I3 Program

Dates of Pre-Application Workshops: March 19, 2010, in Baltimore, Maryland; March 24, 2010, in Denver, Colorado; and March 30, 2010, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 120 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The Investing in Innovation Fund, established under section 14007 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), provides funding to support (1) local educational agencies (LEAs), and (2) nonprofit organizations in partnership with (a) one or more LEAs or (b) a consortium of schools. The purpose of this program is to provide competitive grants to applicants with a record of improving student achievement and attainment in order to expand the implementation of, and investment in, innovative practices that are demonstrated to have an impact on improving student achievement or student growth (as defined in this notice), closing achievement gaps, decreasing dropout rates, increasing high school graduation rates, or increasing college enrollment and completion rates.

These grants will (1) allow eligible entities to expand and develop innovative practices that can serve as models of best practices, (2) allow eligible entities to work in partnership with the private sector and the philanthropic community, and (3) support eligible entities in identifying and documenting best practices that can be shared and taken to scale based on demonstrated success.

Under this program, the Department is awarding three types of grants: “Scale-up” grants, “Validation” grants, and “Development” grants. Applicants must specify which type of grant they are seeking at the time of application. Among the three grant types, there are differences in terms of the evidence that an applicant is required to submit in support of its proposed project; the expectations for “scaling up” successful projects during or after the grant period, either directly or through partners; and the funding that a successful applicant is eligible to receive. The following is an overview of the three types of grants:

(1) Scale-up grants provide funding to “scale up” practices, strategies, or programs for which there is strong evidence (as defined in this notice) that the proposed practice, strategy, or program will have a statistically significant effect on improving student achievement or student growth, closing achievement gaps, decreasing dropout rates, increasing high school graduation rates, or increasing college enrollment and completion rates, and that the effect of implementing the proposed practice, strategy, or program will be substantial and important. An applicant for a Scale-up grant may also demonstrate success through an intermediate variable strongly correlated with these outcomes, such as teacher or principal effectiveness.

An applicant for a Scale-up grant must estimate the number of students to be reached by the proposed project and provide evidence of its capacity to reach the proposed number of students during the course of the grant. In addition, an applicant for a Scale-up grant must provide evidence of its capacity (e.g., in terms of qualified personnel, financial resources, or management capacity) to scale up to a State, regional, or national level, working directly or through partners either during or following the grant period. We recognize that LEAs are not typically responsible for taking to scale their practices, strategies, or programs in other LEAs and States. However, all applicants, including LEAs, can and should partner with others (e.g., State educational agencies) to disseminate and take to scale their effective practices, strategies, and programs.

Peer reviewers will review all eligible Scale-up grant applications. However, if an application does not meet the definition of strong evidence in this notice, the Department will not consider the application for funding.

Successful applicants for Scale-up grants will receive more funding than successful applicants for Validation or Development grants.

(2) Validation grants provide funding to support practices, strategies, or programs that show promise, but for which there is currently only moderate evidence (as defined in this notice) that the proposed practice, strategy, or program will have a statistically significant effect on improving student achievement or student growth, closing achievement gaps, decreasing dropout rates, increasing high school graduation rates, or increasing college enrollment and completion rates and that, with further study, the effect of implementing the proposed practice, strategy, or program may prove to be substantial and important. Thus, applications for Validation grants do not need to have the same level of research evidence to support the proposed project as is required for Scale-up grants. An applicant may also demonstrate success through an intermediate variable strongly correlated with these outcomes, such as teacher or principal effectiveness.

An applicant for a Validation grant must estimate the number of students to be reached by the proposed project and provide evidence of its capacity to reach the proposed number of students during the course of the grant. In addition, an applicant for a Validation grant must provide evidence of its capacity (e.g., in terms of qualified personnel, financial resources, or management capacity) to scale up to a State or regional level, working directly or through partners either during or following the grant period. As noted earlier, we recognize that LEAs are not typically responsible for taking to scale their practices, strategies, or programs in other LEAs and States. However, all applicants, including LEAs, can and should partner with others to disseminate and take to scale their effective practices, strategies, and programs.

Peer reviewers will review all eligible Validation grant applications. However, if an application does not meet the definition of moderate evidence in this notice, the Department will not consider the application for funding.

Successful applicants for Validation grants will receive more funding than successful applicants for Development grants.

(3) Development grants provide funding to support high-potential and relatively untested practices, strategies, or programs whose efficacy should be systematically studied. An applicant must provide evidence that the proposed practice, strategy, or program, or one similar to it, has been attempted previously, albeit on a limited scale or in a limited setting, and yielded promising results that suggest that more formal and systematic study is warranted. An applicant must provide a rationale for the proposed practice, strategy, or program that is based on research findings or reasonable hypotheses, including related research or theories in education and other sectors. Thus, applications for Development grants do not need to provide the same level of evidence to support the proposed project as is required for Validation or Scale-up grants.

An applicant for a Development grant must estimate the number of students to be served by the project, and provide evidence of the applicant’s ability to implement and appropriately evaluate the proposed project and, if positive results are obtained, its capacity (e.g., in terms of qualified personnel, financial resources, or management capacity) to further develop and bring the project to a larger scale directly or through partners either during or following the grant period. As noted earlier, we recognize that LEAs are not typically responsible for taking to scale their practices, strategies, or programs. Again, however, all applicants can and should partner with others to disseminate and take to scale their effective practices, strategies, and programs.

Peer reviewers will review all eligible Development grant applications. However, if an application is not supported by a reasonable hypothesis for the proposed project, the Department will not consider the application for funding.

Priorities: These priorities are from the notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria (NFP) for this program, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. This notice contains four absolute priorities and four competitive preference priorities that are explained in the following paragraphs.

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2010 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that address one of these priorities.

Applicants for all types of grants must choose one of the four absolute priorities and address that priority in its application. Applicants will address the selected absolute priority in the project narrative by addressing the Selection Criteria.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Innovations that Support Effective Teachers and Principals.

Under this priority, the Department provides funding to support practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to increase the number or percentages of teachers or principals who are highly effective teachers or principals or reduce the number or percentages of teachers or principals who are ineffective, especially for teachers of high-need students, by identifying, recruiting, developing, placing, rewarding, and retaining highly effective teachers or principals (or removing ineffective teachers or principals). In such initiatives, teacher or principal effectiveness should be determined through an evaluation system that is rigorous, transparent, and fair; performance should be differentiated using multiple rating categories of effectiveness; multiple measures of effectiveness should be taken into account, with data on student growth as a significant factor; and the measures should be designed and developed with teacher and principal involvement.

Absolute Priority 2--Innovations that Improve the Use of Data.

Under this priority, the Department provides funding to support strategies, practices, or programs that are designed to (a) encourage and facilitate the evaluation, analysis, and use of student achievement or student growth data by educators, families, and other stakeholders in order to inform decision-making and improve student achievement, student growth, or teacher, principal, school, or LEA performance and productivity; or (b) enable data aggregation, analysis, and research. Where LEAs and schools are required to do so under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), these data must be disaggregated using the student subgroups described in section 1111(b)(3)(C)(xiii) of the ESEA (i.e., economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, migrant students, students with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities, and student gender).

Absolute Priority 3--Innovations that Complement the Implementation of High Standards and High-Quality Assessments.

Under this priority, the Department provides funding for practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to support States’ efforts to transition to standards and assessments that measure students’ progress toward college- and career-readiness, including curricular and instructional practices, strategies, or programs in core academic subjects (as defined in section 9101(11) of the ESEA) that are aligned with high academic content and achievement standards and with high-quality assessments based on those standards.^² Proposed projects may include, but are not limited to, practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to: (a) increase the success of under-represented student populations in academically rigorous courses and programs (such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses; dual-enrollment programs; “early college high schools;” and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses, especially those that incorporate rigorous and relevant project-, inquiry-, or design-based contextual learning opportunities); (b) increase the development and use of formative assessments or interim assessments, or other performance-based tools and “metrics” that are aligned with high student content and academic achievement standards; or (c) translate the standards and information from assessments into classroom practices that meet the needs of all students, including high-need students.

Under this priority, an eligible applicant must propose a project that is based on standards that are at least as rigorous as its State’s standards. If the proposed project is based on standards other than those adopted by the eligible applicant’s State, the applicant must explain how the standards are aligned with and at least as rigorous as the eligible applicant’s State’s standards as well as how the standards differ.

Absolute Priority 4--Innovations that Turn Around Persistently Low-Performing Schools.

Under this priority, the Department provides funding to support strategies, practices, or programs that are designed to turn around schools that are in any of the following categories: (a) persistently lowest-achieving schools (as defined in the final requirements for the School Improvement Grants program)^³; (b) Title I schools that are in corrective action or restructuring under section 1116 of the ESEA; or (c) secondary schools (both middle and high schools) eligible for but not receiving Title I funds that, if receiving Title I funds, would be in corrective action or restructuring under section 1116 of the ESEA. These schools are referred to as Investing in Innovation Fund Absolute Priority 4 schools.

Proposed projects must include strategies, practices, or programs that are designed to turn around Investing in Innovation Fund Absolute Priority 4 schools through either whole-school reform or targeted approaches to reform. Applicants addressing this priority must focus on either:

(a) Whole-school reform, including, but not limited to, comprehensive interventions to assist, augment, or replace Investing in Innovation Fund Absolute Priority 4 schools, including the school turnaround, restart, closure, and transformation models of intervention supported under the Department’s School Improvement Grants program (see Final Requirements for School Improvement Grants as Amended in January 2010 (January 28, 2010) at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/faq.html); or

(b) Targeted approaches to reform, including, but not limited to: (1) providing more time for students to learn core academic content by expanding or augmenting the school day, school week, or school year, or by increasing instructional time for core academic subjects (as defined in section 9101(11) of the ESEA); (2) integrating “student supports” into the school model to address non-academic barriers to student achievement; or (3) creating multiple pathways for students to earn regular high school diplomas (e.g., by operating schools that serve the needs of over-aged, under-credited, or other students with an exceptional need for support and flexibility pertaining to when they attend school; awarding credit based on demonstrated evidence of student competency; and offering dual-enrollment options).

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2010 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Applicants for all types of grants may choose to address one or more of the four competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we will award points as ”all or nothing” (i.e., one point or zero points) to competitive preference priorities 5, 6, and 7 and up to two points to competitive preference priority 8, depending on how well the application addresses the priority.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 5--Innovations for Improving Early Learning Outcomes (zero or one point).

We give competitive preference to applications for projects that would implement innovative practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to improve educational outcomes for high-need students who are young children (birth through 3^rd grade) by enhancing the quality of early learning programs. To meet this priority, applications must focus on (a) improving young children’s school readiness (including social, emotional, and cognitive readiness) so that children are prepared for success in core academic subjects (as defined in section 9101(11) of the ESEA); (b) improving developmental milestones and standards and aligning them with appropriate outcome measures; and (c) improving alignment, collaboration, and transitions between early learning programs that serve children from birth to age three, in preschools, and in kindergarten through third grade.

Competitive Preference Priority 6--Innovations that Support College Access and Success (zero or one point).

We give competitive preference to applications for projects that would implement innovative practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to enable kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) students, particularly high school students, to successfully prepare for, enter, and graduate from a two- or four-year college. To meet this priority, applications must include practices, strategies, or programs for K-12 students that (a) address students’ preparedness and expectations related to college; (b) help students understand issues of college affordability and the financial aid and college application processes; and (c) provide support to students from peers and knowledgeable adults.

Competitive Preference Priority 7–-Innovations to Address the Unique Learning Needs of Students with Disabilities and Limited English Proficient Students (zero or one point).

We give competitive preference to applications for projects that would implement innovative practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to address the unique learning needs of students with disabilities, including those who are assessed based on alternate academic achievement standards, or the linguistic and academic needs of limited English proficient students. To meet this priority, applications must provide for the implementation of particular practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to improve academic outcomes, close achievement gaps, and increase college- and career-readiness, including increasing high school graduation rates (as defined in this notice), for students with disabilities or limited English proficient students.

Competitive Preference Priority 8--Innovations that Serve Schools in Rural LEAs (up to two points).

We give competitive preference to applications for projects that would implement innovative practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to focus on the unique challenges of high-need students in schools within a rural LEA (as defined in this notice) and address the particular challenges faced by students in these schools. To meet this priority, applications must include practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to improve student achievement or student growth, close achievement gaps, decrease dropout rates, increase high school graduation rates, or improve teacher and principal effectiveness in one or more rural LEAs.

DEFINITIONS:

The Secretary establishes the following definitions for the Investing in Innovation Fund. We may apply these definitions in any year in which this program is in effect.

Definitions Related to Evidence

Strong evidence means evidence from previous studies whose designs can support causal conclusions (i.e., studies with high internal validity), and studies that in total include enough of the range of participants and settings to support scaling up to the State, regional, or national level (i.e., studies with high external validity). The following are examples of strong evidence: (1) more than one well-designed and well-implemented (as defined in this notice) experimental study (as defined in this notice) or well-designed and well-implemented (as defined in this notice) quasi-experimental study (as defined in this notice) that supports the effectiveness of the practice, strategy, or program; or (2) one large, well-designed and well-implemented (as defined in this notice) randomized controlled, multisite trial that supports the effectiveness of the practice, strategy, or program.

Moderate evidence means evidence from previous studies whose designs can support causal conclusions (i.e., studies with high internal validity) but have limited generalizability (i.e., moderate external validity), or studies with high external validity but moderate internal validity. The following would constitute moderate evidence: (1) at least one well-designed and well-implemented (as defined in this notice) experimental or quasi-experimental study (as defined in this notice) supporting the effectiveness of the practice, strategy, or program, with small sample sizes or other conditions of implementation or analysis that limit generalizability; (2) at least one well-designed and well-implemented (as defined in this notice) experimental or quasi-experimental study (as defined in this notice) that does not demonstrate equivalence between the intervention and comparison groups at program entry but that has no other major flaws related to internal validity; or (3) correlational research with strong statistical controls for selection bias and for discerning the influence of internal factors.

Well-designed and well-implemented means, with respect to an experimental or quasi-experimental study (as defined in this notice), that the study meets the What Works Clearinghouse evidence standards, with or without reservations (see http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/references/idocviewer/doc.aspx?docid=19&tocid=1 and in particular the description of “Reasons for Not Meeting Standards” at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/references/idocviewer/Doc.aspx?docId=19&tocId=4#reasons).

Experimental study means a study that employs random assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, schools, or districts to participate in a project being evaluated (treatment group) or not to participate in the project (control group). The effect of the project is the average difference in outcomes between the treatment and control groups.

