FY 2020 Application for Grants under the International Research and Studies Program

Thank you for your interest in applying for a fiscal year (FY) 2020 International Research and Studies (IRS) program grant award. This application package includes information about the program as well as the instructions and forms needed to submit a complete application to the U.S. Department of Education.

The IRS program provides grants to institutions, public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals to conduct research and studies to improve and strengthen instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields.

For the FY 2020 competition, applicants may submit an IRS application to request support for either a Research, Studies, and Surveys project or a Specialized Instructional Materials project. Applicants must provide in section 15 of the SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance, a description that clearly identifies the type of IRS project for which funding is requested. Additional submission details are included in the application package.

All applicants to this competition must submit applications electronically using Grants.gov. You may access the electronic grant application at www.Grants.gov (http://www.Grants.gov). You must search for the downloadable application package by the CFDA number. Do not, however, include the CFDA suffix in your search, i.e., search for 84.017, not 84.017A.

Please be advised that the amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your internet connection. Therefore, we recommend that you allow yourself plenty of time to complete your submission. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date-and time-stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements.

We look forward to receiving compelling and innovative projects that are consistent with the allowable activities and would be a worthwhile investment of federal funds to strengthen area studies, modern foreign language teaching and learning, research, and other aspects of international fields.

If you should have any questions or require additional information, do not hesitate to contact me at (202) 453-5690, or via email at cheryl.gibbs@ed.gov.

Sincerely,

/s/

Cheryl E. Gibbs

Senior Director

International and Foreign Language Education

FY 2020 IRS Competition Overview

The estimated amounts for the FY 2020 competition are below.

Estimated available funds: $900,000
Estimated range of awards: $36,000-$60,000 for each 12-month budget period

Estimated average size of awards: $48,000
Estimated number of awards: 18

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

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

For the FY 2020 competition, eligible applicants may submit an International Research and Studies (IRS) application for one of the following project types:

Research, Studies, and Surveys
Specialized Instructional Materials

Applicants must provide in section 15 of the SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance, a description that clearly identifies the type of IRS project for which funding is requested. Additional application submission details are included in the Notice Inviting Applications.

Eligible Applicants: Public and private agencies, organizations, institutions, and individuals.

Budget Periods Covered by the FY 2020-2023 Grant Cycle:

Year 1	FY 2020-21	October 1, 2020 - September 30, 2021
Year 2	FY 2021-22	October 1, 2021 - September 30, 2022
Year 3	FY 2022-23	October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2023

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities.

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional five points to an application that meets one of Competitive Preference Priority 1, Competitive Preference 2, or Competitive Preference Priority 3. An applicant may receive points under only one competitive preference priority.

In the application project abstract, you must indicate the selected competitive preference priority being addressed by the FY 2020 proposed project and provide a substantive description of how the project activities meet the priority.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1. (5 points)

Research on more effective methods of providing instruction and achieving competency in modern foreign languages, area studies, or other international fields.

Competitive Preference Priority 2. (5 points)

Studies and surveys to assess the use of graduates of programs supported under title VI of the HEA by governmental, educational, and private-sector organizations and other studies assessing the outcomes and effectiveness of supported programs.

Competitive Preference Priority 3. (5 points)

Developing and publishing specialized materials for use in foreign language, area studies, and other international fields or for training foreign language, area, and other international specialists.

Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

Grants.gov has relaxed the requirement for applicants to have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) in order to apply for funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. An applicant that does not have an active SAM registration can still register with Grants.gov, but must contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll-free, at 1–800–518–4726, in order to take advantage of this flexibility.

Note: Grants.gov does not allow an applicant to un-submit an application after it has been submitted. If you discover that you need to revise your application after you have submitted it, you must submit another application that is date-and-time stamped by Grants.gov no later than 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application deadline date The replacement application will be submitted to the peer review process.

We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline date in case you discover that you need to submit a replacement application.

Applicants may qualify for an exception to the Grants.gov electronic submission requirement and may submit their applications in paper format, if you meet one of the following exceptions:

You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to Grants.gov

AND

No later than two weeks before the application deadline date you submit a written statement to the Department to notify us that you qualify for one of the exceptions.

