State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program (1894-0006)

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

washington, d.c. 20202

FY 2025

APPLICATION FOR NEW GRANTS UNDER THE EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY THROUGH QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM -- STATE CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES INCENTIVE GRANTS PROGRAM

ALN Number: 84.282D

FORM APPROVED

Approved OMB No. 1894-0006 Expiration Date: 1/31/2027

DATE MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: TBD

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995 3

DEAR APPLICANT LETTER 4

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS 5

Getting Started 5

Completing and Submitting Your Application 5

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications 6

Electronic Notification Option for Grant Awards 7

Addressing Your Questions 7

THE STATE CHARTER SCHOOL FACILTIES INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM COMPETITION 8

Applications Available 8

Pre-Application Webinar Information 8

Intent to Apply 8

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications 8

Award Information 8

State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grant Program Authorizing Legislation 8

State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grant Program Regulations 9

Program Purpose 9

Application Requirements 9

Eligibility Information 9

Intergovernmental Review 11

Funding Restrictions 11

Open Licensing Requirements 12

Reporting 12

Performance and Project-specific Measures 12

Application Competitive Preference Priority and Selection Criteria 13

APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCEDURES 16

GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND TIPS FOR APPLICANTS 17

IMPORTANT TIPS & REMINDERS 23

Tips for Submitting the SF 424 Forms 23

Tips for Submitting the Narratives and Appendices 23

ED Abstract Narrative Form Instructions 23

Project Narrative Form Instructions 24

Budget Narrative Form Instructions 24

Other Attachments Form Instructions 25

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements 25

APPLICATION PACKAGE CHECKLIST 27

APPENDIX I: EXECUTIVE ORDER 12372 – INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS 28

APPENDIX II: TEMPLATES TO INCLUDE WITH APPLICATION 29

Table 1 – Charter School Aid Paid by State 29

Table 2 – Budget Form: Grant Funds Expenditures 30

Instructions for Table 2 – Budget Form: Grant Funds Expenditures 31

Table 3 – Grant Funds as a Percentage of the Cost of Per-Pupil Facilities Aid 32

Program-Specific Assurance 33

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995

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: 1894-0006. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data resources, 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 Charter Schools Programs, U.S. Department of Education, OESE, 400 Maryland Ave SW Washington, DC 20202-5970, or email charter.facilities@ed.gov. Please do not return completed applications to this address.

Dear Applicant:

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Thank you for your interest in the Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program-- State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants (SFIG) Program, administrated by the Charter Schools Program (CSP) in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. The SFIG Program, authorized under Title IV, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), (20 U.S.C. 7221(c)), provides grants to help States establish or enhance and administer “per-pupil facilities aid” for charter schools.

This application package includes vital instructions and guidance that govern the submission of applications. These instructions must be followed in order to apply for a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or if the application does not contain the information required under the program (34 CFR§75.216 (b) and (c)).

Applications for this competition must be submitted via Grants.gov. We encourage that early in the process of compiling an application for submission you familiarize yourself with Grants.gov and register or identify who has access to your entity’s registration within your entity. Also, it is highly recommended that you do not wait until the last day of the competition to submit your application. The deadline for submitting applications is TBD; late applications will not be accepted.

Please visit the SFIG program website at for further information. The program website includes the date of the pre-application webinar as well as other helpful information. If you have any technical questions about the program after reviewing this application package, please contact Clifton Jones by telephone at (202) 205-2204 or via e-mail at charter.facilities@ed.gov. For questions or problems concerning the Grants.gov system, please call the Grants.gov helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726.

We look forward to receiving your application and appreciate your efforts in assisting and expanding the number of high-quality charter schools across the nation.

Sincerely,

/s/

Anna Hinton, Ph.D. Director

Charter Schools Program

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS

The following is a brief overview of the application process for the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants (SFIG) Program.

Getting Started

All interested applicants should first thoroughly review this application instructions package and the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for FY 2025 SFIG Program published in the Federal Register. For new potential grantees unfamiliar with grantmaking at the Department, please consult the “Getting Started with Discretionary Grant Applications web page at https://www2.ed.gov/​fund/​grant/​about/​discretionary/​index.html.