Quasi-experimental study means an evaluation design that attempts to approximate an experimental design and can support causal conclusions (i.e., minimizes threats to internal validity, such as selection bias, or allows them to be modeled). Well-designed quasi-experimental studies include carefully matched comparison group designs (as defined in this notice), interrupted time series designs (as defined in this notice), or regression discontinuity designs (as defined in this notice).

Carefully matched comparison group design means a type of quasi-experimental study that attempts to approximate an experimental study. More specifically, it is a design in which project participants are matched with non-participants based on key characteristics that are thought to be related to the outcome. These characteristics include, but are not limited to: (1) prior test scores and other measures of academic achievement (preferably, the same measures that the study will use to evaluate outcomes for the two groups); (2) demographic characteristics, such as age, disability, gender, English proficiency, ethnicity, poverty level, parents’ educational attainment, and single- or two-parent family background; (3) the time period in which the two groups are studied (e.g., the two groups are children entering kindergarten in the same year as opposed to sequential years); and (4) methods used to collect outcome data (e.g., the same test of reading skills administered in the same way to both groups).

Interrupted time series design^⁴ means a type of quasi-experimental study in which the outcome of interest is measured multiple times before and after the treatment for program participants only. If the program had an impact, the outcomes after treatment will have a different slope or level from those before treatment. That is, the series should show an “interruption” of the prior situation at the time when the program was implemented. Adding a comparison group time series, such as schools not participating in the program or schools participating in the program in a different geographic area, substantially increases the reliability of the findings.

Regression discontinuity design study means, in part, a quasi-experimental study design that closely approximates an experimental study. In a regression discontinuity design, participants are assigned to a treatment or comparison group based on a numerical rating or score of a variable unrelated to the treatment such as the rating of an application for funding. Another example would be assignment of eligible students, teachers, classrooms, or schools above a certain score (“cut score”) to the treatment group and assignment of those below the score to the comparison group.

Independent evaluation means that the evaluation is designed and carried out independent of, but in coordination with, any employees of the entities who develop a practice, strategy, or program and are implementing it. This independence helps ensure the objectivity of an evaluation and prevents even the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Other Definitions

Applicant means the entity that applies for a grant under this program on behalf of an eligible applicant (i.e., an LEA or a partnership in accordance with section 14007(a)(1)(B) of the ARRA).

Official partner means any of the entities required to be part of a partnership under section 14007(a)(1)(B) of the ARRA.

Other partner means any entity, other than the applicant and any official partner, that may be involved in a proposed project.

Consortium of schools means two or more public elementary or secondary schools acting collaboratively for the purpose of applying for and implementing an Investing in Innovation Fund grant jointly with an eligible nonprofit organization.

Nonprofit organization means an entity that meets the definition of “nonprofit” under 34 CFR 77.1(c), or an institution of higher education as defined by section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

Formative assessment means assessment questions, tools, and processes that are embedded in instruction and are used by teachers and students to provide timely feedback for purposes of adjusting instruction to improve learning.

Interim assessment means an assessment that is given at regular and specified intervals throughout the school year, is designed to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills relative to a specific set of academic standards, and produces results that can be aggregated (e.g., by course, grade level, school, or LEA) in order to inform teachers and administrators at the student, classroom, school, and LEA levels.

Highly effective principal means a principal whose students, overall and for each subgroup as described in section 1111(b)(3)(C)(xiii) of the ESEA (i.e., economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, migrant students, students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, and students of each gender), achieve high rates (e.g., one and one-half grade levels in an academic year) of student growth. Eligible applicants may include multiple measures, provided that principal effectiveness is evaluated, in significant part, based on student growth. Supplemental measures may include, for example, high school graduation rates; college enrollment rates; evidence of providing supportive teaching and learning conditions, support for ensuring effective instruction across subject areas for a well-rounded education, strong instructional leadership, and positive family and community engagement; or evidence of attracting, developing, and retaining high numbers of effective teachers.

Highly effective teacher means a teacher whose students achieve high rates (e.g., one and one-half grade levels in an academic year) of student growth. Eligible applicants may include multiple measures, provided that teacher effectiveness is evaluated, in significant part, based on student growth. Supplemental measures may include, for example, multiple observation-based assessments of teacher performance or evidence of leadership roles (which may include mentoring or leading professional learning communities) that increase the effectiveness of other teachers in the school or LEA.

High-need student means a student at risk of educational failure, or otherwise in need of special assistance and support, such as students who are living in poverty, who attend high-minority schools, who are far below grade level, who are over-age and under-credited, who have left school before receiving a regular high school diploma, who are at risk of not graduating with a regular high school diploma on time, who are homeless, who are in foster care, who have been incarcerated, who have disabilities, or who are limited English proficient.

National level, as used in reference to a Scale-up grant, describes a project that is able to be effective in a wide variety of communities and student populations around the country, including rural and urban areas, as well as with the different groups of students described in section 1111(b)(3)(C)(xiii) of the ESEA (i.e., economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, migrant students, students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, and students of each gender).

Regional level, as used in reference to a Scale-up or Validation grant, describes a project that is able to serve a variety of communities and student populations within a State or multiple States, including rural and urban areas, as well as with the different groups of students described in section 1111(b)(3)(C)(xiii) of the ESEA (i.e., economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, migrant students, students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, and students of each gender). To be considered a regional-level project, a project must serve students in more than one LEA. The exception to this requirement would be a project implemented in a State in which the State educational agency is the sole educational agency for all schools and thus may be considered an LEA under section 9101(26) of the ESEA. Such a State would meet the definition of regional for the purposes of this notice.

Rural LEA means an LEA that is eligible under the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program or the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program authorized under Title VI, Part B of the ESEA. Eligible applicants may determine whether a particular LEA is eligible for these programs by referring to information on the following Department Web sites. For the SRSA: www.ed.gov/programs/reapsrsa/eligible09/index.html. For the RLIS: www.ed.gov/programs/reaprlisp/eligibility.html.

Student achievement means—

(a) For tested grades and subjects: (1) a student’s score on the State’s assessments under section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA; and, as appropriate, (2) other measures of student learning, such as those described in paragraph (b) of this definition, provided they are rigorous and comparable across classrooms; and

(b) For non-tested grades and subjects: alternative measures of student learning and performance such as student scores on pre-tests and end-of-course tests; student performance on English language proficiency assessments; and other measures of student achievement that are rigorous and comparable across classrooms.

Student growth means the change in student achievement data for an individual student between two or more points in time. Growth may be measured by a variety of approaches, but any approach used must be statistically rigorous and based on student achievement data, and may also include other measures of student learning in order to increase the construct validity and generalizability of the information.

High school graduation rate means a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate consistent with 34 CFR 200.19(b)(1) and may also include an extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate consistent with 34 CFR 200.19(b)(1)(v) if the State in which the proposed project is implemented has been approved by the Secretary to use such a rate under Title I of the ESEA.

Regular high school diploma means, consistent with 34 CFR 200.19(b)(1)(iv), the standard high school diploma that is awarded to students in the State and that is fully aligned with the State’s academic content standards or a higher diploma and does not include a General Education Development (GED) credential, certificate of attendance, or any alternative award.

Program Authority: Section 14007 of title XIV of the ARRA, Pub. L. No. 111-5 as amended by section 307 of division D of Pub. L. No. 111-117 (H.R. 3288), the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

(b) The notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria (NFP) for this program, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only.

II. Award Information

Types of Award: Cooperative agreements (for Scale-up grants) and discretionary grants (for Validation grants and Development grants).

Estimated Available Funds: $643,500,000.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2011 from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards:

Scale-up grants: Up to $50,000,000.

Validation grants: Up to $30,000,000.

Development grants: Up to $5,000,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

Scale-up grants: $40,000,000.

Validation grants: $17,500,000.

Development grants: $3,000,000.

Estimated Number of Awards:

Scale-up grants: Up to 5 awards.

Validation grants: Up to 100 awards.

Development grants: Up to 100 awards.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this

notice.

Project Period: 36-60 months.

III. Eligibility Information and Program Requirements

The Secretary establishes the following requirements for the Investing in Innovation Fund. We may apply these requirements in any year in which this program is in effect.

 Providing Innovations that Improve Achievement for High-Need Students: All eligible applicants must implement practices, strategies, or programs for high-need students (as defined in this notice).

 Eligible Applicants: Entities eligible to apply for Investing in Innovation Fund grants include: (a) an LEA or (b) a partnership between a nonprofit organization and (1) one or more LEAs or (2) a consortium of schools. An eligible applicant that is a partnership applying under section 14007(a)(1)(B) of the ARRA must designate one of its official partners (as defined in this notice) to serve as the applicant in accordance with the Department’s regulations governing group applications in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129.

 Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible for an award, an eligible applicant must--except as specifically set forth in the Note about Eligibility for an Eligible Applicant that Includes a Nonprofit Organization that follows:

(1)(A) Have significantly closed the achievement gaps between groups of students described in section 1111(b)(2) of the ESEA (economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, students with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities); or

(B) Have demonstrated success in significantly increasing student academic achievement for all groups of students described in that section;

(2) Have made significant improvements in other areas, such as graduation rates or increased recruitment and placement of high-quality teachers and principals, as demonstrated with meaningful data;

(3) Demonstrate that it has established one or more partnerships with the private sector, which may include philanthropic organizations, and that the private sector will provide matching funds in order to help bring results to scale; and

(4) In the case of an eligible applicant that includes a nonprofit organization, provide in the application the names of the LEAs with which the nonprofit organization will partner, or the names of the schools in the consortium with which it will partner. If an eligible applicant that includes a nonprofit organization intends to partner with additional LEAs or schools that are not named in the application, it must describe in the application the demographic and other characteristics of these LEAs and schools and the process it will use to select them as either official or other partners. An applicant must identify its specific partners before a grant award will be made.

Note about LEA Eligibility: For purposes of this program, an LEA is an LEA located within one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Note about Eligibility for an Eligible Applicant that Includes a Nonprofit Organization: The authorizing statute (as amended) specifies that an eligible applicant that includes a nonprofit organization is considered to have met the requirements in paragraphs (1) and (2) of the eligibility requirements for this program if the nonprofit organization has a record of significantly improving student achievement, attainment, or retention. For an eligible applicant that includes a nonprofit organization, the nonprofit organization must demonstrate that it has a record of significantly improving student achievement, attainment, or retention through its record of work with an LEA or schools. Therefore, an eligible applicant that includes a nonprofit organization does not necessarily need to include as a partner for its Investing in Innovation Fund grant an LEA or a consortium of schools that meets the requirements in paragraphs (1) and (2).

In addition, the authorizing statute (as amended) specifies that an eligible applicant that includes a nonprofit organization is considered to have met the requirements of paragraph (3) of the eligibility requirements for this program if the eligible applicant demonstrates that it will meet the requirement relating to private-sector matching.

 Evidence Standards: To be eligible for an award, an application for a Scale-up grant must be supported by strong evidence (as defined in this notice), an application for a Validation grant must be supported by moderate evidence (as defined in this notice), and an application for a Development grant must be supported by a reasonable hypothesis.

 Funding Categories: An applicant must state in its application whether it is applying for a Scale-up, Validation, or Development grant. An applicant may not submit an application for the same proposed project under more than one type of grant. An applicant will be considered for an award only for the type of grant for which it applies.

 Cost Sharing or Matching: To be eligible for an award, an eligible applicant must demonstrate that it has established one or more partnerships with an entity or organization in the private sector, which may include philanthropic organizations, and that the entity or organization in the private sector will provide matching funds in order to help bring project results to scale. An eligible applicant must obtain matching funds or in-kind donations equal to at least 20 percent of its grant award. Selected eligible applicants must submit evidence of the full 20 percent private-sector matching funds following the peer review of applications. An award will not be made unless the applicant provides adequate evidence that the full 20 percent private-sector match has been committed or the Secretary approves the eligible applicant’s request to reduce the matching-level requirement.

The Secretary may consider decreasing the 20 percent matching requirement in the most exceptional circumstances, on a case-by-case basis. An eligible applicant that anticipates being unable to meet the 20 percent matching requirement must include in the application a request to the Secretary to reduce the matching-level requirement, along with a statement of the basis for the request.

 Subgrants: In the case of an eligible applicant that is a partnership between a nonprofit organization and (1) one or more LEAs or (2) a consortium of schools, the partner serving as the applicant may make subgrants to one or more official partners (as defined in this notice).

 Limits on Grant Awards: No grantee may receive more than two grant awards under this program. In addition, no grantee may receive more than $55 million in grant awards under this program in a single year’s competition.

 Evaluation: A grantee must comply with the requirements of any evaluation of the program conducted by the Department. In addition, the grantee is required to conduct an independent evaluation (as defined in this notice) of its project and must agree, along with its independent evaluator, to cooperate with any technical assistance provided by the Department or its contractor. The purpose of this technical assistance will be to ensure that the evaluations are of the highest quality and to encourage commonality in evaluation approaches across funded projects where such commonality is feasible and useful. Finally, the grantee must make broadly available through formal (e.g., peer-reviewed journals) or informal (e.g., newsletters) mechanisms, and in print or electronically, the results of any evaluations it conducts of its funded activities. For Scale-up and Validation grants, the grantee must also ensure the data from their evaluations are made available to third-party researchers consistent with applicable privacy requirements.

 Participation in “Communities of Practice”: Grantees are required to participate in, organize, or facilitate, as appropriate, communities of practice for the Investing in Innovation Fund. A community of practice is a group of grantees that agrees to interact regularly to solve a persistent problem or improve practice in an area that is important to them. Establishment of communities of practice under the Investing in Innovation Fund will enable grantees to meet, discuss, and collaborate with each other regarding grantee projects.

IV. Application and Submission Information

Submission of Proprietary Information:

Given the types of projects that may be proposed in applications for the Investing in Innovation Fund, some applications may include proprietary information as it relates to confidential commercial information. Confidential commercial information is defined as information the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to cause substantial competitive harm. Upon submission, applicants should identify any information contained in their application that they consider to be confidential commercial information. Doing so will assist the Department in making any future determination regarding public release of the application. Applicants are encouraged to identify only the specific information that the applicant considers to be proprietary and list the page numbers on which this information can be found in the appropriate Appendix section of their application. In addition to identifying the page number on which that information can be found, eligible applicants will assist the Department in making determinations on public release of the application by being as specific as possible in identifying the information they consider proprietary. Please note that, in many instances, identification of entire pages of documentation would not be appropriate.

