1

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/rped/index.html

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education 

Washington, DC 20202

FY 2023

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS UNDER 

THE RURAL POSTSECONDARY & ECONOMIC 

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.116W

Form Approved

OMB No. 1894-0006, Expiration Date: 02/29/2024

DATED MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: June 20, 2023
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEAR APPLICANT LETTER ......................................................................................3

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS.......................................................................................4

GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND TIPS FOR APPICANTS.........................7

APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS.........................................................12

NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS..........................................................................14

PROGRAM AUTHORITY..........................................................................................49

EO 12372, INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS.......................50

GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS ACT (GPRA)......................................51

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE APPLICATION............................................53

PART I..................................................................................................................56

• Instructions for SF-424 Form

• Instructions for Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF-424

• Definitions for Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF-424

PART II.................................................................................................................68

• Instructions for ED 524 Budget Summary Form

• Instructions for Completing the Budget Narrative Form

PART III................................................................................................................73

• Instructions for Completing the ED Abstract Form

• Instructions for Completing the Project Narrative Attachment Form

• Instructions for Completing the Other Attachments Form

• Instructions for Completing the GEPA Section 427 Form

PART IV................................................................................................................80

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (Optional)

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form (ED 80-0013)

APPLICATION CHECKLIST ....................................................................................83

PAPERWORK BURDEN STATEMENT........................................................................84
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I. DEAR APPLICANT LETTER

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Rural Postsecondary & Economic Development 

(RPED) program. This grant competition is administered by the Office of Postsecondary Education at the 

U.S. Department of Education (the Department). The purpose of the RPED program is to support projects 

at eligible institutions of higher education (IHE) (as defined in section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001))

that are public or private nonprofit IHEs, and public and private nonprofit organizations and agencies that 

partner with IHEs to improve rates of postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion among rural 

students through development of high-quality career pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and indemand industry sectors and occupations in the region.

For information on the absolute priorities, competitive preference priority, invitational priorities, selection 

criteria, and other program and competition details, refer to the Federal Register Notice Inviting 

Applications (NIA) published on April 18, 2023, and this application package. This application package 

contains the instructions and forms needed to submit a complete application for the RPED program. 

Applications for FY 2023 grants under the RPED program must be submitted electronically using 

Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov. Applicants are required to follow the Revised 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 www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554. 

This document contains requirements and information on how to submit an application.

You are reminded that the NIA published in the Federal Register is the official document and you should 

not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official 

document. We also encourage applicants to review the “Competition Highlights” found in this application 

package for an overview of important items. If you have any questions or require additional information, 

please contact Kurrinn Abrams at (202) 987-1920 or Kurrinn.Abrams2@ed.gov. 

We appreciate your interest in the Rural Postsecondary & Economic Development program and look 

forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely,

/s/

Nasser H. Paydar, Ph.D. 

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education
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II. COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are IHEs (as defined in section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that are public 

or private nonprofit IHEs, and public and private nonprofit organizations and agencies that partner 

with IHEs.

2. An eligible applicant may submit only one (1) grant application.

3. Priorities: The notice contains two (2) absolute priorities, one (1) competitive preference priority, 

and three (3) invitational priorities. 

The Department will only consider applications that meet both absolute priorities. Applicants that do 

not meet the absolute priorities will not move forward for review.

The Priorities are as follows:

• Absolute Priorities:

o Absolute Priority 1: Rural Applicants.

o Absolute Priority 2: Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, 

Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success.

• Competitive Preference Priority:

o Competitive Preference Priority: Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and 

Community Engagement to Advance Systemic Change.

• Invitational Priorities:

o Invitational Priority 1: Supporting Secondary Students to Access Postsecondary 

Education.

o Invitational Priority 2: Supporting the Development of Academic Programs with 

Career Pathways.

o Invitational Priority 3: Supporting Transition from Community College to a 4-Year 

Institution of Higher Education.

4. Electronic Submission of Applications

Applications must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov, accessible through its portal page at:

http://www.grants.gov. Applicants are required to follow the Revised 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 www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-

26554, which contains requirements and information on how to submit an application.

The Grants.gov site does not allow applicants to “un-submit” applications. Therefore, if you discover 

that changes or additions are needed once your application has been accepted and validated by the 

Department, you must “re-submit” the application. Please know that, if the Department receives 

duplicate applications, we will accept and process the application with the latest “date/time received” 

validation. 
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The application must be received on or before the deadline date and time. Late applications will not 

be accepted. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The 

Department must adhere to the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or 

additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date.

5. Format of Application

We recommend that you limit the application narrative to no more than 50 pages and use the 

following standards: a “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and 

both sides; double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application 

narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text 

in charts, tables, figures, and graphs; use a font that is either 12 point or larger, and no smaller than 10 

pitch (characters per inch); and use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier 

New, or Arial. The Notice contains additional information governing formatting instructions.

The recommended 50-page limit applies only to the application narrative and does not apply to Part I, 

the cover sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the 

assurances, and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of 

support. We recommend that any application addressing the competitive preference priority and 

invitational priorities include no more than three additional pages for the priority, or priorities, if

addressed.

All attachments must be in PDF format only. Other types of files will not be accepted. If you 

submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other 

attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable 

format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a readonly, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material. 

Please note that this could result in your application not being considered for funding because the 

material in question--for example, the application narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your 

proposal. For that reason, it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload all material as PDF 

files. The Department will not convert material from other formats to PDF.

6. Notice to Successful Applicants

The Department’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress 

regarding applications approved for new program grants. Successful applicants will receive award 

notices by mail or e-mail shortly after the Congress is notified. No funding information will be 

released before the Congress is notified.

7. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing following the notice to successful applicants.

8. Application Components

This application package contains detailed instructions for every required component of your 

application. It also includes an Application Checklist for your convenience. Note: If all required 

documents are not submitted with your application, it may be deemed ineligible.

9. Carefully review the eligibility information within the NIA. There are multiple subparts for the 

eligibility requirement.
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10. This program uses an unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding indirect costs, or 

to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html. 

11. Applicants must complete a supporting budget narrative for each line item on the ED-524 form.

12. Abstract: Applicants must indicate in the recommended one-page abstract how the proposed project 

meets the absolute priorities, including the relevant NCES locale codes, and, if applicable, the 

competitive preference priority and invitational priorities. The abstract narrative should identify the 

partners the applicant will be working with, the target population (e.g., faculty, staff, students), the 

services that will be provided, and the proposed activities to be conducted during the 4-year 

performance period. It should also include anticipated results and citations.

13. If you receive a FY 2023 new grant award, you will be required to submit annual and final 

performance reports.

