Planning
Grant
Application / FY 2011
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Innovation and Improvement Washington, DC 20202-5900 / CFDA Number: 84.215P
Form Approved
OMB No. 1894-0006
CLOSING DATE 09/13/11
Table of Contents
I. Letter to the Applicant 3
II. Notice Inviting Applications 4
III. The Application 5
A. Application Narrative Instructions 7
Instructions for Promise Neighborhoods Abstract Narrative 8
Instructions for Project Narrative 9
Suggested Point Ranges Used By Reviewers to Score Applications 10
Instructions for Budget Narrative 11
Instructions for Appendix 12
B. Required Forms 13
1. Standard Forms and Instructions 13
Application for Federal Assistance SF-424 14
Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424 18
Supplemental Information Instructions for SF 424 19
Definitions for SF 424 20
ED SF 524 Budget Form 22
Instructions for ED SF-524 24
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) 25
Instructions for SF-LLL 26
2. Assurances and Certifications 27
Certification Regarding Lobbying 27
Survey Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants 28
Survey Instructions on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants 29
GEPA Statement 30
Assurances – Non-Construction Programs 31
IV. Submitting Your Completed Application 33
Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants 33
Instructions for D-U-N-S Number 36
V. Additional Information 37
Executive Order 12372 37
Paperwork Burden Statement 38
VI. Checklists 39
Application Checklist 40
Applicant Eligibility Checklist (required) 40
Revised September 2, 2011 Page 5
I. Letter to the Applicant
II. Notice Inviting Applications
Overview Information:
Office of Innovation and Improvement
Promise Neighborhoods
CFDA Number: 84.215P
Dates:
Application available: July 6, 2011
Date of Planning Pre-Application Webinars: July 14 and August 2, 2011
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 22, 2011
Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify the U.S. Department of Education of the applicant’s intent to submit an application for funding by completing a web-based form. The form can be accessed at the following URL: http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/survey/survey.cfm?ID=5c306e04-40e0-4cb3-b6e7-4a8ea1d2012e
Deadline for transmittal of applications: September 13, 2011
Deadline for intergovernmental review: November 10, 2011
The full text of the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) can be found on the Federal Register web site.
III. The Application
Overview of the Application Process
The following is a brief overview of the application process for the Promise Neighborhoods program:
I. Getting Started
All interested applicants should first thoroughly review the Notice Inviting Applications (the notice) for FY2011 published in the Federal Register. The notice will orient applicants with the Promise Neighborhoods Program by providing the following information:
· Background information and purpose of the program;
· Eligibility requirements;
· Absolute, Competitive Preference, and Invitational Priorities, and information about an optional funding opportunity;
· Selection Criteria and assigned points;
· Key definitions; and
· Instructions on how to electronically submit the application.
Applicants should pay close attention to the Selection Criteria as applications will be evaluated and scored against these criteria.
II. Completing and Submitting Your Application
A complete application consists of the following components:
· Abstract Narrative;
· Project Narrative;
· Budget Narrative;
· Appendices
o Applicant Eligibility Checklist;
o Resumes of Key Personnel;
o Memorandum of Understanding;
o Documentation of match or waiver request for match, if applicable;
o Nonprofit status verification, if applicable; and
o Other, if applicable.
· Required Forms:
o Standard Forms, and
o Assurances and Certifications.
Each component is discussed in detail in the subsequent pages of this application package. Once the application is complete, it must be submitted electronically using the grants.gov system. A detailed discussion of grants.gov may also be found in the subsequent pages of this application package. Applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this system and to submit their applications early. All Promise Neighborhoods applications must be received on or before 4:30:00 pm Washington, D.C., time on September 13, 2011.
We strongly recommend that applicants do not wait until the last day to submit the application. The time it takes to upload the narratives for the application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the files and the speed of the Internet connection. If an applicant tries to submit its application after 4:30:00 P.M. on the deadline date, the grants.gov system will not accept it.
Please note that U.S. Department of Education grant application deadlines are 4:30:00 P.M. Washington, DC time. Late applications will not be accepted. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.