2. Address to Request Application Package:

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: www.EDPubs.ed.gov or at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.

If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA numbers 84.396A, 84.396B, or 84.396C.

Also, you can download the application package at the i3 Web site: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/index.html.

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 calling the program contact number or by writing to the e-mail address listed under Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.

3. 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.

Notice of Intent to Apply: [INSERT DATE 20 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

We will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if we understand the number of applicants that intend to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, the Secretary strongly encourages each potential applicant to notify us of the applicant’s intent to submit an application for funding by sending a short e-mail message. This short e-mail should provide (1) the applicant organization’s name and address, (2) the type of grant for which the applicant intends to apply, (3) the one absolute priority the applicant intends to address, and (4) all competitive preference priorities the applicant intends to address. The Secretary requests that this e-mail be sent to i3intent@ed.gov with “Intent to Apply” in the e-mail subject line. Applicants that do not provide this e-mail notification may still apply for funding.

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. Applicants are strongly encouraged to limit the application narrative (Part III) to not more than the following page limits: Scale-up grants -- 50 pages, Validation grants -- 35 pages, and Development grants -- 25 pages. Applicants are also strongly encouraged not to include lengthy appendices that contain information that could not be included in the narrative. Applications should use 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, including 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 suggested 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; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the suggested page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section [Part III].

4. Submission Dates and Times:

Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: [INSERT DATE 20 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 60 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Dates of Pre-Application Workshops: March 19, 2010, in Baltimore, Maryland; March 24, 2010, in Denver, Colorado; and March 30, 2010, in Atlanta, Georgia.

These pre-application workshops are designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants for all three types of grants. Detailed information regarding the pre-application workshop locations and times, along with the on-line registration form, can be found on the Investing in Innovation Fund website at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/index.html.

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.7. 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 call the program contact number or write to the e-mail address 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: [INSERT DATE 120 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]

5. 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.

6. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

7. Other Submission Requirements:

Applications for grants under this program competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section.

a. Electronic Submission of Applications.

Applications for grants under the Investing in Innovation Fund--CFDA Numbers 84.396A, 84.396B, and 84.396C must be submitted electronically using e-Application, accessible through the Department’s e-Grants Web site at: http://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 4:30:00 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 4:30:00 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 program contact number or write to the e-mail address 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: Thelma Leenhouts, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W302, Washington, DC 20202-5900. FAX: (202) 401-4123.

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:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: (CFDA Numbers 84.396A, 84.396B, or 84.396C)

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 Numbers 84.396A, 84.396B, or 84.396C)

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 competition are from the notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria, for this program, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. We may apply these selection criteria in any year in which this program is in effect. The peer review process is explained in detail in the Review and Selection Process section of this notice.

The selection criteria are as follows. The points assigned to each criterion are indicated in parentheses next to the criterion. For each type of grant, applicants may earn up to a total of 100 points.

1. Scale-up Grants.

A. Need for the Project and Quality of the Project Design (up to 15 points).

The Secretary considers the need for the project and quality of the design of the proposed project.

In determining the need for the project and quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional approach to the priorities the eligible applicant is seeking to meet (i.e., addresses a largely unmet need, particularly for high-need students, and is a practice, strategy, or program that has not already been widely adopted).

(2) The extent to which the proposed project has a clear set of goals and an explicit strategy, with actions that are (a) aligned with the priorities the eligible applicant is seeking to meet, and (b) expected to result in achieving the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project.

B. Strength of Research, Significance of Effect, and Magnitude of Effect (up to 20 points).

The Secretary considers the strength of the existing research evidence,^⁵ including the internal validity (strength of causal conclusions) and external validity (generalizability) of the effects reported in prior research, on whether the proposed project will improve student achievement or student growth, close achievement gaps, decrease dropout rates, increase high school graduation rates, or increase college enrollment and completion rates. Eligible applicants may also demonstrate success through an intermediate variable that is strongly correlated with improving these outcomes, such as teacher or principal effectiveness.

In determining the strength of the existing research evidence, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the eligible applicant demonstrates that there is strong evidence (as defined in this notice) that its implementation of the proposed practice, strategy, or program will have a statistically significant, substantial, and important effect on improving student achievement or student growth, closing achievement gaps, decreasing dropout rates, increasing high school graduation rates, or increasing college enrollment and completion rates.

(2) The importance and magnitude of the effect expected to be obtained by the proposed project, including the extent to which the project will substantially and measurably improve student achievement or student growth, close achievement gaps, decrease dropout rates, increase high school graduation rates, or increase college enrollment and completion rates. The evidence in support of the importance and magnitude of the effect would be the research-based evidence provided by the eligible applicant to support the proposed project.

C. Experience of the Eligible Applicant (up to 15 points).

The Secretary considers the experience of the eligible applicant in implementing the proposed project.

In determining the experience of the eligible applicant, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The past performance of the eligible applicant in implementing large, complex, and rapidly growing projects.

(2) The extent to which an eligible applicant provides information and data demonstrating that--

(a) In the case of an eligible applicant that is an LEA, the LEA has--

(i) Significantly closed the achievement gaps between groups of students described in section 1111(b)(2) of the ESEA, or significantly increased student achievement for all groups of students described in such section; and

(ii) Made significant improvements in other areas, such as graduation rates or increased recruitment and placement of high-quality teachers and principals, as demonstrated with meaningful data; or

(b) In the case of an eligible applicant that includes a nonprofit organization, the nonprofit organization has significantly improved student achievement, attainment, or retention through its record of work with an LEA or schools.

D. Quality of the Project Evaluation (up to 15 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project.

In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will include a well-designed experimental study or, if a well-designed experimental study of the project is not possible, the extent to which the methods of evaluation will include a well-designed quasi-experimental study.

(2) The extent to which, for either an experimental study or a quasi-experimental study, the study will be conducted of the practice, strategy, or program as implemented at scale.

(3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide high-quality implementation data and performance feedback, and permit periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

(4) The extent to which the evaluation will provide sufficient information about the key elements and approach of the project so as to facilitate replication or testing in other settings.

(5) The extent to which the proposed project plan includes sufficient resources to carry out the project evaluation effectively.

(6) The extent to which the proposed evaluation is rigorous, independent, and neither the program developer nor the project implementer will evaluate the impact of the project.

Note: We encourage eligible applicants to review the following technical assistance resources on evaluation: (1) What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards Handbook: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/references/idocviewer/doc.aspx?docid=19&tocid=1; and (2) IES/NCEE Technical Methods papers: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/tech_methods/.

E. Strategy and Capacity to Bring to Scale (up to 15 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the eligible applicant’s strategy and capacity to bring the proposed project to scale on a national, regional, or State level.

In determining the quality of the strategy and capacity to bring the proposed project to scale, the Secretary considers:

(1) The number of students proposed to be reached by the proposed project and the capacity of the eligible applicant and any other partners to reach the proposed number of students during the course of the grant period.

(2) The eligible applicant’s capacity (e.g., in terms of qualified personnel, financial resources, or management capacity) to bring the proposed project to scale on a national, regional, or State level working directly, or through partners, either during or following the end of the grant period.

(3) The feasibility of the proposed project to be replicated successfully, if positive results are obtained, in a variety of settings and with a variety of student populations. Evidence of this ability includes the proposed project’s demonstrated success in multiple settings and with different types of students, the availability of resources and expertise required for implementing the project with fidelity, and the proposed project’s evidence of relative ease of use or user satisfaction.

(4) The eligible applicant’s estimate of the cost of the proposed project, which includes the start-up and operating costs per student per year (including indirect costs) for reaching the total number of students proposed to be served by the project. The eligible applicant must include an estimate of the costs for the eligible applicant or others (including other partners) to reach 100,000, 500,000, and 1,000,000 students.

(5) The mechanisms the eligible applicant will use to broadly disseminate information on its project so as to support replication.

F. Sustainability (up to 10 points).

The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources to continue the proposed project after the grant period ends.

In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the eligible applicant demonstrates that it has the resources to operate the project beyond the length of the Scale-up grant, including a multi-year financial and operating model and accompanying plan; the demonstrated commitment of any other partners; and evidence of broad support from stakeholders (e.g., State educational agencies, teachers’ unions) critical to the project’s long-term success.

(2) The potential and planning for the incorporation of project purposes, activities, or benefits into the ongoing work of the eligible applicant and any other partners at the end of the Scale-up grant.

G. Quality of the Management Plan and Personnel (up to 10 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan and personnel for the proposed project.

In determining the quality of the management plan and personnel for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks, as well as tasks related to the sustainability and scalability of the proposed project.

(2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director and key project personnel, especially in managing large, complex, and rapidly growing projects.

(3) The qualifications, including relevant expertise and experience, of the project director and key personnel of the independent evaluator, especially in designing and conducting large-scale experimental and quasi-experimental studies of educational initiatives.

2. Validation Grants.

A. Need for the Project and Quality of the Project Design (up to 20 points).

The Secretary considers the need for the project and quality of the design of the proposed project.

In determining the need for the project and quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(3) The extent to which the proposed project is consistent with the research evidence supporting the proposed project, taking into consideration any differences in context.

B. Strength of Research, Significance of Effect, and Magnitude of Effect (up to 15 points).

The Secretary considers the strength of the existing research evidence, including the internal validity (strength of causal conclusions) and external validity (generalizability) of the effects reported in prior research, on whether the proposed project will improve student achievement or student growth, close achievement gaps, decrease dropout rates, increase high school graduation rates, or increase college enrollment and completion rates. Eligible applicants may also demonstrate success through an intermediate variable that is strongly correlated with improving these outcomes, such as teacher or principal effectiveness.

In determining the strength of the existing research evidence,^⁶ the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the eligible applicant demonstrates that there is moderate evidence (as defined in this notice) that the proposed practice, strategy, or program will have a statistically significant, substantial, and important effect on improving student achievement or student growth, closing achievement gaps, decreasing dropout rates, increasing high school graduation rates, or increasing college enrollment and completion rates.

(2) The importance and magnitude of the effect expected to be obtained by the proposed project, including the likelihood that the project will substantially and measurably improve student achievement or student growth, close achievement gaps, decrease dropout rates, increase high school graduation rates, or increase college enrollment and completion rates. The evidence in support of the importance and magnitude of the effect would be the research-based evidence provided by the eligible applicant to support the proposed project.

C. Experience of the Eligible Applicant (up to 20 points).

The Secretary considers the experience of the eligible applicant in implementing the proposed project.

In determining the experience of the eligible applicant, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The past performance of the eligible applicant in implementing complex projects.

(2) The extent to which an eligible applicant provides information and data demonstrating that--

(a) In the case of an eligible applicant that is an LEA, the LEA has--

(ii) Made significant improvements in other areas, such as graduation rates or increased recruitment and placement of high-quality teachers and principals, as demonstrated with meaningful data; or

D. Quality of the Project Evaluation (up to 15 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project.

In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will include a well-designed experimental study or well-designed quasi-experimental study.

(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide high-quality implementation data and performance feedback, and permit periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

(3) The extent to which the evaluation will provide sufficient information about the key elements and approach of the project so as to facilitate replication or testing in other settings.

(4) The extent to which the proposed project plan includes sufficient resources to carry out the project evaluation effectively.

(5) The extent to which the proposed evaluation is rigorous, independent, and neither the program developer nor the project implementer will evaluate the impact of the project.

Note: We encourage eligible applicants to review the following technical assistance resources on evaluation: (1) What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards Handbook: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/references/idocviewer/doc.aspx?docid=19&tocid=1; and (2) IES/NCES Technical Methods papers: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/tech_methods/.

E. Strategy and Capacity to Bring to Scale (up to 10 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the eligible applicant’s strategy and capacity to bring the proposed project to scale on a State or regional level.

In determining the quality of the strategy and capacity to bring the proposed project to scale, the Secretary considers:

(2) The eligible applicant’s capacity (e.g., in terms of qualified personnel, financial resources, or management capacity) to bring the proposed project to scale on a State or regional level (as appropriate, based on the results of the proposed project) working directly, or through other partners, either during or following the end of the grant period.

(3) The feasibility of the proposed project to be replicated successfully, if positive results are obtained, in a variety of settings and with a variety of student populations. Evidence of this ability includes the availability of resources and expertise required for implementing the project with fidelity, and the proposed project’s evidence of relative ease of use or user satisfaction.

(5) The mechanisms the eligible applicant will use to broadly disseminate information on its project to support further development, expansion, or replication.

F. Sustainability (up to 10 points).

The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources to continue to develop the proposed project.

In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the eligible applicant demonstrates that it has the resources, as well as the support of stakeholders (e.g., State educational agencies, teachers’ unions), to operate the project beyond the length of the Validation grant.

G. Quality of the Management Plan and Personnel (up to 10 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan and personnel for the proposed project.

In determining the quality of the management plan and personnel for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director and key project personnel, especially in managing complex projects.

(3) The qualifications, including relevant expertise and experience, of the project director and key personnel of the independent evaluator, especially in designing and conducting experimental and quasi-experimental studies of educational initiatives.

3. Development Grants.

A. Need for the Project and Quality of the Project Design (up to 25 points).

The Secretary considers the need for the project and quality of the design of the proposed project.

In determining the need for the project and quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(2) The extent to which the proposed project has a clear set of goals and an explicit strategy, with the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project clearly specified and measurable and linked to the priorities the eligible applicant is seeking to meet.

B. Strength of Research, Significance of Effect, and Magnitude of Effect (up to 10 points).

The Secretary considers the strength of the existing research evidence,^⁷ including reported practice, theoretical considerations, and the significance and magnitude of any effects reported in prior research, on whether the proposed project will improve student achievement or student growth, close achievement gaps, decrease dropout rates, increase high school graduation rates, or increase college enrollment and completion rates. Eligible applicants may also demonstrate success through an intermediate variable that is strongly correlated with improving these outcomes, such as teacher or principal effectiveness.

In determining the strength of the existing research evidence, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the eligible applicant demonstrates that there are research-based findings or reasonable hypotheses that support the proposed project, including related research in education and other sectors.

(2) The extent to which the proposed project has been attempted previously, albeit on a limited scale or in a limited setting, with promising results that suggest that more formal and systematic study is warranted.

(3) The extent to which the eligible applicant demonstrates that, if funded, the proposed project likely will have a positive impact, as measured by the importance or magnitude of the effect, on improving student achievement or student growth, closing achievement gaps, decreasing dropout rates, increasing high school graduation rates, or increasing college enrollment and completion rates.

