## Who can apply for the CSR QI grant?

Public or private organizations that provide educational or related
services are eligible applicants for CSR QI grants. Also, this grant has
several absolute and competitive priorities that will help potential
applicants decide if the project they wish to undertake is appropriate
for this competition. See the [question on priorities](#_What_are_the)
for more information.

## Do I need to send an intent to apply notification?

We will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant
applications if we have a better understanding of the number of entities
that intend to apply for funding. We strongly encourage each potential
applicant to send, by March 7, 2005, a notification of its intent to
apply for funding to the following address:
[compreform@ed.gov]{.underline} Please note what category the
application will be applying for.

The notification of intent to apply for funding is optional and should
not include information regarding the proposed application. Eligible
applicants that fail to provide the notification may still submit an
application by the application deadline.

## What are the categories?

The CSR QI program supports two types of grant activities: Category 1
and Category 2.

Category 1 grantees provide technical assistance to States, school
districts and schools in making informed decisions regarding approving
or selecting providers of comprehensive school reform.

Category 2 grantees are involved in capacity building for comprehensive
school reform providers to expand their work in more schools, assure
quality and promote financial stability.

## [[]{#_What_are_the .anchor}What are the priorities for this grant?](#_What_are_the)

Category 1 and Category 2 have both absolute and competitive preference
priorities. The priorities are as follows:

## **Category 1**

Absolute Priorities:

1.  The grantee must assist LEAs in more than one State.

2.  The applicant must demonstrate, in its grant application, that its
    CSR Quality Initiative award will be matched with funds from one or
    more private organizations. For each year that a grantee receives a
    CSR Quality Initiative award, the match, including any in-kind
    contributions, must total at least 10 percent of the award.

Competitive Preference Priority:

The grantee will provide assistance to States, LEAs, and schools in
approving or selecting a comprehensive school reform provider or in
developing comprehensive school reforms, for schools that are identified
as being in need of improvement, corrective action, or restructuring
under section 1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, as
amended. The applicant will provide a plan for providing States, LEAs
and schools with information tools and technical assistance in such
areas as using data to identify the instructional needs of students and
to clarify the technical assistance and professional development needs
of teachers and administrators.

## **Category 2**

Absolute Priority:

The grantee must assist LEAs in more than one State.

Competitive Preference Priority:

> The applicant will implement activities to develop and field-test
> specific strategies to: (1) meet the needs of students who have been
> traditionally underserved by comprehensive school reform providers,
> such as students with disabilities and students with limited English
> proficiency and to integrate those strategies into scientifically
> research-based comprehensive school reforms, or (2) increase the
> capacity of comprehensive reform providers to serve students in rural
> areas. These strategies could be additions or enhancements to existing
> CSR models or services already being provided.

## What are absolute and competitive priorities?

Absolute priorities are conditions or requirements that must be met by
the applicant in order to be considered for the grant.

Competitive preference priorities are conditions that are not required
for the grant. There are additional points that the applicant can
receive if the application addresses and meets the competitive priority
listed within the application package.

[Must an applicant address the priorities to be considered for
funding?]{.underline}

An applicant must address the absolute priorities.

The competitive preference priorities may be addressed. Applicants that
address the competitive preference priorities may receive up to 10
additional points toward their final score.

## When is the application due?

Applications are due April 5, 2005.

## Is there a requirement for in-kind or matching contributions?

Yes, for Category 1 applicants. The requirement is stated under the
absolute priority:

The applicant must demonstrate, in its grant application, that its CSR
Quality Initiative award will be matched with funds from one or more
private organizations. For each year that a grantee receives a CSR
Quality Initiative award, the match, including any in-kind
contributions, must total at least 10 percent of the award. Applicants
for Category 1 grants must show those matching funds for each year in
the application on Budget Form 524-**B.**

[How can applicants that do not have a federally approved indirect cost
rate obtain an approved indirect cost rate?]{.underline}

If an applicant does not have an approved indirect cost rate agreement
with a cognizant federal agency, the applicant must apply to the
Department for a temporary indirect cost rate if it wishes to charge
indirect costs to the grant. For more information, go to the
Department\'s website at:
<http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/fipao/icgindex.html> or call
the Indirect Cost group at (202) 708-8787. In addition, if you are a
non-profit organization, you may find helpful a letter about indirect
cost rates specifically written for non-profit organizations at:
<http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/nonprofit.html>.

## What is the definition of rural?

**Urban and Rural Classification**

For Census 2000, the Census Bureau classifies as \"urban\" all
territory, population, and housing units located within an urbanized
area (UA) or an urban cluster (UC). It delineates UA and UC boundaries
to encompass densely settled territory, which consists of:

-   core census block groups or blocks that have a population density of
    at least 1,000 people per square mile and

-   surrounding census blocks that have an overall density of at least
    500 people per square mile

In addition, under certain conditions, less densely settled territory
may be part of each UA or UC.

The Census Bureau\'s classification of \"rural\" consists of all
territory, population, and housing units located outside of UAs and UCs.
The rural component contains both place and nonplace territory.
Geographic entities, such as census tracts, counties, metropolitan
areas, and the territory outside metropolitan areas, often are \"split\"
between urban and rural territory, and the population and housing units
they contain often are partly classified as urban and partly classified
as rural.

## How do I use e-applications?

## **Instructions For Transmitting Applications:**

-   Go to [http://e-grants.ed.gov](http://e-grants.ed.gov/).

-   Use Web site to upload and transmit your application.

-   Your e-Application should comply with any page limit requirements
    described in this application package and in the Notice Inviting
    Applications*.*

-   After you electronically submit your application, you will receive
    an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number
    (an identifying number unique to your application).

-   Within three working days after submitting your electronic
    application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal
    Education Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center
    after following these steps:

1)  Print ED 424 from e-Application.

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1)  Obtain the institution's Authorizing Representative's signature.

2)  Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the hard
    copy signature page of the ED 424.

3)  Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202)
    260-1349.

Note: We may request that you give us original signatures on other forms
at a later date.

## What does the matching requirement mean for Category 1?

The matching requirement as designated by the absolute priority means
that **10% of the total award every year** needs to be matched by
donations or in-kind contributions from one or more private
organizations.