14. This application package contains detailed instructions for every required component of your 

application. It also includes an Application Checklist for your convenience. Note: If all required 

documents are not submitted with your application, it may be deemed ineligible.

15. Applicants are reminded that the NIA published in the Federal Register is the official document. You 

should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the 

official document.

16. A Pre-Application webinar will be provided by the program office. Please contact Kurrinn Abrams at 

(202) 987-1920 or via email at kurrinn.abrams2@ed.gov. 
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III. GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND 

TIPS FOR APPLICANTS

Revised 12/2022

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. 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: 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/workspaceoverview.html.

1) 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 
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blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access contextsensitive 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 

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/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html.

Helpful Reminders

1) REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration 

on SAM (www.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 

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 
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through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: 

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Please note that your organization will need 

to update its SAM 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 is available at www.SAM.gov. 

To further assist you with registering in SAM or updating your existing SAM 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 at the time your organization registers in SAM. If you do not 

enter the UEI assigned by SAM on your application, Grants.gov will reject your 

application.

3) 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 
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“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/adobesoftware-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 email 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://grantsportal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

We discourage 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. If you submit your prior written 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 (See the 2022 Common Instructions for detailed instructions regarding 

this procedure).

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/applicantfaqs.html as well as additional information on Workspace at 

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#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 
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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 Federal Register notice for detailed instructions and the 2022 Common 

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.
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IV. APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

ATTENTION ELECTRONIC APPLICANTS: Please note that you must follow the application 

procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant competition.

This program requires the electronic submission of applications; specific requirements and waiver 

instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice. 

According to the instructions found in the Federal Register notice, those requesting and qualifying 

for an exception to the electronic submission requirement may submit an application by mail, 

commercial carrier, or hand delivery.

If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you must meet the following deadline 

requirements:

Applications Submitted Electronically:

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on the 

Grants.gov Web site (http://www.grants.gov) by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on or before the 

deadline date of June 20, 2023.

If you submit your application through the Internet via the Grants.gov Web site, you will receive an 

automatic acknowledgement when we receive your application.

For more information on using Grants.gov, please refer to the “Notice Inviting Applications” that was 

published in the Federal Register or visit http://www.grants.gov.

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may submit your application 

in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier). You must mail the 

original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department 

at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education

OFO/G5 Functional Application Team

Mail Stop 5C231

Attention: Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.116W

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, DC 20202-4260
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You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.

(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.

(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier. 

(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as 

proof of mailing:

(1) A private metered postmark.

(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your 

application.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this 

method, you should check with your local post office.

Note for Mail Delivery of Paper Applications: 

If you mail your application to the Department—

(1) You must indicate on the envelope—and, if not provided by the Department, in Item 11 of the SF 

424—the Assistance Listing Number (ALN), including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under 

which you are submitting your application; and

(2) The G5 Functional Application Team will notify you of the Department’s receipt of your grant 

application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application 

deadline date, you should contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 

CONTACT section of the competition NIA.

Late Applications: 

If your application is late, we will notify you that we will not consider the application.
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V. NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Rural Postsecondary and Economic 

Development Grant Program

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) 2023 for the 

Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) Grant 

Program, conducted under the Fund for the Improvement of 

Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), Assistance Listing Number

84.116W. This notice relates to the approved information 

collection under OMB control number 1894-0006.

DATES:

Applications Available: April 18, 2023.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 20, 2023.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 16, 2023.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an 

application, please refer to our Common Instructions for 

Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant 
15

Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 

(87 FR 75045), and available at www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-

26554. Please note that these Common Instructions supersede the 

version published on December 27, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kurrinn Abrams, U.S. 

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 

20202-4260. Telephone: (202) 987-1920. Email: 

kurrinn.abrams2@ed.gov.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech 

disability and wish to access telecommunications relay services, 

please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the RPED Grant Program is to 

improve rates of postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and 

completion among rural students through development of career 

pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand 

industry sectors and occupations in the region.

Background: Rural students account for 9.7 million—about 19 

percent—of public elementary and secondary school students in 

the United States and face many challenges accessing 
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postsecondary education.1 According to data from the National 

Center for Education Statistics (NCES), only 29 percent of 

individuals from rural areas who are between the ages of 18 and 

24 are enrolled in higher education, compared to almost 48 

percent of individuals in that age range who come from urban 

areas and 42 percent from suburban areas.2 In fact, an analysis 

of National Education Longitudinal Study data found urban 

students nationally were 74 percent more likely to enroll in 

college than rural students and 106 percent more likely than 

rural students to attain a bachelor’s degree.3

For rural students, and particularly low-income and 

underserved rural students, barriers to accessing postsecondary 

education include difficulties in accessing high speed internet, 

transportation, child care, and healthcare; as well as 

challenges of experiencing poverty, food insecurity, and housing 

insecurity. Furthermore, many rural students who do decide to 

attend college are first-generation students who lack sufficient 

college preparation in high school,4 and are unfamiliar with the 

inner workings of postsecondary institutions, including the 

college application process and how to finance a college 

1

 nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_203.72.asp?current=yes

2

 nces.ed.gov/surveys/ruraled/tables/b.3.b.-1.asp 3

 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED557072.pdf

4

 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1101249.pdf
17

education.5 These students may feel underprepared for higher 

education and typically face challenges once in college; many 

experience hurdles that leave them unable to complete their 

programs.6 Accordingly, these inequities in college readiness 

and knowledge may discourage individuals from underserved 

student populations from continuing their education beyond high 

school.7 These and other challenges may negatively affect rural 

students' ability to be academically successful and in turn be 

competitive in the job market.8 

Many of these challenges result from geographic isolation, 

distance from services, and a lack of resources and institutions 

to support community members. Rural communities are often 

located in education deserts, which may limit students' exposure 

or convenient access to postsecondary institutions.9 For many 

rural students, transportation is a barrier to accessing 

colleges where they can earn a bachelor’s degree, and thus they 

begin their postsecondary education at 2-year colleges.10 

5

 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1193574.pdf

6

 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1193574.pdf 7

 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED557072.pdf

8

 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1101249.pdf

9

 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1193574.pdf

10 edsource.org/2019/too-far-away-distance-is-a-barrier-to-bachelors- degreesfor-rural-community-college-students/621189
18