C. Experience of the Eligible Applicant (up to 25 points).

The Secretary considers the experience of the eligible applicant in implementing the proposed project or a similar project.

In determining the experience of the eligible applicant, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The past performance of the eligible applicant in implementing projects of the size and scope proposed by the eligible applicant.

(2) The extent to which an eligible applicant provides information and data demonstrating that--

(a) In the case of an eligible applicant that is an LEA, the LEA has--

(ii) Made significant improvements in other areas, such as graduation rates or increased recruitment and placement of high-quality teachers and principals, as demonstrated with meaningful data; or

D. Quality of the Project Evaluation (up to 15 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project.

In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors.

(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are appropriate to the size and scope of the proposed project.

(3) The extent to which the evaluation will provide sufficient information about the key elements and approach of the project to facilitate further development, replication, or testing in other settings.

(4) The extent to which the proposed project plan includes sufficient resources to carry out the project evaluation effectively.

E. Strategy and Capacity to Further Develop and Bring to Scale (up to 5 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the eligible applicant’s strategy and capacity to further develop and bring to scale the proposed project.

In determining the quality of the strategy and capacity to further develop and bring to scale the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(2) The eligible applicant’s capacity (e.g., in terms of qualified personnel, financial resources, or management capacity) to further develop and bring to scale the proposed practice, strategy, or program, or to work with others (including other partners) to ensure that the proposed practice, strategy, or program can be further developed and brought to scale, based on the findings of the proposed project.

(3) The feasibility of the proposed project to be replicated successfully, if positive results are obtained, in a variety of settings and with a variety of student populations. Evidence of this ability includes the availability of resources and expertise required for implementing the project with fidelity, and the proposed project’s evidence of relative ease of use or user satisfaction.

(5) The mechanisms the eligible applicant will use to broadly disseminate information on its project so as to support further development or replication.

F. Sustainability (up to 10 points).

The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources to continue to develop or expand the proposed practice, strategy, or program after the grant period ends.

In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the eligible applicant demonstrates that it has the resources, as well as the support from stakeholders (e.g., State educational agencies, teachers’ unions) to operate the project beyond the length of the Development grant.

G. Quality of the Management Plan and Personnel (up to 10 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan and personnel for the proposed project.

In determining the quality of the management plan and personnel for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director and key project personnel, especially in managing projects of the size and scope of the proposed project.

Table 1. Differences Between the Three Types of Investing in Innovation Fund Grants in Terms of the Evidence Required to Support the Proposed Practice, Strategy, or Program

	Scale-up grants	Validation grants	Development grants
Strength of Research	Strong evidence	Moderate evidence	Reasonable hypotheses
Internal Validity (Strength of Causal Conclusions) and External Validity (Generalizability)	High internal validity and high external validity	(1) High internal validity and moderate external validity; or (2) moderate internal validity and high external validity	Theory and reported practice suggest the potential for efficacy for at least some participants and settings
Prior Research Studies Supporting Effectiveness or Efficacy of the Proposed Practice, Strategy, or Program	(1) More than one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study or well-designed and well- implemented quasi-experimental study; or (2) one large, well-designed and well- implemented randomized controlled, multisite trial	(1) At least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental or quasi-experimental study, with small sample sizes or other conditions of implementation or analysis that limit generalizability; (2) at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental or quasi-experimental study that does not demonstrate equivalence between the intervention and comparison groups at program entry but that has no other major flaws related to internal validity; or (3) correlational research with strong statistical controls for selection bias and for discerning the influence of internal factors	(1) Evidence that the proposed practice, strategy, or program, or one similar to it, has been attempted previously, albeit on a limited scale or in a limited setting, and yielded promising results that suggest that more formal and systematic study is warranted; and (2) a rationale for the proposed practice, strategy, or program that is based on research findings or reasonable hypotheses, including related research or theories in education and other sectors
Practice, Strategy, or Program in Prior Research	The same as that proposed for support under the Scale-up grant	The same as, or very similar to, that proposed for support under the Validation grant	The same as, or similar to, that proposed for support under the Development grant
Participants and Settings in Prior Research	Participants and settings included the kinds of participants and settings proposed to receive the treatment under the Scale-up grant	Participants or settings may have been more limited than those proposed to receive the treatment under the Validation grant	Participants or settings may have been more limited than those proposed to receive the treatment under the Development grant
Significance of Effect	Effect in prior research was statistically significant, and would be likely to be statistically significant in a sample of the size proposed for the Scale-up grant	Effect in prior research would be likely to be statistically significant in a sample of the size proposed for the Validation grant	Practice, strategy, or program warrants further study to investigate efficacy
Magnitude of Effect	Based on prior research, substantial and important for the target population for the Scale-up project	Based on prior research, substantial and important, with the potential of the same for the target population for the Validation project	Based on prior implementation, promising for the target population for the Development project

2. Review and Selection Process: The Department will screen applications submitted in accordance with the requirements in this notice, and will determine which applications are eligible to be read based on whether they have met eligibility and other statutory requirements.

For all three grant reviews, the Department will use independent reviewers from various backgrounds and professions including: pre-kindergarten-12 teachers and principals, college and university educators, researchers and evaluators, social entrepreneurs, strategy consultants, grant makers and managers, and others with education expertise. The Department will thoroughly screen all reviewers for conflicts of interest to ensure a fair and competitive review process.

Reviewers will read, prepare a written evaluation, and score the applications assigned to their panel, using the selection criteria provided in this notice.

To be eligible for an award, an application for a Scale-up grant must be supported by strong evidence (as defined in this notice) and an application for a Validation grant must be supported by moderate evidence (as defined in this notice). For Scale-up and Validation grant applications, peer reviewers will review and score all eligible applications. If eligible applicants have chosen to address the competitive preference priorities and receive points for the competitive preference priorities, those points will be added to the eligible applicant’s score. The Department may ask Scale-up grant finalists to send a team to the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. to present their proposed project to a panel of reviewers. The panel will take this opportunity to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the applicant’s proposed project. At the conclusion of the presentation process, reviewers will complete their scoring of the applications based on the selection criteria.

To be eligible for an award, an application for a Development grant must be supported by a reasonable hypothesis. For Development grant applications, the Department intends to conduct a two-tier review process to review and score all eligible applications. Reviewers will review and score all eligible Development applications on the following five criteria: A. Need for the Project and Quality of the Project Design; C. Experience of the Eligible Applicant; E. Strategy and Capacity to Further Develop and Bring to Scale; F. Sustainability; and G. Quality of the Management Plan and Personnel. If eligible applicants have chosen to address the competitive preference priorities, reviewers will review and score those competitive preference priorities. If points are awarded, those points will be added to the eligible applicant’s score. Eligible applications that score highly on these five criteria will then have the remaining two criteria reviewed and scored by a different panel of reviewers. The remaining criteria are as follows: B. Strength of Research, Significance, of Effect, and Magnitude of Effect and D. Quality of the Project Evaluation.

For all three types of applications, the Secretary prepares a rank order of applications based solely on the evaluation of their quality according to the selection criteria. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.217(c)(3), the Secretary will make final awards after considering the rank ordering and other information including an applicant’s performance and use of funds and compliance history under a previous award under any Department program. In making awards under any future competitions, the Secretary will consider an applicant’s past performance, including the quality of the evaluation produced by the applicant under a previous Investing in Innovation grant.

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, each grantee 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 75.720(a) and (b). The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

In addition to these reporting requirements, each grantee that receives Investing in Innovation funds must also meet the reporting requirements that apply to all ARRA-funded programs. Specifically, each grantee must submit reports, within 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter, that contain the information required under section 1512(c) of the ARRA in accordance with any guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget or the Department (ARRA division A, section 1512(c)).

In addition, for each year of the program, each grantee must submit a report to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, that describes--

1. the uses of funds within the defined area of the proposed project;

2. how the applicant distributed the funds it received;

3. the number of jobs estimated to be saved or created with the funds; and

4. the project’s progress in reducing inequities in the distribution of highly qualified teachers, implementing a longitudinal data system, and developing and implementing valid and reliable assessments for English language learners and students with disabilities

4. Performance Measures: The overall purpose of the Investing in Innovation program is to expand the implementation of, and investment in, innovative practices that are demonstrated to have an impact on improving student achievement or student growth for high-need students. We have established several performance measures for each of the three types of the Investing in Innovation grants.

Scale-up Grants

Short-term performance measures: (1) the percentage of grantees that reach their annual target number of students as specified in the application; (2) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Scale-up grant with ongoing well-designed and independent evaluations that will provide evidence of their effectiveness at improving student outcomes at scale; (3) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Scale-up grant with ongoing evaluations that are providing high-quality implementation data and performance feedback that allow for periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes; and (4) the cost per student actually served by the grant.

Long-term performance measures: (1) the percentage of grantees that reach the targeted number of students specified in the application; (2) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Scale-up grant that implement a completed well-designed, well-implemented and independent evaluation that provides evidence of their effectiveness at improving student outcomes at scale; (3) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Scale-up grant with a completed well-designed, well-implemented and independent evaluation that provides information about the key elements and the approach of the project so as to facilitate replication or testing in other settings; and (4) the cost per student for programs, practices or strategies that were proven to be effective at improving educational outcomes for students.

Validation Grants

Short-term performance measures: (1) the percentage of grantees that reach their annual target number of students as specified in the application; (2) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Validation grant with ongoing well-designed and independent evaluations that will provide evidence of their effectiveness at improving student outcomes; (3) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Validation grant with ongoing evaluations that are providing high-quality implementation data and performance feedback that allow for periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes; and (4) the cost per student actually served by the grant.

Long-term performance measures: (1) the percentage of grantees that reach the targeted number of students specified in the application; (2) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Validation grant that implement a completed well-designed, well-implemented and independent evaluation that provides evidence of their effectiveness at improving student outcomes; (3) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Validation grant with a completed well-designed, well-implemented and independent evaluation that provides information about the key elements and the approach of the project so as to facilitate replication or testing in other settings; and (4) the cost per student for programs, practices, or strategies that were proven to be effective at improving educational outcomes for students.

Development Grants

Short-term performance measures: (1) the percentage of grantees whose projects are being implemented with fidelity to the approved design; (2)the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Development grant with ongoing evaluations that provide evidence of their promise for improving student outcomes; (3) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Development grant with ongoing evaluations that are providing high-quality implementation data and performance feedback that allow for periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes; and (4) the cost per student actually served by the grant.

Long-term performance measures: (1) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Development grant with a completed evaluation that provides evidence of their promise for improving student outcomes; (2) the percentage of programs, practices, or strategies supported by a Development grant with a completed evaluation that provides information about the key elements and approach of the project so as to facilitate further development, replication, or testing in other settings; and (3) the cost per student for programs, practices, or strategies that were proven promising at improving educational outcomes for students.

VII. Agency Contact

For Further Information Contact: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W302, Washington, DC 20202-5900, Telephone: (202) 453-7122 or by e-mail: i3@ed.gov.

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 number or e-mail address 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 following site: 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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

Dated:

_______________________________

James H. Shelton III,

Assistant Deputy Secretary for

Innovation and Improvement.

Authorizing Legislation

Section 14007 of Division A of Title XIV of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as amended by section 307 of Division D of P.L. 111- 117 (H.R. 3288), the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010

SEC. 14007. INNOVATION FUND.

(a) In General.

(1) Eligible entities. For the purposes of this section, the term

"eligible entity'' means—

(A) a local educational agency; or

(B) a partnership between a nonprofit organization and—

(i) one or more local educational agencies; or

(ii) a consortium of schools.

(2) Program established. From the total amount reserved under

section 14001(c), the Secretary may reserve up to $650,000,000 to establish an Innovation Fund, which shall consist of academic achievement awards that recognize eligible entities that meet the requirements described in subsection (b).

(3) Purpose of Awards. The Secretary shall make awards to eligible entities in order to identify, document, and bring to scale innovative best practices based on demonstrated success, to allow such eligible entities to—

(A) expand their work and serve as models for best practices; and

(B) work in partnership with the private sector and the philanthropic community.

(b) Eligibility. To be eligible for such an award, an eligible entity shall—

(1)(A) have significantly closed the achievement gaps between

groups of students described in section 1111(b)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)); or

(B) have demonstrated success in significantly increasing student academic achievement for all groups of students described in such section;

(2) have made significant improvement in other areas, such as

graduation rates or increased recruitment and placement of high-quality teachers and school leaders, as demonstrated with meaningful data; and

(3) demonstrate that it has established one or more partnerships with the private sector, which may include philanthropic organizations, and that the private sector will provide matching funds in order to help bring results to scale.

organization, the eligible entity shall be considered to have met the eligibility

requirements of paragraphs (1)(A) or (1)(B) and (2) of subsection (b) if the nonprofit organization has a record of significantly improving student achievement, attainment, or retention and shall be considered to have met the requirements of subsection (b)(3) if it demonstrates that it will meet the requirement relating to private-sector matching.

(d) Subgrants. In the case of an eligible entity that is a partnership described in subsection (a)(1)(B), the partner serving as the fiscal agent may make subgrants to one or more of the other entities in partnership.

Overview of the Application Process

Thank you for your interest in the Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) grant program. Following is a brief overview of the i3 application process.

Getting Started

All interested applicants should first thoroughly review the Notice of Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria (NFP) and the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for FY 2010 published in the Federal Register on March XX, 2010. The NFP and NIA will orient applicants to the i3 program by providing the following information:

Background information and purpose of the program;
Eligibility requirements;
Absolute and Competitive Priorities;
Selection Criteria and assigned points;
Key definitions;
Evidence Framework; 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.

Completing and Submitting Your Application

A complete application consists of the following components:

Part A: Application Narrative

ED Abstract;

Project Narrative;

Budget Narrative; and

Appendix.

Part B: Required Forms

ED Standard Forms;

Assurances and Certifications; and

i3 Program Forms.

Each component is discussed in detail in the following pages of this application package. Once the application is complete, it must be submitted electronically using the e-Application system. A detailed discussion of e-Application can also be found in this application package. Applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this system and to submit their applications early.

All i3 applications must be received on or before May XX, 2010.

Please note that U.S. Department of Education grant application deadline is 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.

Addressing Your Questions

The Department will host multiple pre-application workshops designed to help interested applicants with the application process. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend these workshops. Interested applicants may also send their questions to i3@ed.gov. Please check the i3 website for more information, including regularly updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/index.html. Please note that although we are unable to address specific proposed project questions, we will make every effort to be as responsive and supportive as possible.

Application Narrative Instructions

The i3 application will use the following e-Application Narrative Forms.

