Appendix A: FY18 Fund Code 262 Online Grant Application Portal Reference

Appendix A: FY2018Fund Code 262 Online Grant Application Portal Reference

WEB BROWSER

ACCESSING THE FY18 FUND CODE 262 ONLINE GRANT APPLICATION PORTAL

INTRODUCTION SCREEN

COMMBUYS REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

ONLINE APPLICATION LOGIN

CREATE A PASSWORD.

HOME

SAVING INFORMATION

PART 1 – CONTACT INFORMATION

PART 2 – SCHEDULE A

PART 3 – BUDGET DETAIL AND NARRATIVE:

PART 4 – CHECKLIST

PART 5 – COVER PAGE

PART 6 – Massachusetts standard administrative forms

PART 7 – REQUEST FOR FUNDS FORM

GRANT APPLICATION SUBMISSION OVERVIEW

SUBMIT ONLINE

SUBMIT BY MAIL

WEB BROWSER

Internet Explorer Versionisthe recommendedweb browserfor completing the online grant application.

ACCESSING THE FY18 FUND CODE 262 ONLINE GRANT APPLICATION PORTAL

To apply for the FY 2018 Early Childhood Special Education Entitlement Grant,please go to the FY 18 grant announcement posted on the EEC Website under Funding Opportunities - Open Renewal Grants.

To view the Early Childhood Special Education Entitlement Grant Announcement for FY 2018, clickthe link for the grant fiscal year and the name of the grant name.FY 18 Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Grant (Fund Code 262).

The link to FY18 Fund Code 262 Online Grant Application Portal is displayed under Application Information. To complete and submit the online portion of the grant application, please click the link:

FY18 Fund Code 262 Online Grant Application Portal.

After clicking the link to the Online Grant Application Portal, the FY18 Fund Code 262 Online Grant Application Introduction page is displayed. FY18 Fund Code 262 Online Grant Application Portal is used throughout the entire grant period. To navigate easily back to this webpage, it is strongly recommended that a bookmark is created.

INTRODUCTION SCREEN

The introduction screen includes key dates related to the grant application submission timeline; links to accessCommbuys Registration Information and the Login to Online Applicationfor FY18 ECSE Grant both located are located on the lower left hand side of the screen.

COMMBUYS REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

Please note: All vendors and grantees are required to register on COMMBUYS.

Please follow the COMMBUYS Registration Instructions in the FY 2018 Online application.

You must register on COMMBUYS and select the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code(UNSPSC) 00-00-00 for all EEC Grants. If you have already registered, please make sure you add the UNSPSC code to your registration.

ONLINE APPLICATIONLOGIN

Click on the linkLogin to Online Application

Select your school district from the drop-down menu.

CREATE A PASSWORD.

Apassword for the FY 18 ECSE grant must be create the first time you Login to complete the Online Application.

  • ONE (1) passwordis created by your school district for your district-use for the FY 2018 ECSE Grant.
  • Please write down this password for your records. This password must be entered to login each time.
  • Ensure that other district-approvedstaff hasthe information needed toaccess the FY18 ECSE Grant Information for Fund Cod 262.

The FY 18 Online Application Portal is also used to update contact information, request budget amendments, complete Final FiscalReports and FY18/FY19 Tydings Request. The same ECSE grant password is used for OTHER grant related transactions.

The next time you log into the Online Application, the system will prompt you to enter the password. You must enter the password that as created in the FY 2018 ECSE grants.

For password or technical assistance:

Please use the email address to request assistance.

In the email, a clear description of the issue should be provided to explain what you were attempting to do in the 262 online application and describe, “What Is not working” (i.e. what happened that was different than what you expected to happen). This information will help EEC assist you more effectively.

HOME

Through the Home Screen (Home Page), applicants can accesseach component of the FY18 ECSE Grant Application. The FY18 ECSE Online Grant Applicationconsists of seven components.Each part will be discussed in further detail in this reference document.

The first five components must be completed online and submitted as one PDF file by mail.

  • Contact Information (Part 1)
  • Schedule A Form(Part 2)(if applicable),
  • Budget and Narrative (Part3),
  • Checklist(Part 4)
  • Cover Page(Part 5)
  • Massachusetts Standard Administrative Forms (Part 6) and
  • FY18Request for Funds Form(Part 7)

You can return to the Home screenat any time by clicking the word Home located at on the LEFT at the top of each page.

Click the View/Edit Button to left of the name of part of the grant application to complete the information for each of the Parts(Part 1 – Part 5).

Part 1 – Part 5 include additional information for each part to the right of the name.

For Parts 1, 2, and 4:

  • A red circle with a white “X” means that the section has been NOT been viewed /visited.
  • A green circle with a white check mark means that the section has been viewed /visited.
  • Schedule A - Part 2 has a green check mark by default, as this section is not required by all grantees.