For rural students who do attend postsecondary education, 

research has shown that rural high school graduates were more 

likely to enroll in 2-year colleges (44 percent) compared to 

their urban counterparts (39 percent). However, even after 

controlling for differences in academic achievement, poverty, 

and distance between high schools and colleges, students who 

graduate from rural high schools are still more likely than 

students who graduate from nonrural schools to enroll in a 2-

year rather than a 4-year college.11 In academic year 2018-2019 

alone, there were 298 public community and technical colleges 

that were designated by NCES with the rural locale designations 

rural fringe (41), rural distant (42), or rural remote (43). In 

the same academic year, these colleges enrolled 84.8 percent of 

the 1.14 million undergraduates attending rural postsecondary 

institutions.12

To overcome these barriers, many States are beginning to 

introduce early college programs that expose secondary students 

to postsecondary education and improve their college readiness, 

often through creating partnerships with community colleges.13 

Research has shown that 2-year colleges play a significant role 

11 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED557072.pdf 12 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00915521221087280 13 journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0091552119898880
19

in postsecondary access for rural students and create a broader 

set of entry points to 4-year schools for many students who 

cannot afford or access 4-year institutions upon high school 

graduation. Furthermore, 2-year institutions have been shown to 

enroll a higher number of traditionally underserved students, 

such as minority students, working-class students, and firstgeneration college students.14 Although there are many barriers 

that do play a significant role in postsecondary access for 

rural students, it is important to highlight the role 2-year 

institutions can play in helping rural students succeed 

academically and transition into a career.15

Furthermore, higher education attainment is correlated with 

increased career opportunities, higher individual lifetime 

earnings, better quality of life, and positive contributions to 

society.16 Therefore, it is critical to undertake efforts that 

better prepare students in rural communities for the changing 

needs of the current workforce, and to create a more skilled 

workforce that will attract better jobs and provide economic 

support to the community. Such improvements in the educational 

outcomes for rural communities highlight the need for 

14 link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11162-017-9449-z.pdf?pdf=button 15 link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11162-017-9449-z.pdf?pdf=button 16 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1101249.pdf
20

partnerships between schools and Federal, State, or local 

agencies or community-based organizations that can help students 

succeed both academically and in their career. However, many 

rural areas have fewer resources with which to access services 

and partnerships that are key to quality rural education. 

Research shows that creating partnerships can “help schools get 

assistance with special resource needs; supplement classroom 

learning; understand the business world, its resources, its 

requirements, and its concerns; and gain expertise in technical 

and management areas. The private sector and community 

organizations can also provide rural schools with tutoring, 

apprenticeships, speakers, equipment, scholarships, and 

motivation.”17 Therefore, institutions in rural communities must 

be given the tools to develop strategies and plans that best 

serve their population of rural students.18

Rural postsecondary institutions, specifically 2-year rural 

postsecondary institutions, are best positioned to enhance and 

develop programs that improve the preparation, support, and 

retention of rural students in higher education, and that help 

them to graduate from college and transition into in-demand and 

17eric.ed.gov/?id=ED243621#:~:text=Because%20rural%20areas%20have%20fewer%20re

sources%20with%20which,public%20sectors%20are%20essential%20to%20quality%20ru

ral%20education

18 files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1101249.pdf
21

well-paying occupations. To this end, the RPED Grant Program is 

designed to support postsecondary enrollment and completion by 

addressing the challenges rural students face accessing 

postsecondary education that will prepare them for high-skill, 

high-wage, and in-demand occupations.

Priorities: This notice contains two absolute priorities, one 

competitive preference priority, and three invitational 

priorities. Absolute Priority 1 is from the Administrative 

Priorities for Discretionary Grant Programs published in the 

Federal Register on March 9, 2020 (85 FR 13640) (Administrative 

Priorities). Absolute Priority 2 and the competitive 

preference priority are from the Secretary’s Supplemental 

Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grants Programs, 

published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 

70612) (Supplemental Priorities).

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2023, and any subsequent year in 

which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from 

this competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. 

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that 

meet each of these priorities.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Rural Applicants.
22

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate one or 

more of the following:

(a) The applicant proposes to serve a community that is 

served by one or more LEAs with a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, 

or 43; 

(b) The applicant proposes a project in which a majority of 

the schools served have a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43; 

(c) The applicant is an institution of higher education 

(IHE) with a rural campus setting, or the applicant proposes to 

serve a campus with a rural setting. Rural settings include any 

of the following: Town-Fringe, Town-Distant, Town-Remote, Rural 

Fringe, Rural-Distant, Rural-Remote, as defined by the NCES 

College Navigator search tool.

Note: Applicants are encouraged to retrieve locale codes from 

the NCES School District search tool 

(https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/), where LEAs can be 

looked up individually to retrieve locale codes, and the Public 

School search tool (https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/), 

where individual schools can be looked up to retrieve locale 

codes. Applicants are encouraged to retrieve campus settings 

from the NCES College Navigator search tool 

(https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/) where IHEs can be looked 

up individually to determine the campus setting.
23

Absolute Priority 2--Increasing Postsecondary Education 

Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success.

Projects that are designed to increase postsecondary 

access, affordability, completion, and success for underserved 

students by addressing one or more of the following priority 

areas:

(a) Increasing postsecondary education access and reducing 

the cost of college by creating clearer pathways for students 

between institutions and making transfer of course credits more 

seamless and transparent.

(b) Increasing the number and proportion of underserved 

students who enroll in and complete postsecondary education 

programs, which may include strategies related to college 

preparation, awareness, application, selection, advising, 

counseling, and enrollment.

(c) Supporting the development and implementation of 

student success programs that integrate multiple comprehensive 

and evidence-based services or initiatives, such as academic 

advising, structured/guided pathways, career services, creditbearing academic undergraduate courses focused on career, and 

programs to meet basic needs, such as housing, child care and 

transportation, student financial aid, and access to 

technological devices.
24

(d) Supporting the development and implementation of highquality and accessible learning opportunities, including 

learning opportunities that are accelerated or hybrid online; 

credit-bearing; work-based; and flexible for working students.

(e) Supporting the development and implementation of 

evidence-based strategies to promote students' development of 

knowledge and skills necessary for success in the workforce and 

civic life.

(f) Providing secondary school students with access to 

career exploration and advising opportunities to help students 

make informed decisions about their postsecondary enrollment 

decisions and to place them on a career path.

Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2023, 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 up to an additional 10 points to an application, 

depending on how well the application meets this priority, which 

encompasses up to 5 points per subcomponent described below.

This priority is:

Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and Community 

Engagement to Advance Systemic Change (Up to 10 points).
25

Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidencebased approach to improving outcomes for underserved students in 

coordinating efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or 

community-based organizations, that support students, to address 

college readiness (Up to 5 points), workforce development (Up to 

5 points), or both.

Invitational Priorities: For FY 2023, and any subsequent year 

in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 

from this competition, these priorities are invitational 

priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an 

application that meets these invitational priorities a 

competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1--Supporting Secondary Students to 

Access Postsecondary Education.