The Notice Inviting Applications will orient applicants to the SFIG Program by providing details associated with, but not limited to, the following information:

• Purpose of Program;

• Background;

• Definitions;

• Award Information;

• Eligibility Information;

• Application Submission Instructions;

• Competitive Preference Priority and Selection Criteria

  • Applicants should pay close attention to the selection criteria and competitive preference priority (if applicable) and as applications will be evaluated and scored against these criteria.

• Award Administration Information.

Completing and Submitting Your Application

Applications must be completed and submitted electronically using the Grants.gov system. A complete application consists of the following components:

• Project Abstract – where applicants provide a brief overview of the proposed project including primary goal and key objectives and activities.

• Project Narrative – where applicants respond to application requirements and selection criteria.

• Budget Narrative – where applicants provide the ED-524 along with an itemized breakdown and narratives for project costs in the ED-524.

• Other Attachments and Forms – where applicants provide other required items and supplementary documents, including:

• Enabling Statutes and Other Relevant Legislation (if applicable)

• Table 1 – Charter School Aid Paid by State (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Table 2 – Budget Form: Grant Funds Expenditures (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Table 3 – Grant funds as a Percentage of the Cost of Per-Pupil Facilities Aid (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Program-Specific Assurances Matching Requirement (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Resumes/Curriculum Vitae

• Required Standard Forms, Assurances and Certifications

  • SF 424 Form – Application Form for Federal Assistance;

Note: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form (SF 424). Although this form accepts attachments, the Department of Education will review only materials/files attached to the section labeled “Other Attachments Form.”

• ED Supplemental Form for SF 424;

• ED 524 Form and Instructions – Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs - Sections A & B only;

• SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities;

Note: For those who the SF-LLL does not apply, mark N/A in the appropriate fields.

• General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427;

• SF 424B Form – Assurances, Non-Construction Programs

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form

Electronic copies and instructions for the standard forms can be downloaded at the following address: https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html and can be found in the Grants.gov submission package.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications

All applications must be received on or before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on TBD. 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.

Electronic Notification Option for Grant Awards

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 e-mail containing a link to access G5, the Department’s Grant Management System. The email will be sent to both the project director and certifying representative for them to view and print the Adobe Acrobat version of the electronically signed GAN. If neither the project director nor certifying representative is registered in G5, they will immediately be prompted to register once the link is accessed. The electronic signature and issuance of the GAN makes it crucial that your application include correct email addresses for both the project director and certifying representative.

Addressing Your Questions

The Department provides an avenue for interested applicants to ask questions to clarify their understanding of the SFIG Program competition and process. Applicants should keep in mind that the Department cannot provide guidance on specific applications. The Department cannot provide guidance or recommendations on an applicant’s proposed approach, plan, or response to program requirements, and selection criteria. Interested applicants may send all other questions to charter.facilities@ed.gov.

THE STATE CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES INCENTIVE GRANTS PROGRAM COMPETITION

Applications Available

TBD

Pre-Application Webinar Information

The SFIG Program intends to hold a webinar designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. Detailed information regarding this webinar will be provided on the SFIG Program web page at https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade-12/charter-school-programs/state-charter-school-facilities-incentive-grants.

Intent to Apply

The Department will be able to review grant applications more efficiently if we know the approximate number of applicants that intend to apply. Therefore, we strongly encourage each potential applicant to notify us of their intent to submit an application. To do so, please email charter.facilities@ed.gov with the subject line “Intent to Apply,” and include the applicant’s name, a contact person’s name and email address, and the Assistance Listing Number for the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants (SFIG) Program (84.282D). Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent to apply may still apply for funding.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications

All applications must be received on or before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on TBD. 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.

Award Information

Estimated Available Funds: TBD.

Estimated Range of Awards: TBD to TBD .

Estimated Average Size of Awards: TBD .

Estimated Number of Awards: TBD .