Mail or your statement to: Cheryl E. Gibbs, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 257-09, Washington, DC 20202-4260, or email at cheryl.gibbs@ed.gov

The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we recommend that you submit your application several days in advance of the deadline date.
The Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published in the Federal Register constitutes the official competition guidelines. An applicant should not rely upon external information that is inconsistent with the application preparation guidelines and submission instructions presented in the NIA. The FY 2020 IRS NIA is included in this application booklet on pages 25-51.
Grants. gov Customer Support: If you need assistance with the Grants.gov system, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at mailto:support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at:

https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

IRS Program Technical Assistance: If you have questions about the IRS program and application preparation, please contact Cheryl E. Gibbs at (202) 453-5690 or at:

cheryl.gibbs@ed.gov

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 1840-0795. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 200 hours 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. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this individual collection, or if you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual form, application or survey, please contact Cheryl E. Gibbs, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 257-09, Washington, D,C. 20202.

IRS Program Authorization and Regulations

Authorization

Title VI, Part A, sections 601 and 605 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

Applicable Regulations

a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

(b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485.

(c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.

(d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR parts 655 and 660.

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

Purpose of Program

The research and studies may include, but are not limited to—

(a) Studies and surveys to determine needs for increased or improved instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, or other international fields, including the demand for foreign language, area, or other international specialists in government, education, and the private sector;

(b) Research on more effective methods of providing instruction and achieving competency in foreign languages, area studies, or other international fields;

(c) Research on applying performance tests and standards across all areas of foreign language instruction and classroom use;

(d) Developing and publishing specialized materials for use in foreign language, area studies, and other international fields or for training foreign language, area, and other international specialists;

(e) Studies and surveys to assess the use of graduates of programs supported under title VI of the HEA by governmental, educational, and private-sector organizations and other studies assessing the outcomes and effectiveness of supported programs;

(f) Comparative studies of the effectiveness of strategies to provide international capabilities at institutions of higher education;

(g) Evaluation of the extent to which programs assisted under title VI of the HEA that address national needs would not otherwise be offered;

(h) Studies and surveys of the use of technologies in foreign language, area studies, and international studies programs;

(i) Studies and evaluations of effective practices in the dissemination of international information, materials, research, teaching strategies, and testing techniques throughout the educational community, including elementary and secondary schools;

(j) Evaluations of the extent to which programs assisted under title VI of the HEA reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate debate on world regions and international affairs, as described in the grantee’s application;

(k) Systematic collection, analysis, and dissemination of data that contribute to achieving the purposes of title VI, part A of the HEA; and

(l) Support for programs or activities to make data collected, analyzed, or disseminated under 20 U.S.C. 1125 publicly available and easy to understand.

Eligible Applicants

Institutions, public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals.

Selection Criteria used to Evaluate Research, Study, or Survey Projects (34CFR 655.31 and 660.32)

Plan of operation (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of

the plan of operation for the project.

The Secretary looks for information that shows–

(i) High quality in the design of the project;

(ii) An effective plan of management that ensures proper and efficient administration of the project; (iii) A clear description of how the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of the program;

(iv) The way the applicant plans to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; and

(v) A clear description of how the applicant will provide equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented, such as members of racial or ethnic minority groups, women, and handicapped persons.

Quality of key personnel (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information

that shows the quality of the key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project.

The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be used);

(ii) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be used in the project. In the case of faculty, the qualifications of the faculty and the degree to which that faculty is directly involved in the actual teaching and supervision of students;

(iii) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section plans to commit to the project; and

(iv) The extent to which the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented, such as members of racial or ethnic minority groups, women, handicapped persons, and the elderly.

To determine the qualifications of a person, the Secretary considers evidence of past experience and training, in fields related to the objectives of the project, as well as other information that the applicant provides.

Budget and cost effectiveness (up to 5 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information

that shows that the project has an adequate budget and is cost effective.

The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) The budget for the project is adequate to support the project activities; and

(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the

objectives of the project.

(d) Evaluation plan (up to 10 points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the evaluation plan for the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows methods of evaluation that are

appropriate for the project and, to the extent possible, are objective and produce data that

are quantifiable.

(e) Adequacy of resources (up to 5 points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the applicant

plans to devote adequate resources to the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) Other than library, facilities that the applicant plans to use are adequate (language

laboratory, museums, etc.); and

(ii) The equipment and supplies that the applicant plans to use are adequate.

