# Presentation: 707923

## Funding Opportunities at the Institute of Education Sciences:Application Process

- Finding Application Materials
- General Program Information
- More on Grants.gov
- Application Contents
- Application Format Requirements
- Final Reminders

**Finding Application Materials**

## Finding Requests for Applications

- FY 2009 Requests for Applications are available on:
- _[http://ies.ed.gov/funding](http://ies.ed.gov/funding)__ _
- Sign up for the IES Newsflash:
- 			_[http://ies.ed.gov/newsflash/](http://ies.ed.gov/newsflash/)_

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## Finding Application Packages and Application Instructions

- FY 2009 Application Packages will be available on _[www.grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/)__._
- Check Requests for Applications for when Application Packages and Application Instructions will become available.

## Downloading Correct Application Package

- Search by CFDA number
- 			NCER:   84.305
- 			NCSER: 84.324

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- Grants.gov search will yield more than one application package
- Download application package designated for your competition and deadline

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## General Program Information

## Award Information

- Awards will depend on availability of funds.
- Number of awards depends on quality of applications received.
- Size of awards depends on scope of projects proposed.

## Eligibility Information

- Applicants must have the ability and capacity to conduct scientifically valid research.
- Cost sharing or matching is not required.

## Application Due Dates

- Education and Special Education Research
**June 26, 2008 & October 2, 2008**
- Statistical and Research Methodology in Education
**June 26, 2008**
- Research Training Grants; Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies; National Research and Development Centers
**October 2, 2008**

**More on Grants.gov**

## Grants.gov Registration

- START EARLY!
- Initial registration may take five or more business days to complete
- Annual update may take more than three days to complete

## Grants.gov Software Compatibility

- Application package uses Grants.gov PureEdge forms.
- Grants.gov does not support Microsoft Vista Operating system or Word 2007 (.DOCX).
- Use an earlier version of Word or save file with a .DOC file extension.
- MAC users who do not have a Windows operating system will need to use the Citrix solution.

## Application Submission

- Must be submitted electronically using _[www.grants.](http://www.grants.gov/)__[gov](http://www.grants.gov/)_
- Do NOT e-mail an electronic copy to Program Officers.

## Grants.gov Submission

- Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time stamped.
- Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m. Washington, DC time on the application date.
- Late applications will not be considered!

## Grants.gov Submission

- We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless you qualify for one of the following exceptions:
- You do not have access to the Internet
- You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to the Grants.gov system

## If You Qualify for a Grants.gov Submission Exception

- You must:
**Submit a written statement that you qualify no later than two weeks before the application deadline**
- Follow the directions in the application package

## Grants.gov Submission Problems and Extensions

- If you experience problems with submitting an application through Grants.gov
- Contact Grants.gov Support Desk 1-800-518-4726
- Obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and keep record of it
- Contact Program Officer and provide explanation of technical problem

## Grants.gov Submission Problems and Extensions

**	**We will accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that the problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m. Washington, DC time on the application deadline date.

## Grants.gov Submission Confirmation 

- Within two days, you will receive two e-mails from Grants.gov
- First e-mail: Will confirm receipt of application and provide you with a tracking number
- Second e-mail: Will indicate that your application has been validated by the system prior to transmission to U.S. Department of Education or rejected due to errors

## Submission Confirmation

- Application will be transmitted to the Department of Education
- You will receive an e-mail with your PR/Award number unique to your application
- If your application is late, you will receive an e-mail indicating that it was late and will not be given further consideration

**Application Contents**

## Application Contents

- SF 424 (Cover Sheet)
- Abstract
- Project Narrative
- Appendix A (letters of agreement, tables, figures, response to prior reviewer feedback)
- Appendix B (assessment and curriculum materials)
- Bibliography and References Cited

## Application Contents (continued)

- Biographical Sketches of Key Personnel
- Narrative Budget Justification
- Subaward Budget
- R&R Total Federal and Non-Federal Budget Form
- Human Subjects Narrative
- Additional forms for applicants selected for funding

## SF 424 (Cover Sheet)

## Other Project Information Form

**Other Project Information Form, cont.**

## Abstract

- Page limit:  1 page single-spaced
- Add as an attachment (.PDF file)
- #6 of the “Other Project Information” form
- Adhere to margin, format, and font size requirements
- ***It is critical that applicants include in the abstract the **research topic** and **goal **and that these agree with Item 11 of SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance.  See application package instructions for topic and goal codes.

## Topic and Goal Codes- NCER

## Topic and Goal Codes- NCSER

## Project Narrative

- Page limit:  25 pages single-spaced
- Add as an attachment (.PDF file)
- #7 of the “Other Project Information” form

## Project Narrative

- Four Sections:
- Significance
- Research Plan
- Personnel
- Resources
- Information for each section is detailed in the RFA under:
- 		Part II:  Research Grant topics
- 		Part III:  Requirements of the Proposed 				   Research

## Project Narrative

- Does NOT include:
- Research and Related forms
- Abstract
- Appendices
- Bibliography and references cited
- Biographical sketches of key personnel
- Narrative budget justification
- Subaward budget information
- Human subjects narrative
- Certifications and assurances

## Project Narrative

- Concise
- Easy to read
- Pages are numbered consecutively
- Adhere to type/font size and format specifications for entire research narrative including footnotes