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grant Program Authorizing Legislation

Title IV, Part C Section 4304 of the ESEA, as amended (20 U.S.C. 7221(c): Facilities financing assistance)

State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grant Program Regulations

eCFR :: 34 CFR Part 226 -- State Charter School Facilities Incentive Program

Program Purpose

This program provides competitive grants to help States establish or enhance and administer “per-pupil facilities aid” for charter schools. The Federal funds are used to match programs funded with non-Federal dollars that make payments, on a per-pupil basis, to provide charter schools with facilities financing. The program is intended to encourage States to share in the costs associated with charter schools facilities funding, and as a result States pay an increasing share of the cost of the program. Under this grant, the maximum Federal share of facilities funds decreases each year (from 90 percent in the first year to 20 percent in year five) and phases out entirely after five years.

Application Requirements

Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554 which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants: States. In order to be eligible to receive a grant, a State shall establish or enhance, and administer, a per-pupil facilities aid program for charter schools in the State, that-

(a) Is specified in State law; and

(b) Provides annual financing, on a per-pupil basis, for charter school facilities.

Note: A State that is required under State law to provide charter schools with access to adequate facility space, but that does not have a per-pupil facilities aid program for charter schools specified in State law, is eligible to receive a grant if the State agrees to use the funds to develop a per-pupil facilities aid program consistent with the requirements in the Notice Inviting Applications.

Cost Sharing or Matching: Under section 4304(k)(2)(C) of the ESEA, a State must provide a State share of the total cost of the project. The minimum State share of the total cost of the project increases each year of the grant, from:

• 10 percent in the first year

• 20 percent in the second year

• 40 percent in the third year

• 60 percent in the fourth year

• 80 percent in the fifth year.

Note: A State may partner with one or more organizations, and such organizations may provide up to 50 percent of the State share of the cost of establishing or enhancing, and administering, the per-pupil facilities aid program.

Applicants that are provisionally selected to receive grants will not receive grant funds unless they demonstrate, by TBD, that they are, or will be able to, provide the State share required under this program.

Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements. Under section 4110 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7120), program funds must be used to supplement, and not supplant, State and local public funds expended to provide per-pupil facilities aid programs, operations financing programs, or other programs, for charter schools. Therefore, the Federal funds provided under this program, as well as the matching funds provided by the grantee, must be in addition to the State and local funds that would otherwise be used for this purpose in the absence of this Federal program. The Department generally considers that State and local funds would be available for this purpose at least in the amount of the funds that was available in the preceding year and that the Federal funds and matching funds under this program would supplement that amount.

Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a restricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see Indirect Cost Overview (ed.gov).

Administrative Cost Limitation: State grantees may use up to five percent of their grant award for administrative expenses that include: indirect costs, evaluation, technical assistance, dissemination, personnel costs, and any other costs involved in administering the State's per-pupil facilities aid program. (34 CFR 226.22) Charter school subgrantees may use grant funds for administrative costs that are necessary and reasonable for the proper and efficient performance and administration of this Federal grant. This use of funds, as well as indirect costs and rates, must comply with EDGAR and the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-87 (Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments). Consistent with the requirements in 34 CFR 75.564(c)(2), any charter school subgrantees that use grant funds for construction activities may not be reimbursed for indirect costs for those activities. (34 CFR 226.23)

Build America, Buy America Act: This program is subject to the Build America, Buy America Act (Pub. L. 117-58) domestic sourcing requirements. Accordingly, under this program, grantees and contractors may not use their grant funds for infrastructure projects or activities (e.g., construction, remodeling, and broadband infrastructure) unless—

(a) All iron and steel used in the infrastructure project or activity are produced in the United States;

(b) All manufactured products used in the infrastructure project or activity are produced in the United States; and

(c) All construction materials are manufactured in the United States.

Grantees may request waivers to these requirements by submitting a Build America, Buy America Act Waiver Request Form. For more information, including a link to the Waiver Request Form, see the Department's Build America Buy America Waiver website at: https://www2.ed.gov/​policy/​fund/​guid/​buy-america/​index.html.

Davis-Bacon and Related Acts: When funds under this program are used for construction-related activities costing over $2,000, such as constructing a school building, renovating an existing school facility, or making leasehold improvements, any laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors on the projects assisted with these Federal funds must be paid in accordance with prevailing wage requirements as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40 of the United States Code

(commonly called “Davis-Bacon and related acts”). (See also 20 U.S.C.1232b Labor Standards). You can also find additional Davis-Bacon and other related acts prevailing wage information at

DOL website: Davis-Bacon and Related Acts | U.S. Department of Labor.

Other: The charter schools that a grantee selects to benefit from this program must meet the definition of charter school in in section 4310(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221i(2)). The definitions of charter school, per-pupil facilities aid programs, and authorized public chartering agency are in sections 4310(2), 4304(k)(1), and 4310(1) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221) and included in the Notice Inviting Applications. Additionally, with respect to component (B) of the definition of “charter school,” which requires that a school be a public school operated under public supervision and direction, each charter school selected to benefit from this program must assure the grantee that is has not relinquished full or substantial control of the charter school to a for-profit management organization (also referred to as an education management organization) or other for-profit entity; and each charter school must assure the grantee that it is fiscally responsible and transparent, particularly with respect to contractual relationships with for-profit management organizations. To fulfill this requirement, in selecting each charter school that it will serve under the SFIG program, the grantee must obtain an assurance from the school that it meets each of the components of the definition of “charter school” in section 4310(2) of the ESEA).  

Intergovernmental Review¹

This program 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.

Funding Restrictions

From the amount made available to a State through a grant under this program for a fiscal year, the State may reserve not more than five percent to carry out evaluations, to provide technical assistance, and to disseminate information. We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Notice Inviting Applications.

Open Licensing Requirements

Unless an exception applies, if you are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.

Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 3474.20(c).

Reporting

If you apply for a grant under this competition, you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).

At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

Performance and Project-specific Measures

The performance measures for this program are established for purposes of Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110.

(a) Program Performance Measures. The performance measure for this program is the ratio of funds leveraged by States for charter school facilities to funds awarded by the Department under the program. Grantees must provide information that is responsive to this measure as part of their annual performance reports.

(b) Project-Specific Performance Measures. Applicants must propose project-specific performance measures and performance targets consistent with the objectives of the project and program. Applicants must provide the following information as directed under 34 CFR 75.110(b):

(1) Project Performance Measures. How each proposed project-specific performance measure would accurately measure the performance of the project and how the proposed project-specific performance measure would be consistent with the performance measures established for the program funding the competition.

(2) Project Performance Targets. Why each proposed performance target is ambitious yet achievable compared to the baseline for the performance measure and when, during the project period, the applicant would meet the performance target(s).

Note: The Secretary encourages applicants to consider measures and targets tied to their grant activities during the grant period. For instance, if an applicant is using eligibility for free and reduced-price lunch to measure the number of low-income families served by the project, the applicant could provide a percentage for students qualifying for free and reduced-price lunch. The measures should be sufficient to gauge the progress throughout the grant period and show results by the end of the grant period.

(3) Data Collection and Reporting. (i) The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data; and (ii) The applicant’s capacity to collect and report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in other projects or research.

Note: If applicants do not have experience with collection and reporting of performance data through other projects or research, they should provide other evidence of their capacity to successfully carry out data collection and reporting for their proposed project.

Application Competitive Preference Priority and Selection Criteria

The Secretary will select for funding under the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grant (SFIG) Program from those applications that are deemed of highest overall quality. Experts in finance, including school facilities finance, will review the applications and assign each application up to 110 points. Each criterion includes factors the reviewers will consider in determining how well an application meets the criterion. Reviewers will use their own professional judgment to assess the quality of each application against these criteria.

Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional 10 points to those applicants that meet this priority. This priority is: Applicants that have not previously received a grant under the program.

Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 226.12. The maximum score for addressing all of the selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for addressing each criterion is indicated in parentheses and are as follows:

(a) Need for facility funding (30 points).

1. The need for per-pupil charter school facility funding in the State.

2. The extent to which the proposal meets the need to fund charter school facilities on a per-pupil basis.

(b) Quality of plan (40 points).

1. The likelihood that the proposed grant project will result in the State either retaining a new per-pupil facilities aid program or continuing to enhance such a program without the total amount of assistance (State and Federal) declining over a five-year period.