(f) Need for the project (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows—

(1) A need for the proposed project in the field of study on which the project focuses; and

(2) That the proposed project will provide information about the present and future needs of the United States for study in foreign language and other international fields.

(g) Usefulness of expected results (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the extent to which the results of the proposed project are likely to be used by other research projects or programs with similar objectives.

(h) Development of new knowledge (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the extent to which the proposed project is likely to develop new knowledge that will contribute to the purposes of the International Education Program authorized by part A of title VI of the HEA.

(i) Formulation of problems and knowledge of related research (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that problems, questions, or hypotheses to be dealt with by the applicant—

(j) Specificity of statement of procedures (up to 5 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for the specificity and completeness of the statement of procedures to be followed, including a discussion of such components as sampling techniques, controls, data to be gathered, and statistical and other analyses to be undertaken.

Adequacy of methodology and scope of project (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows—

The adequacy of the proposed teaching, testing,

and research methodology; and

The size, scope, and duration of the proposed project.

Competitive Preference Priority (5 points)

Selection Criteria used to Evaluated Specialized Instructional Materials Projects (34 CFR 655.31 and 660.33)

Plan of operation (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the plan of operation for the project.
The Secretary looks for information that shows–

(i) High quality in the design of the project;

(ii) An effective plan of management that ensures proper and efficient administration of the project;

(iii) A clear description of how the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of the program;

(iv) The way the applicant plans to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; and

Quality of key personnel (up to 10 points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be used);

(iii) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section plans to commit to the project; and

To determine the qualifications of a person, the Secretary considers evidence of

past experience and training, in fields related to the objectives of the project, as well as other information that the applicant provides.

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the project has an adequate budget and is cost effective.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) The budget for the project is adequate to support the project activities; and

(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project.

(d) Evaluation plan (up to 10 points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the evaluation plan for the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows methods of evaluation that are appropriate for the project and, to the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable.

(e) Adequacy of resources (up to 5 points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the applicant plans to devote adequate resources to the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for information that shows—

(i) Other than library, facilities that the applicant plans to use are adequate (language laboratory, museums, etc.); and

(ii) The equipment and supplies that the applicant plans to use are adequate.

(f) Need for the project (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that—

The proposed materials are needed in the educational

field of study on which the project focuses; and

The language or languages, the area, region, or country, or the issues or studies for which the materials are to be developed, are of sufficient priority and significance to the national interest to warrant financial support by the Federal Government.

(g) Potential for the use of materials in other programs (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the extent to which the proposed materials may be used elsewhere in the United States.

(h) Account of related materials (up to 5 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that—

All existing related or similar materials have been accounted for and the critical

commentary on their adequacy is appropriate and accurate; and

The proposed materials will not duplicate any existing adequate materials.

(i) Likelihood of achieving results (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that the outlined methods and procedures for preparing the materials are practicable and can be expected to produce the anticipated results.

(j) Expected contribution to other programs (up to 10 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the extent to which the proposed work may contribute significantly to strengthening, expanding, or improving programs of foreign language studies, area studies, or international studies in the United States.

(k) Description of final form of materials (up to 5 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows a high degree of

specificity in the description of the contents and final form of the proposed materials.

(l) Provisions for pretesting and revision (up to 5 points).

The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows that adequate

provision has been made for —

Pretesting the proposed materials; and
If necessary, revising the proposed materials before publication.

Competitive Preference Priority (5 points)

The total maximum score for the selection criteria and the selected competitive preference priority is 100 points for applications for research, studies, and surveys; and the total maximum score for the selection criteria and the selected competitive preference priority is 100 points for specialized instructional materials projects.

EVALUATION PLAN

When developing your response to the “Quality of the Project Evaluation” selection criterion in the Program Narrative, the Department offers these evaluation overview tips for your consideration.