Projects that are designed to provide long-term academic 

and career advising relationships, and exposure to postsecondary 

opportunities to students as early as 8th grade to support them 

through their transition to postsecondary education, including 

potential transitions from 2- to 4-year programs.

Invitational Priority 2--Supporting the Development of 

Academic Programs with Career Pathways.
26

Projects that include partnerships with regional economic 

development or workforce agencies, regional employers, or other 

relevant nonprofit organizations and support alignment of 

academic programs with, and development of, high-quality career 

pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand 

industry sectors and occupations in the region. 

Invitational Priority 3--Supporting Transition from 

Community College to a 4-Year Institution of Higher Education.

Projects that are designed to provide strategies for 

developing and maintaining long-term academic and career 

advising relationships with community college students to 

support them through their transition to a 4-year IHE.

Definitions: For FY 2023 and any subsequent year in which we 

make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 

competition, the following definitions apply. The definition of 

“in-demand industry sector or occupation” is from section 3(23) 

of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA). 

The definitions of “demonstrates a rationale,” “evidence-based,” 

“logic model,” “project component,” and “relevant outcome” are 

from 34 CFR 77.1. The definitions of “disconnected youth,” 

“English learner,” “underserved student”, and “child or student 

with a disability” are from the Supplemental Priorities. 
27

Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component 

included in the project's logic model is informed by research or 

evaluation findings that suggest the project component is likely 

to improve relevant outcomes.

Disconnected youth means an individual, between the ages 14 

and 24, who may be from a low-income background, experiences 

homelessness, is in foster care, is involved in the justice 

system, or is not working or not enrolled in (or at risk of 

dropping out of) an educational institution.

English learner means an individual who is an English 

learner as defined in section 8101(20) of the Elementary and 

Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, or an individual 

who is an English language learner as defined in section 203(7) 

of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Evidence-based means the proposed project component is 

supported by evidence that demonstrates a rationale.

In-demand industry sector or occupation means—

(a) In General. (i) An industry sector that has a 

substantial current or potential impact (including through jobs 

that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for 

advancement) on the State, regional, or local economy, as 

appropriate, and that contributes to the growth or stability of 
28

other supporting businesses, or the growth of other industry 

sectors; or

(ii) An occupation that currently has or is projected to 

have a number of positions (including positions that lead to 

economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) in 

an industry sector so as to have a significant impact on the 

State, regional, or local economy, as appropriate.

Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means 

a framework that identifies key project components of the 

proposed project (i.e., the active “ingredients” that are 

hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) 

and describes the theoretical and operational relationships 

among the key project components and relevant outcomes.

Note: In developing logic models, applicants may want to use 

resources such as the Regional Educational Laboratory Program’s 

(REL Pacific) Education Logic Model Application, available at 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/index.asp. Other 

sources include: 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014025.p

df, 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014007.p

df, and 
29

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2015057

.pdf.

Project component means an activity, strategy, 

intervention, process, product, practice, or policy included in 

a project. Evidence may pertain to an individual project 

component or to a combination of project components (e.g., 

training teachers on instructional practices for English 

learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).

Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other 

outcome(s) the key project component is designed to improve, 

consistent with the specific goals of the program.

Underserved student means a student (which may include 

students in K-12 programs and students in postsecondary 

education or career and technical education) in one or more of 

the following subgroups:

(a) A student who is living in poverty or is served by 

schools with high concentrations of students living in poverty.

(b) A student of color.

(c) A student who is a member of a federally recognized 

Indian Tribe.

(d) An English learner (as defined in this notice).

(e) A child or student with a disability (as defined in 

this notice).
30

(f) A disconnected youth (as defined in this notice).

(g) A technologically unconnected youth.

(h) A student experiencing homelessness or housing 

insecurity.

(i) A pregnant, parenting, or caregiving student.

(j) A student who is the first in their family to attend 

postsecondary education.

(k) A student enrolling in or seeking to enroll in 

postsecondary education for the first time at the age of 20 or 

older.

(l) A student who is working full-time while enrolled in 

postsecondary education.

(m) A student who is enrolled in or is seeking to enroll in 

postsecondary education who is eligible for a Pell Grant.

(n) A student performing significantly below grade level.

For the purpose of the definition of underserved student

only--

Child or student with a disability means children with 

disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals 

with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)) and 

34 CFR 300.8, or students with disabilities, as defined in the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(37), 705(202) (B)).
31

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d; the Explanatory 

Statement accompanying Division H of the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328). 

Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 

consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in 

Federal civil rights laws.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 

Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 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 Administrative Priorities. (e) The 

Supplemental Priorities.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grant.

Estimated Available Funds: $44,550,000.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality 

of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent 
32

years from the list of unfunded applications from this 

competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $1,782,000 to $2,227,500.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,900,000.

Maximum Award: $2,227,500. We will not make an award exceeding 

$2,227,500 for a single budget period of 48 months.

Note: The maximum award is based on a 4-year budget period. 

Applicants will need to prepare a multiyear budget request for 

up to 4 years. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 23.

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

notice.

Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are IHEs (as 

defined in section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that are 

public or private nonprofit IHEs, and public and private 

nonprofit organizations and agencies that partner with IHEs.

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does 

not require cost sharing or matching.

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program does not involve 

supplement-not-supplant funding requirements. 
33

c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an 

unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding 

indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, 

please see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html. 

d. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not 

include any program-specific limitation on administrative 

expenses. All administrative expenses must be reasonable and 

necessary and conform to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 

200 subpart E of the Uniform Guidance.

3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee 

under this competition may award subgrants--to directly carry 

out project activities described in its application--to entities 

listed in the grant application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. 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 December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and 

available at www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554, which contain 

requirements and information on how to submit an application. 

Please note that these Common Instructions supersede the version 

published on December 27, 2021. 
34

2. Intergovernmental Review: 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 program.

3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations 

outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations

section of this notice.

4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is 

where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 

reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that 

you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 50 pages 

and (2) use the following standards:

 ● A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" 

margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.

 ● Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical 

inch) all text in the application narrative, except titles, 

headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions.

 ● Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no 

smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

 ● Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, 

Courier, Courier New, or Arial.
35

The recommended 50-page limit applies only to the 

application narrative and does not apply to Part I, the cover 

sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative 

budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and 

certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the 

bibliography, or the letters of support. We recommend that any 

application addressing the priorities include no more than three 

additional pages for each priority addressed.

5. Program Profile: Applicants must indicate in the 

recommended one-page abstract how the proposed project meets the 

absolute priorities, including the relevant NCES locale codes, 

and, if applicable, the competitive preference priority and 

invitational priorities. The abstract narrative should identify 

the target population (e.g., faculty, staff, students), the 

services that will be provided, and the proposed activities to 

be conducted during the 4-year performance period. It should 

also include anticipated results and citations, if applying for 

competitive priority points.