2. The flexibility charter schools have in their use of facility funds for the various authorized purposes.

3. The quality of the plan for identifying charter schools and determining their eligibility to receive funds.

4. The per-pupil facilities aid formula's ability to target resources to charter schools with the greatest need and the highest proportions of students in poverty.

5. For projects that plan to reserve funds for evaluation, the quality of the applicant's plan to use grant funds for this purpose.

6. For projects that plan to reserve funds for technical assistance, dissemination, or personnel, the quality of the applicant's plan to use grant funds for these purposes.

(c) The grant project team (10 points).

1. The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project manager and other members of the grant project team, including employees not paid with grant funds, consultants, and subcontractors.

2. The adequacy and appropriateness of the applicant's staffing plan for the grant project.

(d) The budget (10 points).

1. The extent to which the requested grant amount and the project costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed grant project.

2. The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the number of students served and to the anticipated results and benefits.

3. The extent to which the non-Federal share exceeds the minimum percentages (which are based on the percentages under section 4304(k)(2)(C) of the ESEA), particularly in the initial years of the program.

(e) State Experience (10 points).

1. The experience of the State in addressing the facility needs of charter schools through various means, including providing per-pupil aid and access to State loan or bonding pools.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND TIPS FOR APPLICANTS

To facilitate your use of Grants.gov, this section includes important submission procedures you need to be aware of to ensure your application is received in a timely manner and accepted by the U.S. Department of Education (Department).

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. Grants.gov no longer provides support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 or below.

For additional information or updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser information in the Applicant FAQs: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs#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/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.

2) 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.

1. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms you can download individual PDF forms to upload 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/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

2. 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.

3. 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 Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

3) 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.

4) 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/applicants/applicant-training.html

Helpful Reminders

1) REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), which usually takes approximately 7 to 10 business days, but can take longer depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM.gov database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit until all of the Registration Steps are complete.

NOTE: It will take 24-48 hours once your SAM.gov registration is active before the information becomes available in Grants.gov, and you can submit an application through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration. Please note that your organization will need to update its SAM.gov registration annually.

To register in SAM.gov, click on the “Get Started” link under the “Register Your Entity…” heading in SAM.gov. Grantees, and other entities wanting to do business with the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., entities applying for a grant), that are not already registered in SAM.gov must complete the “Register Entity” registration option and NOT the “Get a Unique Entity ID” option. The “Get a Unique Entity ID” option, which is not a full registration, is only available to entities for reporting purposes. Failing to complete the “Register Entity” option may result in loss of funding, loss of applicant eligibility, and/or delays in receiving a grant award. Information about SAM.gov is available at http://www.sam.gov/. To further assist you with registering in SAM.gov or updating your existing SAM.gov registration, see the Quick Start Guide for Grant Registrations and the Entity Registration Video at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

2) 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.

You must provide the UEI on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This UEI is assigned to your organization in SAM.gov at the time your organization registers in SAM.gov. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM.gov on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.

3) VERIFY SUBMISSION WAS RECEIVED AND VALIDATED – 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 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: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at: https://www.grants.gov/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.

4) Submission Problems

1. 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: support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

2. The Department discourages paper applications, but if electronic submission is not possible (e.g., you do not have access to the internet), (1) you must provide a prior written notification that you intend to submit a paper application and (2) your paper application must be postmarked by the application deadline date. Your prior written notification may be submitted by email or by mail to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of the competition Notice Inviting Applications (NIA). If you submit your notification by email, it must be received by the Department no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. If you mail your notification to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. (Refer to the NIA for detailed instructions)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to https://www.grants.gov/support 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: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant- faqs#workspace.

Slow Internet Connections

When using a slow internet connection, such as 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. Failure to fully upload an application by the deadline date and time will result in your application being marked late in the G5 system. If you do not have access to a high-speed internet connection, 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 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. (See the NIA 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.

IMPORTANT TIPS & REMINDERS

Tips for Submitting the SF 424 Forms

• These forms require basic information about the applicant and the application. Please provide all requested applicant information, including name, address, e-mail address, and UEI number.