A strong evaluation plan should be included in the application narrative and should be used, as appropriate, to shape the development of the project from the beginning of the grant period. The plan should include benchmarks to monitor progress toward specific project objectives and outcome measures to assess the impact on teaching and learning, post graduate research, area studies, world language training or other important outcomes for project participants.
The plan should identify the individual and/or the organization that have/has agreed to serve as the evaluator for the project and describe the qualifications of that evaluator.
The plan should describe the evaluation design, indicating: (1) what types of data will be collected; (2) when various types of data will be collected; (3) what methods will be used; (4) what instruments will be developed and when; (5) how the data will be analyzed; (6) when reports of results and outcomes will be available; and (7) how the applicant will use the information collected through the evaluation to monitor progress of the funded project and to provide accountability information both about success at the initial site and effective strategies for replication in other settings. Applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate level of resources to project evaluation.

Successful applicants will be expected to include information in the annual performance reports information about the progress of each project or study included in the grant, including a description of preliminary or key findings and an explanation of any changes in goals, objectives, methodology, or planned products or publications.

Supplemental Information

Application Components

SF424 Application for Federal Assistance Cover Page

Supplemental Information for SF 424

Project Abstract: The project abstract introduces the peer reviewers to the project that you are proposing for FYs 2020-2022. It should clearly describe how the IRS proposed activities are consistent with the program purpose. It should also include information about the Competitive Preference Priority that the application addresses, the proposed project methodology, and the project’s anticipated outcomes and impact.

The project abstract is not included in the suggested 30 pages.
The suggested page length for the abstract is one page.
The project abstract may be single-spaced.

Table of Contents: A table of contents is suggested because it helps the reviewers find and reference information more easily during the peer review process. The table of contents is not included in the suggested 30 pages for the Project Narrative.

Project Narrative: The Project Narrative is where you respond to the selection criteria from 34 CFR 655.31, 660.32, and 660.33. The selection criteria are listed on pages 7-12 above and in the Notice Inviting Applications.

Read each selection criterion and the sub-factor(s) carefully so that you can provide meaningful, clear, and relevant information that effectively and efficiently responds to that selection criterion and any sub-factor(s). Please be reminded that the extent to which you provide strong responses to all criteria, the more competitive your application will be.

To better organize the Project Narrative and to facilitate the review of the Program Narrative, we suggest that you use the selection criteria as headings throughout the Project Narrative.

Provide responses to all selection criteria and sub-factors in the Project Narrative.

Although certain selection criteria might seem to be asking for duplicative information, read the criteria carefully to discern the nuances of what is being requested.
Be sure to provide the information where it is requested.
The suggested number of pages for the program narrative is 30 pages; however, applications that slightly exceed the suggested limit will not be disqualified.

Applicants will submit the Program/Project Narrative in Part III Program Narrative Attachment Form in Grants.gov

Project Budget

The budget should show that the proposed costs are reasonable and necessary for conducting an effective, efficient, and high-quality project.

The budget should include allowable and allocable costs.

The budget should be in alignment with the proposed project scale and scope.

The budget narrative should provide sufficient detail to enable the peer reviewers to make an informed judgement about whether the budget represents a sound investment of Federal funds.

Budget Form ED 524 Budget Summary Section A-Non-Construction Programs

Applicants should use ED Form 524 Budget Summary Section A – Non-Construction Programs to present the amounts you are requesting for all three years of the project. DO NOT include ED 524 Budget Summary Section B- Budget Summary Non-Federal Funds in your application. This form is required only for programs that have a legislatively mandated cost-sharing or matching requirement. The IRS program does not require cost-sharing or matching.

Budget Form ED 524 Budget Summary Section C (Budget Narrative)

Use ED 524 Budget Summary Section C to submit the detailed, itemized budget for amounts you are requesting for each year of the 3-year proposed project. Asterisk all costs that are related to the selected Competitive Preference Priority.

Budget Categories

In presenting your detailed budget, use the categories in the ED 524 Budget Section Summary A-Non-Construction Programs.

Personnel. Include the salaries for all personnel who will be assuming key roles in conducting the proposed project. The budget detail narrative that you attach in Part III should provide information to support the requested positions, the level of compensation, and the time in effort being charged to the grant.

Note: Professional services fees for consultants, external evaluators, conference speakers, workshop facilitators, etc., should be included in category 8. Other of the ED 524 form.

Fringe Benefits. Fringe benefits are allowances and services provided by employers to their employees as compensation in addition to regular salaries and wages. Fringe benefits include, but are not limited to, the costs of leave (vacation, family-related, sick or military), employee insurance, pensions, and unemployment benefit plans. The fringe benefits costs are allowable, provided the costs are reasonable and required by law, the non-Federal entity-employee agreement, or an established policy of the non-Federal entity.