For Part 3 - Budget Detail and Narrative:

  • A red circle with a white “X” and a number of error(s) found means that there are issues with the budget and /or budget narrative that must be corrected before your grant application can be submitted to EEC.
  • A green circle with a white check mark means that the section does not have any errors.
  • Please note that a blank budget that has not yet been saved has a green check mark.

SAVING INFORMATION

This Online Application is password protected. The page you are working on will time-out after 30 minutes. As you navigate each page, use the Savebuttonsat the bottom of the page to save the information you have entered.

  • Click the Save Information button to save content that has been entered into the fields on the displayed page.
  • To save information and print a draft copy of content that been entered into the fields on the displayed page to review as a PDF, click the Save and Print button.

Please note this print view is for review purposes only and will not be accepted for FINAL Grant Submission.

If you do not wish to save your information, you can click the Cancel SAVE.

  1. If information is entered and the Home button is clicked, any information entered after the last time, “Save, the information will not be retained, and the previously saved information will remain unchanged. Save often to avoid any loss of data.

PART 1 – CONTACT INFORMATION

Complete all contact information.

  • All fields with a red * asterisks are required fields that must be completed.
  • Please review to ensure that all emails are submitted in valid email format.

Grantees are responsible for providing and maintaining accurate contact information.

This information is used by EEC to send all grant related communications.

Updating the contact information can be done at any time throughout the yearusing your FY18 ECSE 262 password to Login to the Online Application Portal. After the information is updated, click the Save Information button.

To save information for the Part 1 – Contact Information, the Save Informationbutton at the bottom of the page must be used. The following message will be displayed at the top of the screen to confirm that your contact information has been saved correctly.

PART 2 – SCHEDULE A

TheSchedule AForm is to be completed ONLY if the applicant agency operates and administers a grant project using funds assigned to more than one LEA other than their own.The Schedule A form must be used when the Lead Agency is requesting funds on behalf of another school district also listed on theFY 2018 ECSE Entitlement Allocation List. (Appendix B). Please see the instructions for completing the Schedule A Form below.

Thisis typically used when Regional School Districts (RSD) consolidatetheirLEA level awards based on their PRE-K enrollment in the towns’elementary schools. TheRegional Fiscal agency can request the eligibility amounts for the towns that are part of the RSD in one grant application).

If the above is not the true, then the Schedule A form is NOT APPLICABLE.This form must remain blank. Please click Cancel Save to return to the Home Page.

Schedule A Form Instructions:

Complete the following for each of the Other Participating Agencies:

  1. Name of Other Participating Agency: Use the Drop down list to select the name of the school district that has authorized your Lead Agency to receive and distribute your Entitlement Allocation on your behalf.
  2. Amount of Assigned Funds: Enter the dollar amount that the Other Participating Agency has authorized your Lead Agency to request. The dollar amount must not exceed the Other Participating Agency's Entitlement Allocation Amount.
  3. After completing steps 1 and 2 above, Click Save Information. To print the Schedule A Form, Click "Save and Print."
  4. Authorized Signature: Obtain the original signature (blue Ink) from the Authorized Signatory from each of other Participating Agencies.
  5. The Schedule A form must be submitted as a hard copy with original signatures with the mailed original grant applicant packet.

PART 3 – BUDGET DETAIL AND NARRATIVE:

Funding available through the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Entitlement Grant (Fund Code 262) is provided to serve eligible children age 3 through 5 with special education services and activities deemed essential for students' success in school.

Services and activities supported by this grant must ensure compliance with the state special education laws and regulations and IDEA - 2004.

Use Column A for activities to be conducted between 9/1/17 - 6/30/18.

Use Column B for activities to be conducted between 7/1/18 - 8/31/18.

Budget Narrative: Provide a Budget narrative that clearly describes the proposed use of these federal entitlement funds that includes a brief explanation of each expenditure and how it aligns with the specific activities of the grant.

Budgets without clear descriptive narratives will not be approved.

To save your budget, you must click the Save Budget Information button at the bottom of the page.


If the “FY18 TOTAL AMOUNT REQUESTED” does not equal the “262 Entitlement AMOUNT,” you will not be able to submit your budget.

You may also click the Save and Print,to review a Draft version of the budget.