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this 

program are from 34 CFR 75.210. Applicants should address each 

of the selection criteria. The points assigned to each 

criterion are indicated in the parentheses next to the 
36

criterion. An applicant may earn up to a total of 100 points 

based on the selection criteria and up to 10 additional points 

under the competitive preference priority, for a total score of 

up to 110 points. All applications will be evaluated based on 

the selection criteria as follows:

(a) Quality of the project design. (Maximum 35 points)

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of 

the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the design of the 

proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and 

outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly 

specified and measurable. (Up to 10 points)

(ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed 

project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the 

needs of the target population or other identified needs. (Up 

to 10 points)

(iii) The extent to which the design of the proposed 

project includes a thorough, high-quality review of the relevant 

literature, a high-quality plan for project implementation, and 

the use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful 

achievement of project objectives. (Up to 5 points)
37

(iv) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates 

a rationale (as defined in this notice). (Up to 5 points)

(v) The extent to which the proposed project is designed 

to build capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the 

period of Federal financial assistance. (Up to 3 points)

(vi) The extent to which the services to be provided by 

the proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate 

partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project services. 

(Up to 2 points)

 (b) Quality of the management plan. (Maximum 35

points)

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management 

plan for the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the management plan, the 

Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the

objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, 

including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and 

milestones for accomplishing project tasks. (Up to 10 points)

(ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in 

relation to the number of persons to be served and to the 

anticipated results and benefits. (Up to 5 points)
38

(iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality 

products and services from the proposed project. (Up to 5 

points)

(iv) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and 

continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project. 

(Up to 5 points)

(v) The extent to which the time commitments of the 

project director and principal investigator and other key 

project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the 

objectives of the proposed project. (Up to 10 points)

(c) Adequacy of resources. (Maximum 10 points)

(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for 

the proposed project.

(2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the 

proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, 

equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant 

organization or the lead applicant organization. (Up to 5 

points)

(ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each 

partner in the proposed project to the implementation and 

success of the project. (Up to 5 points)

(d) Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 20
39

points)

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation 

to be conducted of the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the 

Secretary considers:

(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are 

thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, 

and outcomes of the proposed project. (Up to 10 points)

(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide 

for examining the effectiveness of project implementation 

strategies. (Up to 10 points)

2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential 

applicants that in reviewing applications in any discretionary 

grant competition, the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 

75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the applicant in carrying 

out a previous award, such as the applicant’s use of funds, 

achievement of project objectives, and compliance with grant 

conditions. The Secretary may also consider whether the 

applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 

submitted a report of unacceptable quality.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the 

Secretary also requires various assurances, including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 
40

discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal 

financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 

106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

For this competition, a panel of external reviewers will 

read, prepare a written evaluation of, and score all eligible 

applications using the selection criteria and the competitive 

preference priority, if applicable, provided in this notice. 

The individual scores of the reviewers will be added and the sum 

divided by the number of reviewers to determine the peer review 

score. The Department may use more than one tier of reviews in 

evaluating grantees. The Department will prepare a rank order 

of applications based solely on the evaluation of their quality 

according to the selection criteria and competitive preference 

priority points.

Tiebreaker. In the event there are two or more 

applications with the same final score, and there are 

insufficient funds to fully support each of these applications, 

the Department will apply the following procedure to determine 

which application or applications will receive an award:

First Tiebreaker: The first tiebreaker will be the highest 

average score for the selection criterion “Quality of the 

Project Design”. If a tie remains, the second tiebreaker will be 

utilized.
41

Second Tiebreaker: The second tiebreaker will be the 

highest average score for the selection criterion “Quality of 

the Management Plan.” If a tie remains, the third tiebreaker 

will be utilized.

Third Tiebreaker: The third tiebreaker will be the 

highest average score for the selection criterion “Quality of 

the Project Evaluation.” If a tie remains, the fourth 

tiebreaker will be utilized.

Fourth Tiebreaker: The fourth tiebreaker will be the 

applicant that serves the highest number of LEAs, schools, 

and/or institutions located in a rural area as identified by the 

rural locale codes outlined in Absolute Priority 1. Please 

refer to the NCES locale lookup map: 

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/maped/LocaleLookup/. 

3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent 

with 2 CFR 200.206, before awarding grants under this 

competition, the Department conducts a review of the risks posed 

by applicants. Under 2 CFR 200.208, the Secretary may impose 

specific conditions and, under 2 CFR 3474.10, in appropriate 

circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the applicant 

or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of 

unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management 

system that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, 
42

subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or 

is otherwise not responsible.

4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected 

under this competition to receive an award that over the course 

of the project period may exceed the simplified acquisition 

threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we 

must make a judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and 

record of performance under Federal awards--that is, the risk 

posed by you as an applicant--before we make an award. In doing 

so, we must consider any information about you that is in the 

integrity and performance system (currently referred to as the 

Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 

(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. 

You may review and comment on any information about yourself 

that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently 

in FAPIIS.

Please note that, if the total value of your currently 

active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts 

from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting 

requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to 

report certain integrity information to FAPIIS semiannually. 

Please review the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, 
43

if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive 

exceed $10,000,000.

5. In General: In accordance with the Office of 

Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all 

applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the 

Department will review and consider applications for funding 

pursuant to this notice inviting applications in accordance 

with--

(a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in 

delivering results based on the program objectives through an 

objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 

CFR 200.205);

(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication 

and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with 

section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 

(Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2 CFR 200.216);

(c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by 

law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced 

in the United States (2 CFR 200.322); and

(d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the 

greatest extent authorized by law if an award no longer 

effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 

200.340).
44

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we 

notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a 

Grant Award Notification (GAN); 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.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We 

identify administrative and national policy requirements in the 

application package and reference these and other requirements 

in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

We reference the regulations outlining the terms and 

conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section of 

this notice and include these and other specific conditions in 

the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as 

part of your binding commitments under the grant.

3. 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 preexisting works, the license extends only to those modifications 
45

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.

4. Reporting: (a) 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).

(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 
46

75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to 

www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

5. Performance Measures: For purposes of Department 

reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department will use the 

following performance measures to evaluate the success of the 

RPED Grants Program: 

a. The number of rural students that received direct 

student services supported by the grant.

b. The change in the annual enrollment rate at grantee 

institutions of rural students that received direct student 

services supported by the grant from one year to the next.

c. The number of rural students that received direct 

student services supported by the grant that transfer to a 4-year 

institution or obtain a degree or certificate of completion.

d. The number of rural students that received direct 

student services supported by the grant who obtain an 

internship, apprenticeship, or employment.