Indicate the dollar amount as well as the percentage calculation for the fringe benefits.

Travel. Include the travel costs for the center-related personnel and scholars in this category. The travel costs for other project participants should be included in category 8. Other.

The definition for travel costs from 34 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Federal Awards is provided below.

§200.474 Travel costs. (a) General. Travel costs are the expenses for transportation, lodging, subsistence, and related items incurred by employees who are in travel status on official business of the non-Federal entity. Such costs may be charged on an actual cost basis, on a per diem or mileage basis in lieu of actual costs incurred, or on a combination of the two, provided the method used is applied to an entire trip and not to selected days of the trip, and results in charges consistent with those normally allowed in like circumstances in the non-Federal entity's non-federally-funded activities and in accordance with non-Federal entity's written travel reimbursement policies (b) Lodging and subsistence. Costs incurred by employees and officers for travel, including costs of lodging, other subsistence, and incidental expenses, must be considered reasonable and otherwise allowable only to the extent such costs do not exceed charges normally allowed by the non-Federal entity in its regular operations as the result of the non-Federal entity's written travel policy. In addition, if these costs are charged directly to the Federal award documentation must justify that: (1) Participation of the individual is necessary to the Federal award; and (2) The costs are reasonable and consistent with non-Federal entity's established travel policy.

4. Equipment. Non-expendable personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. In the itemized budget, explain why the requested equipment is necessary and include the per-unit cost and the total number of units.

Supplies. All tangible personal property with an acquisition cost of less than $5000 per unit. In the budget narrative, provide an itemized list of all requested supplies.

Contractual. Services covered by a legal instrument by which a non-Federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a Federal award.

Construction. Not applicable. Leave blank.

Other. Includes direct costs not covered in lines 1 through 5. Professional services fees for consultants and external evaluator fees, non-employee travel costs, costs for conferences, space rental and printing and publication costs, etc., are allowable and should be included in this category. Participant support costs are also allowable for stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees in connection with conferences, or training projects.

In the budget detail attachment, provide a breakdown of all costs included in “Other”.

Total Direct Costs. The total direct costs requested in lines 1-8.

Indirect Costs. Indirect (Facilities and Administrative (F&A)) costs are the costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefited.

The IRS program is a Title VI discretionary training grant program. EDGAR §75.562(c)(4) limits reimbursement to grantees for the indirect costs they incur under training grants to the grantee’s actual indirect costs as determined by the grantee’s negotiated indirect cost agreement or 8 percent of the modified total direct cost (MTDC), whichever is lower.

Training Stipends. Not applicable. Leave blank.

Note: Funds under the IRS program may not be used for the training of students and teachers. (34 CFR 660.40 “What are the limitations on allowable costs?”

Total Costs. The sum of all line items.

Appendices

Curricula vitae

Letters of support

Project timeline

Information to demonstrate compliance with Section 427 of GEPA

Certification of Eligibility (ED 80-0016) (required for individual applicants only)

NOTE: Use the “Other Attachments Form” in Grants.gov to upload the appendices.

Post-award Performance Reporting Requirements

If you receive a FY 2020 new grant award, you will be required to submit annual performance reports during the three-year project period into the IFLE International Resource Information System (IRIS). This online system collects progress narratives, data, and budget information from grantees to enable program officers to assess whether the grantee is making substantial progress toward meeting the approved project objectives. At the end of the project period, grantees will submit both a final performance report and a financial status report (SF 425).

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); or we may send you an email containing a link to access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, also.

If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you.

**Updated 02/2019***

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

U.S. Department of Education

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

To facilitate your use of Grants.gov, this document includes important 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.

Browser Support

The latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari are supported for use with Grants.gov. However, these web browsers undergo frequent changes and updates, so we recommend you have the latest version when using Grants.gov. Legacy versions of these web browsers may be functional, but you may experience issues.

For additional information or updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser information in the Applicant FAQs:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#browser

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

a. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

b. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

c. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Helpful Reminders

REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.sam.gov) which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take upwards of several weeks to complete, depending upon the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the Registration steps are complete. Please note that once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov, and before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html [Note: Your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.]