• When applying electronically via Grants.gov, you will need to ensure that the UEI number entered on your application is the same as the UEI number your organization used when it registered in SAM.

• Applicants are advised to complete the SF 424 Form – Application Form for Federal Assistance (SF 424) first. By doing so, Grants.gov will automatically insert the correct ALN and program name automatically wherever needed on other forms.

Note: Do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the SF 424. Although this form accepts attachments, the Department will only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application.

Tips for Submitting the Narratives and Appendices

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 your file names be less than 50 characters. Please note that Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission.

Please ensure that only U.S. Department of Education approved file types are attached. See the Notice Inviting Applications for a detailed description of these files (read-only, non-modifiable .pdf files). Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.

ED Abstract Narrative Form Instructions

The ED Abstract is to be attached to the “ED Abstract Attachment Form” in the application package in Grants.gov.

The abstract narrative must include the name and address of your organization and the name, phone number, and e-mail address of the contact person for the project.

The abstract narrative should use language that will be understood by a range of audiences. For all projects, include the project title (if applicable), goals, expected outcomes and contributions for research, policy, practice, etc. In addition, address how your application meets the purpose of the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants (SFIG) Program as stated in the Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards.

Note: Grants.gov may include a note that indicates that the project abstract may not exceed one page, however, a project abstract of more than one page may be uploaded.

Project Narrative Form Instructions

This part of your application contains information responsive to the Project Selection Criteria and the Competitive Preference Priority (if applicable). Make sure your narrative addresses all of the elements. We strongly recommend that the information be organized around and appear in the same sequence as the Project Selection Criteria. Please upload the program narrative as one document.

Before preparing the project narrative, applicants should review the Notice Inviting Applications, the program statute, and regulations for specific guidance and requirements on the SFIG program website.

Please limit the project narrative to 40 pages, double-spaced, and number the pages consecutively. The recommended page limit applies only to the project narrative, it does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget narrative; the forms, assurances and certifications; the one-page abstract; or the items listed under “Other Attachments Form”. Refer to the Notice Inviting Applications for additional information regarding page formatting.

Budget Narrative Form Instructions

This part of the application contains information about the Federal funding you are requesting. You must fill in the ED 524 budget form.

In accordance with 34 CFR 75.232, Department of Education staff will perform a cost analysis of each project recommended for funding to ensure that costs relate to the activities and objectives of the project, are reasonable, allowable, and allocable. Therefore, budget should only include costs that are reasonable, allowable, and necessary for carrying out the objectives of the SFIG Program. Rules about allowable costs are set out in 2 C.F.R. 200, as adopted by the Department at 2 C.F.R. 3474. We may delete or reduce costs from the budget during this analysis.

Other Attachments Form Instructions

Applicants should attach SFIG required forms and supplementary documents to the “Other Attachments Form” in the application package in Grants.gov.

To facilitate the review of the application, please organize your attachments in the following order:²

• Enabling Statutes and Other Relevant Legislation (if applicable)

• Table 1 – Charter School Aid Paid by State (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Table 2 – Budget Form: Grant Funds Expenditures (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Table 3 – Grant funds as a Percentage of the Cost of Per-Pupil Facilities Aid (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Program-Specific Assurances Matching Requirement (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Resumes/curriculum vitae for the project director as well as any key personnel identified in the application.

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements

Effective April 3, 2023, applicants are required to complete the new GEPA 427 form in Grants.gov. Previously, applicants created a general statement in response to the GEPA requirement.

The updated form requires responses to four questions. These four questions will assist applicants in identifying specific barriers to equitable access by describing in detail how the applicant will address those barriers consistent with GEA 427.

The updated GEPA Section 427 form is electronically integrated into the Grants.gov system, and applicants are generally no longer required to upload a separate PDF document but will electronically complete and submit the form with the application package in Grants.gov. When completing the form:

• Applicants may identify any barriers that may impede equitable access and participation in the proposed project or activity, including, but not limited to, barriers based on economic disadvantage, gender, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, disability, age, language, migrant status, rural status, homeless status or housing insecurity, pregnancy, parenting, or caregiving status, and sexual orientation.