## Appendix A

- Page limit:  15 pages single-spaced
- Included at end of the Project Narrative and submitted as part of the same narrative .PDF attachment
- Adhere to margin, format, and font size requirements

## Appendix A

- Include:
- Figures, charts, or tables that supplement research text
- Examples of measures to be used in the project
- Letters of agreement from partners and consultants
- Resubmissions:  up to 3 pages describing how revised proposal is responsive to prior reviewer feedback – indicate prior application number

## Appendix B

- Page limit:  10 pages single-spaced
- Included at end of the Appendix A and submitted as part of the same .PDF attachment
- Adhere to margin, format, and font size requirements

## Appendix B

- Include:
- Curriculum material
- Computer screens
- Test items
- Other materials used in the intervention or assessment

## Bibliography and References Cited

- Page limit:  none
- Add as an attachment (.PDF file)
- #8 of the “Other Project Information” form
- Adhere to margin, format, and font size requirements
- Complete citations

## Biographical Sketches of Key Personnel

- Page limit:  Each biographical sketch is limited to 5 pages (4 plus 1)
- Fifth page lists current and pending grants with proportion of time allocated to each project
- Add as an attachment (.PDF file)
- #8 of the “Other Project Information” form (8 sketches). If there are more than 8 sketches, submit them at Item 11 of the “Other Project Information” form.
- Adhere to margin, format, and font size requirements

## Narrative Budget Justification

- Page limit:  none
- Add as an attachment (.PDF file)
- Section K of the “Budget Total Federal + Non-Federal” form
- Adhere to margin, format, and font size requirements
- Only one document
- Should have budget justification for each year of the entire project

## Narrative Budget Justification

- Provide sufficient detail to allow reviewers to judge whether costs are reasonable
- Correspond budget justification to itemized breakdown of project costs
- Include time commitments and descriptions of responsibilities of PI and other key personnel
- Include details about subawards if applicable

## Narrative Budget Justification: Indirect cost rate

- Use institution’s federal indirect cost rate
- Use off-campus indirect cost rate where appropriate
- If less than 75% of total indirect costs are based on application of the off-campus rate, provide a detailed justification.
- Indirect cost rate agreement must be in place at the time of the award to claim indirect costs
- Can establish a temporary indirect cost rate

## Subaward Budget

- Use Excel spreadsheet found on *http://ies.ed.gov/funding/xls/FY09subaward_budget.xls*
- Item 11 of the “Other Project Information” form
- Submit itemized budget spreadsheet for each subaward
- Include details in Narrative Budget Justification
- Separate budgets are required only for subawardee/collaborating organizations that perform a substantial portion of the project.

## R&R Total Federal and Non-Federal Budget Form

## Human Subjects Narrative

- Page limit:  none
- Item 11 of the “Other Project Information” form
- Research activities involving human subjects
- Submit exempt research narrative or nonexempt research narrative

## Human Subjects Narrative:  Exempt

- 6 exemptions listed in Application Package Instructions
- Include:
- Information on involvement of human subjects to determine whether exemptions are appropriate

## Human Subjects Narrative:  Nonexempt

- Include:
- Human subjects involvement and characteristics
- Sources of materials
- Recruitment and informed consent
- Potential risks
- Protection against risk
- Importance of the knowledge to be gained
- Collaborating sites

## Application Format Requirements

## Format Requirements

- For: Abstract, Project Narrative, Appendix A, Appendix B, Bibliography and References Cited, Biographical Sketches, Narrative Budget Justification
- _Page_
- 8.5 in X 11 in
- On one side only
- 1 inch margins at top, bottom, and both sides

## Format Requirements

- For: Abstract, Project Narrative, Appendix A, Appendix B, Bibliography and References Cited, Biographical Sketches, Narrative Budget Justification
- _Type size/font size_
- Height of letters must not be smaller than 12 point
- Type density, including characters and spaces, must be no more than 15 characters per inch (cpi)
- No more than 6 lines of type within a vertical inch

## Format Requirements

- For: Abstract, Project Narrative, Appendix A, Appendix B, Bibliography and References Cited, Biographical Sketches, Narrative Budget Justification
- _Spacing_
- Text must be single spaced in the narrative

## Format Requirements

- For: Abstract, Project Narrative, Appendix A, Appendix B, Bibliography and References Cited, Biographical Sketches, Narrative Budget Justification
- _Graphs, Diagrams, Tables_
- Only black and white in graphs, diagrams, tables, and charts
- Conform to same type size requirements
- Figures, charts, tables, and figure legends may be smaller in size but must be readily legible

## Reminders about Page Limits

- Project summary/abstract:  1 single-spaced page
- Project narrative:  25 single-spaced pages
- Appendix A:  15 pages
- Appendix B: 10 pages
- Each biographical sketch is limited to 5 single-spaced pages (4 plus 1)

## Final Reminders

## Application Checklist

- Use Application Checklist provided in Application Package Instructions
- Provide required information for each form
- Complete certifications and assurances
- Attach application pieces as .PDF files

## Application Checklist

- Attach correct .PDF files to proper form in Grants.gov electronic application forms package
- Use “Check Package for Errors” button on grant application package
- Upload and have validated by Grants.gov a fully completed application before 4:30 p.m., Washington, D.C. time on the deadline date

## Reminders

- Register for Grants.gov early
- Review Application Package Instructions for information on filling out forms and uploading applications
- Download the application package designated for your competition and deadline
- Submit your application early – a day or two in advance
- Verify submission is OK