6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award 

under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary considers, among other 

things: whether a grantee has made substantial progress in 

achieving the goals and objectives of the project; whether the 

grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with 

its approved application and budget; and, if the Secretary has 
47

established performance measurement requirements, whether the 

grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the 

performance targets in the grantee’s approved application.

In making a continuation award, the Secretary also 

considers whether the grantee is operating in compliance with 

the assurances in its approved application, including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 

discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal 

financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 

106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Other Information

Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person 

listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with 

disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the 

application package in an accessible format. 

The Department will provide the requestor with an accessible 

format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text format 

(txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print, 

audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of 

this document is the document published in the Federal Register. 

You may access the official edition of the Federal Register and 

the Code of Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this 
48

site you can view this document, as well as all other documents 

of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or 

Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe 

Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access documents of the Department published 

in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at 

www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit your search to 

documents published by the Department.

Dated: 

____________________________

Nasser Paydar,

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
49

VI. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

The Rural Postsecondary & Economic Development Program is authorized under 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d; 

the Explanatory Statement accompanying Division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. 

L. 117-328).

Note: Projects must be awarded and operated in a manner consistent with the nondiscrimination 

requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution and the Federal civil rights laws.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR 

parts 75, 77, 79, 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 

Administrative Priorities. and (e) The Supplemental Priorities. 
50

VII. 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 the Executive 

order 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 Points of Contact for 

information on how this works. Multi-state applicants should follow procedures specific to each 

state.

Further information about the State Single Point of Contact process and a list of names by State 

can be found at:

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

Absent specific State review programs, applicants may submit comments directly to the 

Department. All recommendations and comments must be mailed or hand-delivered by the date 

indicated in the actual application notice to the following address: The Secretary, EO 12372—

ALN# 84.116W, U.S. Department of Education, room 7E200, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20202.

Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). 

Recommendations or comments may be hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the 

closing date indicated in this notice.

Important note: The above address is not the same address as the one to which the applicant 

submits its completed applications. Do not send applications to the above address.
51

VII. GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS ACT (GPRA)

What is GPRA?

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) is a straightforward statute that requires 

all federal agencies to manage their activities with attention to the consequences of those activities. Each 

agency is to clearly state what it intends to accomplish, identify the resources required, and periodically 

report their progress to the Congress. In so doing, it is expected that the GPRA will contribute to 

improvements in accountability for the expenditures of public funds, improve Congressional decisionmaking through more objective information on the effectiveness of federal programs, and promote a new 

government focus on results, service delivery, and customer satisfaction.

How has the Department of Education Responded to the GPRA Requirements? 

As required by GPRA, the Department of Education has prepared a strategic plan for 2022-2026. This 

plan reflects the Department’s priorities and integrates them with its mission and program authorities and 

describes how the Department will work to improve education for all children and adults in the U.S. The 

Department’s goals, as listed in the plan, are:

Goal 1: Promote equity in student access to education resources, opportunities, and inclusive 

environments.

Goal 2: Support a diverse and talented educator workforce and professional growth to strengthen student 

learning.

Goal 3: Meet students social, emotional, and academic needs.

Goal 4: Increase postsecondary value by focusing on equity-conscious strategies to address access to 

high-quality institutions, affordability, completion, post-enrollment success, and support for inclusive 

institutions.

Goal 5: Enhance the Department’s internal capacity to optimize the delivery of its mission.

What are the performance indicators for the Rural Postsecondary & Economic Development

Program?

The performance measures for the Rural Postsecondary & Economic Development Program are part of 

the Department’s plan for meeting Goal 4. The specific purpose of the program is to support projects at 

eligible institutions of higher education (IHE) (as defined in section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001)) 

that are public or private nonprofit IHEs, and public and private nonprofit organizations and agencies that 

partner with IHEs to improve rates of postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion among rural 

students through development of career pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand 

industry sectors and occupations in the region.

For the purposes of Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department will use the following 

performance measures to evaluate the success of the RPED Grants Program. 

The performance measures are:
52

a. The number of rural students that received direct student services supported by the grant.

b. The change in the annual enrollment rate at grantee institutions of rural students that received 

direct student services supported by the grant from one year to the next.

c. The number of rural students that received direct student services supported by the grant that 

transfer to a 4-year institution or obtain a degree or certificate of completion.

d. The number of rural students that received direct student services supported by the grant who 

obtain an internship, apprenticeship, or employment.

How does the Department of Education determine whether performance goals have been met?

An applicant that receives a grant award will be required to submit Annual Performance Reports and a 

Final Performance Report as a condition of the award. The reports will document the extent to which

project-specific goals and objectives are met. As part of the reporting process, grantees will also respond 

to the program-specific measures, to the extent that they are able, based on their project design. As such, 

applicants should consider the program measures as they are developing their evaluation plan. 

The most recent version of this program’s annual performance report can be viewed at

https://hepis.ed.gov. To access your institution’s annual performance reports, go to the Contact Us 

tab to make the request.
53

IX. INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE APPLICATION

The application for the Rural Postsecondary & Economic Development Program within Grants.gov

consists of standard forms and assurances along with forms that allow you to upload attachments. All 

attachments must be in .pdf format. Although Grants.gov allows various file types to be uploaded, you 

must only upload .pdf files when submitting applications to the Department of Education. This is due to 

functionality constraints within the Department’s grants system which interfaces with Grants.gov to 

receive applications.

The forms are as follows:

Part I: SF 424 Forms

• Application for Federal Assistance – (SF 424)

• Department of Education Supplemental Information Form for SF 424

Note:

 Applicants must complete the Standard Form (SF) 424 first because some of the 

information provided here is automatically inserted into other sections of the Grants.gov 

application package.

 Do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the SF 424. 

Although the form accepts attachments, the Department of Education will only review 

materials/files attached to the forms listed below.

Part II: ED Form 524 & Budget Narrative Forms

• Department of Education Budget Summary Form – (ED 524)

Sections A, B & C 

• Budget Narrative Attachment Form 

The Budget Narrative Form is where you provide an itemized budget breakdown, and justification by 

project year, for each budget category listed in Sections A and B of the ED Form 524.

Note:

 The non-federal funds that will be supplied by the institution should be included in 

Section B.

 The use of non-federal funds is not required for this program.

 This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

 Applicants are required to prepare a detailed and comprehensive Budget Narrative for 

all proposed line items listed in ED Form 524 (Sections A and B). This narrative 

should be attached as the “Budget Narrative Attachment Form.”
54

 The detailed Budget Narrative will be included in the “Budget Narrative Attachment 

Form.”

 The detailed Budget Narrative is for each year of the budget period.

 Refer to “Instructions for ED 524 Budget Summary Form, Section C” for additional 

instructions on the Budget Narrative.

Part III: Abstract, Project Narrative, and Other Attachments Forms

• ED Abstract Form

• Project Narrative Attachment Form

• Other Attachments Form 

• GEPA Section 427 Form

Note:

 You should include a Table of Contents as the first page of the Project Narrative.

 Refer to the NIA for recommendations on the page limit and format for the project 

narrative.

The ED Abstract Form is where you provide a one-page abstract narrative that provides an overview of 

the proposed project. 

Note: 

 On the “ED Abstract Form” the abstract should clearly indicate a response to each of the 

absolute priorities, and, if applicable, the competitive preference priority and invitational 

priorities.

 The abstract should indicate the institutions and/or partners that the applicant is proposing 

to partner with for the purpose of meeting the priorities. 

 The abstract narrative should identify the target population (e.g., faculty, staff, students), 

the services that will be provided and the proposed activities to be conducted during the 

4-year performance period. It should also include anticipated results and citations.

The Project Narrative Attachment Form includes the narrative sections addressing the program 

selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted for this competition. A Table of 

Contents should be included as the first page of the Project Narrative. This section has page limit 

recommendations listed in the NIA. Responses to the Absolute Priorities should be included in this 

section. Additionally, for those responding to the Competitive Preference Priority and/or Invitational 

Priorities, the responses should be clearly marked as Competitive Preference Priority and Invitational 

Priorities. These priorities should also be included as part of the project narrative.

The Other Attachments Form is where you attach the Curriculum Vitae (CV) of project 

personnel/participants, letters of commitment and support, business information that you consider 

proprietary, and the bibliography, if applicable.
55

Note:

 It is recommended that the CV be no more than three (3) pages.

 Attach all CVs as a single document.

Attach all letters of commitment and support as a single document.

The GEPA Section 427 Form is where 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.

Note:

 This form is now integrated into the grants.gov environment and will not require a separate PDF 

submission or upload.

 We encourage applicants to take the computer-based training, Ensuring Equitable Opportunities 

Under the GEPA Section 427 on the ED.gov website at Grants Training and Management 

Resources Online Grants Training Courses and to visit the Department of Education Equity 

Action Plan website

Part IV: Assurances and Certifications

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (Optional)

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form (ED form 80-0013)

*All attachments must be in a .PDF format only. Other types of files will not be accepted.*

Grants.gov Uploading Requirements:

You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF 

(Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload and interactive or fillable PDF file. 

If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, 

we will not review that material. 
56

PART I

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SF 424 

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, 

including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 

needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden 

estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to 

the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0043), Washington, DC 20503. 

PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND 

BUDGET. SEND IT TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED BY THE SPONSORING AGENCY.

This is a standard form required for use as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications and applications and 

related information under discretionary programs. Some of the items are required and some are optional at the 

discretion of the applicant or the federal agency (agency). Required fields on the form are identified with an asterisk 

(*) and are also specified as “Required” in the instructions below. In addition to these instructions, applicants must 

consult agency instructions to determine other specific requirements.

Item Entry: Item: Entry:

1. Type of Submission: (Required) Select one 

type of submission in accordance with agency 

instructions.

• Pre-application

• Application

• Changed/Corrected Application – If 

requested by the agency, check if this 

submission is to change or correct a 

previously submitted application. Unless 

requested by the agency, applicants may not 

use this form to submit changes after the 

closing date.

10. Name of Federal Agency: (Required) Enter the 

name of the federal agency from which 

assistance is being requested with this 

application.

11. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Number/Title: Enter the Catalog of Federal 

Domestic Assistance number and title of the 

program under which assistance is requested, as 

found in the program announcement, if 

applicable.

2. Type of Application: (Required) Select one 

type of application in accordance with 

agency instructions.

• New – An application that is being 

submitted to an agency for the first time.

• Continuation - An extension for an 

additional funding/budget period for a project 

with a projected completion date. This can 

include renewals.

• Revision - Any change in the federal 

government’s financial obligation or 

contingent liability from an existing 

obligation. If a revision, enter the appropriate 

letter(s). More than one may be selected. If 

12. Funding Opportunity Number/Title: 

(Required) Enter the Funding Opportunity 

Number (FON) and title of the opportunity 

under which assistance is requested, as found in 

the program announcement. 

13. Competition Identification Number/Title:

Enter the competition identification number and 

title of the competition under which assistance 

is requested, if applicable.

14. Areas Affected by Project: List the areas or 

entities using the categories (e.g., cities, 

counties, states, etc.)specified in agency 
57

"Other" is selected, please specify in text box 

provided.

A. Increase Award 

B. Decrease Award 

C. Increase Duration

D. Decrease Duration

E. Other (specify)

instructions. Use the continuation sheet to enter 

additional areas, if needed.

3. Date Received: Leave this field blank. This 

date will be assigned by the Federal agency.

15. Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project: 

(Required) Enter a brief descriptive title of the 

project. If appropriate, attach a map showing 

project location (e.g., construction or real 

property projects). For pre-applications, attach a 

summary description of the project. 

4. Applicant Identifier: Enter the entity 

identifier assigned by the Federal agency, if 

any, or the applicant’s control number if 

applicable.

5a. Federal Entity Identifier: Enter the number 

assigned to your organization by the federal 

agency, if any.

16. Congressional Districts Of: 16a. (Required) 

Enter the applicant’s congressional district. 

16b. Enter all district(s) affected by the program 

or project. Enter in the format: 2 characters 

state abbreviation – 3 characters district 

number, e.g., CA-005 for California 5th district, 

CA-012 for California 12 district, NC-103 for 

North Carolina’s 103 district. 

If all congressional districts in a state are 

affected, enter “all” for the district number, e.g., 

MD-all for all congressional districts in 

Maryland. 

If nationwide, i.e. all districts within all states 

are affected, enter US-all. 

If the program/project is outside the US, enter 

00-000. 

5b. Federal Award Identifier: For new 

applications, enter NA. For a continuation or 

revision to an existing award, enter the 

previously assigned federal award identifier 

number. If a changed/corrected application, 

enter the federal identifier in accordance with 

agency instructions.

6. Date Received by State: Leave this field 

blank. This date will be assigned by the state, 

if applicable. 

7. State Application Identifier: Leave this field 

blank. This identifier will be assigned by the 

state, if applicable.

8. Applicant Information: Enter the following 

in accordance with agency instructions: 

a. Legal Name: (Required) Enter the legal 

name of applicant that will undertake the 

assistance activity. This is the organization 

that has registered with the Central Contractor 

Registry (CCR). Information on registering 

with CCR may be obtained by visiting 

www.Grants.gov. 

