheet (ED Form 424), the Budget Information Form (ED Form 524), and in the narrative justification for your budget request must be identical.

• Proofread your proposal. Ask a colleague who has not been involved in its development to read the proposal. Reviewers will not give your proposal the benefit of the doubt if information is missing, spelling errors change the meaning of sentences, or information is presented in a confusing manner.

• Use the checklist printed in the application package to ensure that all required information is included. Make sure that your agency's authorized representative signs all required forms. This is usually not the project director.

• Submit your proposal by the deadline date. Extensions for individual applications failing to meet the deadline will not be granted, except as indicated in the e-Application instructions.

• If you have any questions, or need additional information, about the grant competition, contact the competition manager listed in the application package for clarification.

Discretionary grant application packages from the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools contain all of the information and forms that you need to apply for funds. Application packages typically include the application notice, program regulations and/or authorizing legislation, and application instructions and forms.

When you apply for a grant, the application you submit will generally include the following items in this order:

1. Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED Form 424) - ED Form 424 must be completed in accordance with the instructions provided.

2. Table of Contents - The Table of Contents should identify the page number for each of the major sections of the application, in addition to any appendices.

3. Project Abstract - The purpose of the abstract is to clearly describe every major aspect of the proposed project except the budget. The project abstract should generally be limited to one page, describing a brief summary of the project's goals and objectives, the intended outcomes of the project, and the theoretical or research basis for the project.

4. Narrative - The narrative describes your proposed project in detail and addresses all selection criteria and statutory requirements. The narrative should be concise and well organized, following the format and sequence of the selection criteria. If you fail to address all the selection criteria, our experience suggests your application will not score well enough to be considered for funding.

5. Budget Information Form and Budget Narrative - The purpose of the Budget Information Form and budget narrative is to present and justify all expenses required to achieve project goals and objectives. You should carefully follow the instructions contained in ED Form 524 for completing the budget. Please note that the appropriate column on Form 524 must be completed for each year that funds are requested. Failure to supply a budget and narrative for each project year will result in no funding for those years.

6. Assurances, Certifications, and Disclosure - Various Federal requirements are imposed on applicants and grantees as a condition of receiving grant funds. Application packages contain forms that an applicant is required to sign and submit, promising to abide by various Federal laws, regulations, and executive orders that apply to grantees.

The following assurances, certifications, and disclosure forms are generally included in application packages:

• Standard Form 424B - Assurances - Non-Construction Programs

• ED Form 80-0013 - Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements

• Standard Form LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (note: this form is not required if there are no lobbying activities to disclose).

• ED Form 80-0014 - Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary Exclusion - Lower Tier Covered Transactions

• Appendices - Appendices should be limited only to what reviewers need to understand or clarify the proposal, or to provide supporting documentation such as personnel qualifications. Be sure to include copies of appendices with each copy of the application. Do not include timelines or other management charts as appendices, as they should be included in the narrative.

• GEPA 427 Statement - All applicants for new awards must include information in this application to address this provision in order to receive funding under the grant competition. Applicants must include a description of the steps the applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, its Federally assisted project for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs. All application packages through the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools include detailed information about the GEPA requirements.

[Graphic of Sample Form]

Personnel

The project director will have oversight of the program and provide supervision, recruitment and training of the program liaisons. At a minimum, this position requires a Masters Degree with an emphasis in social work or other related field.

Two program liaisons will be responsible for day-to-day school/community outreach activities. At a minimum, staff will hold a Bachelors Degree (or equivalent) in the social services field. It is anticipated that each liaison will be responsible for 25 annual events.

The staff assistant will perform all clerical duties for the project staff. This position requires a high school diploma or equivalent.

Fringe Benefits

Happy Days pays 100% medical, dental, vision, life and disability for full-time employees, and is calculated at .25% of annual salary. The calculations are as follows:

Travel

Funds are requested for travel for 2 staff members to attend 3 local conferences (Happy Days reimburses staff at a rate of 50 cents per mile). Funds are also allocated for one staff member to travel to 2 conferences in Washington DC - including air travel, per diem, and hotel room. Anticipated expenses are:

Supplies

Each staff member will be assigned a computer for all work-related tasks. Proprietary software for program implementation will be donated by Happy Days School District.

General office supplies include paper, pens, pencils and other desk supplies.

Contractual

An external evaluator will oversee all program evaluation activities including developing appropriate instruments, conducting focus groups and interviews with students, staff, and agencies, and preparing the required evaluation reports.

The evaluation team will also work extensively with project staff to develop a relational database to ensure accurate data collection for program monitoring and reporting purposes.

An independent auditor will be contracted to conduct a yearly audit of program finances. The auditor will be selected using standard Happy Days fiscal/administrative management procedures.

Other

This item includes charges for leased telephones, photocopier. All leased equipment is for use by program staff at the main office.

Rental costs cover direct service staff at the main office. It is anticipated that the program will require 500 square feet of space at $1.00/square foot. Utilities are estimated to be $400 and the building maintenance fee is $100.