III. Addressing Questions
The Department will host pre-application webinars designed to help interested applicants with the application process. Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in those webinars and may also send their questions to . We are not able to respond to each email with an individual response, but we will review all questions submitted and post answers to the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the Promise Neighborhoods Web site on an ongoing basis. Applicants and those interested in applying may also check the Promise Neighborhoods Web site for more information at www.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/index.html.
A. Application Narrative Instructions
The Promise Neighborhoods Abstract Narrative Form is web-based and can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/index.html. The information provided in the abstract form may be posted on data.ed.gov.
The Promise Neighborhoods application will use the following Grants.gov Narrative Forms.
· Project Narrative Form
· Budget Narrative Form
· Other Attachments Form
The Project Narrative Form is where the applicant will attach the responses to the Selection Criteria, the Absolute
Priority selected, and, if applicable, Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP) and the Invitational Priority. Applicants may
address more than one of the CPPs; however, the Department will review and award points only for a
maximum of two of the CPPs. Therefore, an applicant must identify in the project narrative section of its application the priority or the two priorities it wishes the Department to consider for purposes of earning the competitive preference priority points.
Responses to the CPP should be properly labeled and follow the response to the Selection Criteria. Applicants should include:
A Table of Contents that includes all responses to the Selection Criteria, CPP, and Invitational Priority, if applicable. Applicants are strongly encouraged to limit the project narrative to 40 pages, including responses to the CPPs.
The Budget Narrative Form is where the applicant will attach a detailed line item budget (ED 524) and a detailed
budget narrative. Applicants should not include multiple budgets for the LEA or nonprofit organization and partner(s). Only one combined budget should be submitted to represent costs for all entities involved in the
proposed project.
The Other Attachments Form is where the applicant will attach the application appendices (e.g., resumes of key personnel, memorandum of understanding, etc.).
NOTE: If an applicant has multiple documents to be attached to one of the above narrative sections (except for
Other Attachments), it is recommended that the applicant merge them into one .PDF file and upload them to the appropriate narrative.
Instructions for Promise Neighborhoods Abstract Narrative
The abstract narrative form replaces the standard ED Abstract Form. The web-based version will allow ED staff to compile the applicant’s information quickly and more effectively. Project abstracts are posted on data.ed.gov.
Applicants must complete and submit this information with each application submitted.
The Abstract Narrative Form is located at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/index.html.
Applicants must fill out this form electronically, “Save As” a .PDF, and upload the generated .PDF as the Abstract Narrative Form.
Please make sure the following information is included in the Abstract Narrative Form.
o Project Title; Applicant Name; City/Town, State, and Zip Code in which the neighborhood is located;
o The Eligible Applicant Type (Nonprofit, Institution of Higher Education, or Indian Tribe);
o The type of grant requested (Planning or Implementation);
o The total Federal dollar amount request and the amount of matching funds provided;
o In 2000 characters or less, a brief description of the proposed project, including a summary of (1) the need in the neighborhood proposed to be served; (2) a strategy to build a continuum of solutions with strong schools at the center; and (3) the applicant’s capacity to achieve results;
o A brief description of the school or schools described in Absolute Priority 1 paragraph 2 of the notice, especially whether they are persistently lowest-achieving schools, low-performing schools, or effective schools (as defined in the notice); and
o A list of partner entities described in the memorandum of understanding and with which the applicant will partner in planning the proposed Promise Neighborhood.
PLEASE NOTE: Information included in this abstract may be made broadly and publicly available. Applicants should not include proprietary information.
Instructions for Project Narrative
The Project Narrative should include, in detail, the eligible applicant’s response to the Selection Criteria and, if applicable, the Competitive Preference and Invitational Priorities. Applicants should address each of the Selection Criteria since the application will be evaluated and scored against these criteria. The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in the NIA. Table 1 on page 10 of this application offers an example of a rubric that reviewers will use to evaluate applications.