ED Abstract Narrative
Project Narrative
Budget Narrative
Appendix

The ED Abstract Narrative is where you will attach your one-page project abstract.

The Project Narrative is where you will attach the responses to the Selection Criteria and Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP), if applicable. Responses to the CPP should be properly labeled and placed at the front of the Project Narrative, followed by the responses to the Selection Criteria. Applicants should include a Table of Contents that includes all responses to the Selection Criteria, and priorities if applicable.

Eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to limit the project narrative to the following page limits:

Scale-up grants 50 pages

Validation grants 35 pages

Development grants 25 pages

The Budget Narrative is where you will attach a detailed line item budget (ED 524) and a detailed budget narrative. Do 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 Appendix is where you will attach the application appendices. Specific Appendix instructions are included on page 37 of this application package.

NOTE: e-Applications allows for one document only per narrative section. If you have multiple documents to be attached to one of the above narrative sections, you should merge them into one Word, pdf. or rtf. file and upload them to the appropriate narrative.

Instructions for ED Abstract Narrative

Eligible applicants must submit a one-page abstract.

The one-page abstract should include the following items:

Project Title, if applicable

Type of Grant Requested (Scale-up, Validation, or Development)

Brief project description including project activities

Summary of project objectives and expected outcomes

Target number of students to be served in the project

Any special project features

List of official and other partners

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 Priorities. Eligible 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.

Absolute Priorities

The FY 2010 i3 NIA includes four Absolute Priorities. Eligible applicants for all types of grants are required to choose one for the four Absolute Priorities and address the priority in the application. Eligible applications will address the selected absolute priority in the project narrative by addressing the Selection Criteria. The four Absolute Priorities are explained in detail in the NIA.

Competitive Preference Priorities

The FY 2010 i3 NIA includes four Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP). Eligible applicants for all types of grants may choose to address one or more of the Competitive Preference Priorities. Please note that an applicant should address the CPPs in a separate document within the Project narrative. CPP responses should be clearly labeled and placed at the front of the project narrative. Responses to the CPP are included in the project narrative page limit. The four Competitive Preference Priorities are explained in detail in the NIA.

Formatting

A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be within the 1” margin. Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, and graphs. Use a font that is 12-point or larger. Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. Other fonts submitted will not be accepted.

Page Limits

Eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to limit the project narrative to the following page limits: Scale-up--50 pages; Validation--35 pages; Development--25 pages. The page limits apply to the responses to the Selection Criteria and if applicable, the Competitive Preference Priorities.

Instructions for Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative Attachment Form should include the eligible applicant’s detailed line item budget (ED form 524) AND the accompanying detailed budget narrative justification.

Eligible applicants may request i3 funding for 3, 4, or 5 years and should make this determination at the time of application. Eligible applicants must complete ED form 524 for all budget years of the proposed project. Eligible 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, eligible applicants should include costs for four project staff persons (project director, evaluator, and two partners) to attend a 2-day project director’s meeting in Washington, DC.

The budget should include only costs that are allowable, reasonable, and necessary for carrying out the objectives of the i3 project. Rules about allowable costs are included both in EDGAR and in the cost principles contained in applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars: A-21 for institutions of higher education; A-87 for state and local governments; and A-122 for non-profit organizations. These OMB circulars may be accessed at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/index.html

For each line item of both Sections A (federal costs) and B (non-federal costs) of the Budget Form (ED 524), provide detailed costs (in dollars) accompanied by a narrative justification to support your request. Please check all figures and combined totals in the budget narrative, and compare the amounts with those reflected on the ED 524.

Note: If you have questions about obtaining an approved Indirect Cost Rate or applying your Indirect Cost Rate, you may contact the Office of the Chief Financial Officer at (202) 377-3909 or (202) 377-3838.

Instructions for Appendix

Eligible applicants should attach all appendices to the Appendix.*

Eligible applicants are encouraged to follow the instructions below when uploading information to the Appendix:

Appendix A: Eligibility Requirement Checklist

(LEA or Nonprofit Partnership)

Appendix B: Nonprofit 501C3 status verification or Charter School status verification

Appendix C: Resumes of Key Personnel

Appendix D: Letters of Support and Memoranda of Understanding, if applicable

Appendix E: Waiver Request of 20% Private Sector Match Requirement, if applicable

Appendix F: i3 Applicant Information Sheet

Appendix G: Eligible Applicant’s list of proprietary information found in the application, if applicable.

Eligible Applicants should identify the specific information and page numbers in the application where it can be found.

Appendix H: Other, if applicable

*e-Applications allows for one document to be uploaded per Appendix. If you have several documents to upload (i.e. resumes), you are encouraged to merge them into one Word, pdf. or rtf. file before uploading.

The required forms for Appendix A and Appendix F can be found on the i3 web site under Applicant Info at:

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/application.html.

Eligible applicants should download and save these forms to their computers. Once these forms are completed, applicants should upload them into the appropriate Appendix A or Appendix F.

B. Required Forms

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
1. ED Standard Forms and Instructions

OMB Number: 4040-0004 Expiration Date: 03/31/2012

Application for Federal Assistance SF-424

Type of Applicant 2: Select Applicant Type:

Type of Applicant 3: Select Applicant Type:

* Other (specify):

* 10. Name of Federal Agency:

11. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number:

CFDA Title:

* 12. Funding Opportunity Number:

* Title:

13. Competition Identification Number:

Title:

14. Areas Affected by Project (Cities, Counties, States, etc.):

15. Descriptive Title of Applicant's Project:

Attach supporting documents as specified in agency instructions.

........................................

Instructions for Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0043), Washington, DC 20503.

PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. SEND IT TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED BY THE SPONSORING AGENCY.

This is a standard form (including the continuation sheet) required for use as a cover sheet for submission of preapplications and applications and related information under discretionary programs. Some of the items are required and some are optional at the discretion of the applicant or the Federal agency (agency). Required items are identified with an asterisk on the form and are specified in the instructions below. In addition to the instructions provided below, applicants must consult agency instructions to determine specific requirements.

Item	Entry:		Item	Entry:
1.	Type of Submission: (Required): Select one type of submission in accordance with agency instructions. Preapplication Application Changed/Corrected Application – If requested by the agency, check if this submission is to change or correct a previously submitted application. Unless requested by the agency, applicants may not use this to submit changes after the closing date.		10.	Name Of Federal Agency: (Required) Enter the name of the Federal agency from which assistance is being requested with this application.
			11.	Catalog Of Federal Domestic Assistance Number/Title: Enter the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number and title of the program under which assistance is requested, as found in the program announcement, if applicable.

2.	Type of Application: (Required) Select one type of application in accordance with agency instructions. New – An application that is being submitted to an agency for the first time. Continuation - An extension for an additional funding/budget period for a project with a projected completion date. This can include renewals. Revision - Any change in the Federal Government’s financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing obligation. If a revision, enter the appropriate letter(s). More than one may be selected. If "Other" is selected, please specify in text box provided. A. Increase Award B. Decrease Award C. Increase Duration D. Decrease Duration E. Other (specify)		12.	Funding Opportunity Number/Title: (Required) Enter the Funding Opportunity Number and title of the opportunity under which assistance is requested, as found in the program announcement.
			13.	Competition Identification Number/Title: Enter the Competition Identification Number and title of the competition under which assistance is requested, if applicable.
			14.	Areas Affected By Project: List the areas or entities using the categories (e.g., cities, counties, states, etc.) specified in agency instructions. Use the continuation sheet to enter additional areas, if needed.
3.	Date Received: Leave this field blank. This date will be assigned by the Federal agency.		15.	Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project: (Required) Enter a brief descriptive title of the project. If appropriate, attach a map showing project location (e.g., construction or real property projects). For preapplications, attach a summary description of the project.
4.	Applicant Identifier: Enter the entity identifier assigned by the Federal agency, if any, or applicant’s control number, if applicable.
5a	Federal Entity Identifier: Enter the number assigned to your organization by the Federal Agency, if any.		16.	Congressional Districts Of: (Required) 16a. Enter the applicant’s Congressional District, and 16b. Enter all District(s) affected by the program or project. Enter in the format: 2 characters State Abbreviation – 2-3 characters District Number, e.g., CA-12 for California 12^th district, NC-103 for North Carolina’s 103^rd district. If all congressional districts in a state are affected, enter “all” for the district number, e.g., MD-all for all congressional districts in Maryland. If nationwide, i.e. all districts within all states are affected, enter US-all. If the program/project is outside the US, enter 00-000.
5b.	Federal Award Identifier: For new applications leave blank. For a continuation or revision to an existing award, enter the previously assigned Federal award identifier number. If a changed/corrected application, enter the Federal Identifier in accordance with agency instructions.
6.	Date Received by State: Leave this field blank. This date will be assigned by the State, if applicable.
7.	State Application Identifier: Leave this field blank. This identifier will be assigned by the State, if applicable.
8.	Applicant Information: Enter the following in accordance with agency instructions: a. Legal Name: (Required): Enter the legal name of applicant that will undertake the assistance activity. This is the name that the organization has registered with the Central Contractor Registry. Information on registering with CCR may be obtained by visiting the Grants.gov website.

			17.	Proposed Project Start and End Dates: (Required) Enter the proposed start date and end date of the project.
	b. Employer/Taxpayer Number (EIN/TIN): (Required): Enter the Employer or Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN or TIN) as assigned by the Internal Revenue Service. If your organization is not in the US, enter 44-4444444.
			18.	Estimated Funding: (Required) Enter the amount requested or to be contributed during the first funding/budget period by each contributor. Value of in-kind contributions should be included on appropriate lines, as applicable. If the action will result in a dollar change to an existing award, indicate only the amount of the change. For decreases, enclose the amounts in parentheses.
	c. Organizational DUNS: (Required) Enter the organization’s DUNS or DUNS+4 number received from Dun and Bradstreet. Information on obtaining a DUNS number may be obtained by visiting the Grants.gov website.
	d. Address: Enter the complete address as follows: Street address (Line 1 required), City (Required), County, State (Required, if country is US), Province, Country (Required), Zip/Postal Code (Required, if country is US).
			19.	Is Application Subject to Review by State Under Executive Order 12372 Process? Applicants should contact the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Federal Executive Order 12372 to determine whether the application is subject to the State intergovernmental review process. Select the appropriate box. If “a.” is selected, enter the date the application was submitted to the State
	e. Organizational Unit: Enter the name of the primary organizational unit (and department or division, if applicable) that will undertake the assistance activity, if applicable.


	f. Name and contact information of person to be contacted on matters involving this application: Enter the name (First and last name required), organizational affiliation (if affiliated with an organization other than the applicant organization), telephone number (Required), fax number, and email address (Required) of the person to contact on matters related to this application.
			20.	Is the Applicant Delinquent on any Federal Debt? (Required) Select the appropriate box. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of debt include delinquent audit disallowances, loans and taxes. If yes, include an explanation on the continuation sheet.

9.	Type of Applicant: (Required) Select up to three applicant type(s) in accordance with agency instructions.		21.	Authorized Representative: (Required) To be signed and dated by the authorized representative of the applicant organization. Enter the name (First and last name required) title (Required), telephone number (Required), fax number, and email address (Required) of the person authorized to sign for the applicant. A copy of the governing body’s authorization for you to sign this application as the official representative must be on file in the applicant’s office. (Certain Federal agencies may require that this authorization be submitted as part of the application.)
	State Government County Government City or Township Government Special District Government Regional Organization U.S. Territory or Possession Independent School District Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization Public/Indian Housing Authority	Nonprofit with 501C3 IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education) Nonprofit without 501C3 IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education) Private Institution of Higher Education Individual For-Profit Organization (Other than Small Business) Small Business Hispanic-serving Institution Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Non-domestic (non-US) Entity Other (specify)

D
efinitions for ED SF-424

Novice Applicant (See 34 CFR 75.225). For discretionary grant programs under which the Secretary gives special consideration to novice applications, a novice applicant means any applicant for a grant from ED that—

Has never received a grant or subgrant under the program from which it seeks funding;

Has never been a member of a group application, submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a grant under the program from which it seeks funding; and

Has not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal government in the five years before the deadline date for applications under the program. For the purposes of this requirement, a grant is active until the end of the grant’s project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee’s authority to obligate funds.

In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, a group includes only parties that meet the requirements listed above.

PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH

I. Definitions and Exemptions

A. Definitions.

A research activity involves human subjects if the activity is research, as defined in the Department’s regulations, and the research activity will involve use of human subjects, as defined in the regulations.

—Research

The ED Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 97, define research as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.” If an activity follows a deliberate plan whose purpose is to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge it is research. Activities which meet this definition constitute research whether or not they are conducted or supported under a program that is considered research for other

purposes. For example, some demonstration and service programs may include research activities.

—Human Subject

The regulations define human subject as “a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research obtains (1) data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or (2) identifiable private information.” (1) If an activity involves obtaining information about a living person by manipulating that person or that person’s environment, as might occur when a new instructional technique is tested, or by communicating or interacting with the individual, as occurs with surveys and interviews, the definition of human subject is met. (2) If an activity involves obtaining private information about a living person in such a way that the information can be linked to that individual (the identity of the subject is or may be readily determined by the investigator or associated with the information), the definition of human subject is met. [Private information includes information about behavior that occurs in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place, and information which has been provided for specific purposes by an individual and which the individual can reasonably expect will not be made public (for example, a school health record).

B. Exemptions:

Research activities in which the only involvement of human subjects will be in one or more of the following six categories of exemptions are not covered by the regulations:

(1) Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, involving normal educational practices, such as (a) research on regular and special education instructional strategies, or (b) research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods.

(2) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior, unless: (a) information obtained is recorded in such a manner that human subjects can be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects; and (b) any disclosure of the human subjects’ responses outside the research could reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or civil liability or be damaging to the subjects’ financial standing, employability, or reputation. If the subjects arechildren, exemption 2 applies only to research involving educational tests and observations of public behavior when the investigator(s) do not participate in the activities being observed. Exemption 2 does not apply if children are surveyed or interviewed or if the research involves observation of public behavior and the investigator(s) participate in the activities being observed. [Children are defined as persons who have not attained the legal age for consent to treatments or procedures involved in the research, under the applicable law or jurisdiction in which the research will be conducted.]

(3) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior that is not exempt under section (2) above, if the human subjects are elected or appointed public officials or candidates for public office; or federal statute(s) require(s) without exception that the confidentiality of the personally identifiable information will be maintained throughout the research and thereafter.

(4) Research involving the collection or study of existing data, documents, records, pathological specimens, or diagnostic specimens, if these sources are publicly available or if the information is recorded by the investigator in a manner that subjects cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects.