Primary information about SAM is available at www.sam.gov. However, to further assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account the Department of Education has prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html

SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

Note: To submit successfully, you must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This DUNS number is typically the same number used when your organization registered with the SAM. If you do not enter the same DUNS number on your application as the DUNS you registered with, Grants.gov will reject your application.

VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once the Department of Education receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html. If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: mailto:support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, 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. If electronic submission is optional 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. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs found at this Grants.gov link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace.

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:

When you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in either Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word. Although applicants have the option of uploading any narrative sections and all other attachments to their application in either PDF or Microsoft Word, we recommend applicants submit all documents as read-only flattened PDFs, meaning any fillable PDF files must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files and not as interactive or fillable PDF files, to better ensure applications are processed in a more timely, accurate, and efficient manner.

Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. Therefore, each file uploaded to your application package should have a unique file name.

When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters, and, in general, applicants should not use any special characters. However, Grants.gov does allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

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. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments is less than 5 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.

Grants.gov Registration Instructions for Individuals

An individual submits grant applications on his/her own behalf, not representing an organization, institution or government. Individual applicants are only eligible for grants that are open to individuals and that have already been published on the Grants.gov website. Individuals do not need a DUNS Number to register to submit applications. The system will generate a default value in that field.

Note: In order to register as an individual, you will need to obtain the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for the grant program. Please note that if you register as an individual, you will only be able to apply to grant opportunities that are open to individuals. An individual cannot submit a grant application to a grant opportunity that is only open to organizations.

Register with Grants.gov

Go to http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
Select the Register with Grants.gov button on the main screen.
This will take you to the Register with Grants.gov screen where you will need to enter the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) of an individual opportunity and then select Register.
Once you enter a valid Funding Opportunity Number (FON) you will need to complete a profile. When entering an email address, please keep in mind that all correspondence with Grants.gov will be sent to that email address. For the Secret Question/Answer fields, enter a question only you would be able to answer and will be able to remember in the future. The password you choose must contain at least eight (8) characters including: at least one (1) uppercase letter (A-Z); at least one (1) lowercase letter (a-z); and at least one (1) number (0-9). When you have completed the form select the Continue button.
On the next page you will need to validate your information. If you need to change your information select the Edit button; if your information is correct as entered, select the Submit button.
You should see a message at the top of the screen that reads, “You are successfully registered.” To continue to the Applicant login page, select the Continue button on the bottom of the page. If you do not receive the successful message, another message will appear that describes the registration error. Correct the error, if possible, or contact the Contact Center for further assistance.
When the error is corrected, you will receive an email notification that you are able to apply for the funding opportunity number as an Individual.

Electronic Submission Waiver Requirements

Applicants may qualify for an exception to the Grants.gov electronic submission requirement and may submit their applications in paper format, if you meet one of the following exceptions:

You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to Grants.gov

AND

No later than two weeks before the application deadline date you submit a written statement to the Department to notify us that you qualify for one of the exceptions.

Mail or your statement to: Cheryl E. Gibbs, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 257-09, Washington, DC 20202-4260, or email at cheryl.gibbs@ed.gov

Application Transmittal Instructions

Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice:

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 date TBD, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.017A)
LBJ Basement Level 1
400 Maryland Avenue, SW.
Washington, DC 20202-4260

You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark
A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service
A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.
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:

A private metered postmark
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.

Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies of your application, by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.017A)
550 12^th Street, SW
Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza
Washington, DC 20202-4260

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30p.m., Washington, D.C. 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—

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
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.

Fiscal Year 2020 Federal Register Notice

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; International Research and Studies Program--Research, Studies, and Surveys; and

Specialized Instructional Materials

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2020 for the International Research and Studies (IRS) program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.017A. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1840-0795.

DATES:

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

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 70 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Pre-Application Webinar Information: The Department will hold a pre-application meeting via webinar for prospective applicants. Detailed information regarding the webinar will be provided on the website for the IRS program at www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsirs/index.html.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg.FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl E. Gibbs, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 257-09, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-5690. Email: cheryl.gibbs@ed.gov.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The IRS program provides grants to institutions, public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals to conduct research and studies to improve and strengthen instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields.