FR Doc 05-9132
[Federal Register: May 6, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 87)]
[Notices]
[Page 24009-24012]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06my05-51]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information;
Foundations for Learning; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215H.
Dates: Applications Available: May 6, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 20, 2005.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 19, 2005.
Eligible Applicants: (1) Local educational agencies (LEAs); (2)
Local councils; (3) Community-based organizations (CBOs), including
faith-based organizations; (4) Other public or nonprofit private
entities; or (5) A combination of such entities.
Estimated Available Funds: $992,000. Contingent upon the
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make
additional awards in FY 2006 from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$300,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $245,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 4.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 18 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: This program supports projects to help eligible
children become ready for school.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105 (b)(2)(iv), this
priority is from section 5542 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20
U.S.C. 7269a (ESEA).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards on the basis of the list of un-funded applications from
this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is: Grants to local educational agencies, local
councils, community-based organizations, including faith-based
organizations, and other public and nonprofit private entities, or a
combination of such entities, to assist eligible children to become
ready for school.
To be eligible for funding, a project must propose one or more of
the following--
(1) To deliver services to eligible children and their families
that foster eligible children's emotional, behavioral, and social
development;
(2) To coordinate and facilitate access by eligible children and
their families to the services available through community resources,
including mental health, physical health, substance abuse, educational,
domestic violence prevention, child welfare, and social services;
(3) To provide ancillary services such as transportation or child
care in order to facilitate the delivery of any other authorized
services or activities;
(4) To develop or enhance early childhood community partnerships
and build toward a community system of care that brings together child-
serving agencies or organizations to provide individualized supports
for eligible children and their families;
(5) To evaluate the success of strategies and services provided
pursuant to the grant in promoting young children's successful entry to
school and to maintain data systems required for effective evaluations;
and
(6) To pay for the expenses of administering the grant activities,
including assessment of children's eligibility for services.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7269a.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $992,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$300,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $245,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 4.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 18 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: (1) Local educational agencies (LEAs); (2)
Local councils; (3) Community-based organizations (CBOs), including
faith-based organizations; (4) Other public or nonprofit private
entities; or (5) A combination of such entities.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost
sharing or matching but does involve supplement-not supplant funding
provisions. Sec. 20 U.S.C. 7269a(b)(3)(D).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free):
1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html
or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.215H.
Copies of the application package for this competition can also be
found at: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/programs.html.
[[Page 24010]]
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person
listed in Section VII of this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission:
a. Statutory Application Requirements:
Applications submitted under this program must include the
following--
(1) A description of the population that the applicant intends to
serve and the types of services to be provided under the grant;
(2) A description of the manner in which services under the grant
will be coordinated with existing similar services provided by public
and nonprofit private entities within the State; and
(3) An assurance that--
Services under the grant will be provided by or under the
supervision of qualified professionals with expertise in early
childhood development;
These services will be culturally competent;
These services will be provided in accordance with the
permissible uses of funds as described elsewhere in this notice;
Funds will be used to supplement, and not supplant, non-
Federal funds; and
Parents of students participating in services will be
involved in the design and implementation of the services.
b. Other:
Other requirements concerning the content of an application,
together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package
for this program.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: May 6, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 20, 2005.
Applications for grants under the Foundations for Learning Grants
Program may be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Application) accessible through the Department's
e-Grants system, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery, please refer
to section IV.6. Other Submission Requirements in this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements. Deadline for Intergovernmental review: August
19, 2005.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this program.
5. Funding Restrictions:
Limitations on Use of Funds
(1) Grant funds may be used only to pay for services that cannot be
paid for using other Federal, State, or local public resources or
through private insurance.
(2) A grantee may not use more than 3 percent of the amount of the
grant to pay the expenses of administering the authorized activities,
including assessment of children's eligibility for services.
We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions
in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under the
Foundations for Learning Grants Program may be submitted electronically
or in paper format by mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications
If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you
must use e-Application available through the Department's e-Grants
system, accessible through the e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30 p.m., e.s.t., on the application deadline date. The
e-Application system will not accept an application for the Foundations
for Learning Grants Program after 4:30 p.m., e.s.t., on the application
deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait
until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site
are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until
midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on
Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you submit your application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
Any narrative sections of the application should be
attached as files in .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF
(Portable Document) format.
Your electronic application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgement that will include a PR/Award
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the ED 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print ED 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard-copy signature page of the ED 424.
(4) Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at
(202) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting
your application on the application deadline date because the e-
Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of
one business day in order to transmit your application electronically,
by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
(2)(a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., e.s.t., on the
application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time
[[Page 24011]]
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., e.s.t., on the application deadline
date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If the system is down and therefore
the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all
registered users who have initiated an e-Application.
Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of the Department's e-Application system. If the e-
Application system is available, and, for any reason, you are unable to
submit your application electronically or you do not receive an
automatic acknowledgement of your submission, you may submit your
application in paper format by mail or hand delivery in accordance with
the instructions in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail
If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the
original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable
following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.215H), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260. Or--
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.215H), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
Regardless of which address you use, 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, or
(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, or
(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.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery
If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery,
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of
your application by hand, 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
84.215H), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., e.s.t., except Saturdays, Sundays, and
Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the
Department--in Item 4 of the ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix letter,
if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your
application.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant
application receipt acknowledgment 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.
V. Application Review Information
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are in
the application package for this competition.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice and include these and other specific
conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved
application as part of your binding commitments under the grants.
3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an
annual performance report that provides the most current performance
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in
34 CFR 75.118.
4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of
the Foundations for Learning grants program: (1) The percentage of
eligible children served by the grant attaining measurable gains in
emotional, behavioral, and social development will increase; and (2)
The percentage of eligible children and their families served by the
grant receiving individualized support from child-serving agencies or
organizations will increase.
Note that in applying the selection criteria to be used in this
competition for ``Quality of project services'' and ``Quality of the
project evaluation,'' the Secretary will take into consideration the
extent to which the applicant demonstrates a strong capacity to provide
reliable data on these indicators.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Earl Myers, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW., room 3E254, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 708-8846 or by e-mail: earl.myers@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-888-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this
section.
VIII. Other Information
Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the
[[Page 24012]]
following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: May 3, 2005.
Deborah A. Price,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 05-9132 Filed 5-5-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P