(5) Research and demonstration projects which are conducted by or subject to the approval of department or agency heads, and which are designed to study, evaluate, or otherwise examine: (a) public benefit or service programs; (b) procedures for obtaining benefits or services under those programs; (c) possible changes in or alternatives to those programs or procedures; or (d) possible changes in methods or levels of payment for benefits or services under those programs.

(6) Taste and food quality evaluation and consumer acceptance studies, (a) if wholesome foods without additives are consumed or (b) if a food is consumed that contains a food ingredient at or below the level and for a use found to be safe, or agricultural chemical or environmental contaminant at or below the level found to be safe, by the Food and Drug Administration or approved by the Environmental Protection Agency or the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

II. Instructions for Exempt and Nonexempt Human Subjects Research Narratives

If the applicant marked “Yes” for Item 3 of Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, the applicant must provide a human subjects “exempt research” or “nonexempt research” narrative. Insert the narrative(s) in the space provided. If you have multiple projects and need to provide more than one narrative, be sure to label each set of responses as to the project they address.

A. Exempt Research Narrative.

If you marked “Yes” for item 3 a. and designated exemption numbers(s), provide the “exempt research” narrative. The narrative must contain sufficient information about the involvement of human subjects in the proposed research to allow a determination by ED that the designated exemption(s) are appropriate. The narrative must be succinct.

B. Nonexempt Research Narrative.

If you marked “No” for item 3 a. you must provide the “nonexempt research” narrative. The narrative must address the following seven points. Although no specific page limitation applies to this section of the application, be succinct.

(1) Human Subjects Involvement and Characteristics: Provide a detailed description of the proposed involvement of human subjects. Describe the characteristics of the subject population, including their anticipated number, age range, and health status. Identify the criteria for inclusion or exclusion of any subpopulation. Explain the rationale for the involvement of special classes of subjects, such as children, children with disabilities, adults with disabilities, persons with mental disabilities, pregnant women, prisoners, institutionalized individuals, or others who are likely to be vulnerable.

(2) Sources of Materials: Identify the sources of research material obtained from individually identifiable living human subjects in the form of specimens, records, or data. Indicate whether the material or data will be obtained specifically for research purposes or whether use will be made of existing specimens, records, or data.

(3) Recruitment and Informed Consent: Describe plans for the recruitment of subjects and the consent procedures to be followed. Include the circumstances under which consent will be sought and obtained, who will seek it, the nature of the information to be provided to prospective subjects, and the method of documenting consent. State if the Institutional Review Board (IRB) has authorized a modification or waiver of the elements of consent or the requirement for documentation of consent.

(4) Potential Risks: Describe potential risks (physical, psychological, social, legal, or other) and assess their likelihood and seriousness. Where appropriate, describe alternative treatments and procedures that might be advantageous to the subjects.

(5) Protection Against Risk: Describe the procedures for protecting against or minimizing potential risks, including risks to confidentiality, and assess their likely effectiveness. Where appropriate, discuss provisions for ensuring necessary medical or professional intervention in the event of adverse effects to the subjects. Also, where appropriate, describe the provisions for monitoring the data collected to ensure the safety of the subjects.

(6) Importance of the Knowledge to be Gained: Discuss the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained as a result of the proposed research. Discuss why the risks to subjects are reasonable in relation to the anticipated benefits to subjects and in relation to the importance of the knowledge that may reasonably be expected to result.

(7) Collaborating Site(s): If research involving human subjects will take place at collaborating site(s) or other performance site(s), name the sites and briefly describe their involvement or role in the research.

Copies of the Department of Education’s Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, 34 CFR Part 97 and other pertinent materials on the protection of human subjects in research are available from the Grants Policy and Oversight Staff, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4250, telephone: (202) 245-6120, and on the U.S. Department of Education’s Protection of Human Subjects in Research Web Site: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/OCFO/humansub.html

NOTE: The State Applicant Identifier on the SF 424 is for State Use only. Please complete it on the OMB Standard 424 in the upper right corner of the form (if applicable).

Supplemental Information Required for US Department of ED

1. Project Director:

Prefix: *First Name: Middle Name: *Last Name: Suffix:

Address:

Street1:

treet2:

City:

ounty:

State * Zip Code: * Country:

Phone Number (give area code) Fax Number (give area code)

Email Address:

2. Applicant Experience:

Novice Applicant Yes No Not applicable to this program

3. Human Subjects Research:

Are any research activities involving human subjects planned at any time during the

proposed project Period?

Yes No

Are ALL the research activities proposed designated to be exempt from the regulations?

Yes Provide Exemption(s) #:

No Provide Assurance #, if available:

Please attach an explanation Narrative:

Add Attachment

Delete Attachment

View Attachment

Standard Form 424B (Rev. 7-97) Back

Instructions for ED Supplemental SF-424

INSTRUCTIONS FOR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR SF 424

1. Project Director. Name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the person to be contacted on matters involving this application.

2. Novice Applicant. Check “Yes” or “No” only if assistance is being requested under a program that gives special consideration to novice applicants. Otherwise, leave blank.

Check “Yes” if you meet the requirements for novice applicants specified in the regulations in 34 CFR 75.225 and included on the attached page entitled “Definitions for Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424.” By checking “Yes” the applicant certifies that it meets these novice applicant requirements. Check “No” if you do not meet the requirements for novice applicants.

3. Human Subjects Research. (See I. A. “Definitions” in attached page entitled “Definitions for Department of Education Supplemental Information For SF 424.”)

If Not Human Subjects Research. Check “No” if research activities involving human subjects are not planned at any time during the proposed project period. The remaining parts of Item 3 are then not applicable.

If Human Subjects Research. Check “Yes” if research activities involving human subjects are planned at any time during the proposed project period, either at the applicant organization or at any other performance site or collaborating institution. Check “Yes” even if the research is exempt from the regulations for the protection of human subjects. (See I. B. “Exemptions” in attached page entitled “Definitions for Department of Education Supplemental Information For SF 424.”)

3a. If Human Subjects Research is Exempt from the Human Subjects Regulations. Check “Yes” if all the research activities proposed are designated to be exempt from the regulations. Insert the exemption number(s) corresponding to one or more of the six exemption categories listed in I. B. “Exemptions.” In addition, follow the instructions in II. A. “Exempt Research Narrative” in the attached page entitled “Definitions for Department of Education Supplemental Information For SF 424.”

3a. If Human Subjects Research is Not Exempt from Human Subjects Regulations. Check “No” if some or all of the planned research activities are covered (not exempt). In addition, follow the instructions in II. B. “Nonexempt Research Narrative” in the page entitled “Definitions for Department of Education Supplemental Information For SF 424

3a. Human Subjects Assurance Number. If the applicant has an approved Federal Wide (FWA) on file with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that covers the specific activity, insert the number in the space provided. If the applicant does not have an approved assurance on file with OHRP, enter “None.” In this case, the applicant, by signature on the SF-424, is declaring that it will comply with 34 CFR 97 and proceed to obtain the human subjects assurance upon request by the designated ED official. If the application is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will request that the applicant obtain the assurance within 30 days after the specific formal request.

Note about Institutional Review Board Approval. ED does not require certification of Institutional Review Board approval with the application. However, if an application that involves non-exempt human subjects research is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will request that the applicant obtain and send the certification to ED within 30 days after the formal request.

Paperwork Burden Statement. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1890-0017. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average between 15 and 45 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4700. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form write directly to: Joyce I. Mays, Application Control Center, U.S. Department of Education, Potomac Center Plaza, 550 12^th Street, S.W. Room 7076, Washington, D.C. 20202-4260.

	U.S. Department of Education Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-524)						OMB Control Number: 1894-0008 Expiration Date: 02-28-2011
Name of Institution/Organization				Applicants requesting funding for only one year should complete the column under "Project Year 1." Applicants requesting funding for multi-year grants should complete all applicable columns. Please read all instructions before completing form.
SECTION A - BUDGET SUMMARY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FUNDS
Budget Categories		Project Year 1 (a)	Project Year 2 (b)	Project Year 3 (c)	Project Year 4 (d)	Project Year 5 (e)		Total (f)
1. Personnel
2. Fringe Benefits
3. Travel
4. Equipment
5. Supplies
6. Contractual
7. Construction
8. Other
9. Total Direct Costs (lines 1-8)
10. Indirect Costs*
11. Training Stipends
12. Total Costs (lines 9-11)
Indirect Cost Information (To Be Completed by Your Business Office*): If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, please answer the following questions: Do you have an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement approved by the Federal government? ____Yes ____ No If yes, please provide the following information: Period Covered by the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement: From: ___/___/______ To: ___/___/______ (mm/dd/yyyy) Approving Federal agency: ____ ED ____ Other (please specify): __________________________ For Restricted Rate Programs (check one) -- Are you using a restricted indirect cost rate that: ___ Is included in your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement? or ___ Complies with 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2)?

ED 524

Name of Institution/Organization			Applicants requesting funding for only one year should complete the column under "Project Year 1." Applicants requesting funding for multi-year grants should complete all applicable columns. Please read all instructions before completing form.
SECTION B - BUDGET SUMMARY NON-FEDERAL FUNDS
Budget Categories	Project Year 1 (a)	Project Year 2 (b)	Project Year 3 (c)	Project Year 4 (d)	Project Year 5 (e)	Total (f)

1. Personnel
2. Fringe Benefits
3. Travel
4. Equipment
5. Supplies
6. Contractual
7. Construction
8. Other
9. Total Direct Costs (Lines 1-8)
10. Indirect Costs
11. Training Stipends
12. Total Costs (Lines 9-11)
SECTION C – BUDGET NARRATIVE (see instructions)

Instructions for ED Budget Summary Form (SF-524)

General Instructions

This form is used to apply to individual U.S. Department of Education (ED) discretionary grant programs. Unless directed otherwise, provide the same budget information for each year of the multi-year funding request. Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if attached. Please consult with your Business Office prior to submitting this form.

Section A - Budget Summary

U.S. Department of Education Funds

All applicants must complete Section A and provide a breakdown by the applicable budget categories shown in lines 1-11.

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e): For each project year for which funding is requested, show the total amount requested for each applicable budget category.

Lines 1-11, column (f): Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If funding is requested for only one project year, leave this column blank.

Line 12, columns (a)-(e): Show the total budget request for each project year for which funding is requested.

Line 12, column (f): Show the total amount requested for all project years. If funding is requested for only one year, leave this space blank.

Indirect Cost Information:
If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, this information is to be completed by your Business Office. (1): Indicate whether or not your organization has an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement that was approved by the Federal government. (2): If you checked “yes” in (1), indicate in (2) the beginning and ending dates covered by the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. In addition, indicate whether ED or another Federal agency (Other) issued the approved agreement. If you check “Other,” specify the name of the Federal agency that issued the approved agreement. (3): If you are applying for a grant under a Restricted Rate Program (34 CFR 75.563 or 76.563), indicate whether you are using a restricted indirect cost rate that is included on your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or whether you are using a restricted indirect cost rate that complies with 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2). Note: State or Local government agencies may not use the provision for a restricted indirect cost rate specified in 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2). Check only one response. Leave blank, if this item is not applicable.

Section B - Budget Summary

Non-Federal Funds

If you are required to provide or volunteer to provide matching funds or other non-Federal resources to the project, these should be shown for each applicable budget category on lines 1‑11 of Section B.

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e): For each project year, for which matching funds or other contributions are provided, show the total contribution for each applicable budget category.

Lines 1-11, column (f): Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If non-Federal contributions are provided for only one year, leave this column blank.

Line 12, columns (a)-(e): Show the total matching or other contribution for each project year.

Line 12, column (f): Show the total amount to be contributed for all years of the multi-year project. If non-Federal contributions are provided for only one year, leave this space blank.

Section C - Budget Narrative [Attach separate sheet(s)]

Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions,
if attached.

Provide an itemized budget breakdown, and justification by project year, for each budget category listed in Sections A and B. For grant projects that will be divided into two or more separately budgeted major activities or sub-projects, show for each budget category of a project year the breakdown of the specific expenses attributable to each sub-project or activity.
If applicable to this program, provide the rate and base on which fringe benefits are calculated.
If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, this information is to be completed by your Business Office. Specify the estimated amount of the base to which the indirect cost rate is applied and the total indirect expense. Depending on the grant program to which you are applying and/or your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, some direct cost budget categories in your grant application budget may not be included in the base and multiplied by your indirect cost rate. For example, you must multiply the indirect cost rates of “Training grants" (34 CFR 75.562) and grants under programs with “Supplement not Supplant” requirements ("Restricted Rate" programs) by a “modified total direct cost” (MTDC) base (34 CFR 75.563 or 76.563). Please indicate which costs are included and which costs are excluded from the base to which the indirect cost rate is applied.

When calculating indirect costs (line 10) for "Training grants" or grants under "Restricted Rate" programs, you must refer to the information and examples on ED’s website at: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

You may also contact (202) 377-3838 for additional information regarding calculating indirect cost rates or general indirect cost rate information.

Provide other explanations or comments you deem necessary.

Approved by OMB

348-0046

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Complete this form to disclose lobbying activities pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1352

(See reverse for public burden disclosure)

Type of Federal Action:

a. contract

____ b. grant

c. cooperative agreement

d. loan

e. loan guarantee

f. loan insurance

Status of Federal Action:

a. bid/offer/application

_____ b. initial award

c. post-award

Report Type:

a. initial filing

_____ b. material change

For material change only:

Year _______ quarter _______

Date of last report___________

Name and Address of Reporting Entity:

____ Prime _____ Subawardee

Tier______, if Known:

Congressional District, if known:

If Reporting Entity in No. 4 is Subawardee, Enter Name andAddress of Prime:

Congressional District, if known:

Federal Department/Agency:

7. Federal Program Name/Description:

CFDA Number, if applicable: __________________

Federal Action Number, if known:

9. Award Amount, if known:

10. a. Name and Address of Lobbying Registrant

(if individual, last name, first name, MI):

b. Individuals Performing Services (including address if different from No. 10a)

(last name, first name, MI):

11. Information requested through this form is authorized by title 31 U.S.C. section 1352. This disclosure of lobbying activities is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed by the tier above when this transaction was made or entered into. This disclosure is required pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1352. This information will be reported to the Congress semi-annually and will be available for public inspection. Any person who fails to file the required disclosure shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

Signature: __________________________________

Print Name: _____

Title: _____

Telephone No.: ____________ Date: _______

Federal Use Only

Authorized for Local Reproduction

Standard Form - LLL (Rev. 7-97)

Instructions for Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF SF-LLL, DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

This disclosure form shall be completed by the reporting entity, whether subawardee or prime Federal recipient, at the initiation or receipt of a covered Federal action, or a material change to a previous filing, pursuant to title 31 U.S.C. section 1352. The filing of a form is required for each payment or agreement to make payment to any lobbying entity for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with a covered Federal action. Complete all items that apply for both the initial filing and material change report. Refer to the implementing guidance published by the Office of Management and Budget for additional information.

1. Identify the type of covered Federal action for which lobbying activity is and/or has been secured to influence the outcome of a covered Federal action.

2. Identify the status of the covered Federal action.

3. Identify the appropriate classification of this report. If this is a followup report caused by a material change to the information previously reported, enter the year and quarter in which the change occurred. Enter the date of the last previously submitted report by this reporting entity for this covered Federal action.

4. Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the reporting entity. Include Congressional District, if known. Check the appropriate classification of the reporting entity that designates if it is, or expects to be, a prime or subaward recipient. Identify the tier of the subawardee, e.g., the first sub awardee of the prime is the 1st tier. Sub awards include but are not limited to subcontracts, sub grants and contract awards under grants.

5. If the organization filing the report in item 4 checks “Subawardee,” then enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the prime Federal recipient. Include Congressional District, if known.

6. Enter the name of the federal agency making the award or loan commitment. Include at least one organizational level below agency name, if known. For example, Department of Transportation, United States Coast Guard.

7. Enter the Federal program name or description for the covered Federal action (item 1). If known, enter the full Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for grants, cooperative agreements, loans, and loan commitments.

8. Enter the most appropriate Federal identifying number available for the Federal action identified in item 1 (e.g., Request for Proposal (RFP) number; Invitations for Bid (IFB) number; grant announcement number; the contract, grant, or loan award number; the application/proposal control number assigned by the Federal agency). Included prefixes, e.g., “RFP-DE-90-001.”

9. For a covered Federal action where there has been an award or loan commitment by the Federal agency, enter the Federal amount of the award/loan commitment for the prime entity identified in item 4 or 5.

10. (a) Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the lobbying registrant under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 engaged by the reporting entity identified in item 4 to influence the covered Federal action.

(b) Enter the full names of the individual(s) performing services, and include full address if different from 10(a). Enter Last Name, First Name, and Middle Initial (MI).

11. The certifying official shall sign and date the form, print his/her name, title, and telephone number.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act, as amended, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control Number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is OMB No. 0348-0046. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0046), Washington, DC 20503

2. Assurances and Certifications

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427

*ALL APPLICANTS MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION IN THEIR APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS THIS PROVISION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FUNDING UNDER THIS PROGRAM.

Section 427 requires each applicant to include in its application a description of the steps the applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, its federally-assisted program for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs.

This provision allows applicants discretion in developing the required description. The statute highlights six barriers that can impede equitable access or participation: gender, race, national origin, color disability, or age. Based on local circumstances, you should determine whether these or other barriers might prevent your teachers, etc. from such access or participation in the federally funded project or activity. The description in your application of steps to be taken to overcome these barriers need not be lengthy; you may provide a clear and succinct description of how you plan to address those barriers that are applicable in your circumstances.

A general statement of an applicant’s nondiscriminatory hiring policy is not sufficient to meet this requirement. Applicants must identify potential barriers and explain steps they will take to overcome these barriers.

First, applicants must identify at least one barrier that would prevent teachers, and other program beneficiaries from participating in grant activities. The statute highlights six types of barriers that can impede access to participation: gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age. However, applicants can take a fairly broad view of what constitutes a barrier and may address a barrier that is not among these six. Nor does the barrier have to be related to an applicant’s own operation or way of conducting business. The barrier could be an attitude or perception held by people that the grant project is intended to serve. For example, an organization could be free of any discriminatory policies but still have trouble getting immigrant parents involved because these parents are reluctant to work with any official group or agency.

Second, applicants must explain what they will do to overcome the barrier.

Here are two examples of identifying a barrier and its solution:

Barrier—Low-income parents cannot participate in grant activities held in the evening at a local school because they lack babysitting and transportation.

Solution—Grant money will be spent to carry out a detailed plan (explained within the applicant’s GEPA statement) to help the parents overcome their babysitting and transportation difficulties.

Barrier—Sight impaired students cannot benefit from reading tutors paid for with grant money because the students are unable to use the books available during the tutoring sessions.

Solution—Grant money will pay for materials in Braille.

Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

OMB No. 1890-0014 Exp. 02/28/09

Purpose: The Federal government is committed to ensuring that all qualified applicants, small or large, non-religious or faith-based, have an equal opportunity to compete for Federal funding. In order for us to better understand the population of applicants for Federal funds, we are asking nonprofit private organizations (not including private universities) to fill out this survey.

Upon receipt, the survey will be separated from the application. Information provided on the survey will not be considered in any way in making funding decisions and will not be included in the Federal grants database. While your help in this data collection process is greatly appreciated, completion of this survey is voluntary.

Instructions for Submitting the Survey: If you are applying using a hard copy application, please place the completed survey in an envelope labeled “Applicant Survey.” Seal the envelope and include it along with your application package. If you are applying electronically, please submit this survey along with your application.

Applicant’s (Organization) Name: ____________________________________________________________

Applicant’s DUNS Number: _________________________________________________________________

Federal Program: ________________________________________________CFDA Number: ___________

1. Has the applicant ever received a grant or contract from the Federal government?

Yes No

2. Is the applicant a faith-based organization?

Yes No

3. Is the applicant a secular organization?

Yes No

4. Does the applicant have 501(c)(3) status?

Yes No

5. Is the applicant a local affiliate of a national
organization?

Yes No

6. How many full-time equivalent employees does the applicant have? (Check only one box).

3 or Fewer 15-50

4 -5 51-100

6-14 over 100

7. What is the size of the applicant’s annual budget? (Check only one box.)

Less Than $150,000

$150,000 - $299,999

$300,000 - $499,999

$500,000 - $999,999

$1,000,000 - $4,999,999

$5,000,000 or more

Survey Instructions for Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

Provide the applicant’s (organization) name and DUNS number and the grant name and CFDA number.

Self-explanatory.

Self-identify.

Self-identify.

4. 501(c)(3) status is a legal designation provided on application to the Internal Revenue Service by eligible organizations. Some grant programs may require nonprofit applicants to have 501(c)(3) status. Other grant programs do not.

5. Self-explanatory.

6. For example, two part-time employees who each work half-time equal one full-time equivalent employee. If the applicant is a local affiliate of a national organization, the responses to survey questions 2 and 3 should reflect the staff and budget size of the local affiliate.

7. Annual budget means the amount of money your organization spends each year on all of its activities.

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a

collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1890-0014. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average five (5) minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: The Agency Contact listed in this grant application package.

OMB No. 1890-0014 Exp. 02/28/09

Standard Form 424B (Rev. 7-97)

OMB Approval No. 0348-0040

Assurances – Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0040), Washington, DC 20503

PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. SEND IT TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED BY THE SPONSORING AGENCY.

Note: Certain of these assurances may not be applicable to your project or program. If you have questions, please contact the awarding agency. Further, certain Federal awarding agencies may require applicants to certify to additional assurances. If such is the case, you will be notified.

As the duly authorized representative of the applicant I certify that the applicant:

1. Has the legal authority to apply for Federal assistance, and the institutional, managerial and financial capability (including funds sufficient to pay the non-Federal share of project cost) to ensure proper planning, management, and completion of the project described in this application.

2. Will give the awarding agency, the Comptroller General of the United States, and if appropriate, the State, through any authorized representative, access to and the right to examine all records, books, papers, or documents related to the award; and will establish a proper accounting system in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards or agency directives.

3. Will establish safeguards to prohibit employees from using their positions for a purpose that constitutes or presents the appearance of personal or organizational conflict of interest, or personal gain.

4. Will initiate and complete the work within the applicable time frame after receipt of approval of the awarding agency.

5. Will comply with the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4728-4763) relating to prescribed standards for merit systems for programs funded under one of the 19 statutes or regulations specified in Appendix A of OPM's Standards for a Merit System of Personnel Administration (5 C.F.R. 900, Subpart F).

6. Will comply with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination. These include but are not limited to: (a) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (P.L. 88-352) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin; (b) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683, and 1685-1686), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex; (c) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicaps; (d)

the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C.  6101-6107), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of

age; (e) the Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-255), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of drug abuse; (f) the Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-616), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism; (g)  523 and 527 of the Public Health Service Act of 1912 (42 U.S.C.  290 dd-3 and 290 ee 3), as amended, relating to confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records; (h) Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C.  3601 et seq.), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination in the sale, rental or financing of housing; (i) any other nondiscrimination provisions in the specific statute(s) under which application for Federal assistance is being made; and (j) the requirements of any other nondiscrimination statute(s) which may apply to the application.

7. Will comply, or has already complied, with the requirements of Titles II and III of the uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-646) which provide for fair and equitable treatment of persons displaced or whose property is acquired as a result of Federal or federally assisted programs. These requirements apply to all interests in real property acquired for project purposes regardless of Federal participation in purchases.

8. Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. 1501-1508 and 7324-7328) which limit the political activities of employees whose principal employment activities are funded in whole or in part with Federal funds.

9. Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 276a to 276a-7), the Copeland Act (40 U.S.C. 276c and 18 U.S.C. 874) and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C.  327-333), regarding labor standards for federally assisted construction subagreements.

10. Will comply, if applicable, with flood insurance purchase requirements of Section 102(a) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-234) which requires recipients in a special flood hazard area to participate in the program and to purchase flood insurance if the total cost of insurable construction and acquisition is $10,000 or more.

11. Will comply with environmental standards which may be prescribed pursuant to the following: (a) institution of environmental quality control measures under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190) and Executive Order (EO) 11514; (b) notification of violating facilities pursuant to EO 11738; (c) protection of wetlands pursuant to EO 11990; (d) evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in accordance with EO 11988; (e) assurance of project consistency with the approved State management program developed under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.); (f) conformity of Federal actions to State (Clear Air) Implementation Plans under Section 176(c) of the Clear Air Act of 1955, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.); (g) protection of underground sources of drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended, (P.L. 93-523); and (h) protection of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, (P.L. 93-205).

12 Will comply with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (16 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.) related to protecting components or potential components of the national wild and scenic rivers system.

13. Will assist the awarding agency in assuring compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470), EO 11593 (identification and protection of historic properties), and the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 469a-1 et seq.).

14. Will comply with P.L. 93-348 regarding the protection of human subjects involved in research, development, and related activities supported by this award of assistance.

15. Will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966 (P.L. 89-544, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) pertaining to the care, handling, and treatment of warm blooded animals held for research, teaching, or other activities supported by this award of assistance.

16. Will comply with the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.) which prohibits the use of lead- based paint in construction or rehabilitation of residence structures.

17. Will cause to be performed the required financial and compliance audits in accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 and OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.

18. Will comply with all applicable requirements of all other Federal laws, executive orders, regulations and policies governing this program

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICIAL

TITLE

APPLICANT ORGANIZATION

DATE SUBMITTED

Standard Form 424B (Rev. 7-97) Back

Certification Regarding Lobbying (ED 80-0013)

Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans and Cooperative Agreements.

The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:

(1) No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal Loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan or cooperative agreement.

(2) If any funds other Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loam or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form – LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” in accordance with its instructions.

(3) The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly. This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

Statement for Loan Guarantees and Loan Insurance.

The undersigned states, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:

If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee or any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” in accordance with its instructions. Submission of this statement is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required statement shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

Applicant’s Organization

Printed Name of Authorized Representative Printed Title of Authorized Representative

Signature Date

ED 80-0013 08/05

3. i3 Program Forms

Eligible Applicant: ________________________

To be eligible for an award under the Investing in Innovation Fund, eligible applicants must meet all the requirements listed below.

To ensure the fulfillment of all these requirements, eligible applicants must the complete the form below. Check the corresponding box on the left side of the chart to indicate that you have met the requirement. Also, please provide the page number(s) where the specific component can be found in the application to support your eligibility.

Checklist for Local Education Agency (LEA) Applicants*
Program Requirement
(pg.)_____	Providing Innovations that Improve Achievement for High-Need Students: All eligible applicants must implement practices, strategies, or programs for high-need students (as defined in the notice of final priorities).
Eligibility Requirements
(pg.)_____ (pg.)_____	(1)(A) The eligible applicant has significantly closed the achievement gaps between groups of students described in section 1111(b)(2) of the ESEA (economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, students with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities); OR (1)(B) The eligible applicant has demonstrated success in significantly increasing student academic achievement for all groups of students described in such section;
(pg.)_____	(2) The eligible applicant has made significant improvements in other areas, such as graduation rates or increased recruitment and placement of high-quality teachers and principals, as demonstrated with meaningful data;
(pg.)_____	(3) The eligible applicant has demonstrated that it has established one or more partnerships with the private sector, which may include philanthropic organizations, and that the private sector will provide matching funds or in-kind contributions in order to help bring results to scale. (Evidence of the match will not need to be provided until after the peer review process is completed.)
Evidence Requirement
(pg.)_____	I understand that to be an eligible for an i3 award, an application for a Scale-up grant must be supported by strong evidence; an application for a Validation grant must be supported by moderate evidence ; an application for a Development grant must be supported by reasonable hypothesis. For further information on evidence requirements, see Table 1 in the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA).

*For Charter schools applying as a LEA, please provide appropriate evidence to document legal status in Appendix B.

Eligible Applicant: ________________________

To be eligible for an award under the Investing in Innovation Fund, eligible applicants must meet all the requirements listed below.

Checklist for Partnership Applicants*
	*A partnership applicant is an applicant that is a partnership between a nonprofit organization and (1) one or more LEAs or (2) a consortium of schools. The nonprofit organization in the partnership must meet the definition of “nonprofit organization” used in this program--i.e., the organization is an entity that meets the definition of “nonprofit” under 34 CFR 77.1(c), or an institution of higher education as defined by section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
Program Requirement
(pg.)____	Providing Innovations that Improve Achievement for High-Need Students: All eligible applicants must implement practices, strategies, or programs for high-need students (as defined in the Notice of final priorities).
Eligibility Requirements
(pg.)_____	(1) The Nonprofit organization has a record of significantly improving student achievement, attainment, or retention through the assistance it has provided to an LEA or schools.
(pg.)_____	(2)The eligible applicant has demonstrated that the private sector will provide matching funds or in-kind contributions in order to help bring results to scale. ( Evidence of the match will not need to be provided until after the peer review process is completed.)
(pg.)_____	(3) The eligible applicant has described in its application the demographics and other characteristics of any additional LEAs or schools with which it intends to partner and the process it will use to select them as partners. (Eligible applicants must identify its specific partners before a grant award will be made.)
Evidence Requirement
(pg.)_____	I understand that to be an eligible for an i3 award, an application for a Scale-up grant must be supported by strong evidence; an application for a Validation grant must be supported by moderate evidence ; an application for a Development grant must be supported by reasonable hypothesis. For further information on evidence requirements, see Table 1 in the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA).