Absolute Priorities
The FY 2011 Promise Neighborhoods NIA includes three Absolute Priorities. Applicants for planning and implementation grants are required to choose one of the three Absolute Priorities and address the priority in the application. Applications will address the selected absolute priority in the project narrative by addressing the
Selection Criteria. The three Absolute Priorities are explained in detail in the NIA.
Competitive Preference Priorities
The FY 2011 Promise Neighborhoods NIA includes four Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP). Applicants for planning and implementation grants may choose to address one or more of the Competitive Preference Priorities; however, the
Department will review and award points only for a maximum of two of the competitive preference priorities. Therefore, an applicant must identify the priority or priorities it wishes the Department to consider for purposes of earning the competitive preference priority points within the Project Narrative section. CPP responses should be clearly labeled and placed at the front of the project narrative. Responses to the CPP are included in the recommended project narrative page limit. The four Competitive Preference Priorities are explained in detail in the NIA. Please note that the Department will not review or award points under any competitive preference priority for an application that (1) fails to clearly identify the competitive preference priorities it wishes the Department to consider for purposes of earning the competitive preference priority points, or (2) identifies more than two competitive preference priorities.
Page Limits
We strongly encourage applicants to limit the project narrative to 40 pages, double-spaced, and number the pages consecutively. Please provide any charts, graphs, citations, or examples within the 40 pages of the projective narrative. Refer to section IV—Application and Submission Information of the notice for additional application submission requirements and section I—Funding Opportunity Description for detailed information regarding the absolute, competitive preference, and invitational priorities for this Promise Neighborhoods competition.
Each Promise Neighborhood project must have several core features: significant need in the neighborhood for the grant services, a strategy to build a continuum of solutions with strong schools at the center, and the capacity to achieve results. We believe the selection criteria are best organized to align with these core features. Thus, the “need for project” criterion aligns with the absolute priority requirement that applicants describe the need in the neighborhood. The “quality of project design” and “quality of project services” criteria align with the absolute priority requirement that applicants describe a strategy to build a continuum of solutions with strong schools at the center. The “quality of the management plan” criterion aligns with the absolute priority requirement that applicants describe their capacity to achieve results. In addressing the selection criteria, the project narrative should address these Absolute Priority 1 requirements identified in Section I of the Federal Register. Following the selection criteria, the applicant may address the competitive preference or invitational priorities.
Suggested Point Ranges Used By Reviewers to Score Applications
All applicants are required to respond to each of the selection criteria in the NIA published in the Federal Register on July 6, 2011. Scores assigned by peer reviewers indicate how well or poorly the applicant responded to a selection criterion and its specific factors. Shown below are suggested point ranges that will be provided to peer reviewers to assist in the reviewing and scoring of applicant responses to each selection criterion and its specific factors. While this is not an official or binding rubric, the suggested point ranges may help applicants self assess before submitting an application.
TABLE 1.
Maximum Point Value / Quality of Applicants ResponseSelection Criterion factors is not addressed / Selection criterion factor is poorly developed (major weaknesses) / Selection criterion factor is adequately developed (some weaknesses) / Selection criterion factor is strongly developed (minor weaknesses) / Selection criterion factor is fully developed with no weaknesses
15 / 0 / 1-5 / 6-10 / 11-14 / 15
10 / 0 / 1-3 / 4-6 / 7-9 / 10
5 / 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 5
Instructions for Budget Narrative
The Budget Narrative Form should include the applicant’s detailed line item budget (ED form
524) AND the accompanying detailed budget narrative justification.
Applicants must complete ED form 524 for all budget years of the proposed project. Applicants must also provide a detailed budget narrative that describes their proposed multiyear project activities and the costs associated with those activities as well as all costs associated with carrying out the proposed project. Section 75.112(b) of EDGAR requires applicants to present “a narrative that describes how and when, in each budget period of the project, the applicant plans to meet each objective of the project.” EDGAR may be accessed at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edgar.html
In addition, applicants should include costs for four project staff persons (project director, evaluator, and two partners) to attend an annual 2-day project director’s meeting in Washington, DC.