Budget Details

  • For all staff-related line items (#1-4): Please include the Number of Staff and Number of FTEs in the corresponding columns.
  • For line items 1-3, selecting “Yes” for MTRS will automatically fill in an amount equal to 9% of the salaries in the MTRS sub-lines and in the MTRS line item (#6).
  • Line 1: Director Salary
  • Line 2:Coordinator Salary
  • Line 3: Instructional/ Professional Staff Salaries
  • Line 4: Support Staff Salaries
  • Line 5: Fringe benefits: Please provide a narrative that includes the number of staff receiving fringe benefits and the components of the fringe benefits, such as health insurance, life insurance, county retirement program, unemployment insurance, etc. If fringe is not being paid by these grant funds, please advise the source that will be paying for the fringe.
  • Line 6: MTRS Enter Narrative for MTRS – See break down of MTRS by 80% and 20% under line 15
  • Line 7: Printing/Reproduction- Costs incurred for printing and reproduction services necessary for project administration, including forms, reports, manuals, and informational literature.
  • Line 8: Instructional Supplies and Materials-Costs necessary to carry out the project. Supplies are defined as expendable personal property having a useful life of less than one year or an acquisition cost of less than $5,000 per unit.
  • Provide a description of the types and kinds of materials you intend to purchase, quantity and cost per units should be included, clearly stating their use in Early Childhood Special Education Setting
  • Line 9: Non-Instructional Supplies and Materials: Provide a description of the types and kinds of materials you intend to purchase. The quantity and cost per units should be included as appropriate.
  • Provide a description of the types and kinds of materials you intend to purchase, quantity and cost per units should be included, clearly stating their non-instructional use in Early Childhood Special Education setting
  • Line 10:Transportation of Students - Costs related to the project for pupil travel to and from school, between schools and in and around school buildings, and for appropriate field trips or site visits, etc.
  • Line 11: Rental of SpaceDirect costs for rental of space that relate exclusively to the project, provided that the total cost does not exceed the rental costs for similar space supported with other than project funds.
  • Line 12: Rental of Equipment - Direct costs for rental of equipment that relate exclusively to the project, provided that the total cost does not exceed the rental costs for similar equipment supported with other than project funds
  • Line 13: Telephone and Utilities - Direct costs for telephone/telecommunications service and utility expenses that relate exclusively to the project.
  • Line 14: Travel - Costs for employees travel on official business incident to the project.
  • Costs must be consistent with the applicant agency's standards for similar activities supported with other than project funds.
  • Please describe the purpose of the travel in the budget narrative, the districts mileage reimbursement rate, and the anticipated # of miles covered.
  • Line 15: Professional Development:Capacity Building associated with Early Childhood Special Education. Please state the purpose of the professional development include the topic and targeted audience for participation
  • Line 16: Program Coordination and Support Attributed to SubcontractsContractual Services –Generally, these services are for a short-term period and provide a specific and identifiable product or service.
  • Recipients must adhere to relevant procurement standards when advertising for or soliciting potential service providers.
  • Line 17: Subcontracts for individual consultants/contractors - Costs for substitutes should be reflected in this budget line.
  • Rates per hour or day should be listed next to each service indicated in the budget narrative, Please clarify the purpose of the consultations
  • Stipends paid to regular salaried supervisory and instructional staff for activities outside their contracted working hours may also be listed here under other (unless the recipient agency has a policy of paying overtime for such activities).
  • Line 18: Indirect Costs: Public School Districts and Public Schools do not need an Indirect Cost Rate approval letter, as the Restricted Indirect Cost Rate is provided by DESE (DESE-Indirect Cost Information).
  • Please enter the approved indirect cost rate that is given to your district by DESE.
  • The dollar amount requested must not exceed your approved restricted indirect cost rate.

Important MTRS Information

  • MTRS is 9% of eligible salaries. EEC will send 80% of the amount budgeted on the Mass Teachers' Retirement (MTRS) line to the Mass Teachers’ Retirement Board (MTRB) and the grantee is required to send the remaining 20% directly to MTRB.
  • AFTER THE EEC BUDGET AMENDMENT DEADLINE, any additional budget adjustment to that is an increase to the MTRS line should be sent to MTRB directly by the school district/grant recipient. If a grantee needs to lower the MTRS submission,

Please contact EEC grants management with Questions regarding MTRS.

Contact: Loida Marquez at 617-988-2443;

PART 4 – CHECKLIST

  • As you complete each part of the application, indicate with a check mark all items that have been completed and submitted.
  • The MA Standard Administrative forms (Part 6) must be submitted by mail if they are not already on file.

PART 5 – COVER PAGE

  • Please complete the Grant Contact Name, Email Address, Phone NUMBER, and Federal Tax ID.


PART 6 – Massachusetts standard administrative forms

Please submit any of the following forms: if there have been any changes to the information.

Please note is it the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that EEC has the most current MAAdministrative forms on record.If you do not already have the Massachusetts Standard Administrative Forms on file with the Commonwealth, complete and mail each of the forms with the rest of your Grant Application.

From within the online application you can download the file to your computers, complete with current information, print from your local printer.

Signed originals must be submitted with the hard copy grant application packet via mail.