*For Nonprofit organizations applying in partnership, please provide appropriate evidence to document legal status in Appendix B.

Office of Innovation and Improvement

i3 Applicant Information Sheet

FY 2010

Instructions: Eligible applicants must complete and submit this information sheet with each application submitted. Completing this sheet will assist ED staff in assessing the needs of the i3 competition and provide staff with a better sense of the applicant pool.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who is the Eligible Applicant? LEA Nonprofit w/ LEA Nonprofit w/ consortium of schools

Are you the lead applicant on this grant? Yes No

Have you applied for more than one i3 grant? Yes No

Project Title: _________________________

Actual Project Location: ________________________ City __________State

________________________ City ___________State

Type of Grant Requested: Scale-up Validation Development

Length of Requested Grant Award: 3 years 4 years 5 years

Select the ONE Absolute Priority that you are addressing in your application.

Absolute Priority 1: Innovations that Support Effective Teachers and Principals.

Absolute Priority 2: Innovations that Improve the Use of Data.

Absolute Priority 3: Innovations that Complement the Implementation of High Standards and High-Quality Assessments.

Absolute Priority 4: Innovations that Turn Around Persistently Low-Performing Schools.

Select ALL Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP) that you are addressing in your application.

CPPs are optional and you may address one or more.

CPP 5: Innovations for Improving Early Learning Outcomes.

CPP 6: Innovations that Support College Access and Success.

CPP 7: Innovations to address the Unique Learning Needs of Students with Disabilities and Limited English Proficient Students.

CPP 8: Innovations that Serve Schools in Rural LEAs.

Project Description:

In 1000 characters, please provide a brief description of the project you wish to propose.

Project Partners:

Please list all organizations partnering with this project and the amount of Federal funds

requested for each as part of your overall budget.

Partner Name

Budget Amount

$_________________

Partner Type

Official Other

Private Sector Matching Requirement

Have you secured the 20% private sector match? YES NO

If YES, list the organization(s) that are providing the matching funds.

Are you requesting a waiver for the 20% private sector match? YES NO

If, YES, please attach the necessary justification under the Appendix Narrative Attachments at the time of submission.

Open Innovation Web Portal

The Open Innovation Web portal is an online tool that provides an opportunity for i3 applicants to further develop their ideas, identify potential partners, and secure matching funds. Applicants to the i3 Fund will not receive additional points or gain any formal advantage over those applicants who do not post their ideas and related information on the portal. The portal is operated in partnership with an outside organization. If you are interested in learning more about the Open Innovation Web Portal, please visit innovation.ed.gov.

Would you like your information to be transferred to the Open Innovation Web Portal? YES NO

Submitting Your Application

Investing in Innovation Fund (i3)

FY 2010 Optional Application Checklist

Applicants may use this checklist once they have completed their i3 application. The checklist contains all mandatory parts of the application.

Part A: Application Narrative

 ED Abstract Narrative

 Project Narrative

 Budget Narrative

 Appendix

Part B: Required Forms

ED Standard Forms

 Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

 Department of Education Supplemental Information Form for the SF 424

 Department of Education Budget Summary Form (ED 524) Sections A & B

 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Assurances and Certifications

 GEPA Section 427

 Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

 Assurances – Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B)

 Certification Regarding Lobbying Form

i3 Program Forms

 Checklist for Local Education Agency (LEA) Applicants

 Checklist for Partnership Applicants

 i3 Applicant Information Sheet

Submission Procedures

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ

U.S. Department of Education

e-Application Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

http://e-grants.ed.gov

To facilitate your use of e-Application, this document includes important application preparation and submission procedures you need to be aware of to ensure your application is received in a timely manner and accepted by the Department of Education. Please read and follow these step-by-step instructions to create and submit your application.

ATTENTION

Applicants using the Department of Education's e-Application system will need to register first to access an application package. Forms in an application package are completed on line and narratives are uploaded while logged into the system. Therefore, allow sufficient time to complete your application before the closing date. If you have not used e-Application in the past, you may want to review the Demo available on the e-Application homepage. If you encounter difficulties, you may also contact the e-Grants helpdesk at 1-888-336-8930. The following are the necessary steps to successfully complete an application with e-Application.

Step 1 – Determine if your program is accepting electronic applications. The Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) grant program will be accepting electronic applications. The Federal Register Notice of each program will indicate whether the program is accepting e-Applications as part of the Department's e-Application program. Here is a link to the Department's Federal Register notices: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister/announce/index.html. Additional information on the Department's of Education's grant programs can be found at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/grants/grants.html.

Step 2 – Register in e-Application to access the application package. If you are a new user, you will need to register to use e-Application. From the e-Grants Portal Page http://e-grants.ed.gov/, click on the continue button and click the register button on the right side of the next page. Select the e-Application module and click the next button. Please provide the requested information. Your e-Grants password will be sent to the e-mail address you provide. Once you receive the e-mail, enter your username and password and click the login button.

If you already have a username and password for e-Grants, use them to login. If you have access to more than one e-Grants module, then you will be directed to select which module you wish to enter. Keep in mind that this username and password will be used for all e-Grants modules. In order to update your registration for additional e-Grants modules, click the appropriate tab on the top of the screen and provide the requested information.

Note the following browser compatibility problems. The site is viewed best in Internet Explorer 5. We currently support IE 5, Netscape 6.2, Firefox 2.2 (along with later versions of IE, Netscape and Firefox ). Please make sure that you have Cookies and JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Step 3 - Add Application Package to your Start Page. From your Start Page, click on the "Add" button to see the list of application packages. Click on a specific package link on the List of Application Packages to apply. The package will now appear on your Start Page. From this point forward, you will access your unique application from your Start Page (not the Packages Page).

Step 4 - Begin the Application. Click on the underlined Application Package Title on your Start Page. This brings you to a page where you will see all of the application's forms and narratives listed as underlined links.

Step 5 - Fill out Forms. Enter a form by clicking on the underlined form title in order to enter data. Remember to click the "Save" button at the bottom of the form and check the "Form Completed" box for each form as you complete it.

Step 6 - Upload File(s) for Narrative Responses. Click on an underlined narrative form title for the e-Application. Enter the title of the document, and click on the "Browse" button to locate your file. Remember to click the "Save" button after you upload the document and check the "Form Completed" box when you finish uploading your file(s). Please note that for file uploads, we accept .doc, .rtf, and .pdf files only. If you are using Word 2007, please save your document in a lower version of Word before uploading into e-Application.

Step 7 - Verify Information/Print Application. Verify your information is complete and correct on all required forms and narratives. You have the option to print each form at any time by clicking on the print/view icon next to the appropriate form. After submission of the forms and narratives, you have the option to print a complete e-Application package in PDF by clicking on the “Request Complete Package in PDF” button on the e-Application PR/Award page. A second window will open informing you that your request has been received and that you will be notified via email once it is available. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Once you receive the email, click on the link in the text of the message and enter your username and password in the new window. This will open the PDF file from which you can view/print the entire package. In addition, a blank complete package in PDF will be accessible from the package page in e-Application.

Step 8 - Submit your Application. Only authorized individuals for your organization can submit an application. Please check with your certifying official or sponsored research office before submission. Click on the "Ready to submit" button at the bottom of your application. Enter and verify the Authorizing Representative information. Click the "Submit" button. You will receive an e-mail to confirm that your application was received, and it will include a unique application number. Please print and keep this e-mail for your records. [Reminder: applications must be submitted before 4:30:00 pm, Washington, D.C. time, on the deadline date for applications. e-Application will not accept your application if you try to submit it after 4:30:00 on the deadline date.]

Step 9 - Fax the signed SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page). Write your unique application number (received in step 8) on the upper right corner of your printed SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page), and fax it to the Application Control Center (202) 245-6272 within 3 business days of submitting your e-Application.

NOTE: For more detailed information on submitting an e-Application, please see the User Guide. In addition, please try practicing with our e-Application Demo site by clicking on the Demo button found on the upper left corner of the e-Application Home Page. Both the User Guide and Demo can be found at http://e-grants.ed.gov.

Other Submission Tips

SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. The time it takes to upload the narratives for your application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the files and the speed of your Internet connection. If you try to submit your application after 4:30:00 on the deadline date, the e-Application system will not accept it.

2) If electronic submission is optional (electronic submission is NOT optional for the Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) grant program) and you have problems that you are unable to resolve before the deadline date and time for electronic applications, please follow the transmittal instructions for hard copy applications in the Federal Register notice and get a hard copy application postmarked by midnight on the deadline date.

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 4:30:00 p.m., unless you follow the procedures in the Federal Register notice and 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. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

3) Dial-Up Internet Connections -

When using a dial up connection to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g. cable modem/DSL/T1. While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours to complete your grant submission using a dial up connection. If you do not have access to a high-speed connection and electronic submission is required, you may want to consider following the instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application:

Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the Federal Register application notice (.doc, .pdf or .rtf). If using Word 2007, save your file to a lower version of Word before uploading. Also, do not upload any password protected files to your application.

When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend you keep your file names to less than 50 characters. In addition, applicants should avoid including special characters in their file names (for example, %, *, /, etc.) Both of these conditions (lengthy file names and/or special characters including in the file names) could result in difficulties opening and processing a submitted application.

Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. Please note that each file attachment in e-Application has a file size limitation which is anywhere from 2 to 8 MB and the limitation will be indicated on the individual screen when you upload a file. For reference, however, the average discretionary grant application package totals 1 to 2 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the size of your attachments before uploading them into e-Application.

DUNS Number Instructions

All applicants must have a D-U-N-S number in order to apply for federal funds.

NOTE: Check with your fiscal office to see if your institution has an assigned D-U-N-S before contacting Dun & Bradstreet.

Please provide the applicant's D‑U‑N‑S Number. You can obtain your D‑U‑N‑S Number at no charge by calling 1‑800‑333‑0505 or by completing a D‑U‑N‑S Number Request Form. The form can be obtained via the Internet at the following URL:

http://www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/index.html

The D‑U‑N‑S Number is a unique nine‑digit number that 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. It lets computer systems determine if a D‑U‑N‑S Number has been entered correctly.

Dun & Bradstreet, a global information services provider, has assigned D‑U‑N‑S numbers to over 43 million companies worldwide. Live help Monday-Friday 8am-6pm (EST) Dial 1-888-814-1435.

Note: Electronic submission via e-Applications must use the D-U-N-S number your organization used when it registered in the Central Contractor Registry.

Additional Information

Executive Order 12372

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

This program is subject to the requirement of the Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the Executive Order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying on State and local processes for State and local government coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance. Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State’s process under Executive Order 12372.

You may locate the name and contact information of State Single Point of Contact at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is XXXX-XXXX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average120 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection.

If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Ms. Thelma Leenhouts, Investing in Innovation Fund, Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202.

1 For convenience, applicants may automatically jump to pages in document by holding the Ctrl key and clicking on the desired section in table of contents.

2 Consistent with the Race to the Top Fund, the Department interprets the core academic subject of “science” under section 9101(11) to include STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) which encompasses a wide-range of disciplines, including science.

3 Under the final requirements for the School Improvement Grants program, “persistently lowest-achieving schools” means, as determined by the State, (a)(1) any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring that (i) is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring or the lowest-achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools is greater; or (ii) is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years; and (2) any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not receive, Title I funds that (i) is among the lowest-achieving five percent of secondary schools or the lowest-achieving five secondary schools in the State that are eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds, whichever number of schools is greater; or (ii) is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years. See http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/faq.html.

4 A single subject or single case design is an adaptation of an interrupted time series design that relies on the comparison of treatment effects on a single subject or group of single subjects. There is little confidence that findings based on this design would be the same for other members of the population. In some single subject designs, treatment reversal or multiple baseline designs are used to increase internal validity. In a treatment reversal design, after a pretreatment or baseline outcome measurement is compared with a post treatment measure, the treatment would then be stopped for a period of time, a second baseline measure of the outcome would be taken, followed by a second application of the treatment or a different treatment. A multiple baseline design addresses concerns about the effects of normal development, timing of the treatment, and amount of the treatment with treatment-reversal designs by using a varying time schedule for introduction of the treatment and/or treatments of different lengths or intensity.

5 For additional information on the evidence for Scale-up grants, see Table 1 later in this section.

6 For additional information on the evidence for Validation grants, see Table 1 later in this section.

7 For additional information on the evidence for Development grants, see Table 1 later in this section.

File Type	application/msword
Author	mia.howerton
Last Modified By	Authorised User
File Modified	2010-03-05
File Created	2010-03-05

I3 Program

Application for the Investing in Innovation (i3) grants program

Att_i3 Application Package Final3

I3 Program

OMB: 1855-0021

Table of Contents1

The i3 Grant Competition

Introductory Letter

Notice Inviting Applications

Authorizing Legislation

Overview of the Application Process

Application Narrative Instructions

Instructions for ED Abstract Narrative

Instructions for Project Narrative

Instructions for Budget Narrative

Instructions for Appendix

B. Required Forms

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) 1. ED Standard Forms and Instructions

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

Instructions for Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

D efinitions for ED SF-424

PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH

Supplemental Information Required for US Department of ED

Instructions for ED Supplemental SF-424

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-524)

Instructions for ED Budget Summary Form (SF-524)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Instructions for Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

2. Assurances and Certifications

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427

Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

Survey Instructions for Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

Assurances – Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)

Certification Regarding Lobbying (ED 80-0013)

3. i3 Program Forms

Checklist for Local Education Agency (LEA) Applicants*

Eligible Applicant: ________________________

Checklist for Partnership Applicants*

i3 Applicant Information Sheet

Select ALL Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP) that you are addressing in your application.

CPPs are optional and you may address one or more.

Submitting Your Application

FY 2010 Optional Application Checklist

Submission Procedures

DUNS Number Instructions

Additional Information

Executive Order 12372

Paperwork Burden Statement

Table of Contents^¹

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
1. ED Standard Forms and Instructions

D
efinitions for ED SF-424