• Applicants are not required to have mission statements or policies that align with equity in order to submit an application.

• Applicants may have already included some or all this required information in the narrative sections of their applications or their State Plans. In responding to this requirement, for each question, applicants may provide a cross-reference to the section(s) and page number(s) in their applications or State Plans that includes the information responsive to that question on this form or may restate that information on this form.

• Applicants must respond to each question using the associated text box. Each text box allows approximately 4000 characters; therefore, if copying and pasting into the text box from another document be sure to check that everything copied.

• Applicants should use the “check for errors” button before they save the form. Applicants will receive an error message if any response is missing and will not be able to submit the application due to the missing information.

• Applicants that have already undertaken steps to address barriers must still provide an explanation and/or description of the steps already taken in each text box, as appropriate, to satisfy the GEPA Section 427 requirement.

• Applicants that believe no barriers exist must still provide an explanation and/or description to each question to validate that perception, as appropriate, to satisfy the GEPA Section 427 requirement.

Applicants are encouraged to take the computer-based training, Ensuring Equitable Opportunities Under the GEPA 427 on the ED.gov website at Grants Training and Management Resources, Online Grants Training Courses (ed.gov) and to visit the Department of Education Equity Action Plan. Instructions for completing the GEPA 427 Form can be found on the ED.gov website at Grant Application and Other Forms (ed.gov).

APPLICATION PACKAGE CHECKLIST

It is recommended that your electronic application be organized in the following manner and include the following parts to expedite the review process. Instructions for all parts and forms of the application are found either on the following pages of the application package or individually for each form on Grants.gov.

Review your electronic application to ensure you have completed the following forms and sections:

Preliminary Documents

• Application for Federal Assistance (form SF 424)

• ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

Budget Information

• ED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)

ED Abstract Form

• Project Abstract

Project Narrative Attachment Form

• Application Narrative

1. Table of Contents

2. Responses to Competitive Preference Priorities (if applicable)

3. Responses to the Selection Criteria

Budget Narrative Attachment Form

• Budget Narrative

Other Attachments Form

• Enabling Statutes and Other Relevant Legislation (if applicable)

• Table 1 – Charter School Aid Paid by State (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Table 2 – Budget Form: Grant Funds Expenditures (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Table 3 – Grant funds as a Percentage of the Cost of Per-Pupil Facilities Aid (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Program-Specific Assurances Matching Requirement (OMB Form 1894-0006)

• Individual Resumes/Curriculum Vitae for Project Directors & Key Personnel

Assurances and Certifications

• Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B Form)

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL)

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form

• General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427 (ED GEPA427 form)

Intergovernmental Review (Executive Order 12372)

• State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) List

APPENDIX I: EXECUTIVE ORDER 12372 – INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

This program falls under the rubric of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. One of the objectives of Executive Order 12372 is to strengthen federalism--or the distribution of responsibility between localities, states, and the Federal government--by fostering intergovernmental partnerships. This idea includes supporting processes that state or local governments have devised for coordinating and reviewing proposed Federal financial grant applications.

The process for doing this requires grant applicants to contact State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for information on how this works. Multi-state applicants should follow procedures specific to each state.

Further information about the SPOC and the official list of entities can be found at:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf

The SPOC recommendations and comments must be submitted by email or mailed to the person listed in the section FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT of the competition’s notice inviting applications (NIA) by the date indicated. The submission by mail and proof of mailing are in accordance with the competition’s NIA and determined on the same basis as applications.

U.S. Department of Education,

OFO/G5 Functional Application Team, Mail Stop 5C231,

Attention: EO 12372 (Assistance Listing Number + Suffix Letter),

400 Maryland Avenue SW,

Washington, DC 20202–4260

If a grant applicant is located within a state that has chosen not to participate, no further action is required under the EO 12372 for the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal grant programs.

