[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 83 (Friday, April 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22763-22767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10203]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information:
Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural Program; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.345A.
Dates:
Applications Available: April 30, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 14, 2010.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 13, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Underground Railroad
Educational and Cultural (URR) Program is to preserve the Underground
Railroad's legacy and to demonstrate how the Underground Railroad's
widespread operations network transformed our Nation. In addition, the
URR Program promotes the formation of public-private partnerships to
help disseminate information regarding the Underground Railroad
throughout the United States, including lessons to be drawn from the
history of the Underground Railroad.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1153.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $1,942,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$1,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $647,333 to $971,000 total for up
to three years.
Estimated Number of Awards: 2 to 3. Note: The Department is not
bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit educational organizations that
are
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established to research, display, interpret, and collect artifacts
relating to the history of the Underground Railroad, including the
lessons to be drawn from such history.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: The Federal Government requires 4:1
cost sharing or matching for grants under the URR Program. The Federal
Government will provide no more than 20 percent of the total funds for
any project funded under this competition. See 20 U.S.C. 1153(b)(2).
Applicants must provide the remaining funding from non-Federal public
or private entities in an amount equal to or greater than four times
the amount of the grant awarded under this section. All applicants are
required to provide documentation to substantiate their ability to meet
the cost sharing requirement.
3. Other:
(a) Each nonprofit educational organization awarded a grant under
this competition must establish a facility to--
(i) House, display, interpret, and communicate information
regarding the artifacts and other materials related to the history of
the Underground Railroad, including the lessons to be drawn from such
history;
(ii) Maintain such artifacts and materials;
(iii) Make these efforts described in paragraph (i), available,
including through electronic means, to elementary and secondary
schools, institutions of higher education, and the general public.
(b) Each grantee must demonstrate substantial public and private
support for the operation of the facility through the implementation of
a public-private partnership between one or more State or local public
entities and one or more private entities. This public-private
partnership must provide the matching funds from non-Federal sources
for the support of the facility, as described in the preceding section
on cost sharing or matching.
(c) Each grantee must create an endowment to fund any and all
shortfalls in the costs of the on-going facility operations.
(d) Grantees may establish and maintain a network of satellite
centers throughout the United States to help disseminate information
regarding the Underground Railroad, including the lessons to be drawn
from the history of the Underground Railroad, if such satellite centers
raise 80 percent of the funds required to establish the satellite
centers from non-Federal public and private sources.
(e) In addition, grantees must establish and maintain the
capability to electronically link the facility with other local and
regional facilities that have collections and programs that interpret
the history of the Underground Railroad, including the lessons to be
drawn from such history.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following
address: http://e-grants.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.
To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: ED
Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA
22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If
you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll
free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: http://www.EDPubs.gov or at its e-mail address: [email protected].
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.345A.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition. Page
Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where
you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use
to evaluate your application. You must limit the application narrative
to the equivalent of no more than 30 pages, using the following
standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; the table of contents; the one
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography or citation list, the
letters of partners' or other collaborators' commitment, or the letters
from professionals who will document that the applicant creates,
designates, and will raise funds for the required project endowment.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: April 30,
2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 14, 2010.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site. For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission
Requirements of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under For Further Information CONTACT in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 13, 2010.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify
for an
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exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in
this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Underground Railroad Educational
and Cultural Program--CFDA number 84.345A must be submitted
electronically using e-Application, accessible through the Department's
e-Grants Web site at: http:[sol][sol] e-grants.ed.gov.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, 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. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
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:
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this
competition after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 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 hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00
a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until
8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of
maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and
6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m.
on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. 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 qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms: The
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications. You must attach any narrative sections of your
application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF
(Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the
three file types specified in this paragraph or submit a password
protected file, we will not review that material.
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 acknowledgment 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 SF 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print SF 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 SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 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 e-Application
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting
your application on the application deadline date because e-Application
is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to
enable you 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) E-Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between
the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date; or
(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between
3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 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 acknowledgment 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 e-Application is unavailable due
to technical problems with the system 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 e-Application.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through e-Application because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
e-Application; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you
mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax
your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed
statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Claire D. Cornell, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6151, Washington, DC
20006-8544. FAX: (202) 502-7877.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. 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:
[[Page 22766]]
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.345A) 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.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You 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 84.345A, 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, 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 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 grant
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.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows: significance (10 points);
quality of the project design (40 points); adequacy of resources (20
points); quality of project personnel (10 points); and quality of the
project evaluation (20 points).
2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in
selecting an application for an award are in 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3). In
making grant awards for this program, the Department will consider
information concerning the applicant's performance and use of funds
from a prior grant in this or any other Department program, and will
consider the applicant's failure to submit an acceptable performance
report for a grant in this or any other Department program.
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 notify you informally, also.
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.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award 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 grant.
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 directed by the Secretary
under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent
performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements
on reporting, please go to: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
In the annual and final reports, applicants must provide
documentation of their efforts to collect, research, display, and
interpret artifacts, digital resources, and other materials that
collect, preserve, and disseminate information on the Underground
Railroad's history, including the lessons to be drawn from such
history. If they have created or designated satellite centers, they
must provide documentation of their creation or designation of
satellite centers, an account of the satellite centers' activities, and
documentation of the satellite centers' 4:1 cost share. Grantees must
also provide evidence of their creation of electronic links to other
organizations and facilities that have collections and programs that
interpret the history of the Underground Railroad and lessons drawn
from such history. Grantees must document their efforts to make their
resources and efforts available through electronic means to elementary
and secondary schools, to institutions of higher education, and to the
general public. Finally, each annual report must contain the audited
financial statement of the organization for the preceding fiscal year.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA), the following measure will be used by the
Department in assessing the performance of the Underground Railroad
Educational and Cultural Program: The extent to which funded projects
have been institutionalized and are able to continue after URR funding
ends.
If funded, you will be asked to collect and report data on this
measure in your project's annual performance report (EDGAR, 34 CFR
75.590).
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Claire D. Cornell, Underground
Railroad Educational and Cultural Program, U.S. Department of
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6151, Washington, DC 20006-8544.
Telephone: (202) 502-7609 or by e-mail: [email protected].
If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under For Further
Information Contact in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can 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
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following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister. To use PDF, you
must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site.
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.
Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated
authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy
Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary Education, to perform the
functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary
Education.
Dated: April 27, 2010.
Daniel T. Madzelan,
Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2010-10203 Filed 4-29-10; 8:45 am]
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