APPENDIX II: TEMPLATES TO INCLUDE WITH APPLICATION

Table 1 – Charter School Aid Paid by State

Source	Fiscal Year 20XX*	Fiscal Year 20XX	Fiscal Year 20XX	Fiscal Year 20XX	Fiscal Year 20XX	Fiscal Year 20XX	Fiscal Year 20XX	Fiscal Year 20XX
1. Number of pupils in average daily attendance in charter schools
2. a. Per-pupil funding for charter school facilities in total**
2. b. Per-pupil funding for charter school facilities per charter school student in average daily attendance
3. a. Other funding for charter schools***
3. b. Other funding for charter schools per charter school student in average daily attendance
Total

^* The State’s Fiscal year 20XX begins on and ends on . If the State has not yet made a decision about the level of funding for these activities in Fiscal Year 20XX, please indicate the status of funding for Fiscal Year 20XX in the State for these activities. The purpose of this table is to determine total amount of per-pupil facilities aid and assistance in general for charter schools.

^** This funding includes funds that are distributed on a per-pupil basis that are (1) dedicated solely for funding charter school facilities and (2) the portion of funds that are dedicated for charter school facilities that are part of a distribution of funds that may be used for other purposes, such as operating expenses for charter schools or facility funds for regular public schools.

^*** These funds include operating funds for charter schools, per-pupil allocations to charter schools that are not designated solely for facilities, facilities funds that are not awarded to charter schools on a per-pupil basis.

Table 2 -Budget Form: Grant Funds Expenditures

Budget categories	Project Year 1	Project Year 2	Project Year 3	Project Year 4	Project Year 5	Total
A. Administrative funds (5%)
A.1. Indirect costs
A.2. Evaluation
A.3. Technical assistance
A.4. Dissemination
A.5. Personnel costs not associated with evaluation, technical assistance, or dissemination
A. Total administrative costs
B. Per-pupil facilities aid for charter schools
Per-pupil funding for charter school facilities
C. Grand total – Federal grant request

Instructions for Table 2 – Budget Form: Grant Funds Expenditures

(A) Administrative funds:

(A.1) Indirect costs: Many organizations have indirect cost rates established with the U.S. Department of Education which allow those organizations to spend a portion of their grant funds on a share of the total organization costs such as rent and utilities. For this grant you may choose to claim indirect costs, but the total amount may not exceed five percent. Also, if you choose to claim indirect costs, the sum of your indirect costs and your other administrative costs combined may not exceed five percent.

(A) Total administrative costs: The total for this line should include the sum of lines A.1. through A.5. This line cannot exceed five percent of the requested amount for any fiscal year.

(B) Per-pupil facilities aid for charter schools

This funding includes funds that are distributed on a per-pupil basis that are (1) dedicated solely for funding charter school facilities and (2) the portion of funds that are dedicated for charter school facilities that are part of a distribution of funds that may be used for other purposes, such as operating expenses for charter schools or facility funds for regular public schools.

(C) Grand Total

The amount in the total column for this row should be the same as the request on Form ED 424.

Table 3 - Grant Funds as a Percentage of the Cost of Per-Pupil Facilities Aid

Budget Categories	Project Year 1*	Project Year 2	Project Year 3	Project Year 4	Project Year 5	Total
A. Line C, Grand total, from Table 2 – Budget Form
B. Line 1, State per-pupil funding for charter school facilities, from Table 1 -- Charter School Aid Paid by State
C. Total
D. Federal grant request (Line A., Table 3) as a percentage of the cost of per-pupil facilities aid (Line C., Table 3)

*Project Year 1 is the same as State Fiscal year 20XX unless the applicant explicitly notes and explains which project year maps to which State fiscal year

Program-Specific Assurance

I assure that my State intends to provide (either alone or with the assistance of other parties, such as foundations) annual funding, on a per-pupil basis, for charter school facilities.

Furthermore, I am aware that the Federal share declines in accordance with the table below:

Matching Requirement for Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program--State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program (State Incentive), by Grant Project Year.

	Non-Federal share	Amount	Federal share (maximum)	Amount
Project Year 1	10%		90%
Project Year 2	20%		80%
Project Year 3	40%		60%
Project Year 4	60%		40%
Project Year 5	80%		20%

Signature

Title

1 See Appendix I for further details on the Intergovernmental Review

2 See Appendix II for templates of the attachments to include in your application.