17. Proposed Project Start and End Dates: 

(Required) Enter the proposed start date and 

end date of the project.
58

b. Employer/Taxpayer Number (EIN/TIN): 

(Required) Enter the employer or taxpayer 

identification number (EIN or TIN) as 

assigned by the Internal Revenue Service. If 

your organization is not in the US, enter 44-

4444444.

18. Estimated Funding: (Required) Enter the 

amount requested, or to be contributed during 

the first funding/budget period by each 

contributor. Value of in-kind contributions 

should be included on appropriate lines, as 

applicable. If the action will result in a dollar 

change to an existing award, indicate only the 

amount of the change. For decreases, enclose 

the amounts in parentheses.

c. UEI: (Required) Enter the organization’s 

UEI received from SAM. The UEI is a unique 

12 character organization identifier. 

Information on registering with System for 

Award Management (SAM.gov) may be 

obtained by visiting the Grants.gov website

19. Is Application Subject to Review by State 

Under Executive Order 12372 Process? 

(Required) Applicants should contact the State 

Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Federal 

Executive Order 12372 to determine whether 

the application is subject to the State 

intergovernmental review process. Select the 

appropriate box. If “a.” is selected, enter the 

date the application was submitted to the State. 

d. Address: Enter address: Street 1 

(Required); city (Required); County/Parish, 

State (Required if country is US), Province, 

Country (Required), 9-digit zip/postal code 

(Required if country US). 

20. Is the Applicant Delinquent on any Federal 

Debt?

(Required) Select the appropriate box. This 

question applies to the applicant organization, 

not the person who signs as the authorized 

representative. Categories of federal debt 

include; but, may not be limited to: delinquent 

audit disallowances, loans and taxes. If yes, 

include an explanation in an attachment. 

e. Organizational Unit: Enter the name of the 

primary organizational unit, department or 

division that will undertake the assistance 

activity. 

21. Authorized Representative: To be signed and 

dated by the authorized representative of the 

applicant organization. Enter the first and last 

name (Required); prefix, middle name, suffix. 

Enter title, telephone number, email (Required); 

and fax number. A copy of the governing 

body’s authorization for you to sign this 

application as the official representative must 

be on file in the applicant’s office. (Certain 

federal agencies may require that this 

authorization be submitted as part of the 

application.)

f. Name and contact information of person 

to be contacted on matters involving this 

application: Enter the first and last name 

(Required); prefix, middle name, suffix, title. 

Enter organizational affiliation if affiliated 

with an organization other than that in 7.a. 

Telephone number and email (Required); fax 

number. 

9. Type of Applicant: (Required) Select up to 

three applicant type(s) in accordance with 

agency instructions. 

A. State 

Government

B. County 

Government

M. Nonprofit

N. Private 

Institution of Higher 

Education

O. Individual
59

C. City or 

Township 

Government

D. Special District 

Government

E. Regional 

Organization

F. U.S. Territory or 

Possession

G. Independent 

School District

H. Public/State 

Controlled Institution 

of Higher Education

I. Indian/Native 

American Tribal 

Government 

(Federally 

Recognized)

J. Indian/Native 

American Tribal 

Government (Other 

than Federally 

Recognized)

K. Indian/Native 

American Tribally 

Designated 

Organization

L. Public/Indian 

Housing Authority

P. For-Profit 

Organization (Other 

than Small Business)

Q. Small Business

R. Hispanicserving Institution

S. Historically 

Black Colleges and 

Universities 

(HBCUs)

T. Tribally 

Controlled Colleges 

and Universities 

(TCCUs)

U. Alaska Native 

and Native Hawaiian 

Serving Institutions

V. Non-US Entity

W. Other (specify)
60

PART I

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR SF 424 

1. Project Director. Name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the person to be 

contacted on matters involving this application. Items marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

2. New Potential Grantee or Novice Applicant. If applicable, for (a), check “Yes” if you meet the 

definition for new potential grantees or novice applicants specified in the program competition’s notice 

inviting applications (NIA) and included on the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of 

Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424”. By checking “Yes” the applicant certifies that it 

meets the new potential grantee or novice applicant requirements. Check “No” if you do not meet the 

definition for new potential grantees or novice applicants. For (b), if the program competition NIA is giving 

competitive preference points for new potential grantees or novice applicants, indicate how many points 

you are claiming for your application. The NIA will indicate how many are available depending on the 

design of the competition. Some competitions may provide more than one category of new potential 

grantees with differing levels of points.

3. Qualified Opportunity Zones. If applicable, provide the Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZ) census 

tract number(s) if the NIA includes a QOZ Priority in which you propose to either provide services in 

QOZ(s) or are located in a QOZ.

4. Human Subjects Research. (See I. A. “Definitions” in attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. 

Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.”)

4a. If Not Human Subjects Research. Check “No” if research activities involving human subjects are 

not planned at any time during the proposed project period. The remaining parts of Item 3 are then not 

applicable.

4a. If Human Subjects Research. Check “Yes” if research activities involving human subjects are 

planned at any time during the proposed project period, either at the applicant organization or at any other 

performance site or collaborating institution. Check “Yes” even if the research is exempt from the 

regulations for the protection of human subjects. (See I. B. “Exemptions” in attached page entitled 

“Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF-424.”) 

4b. If Human Subjects Research is Exempt from the Human Subjects Regulations. Check “Yes” if 

all the research activities proposed are designated to be exempt from the regulations. Check the exemption 

number(s) corresponding to one or more of the eight exemption categories listed in I. B. “Exemptions.” In 

addition, follow the instructions in II. A. “Exempt Research Narrative” in the attached page entitled 

“Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.” 

4b. If Human Subjects Research is Not Exempt from Human Subjects Regulations. Check “No” if 

some or all of the planned research activities are covered (not exempt). In addition, follow the instructions 

in II. B. “Nonexempt Research Narrative” in the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of 

Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.”
61

4b. Human Subjects Assurance Number. If the applicant has an approved Federal Wide Assurance 

(FWA) on file with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services, that covers the specific activity, insert the number in the space provided. (A list of 

current FWAs is available at: https://ohrp.cit.nih.gov/search/search.aspx?styp=bsc.) If the applicant does 

not have an approved assurance on file with OHRP, enter “None.” In this case, the applicant, by signature 

on the SF-424, is declaring that it will comply with 34 CFR 97 and proceed to obtain the human subjects 

assurance upon request by the designated ED official. If the application is recommended/selected for 

funding, the designated ED official will request that the applicant obtain the assurance within 30 days after 

the specific formal request.

4c. If applicable, please attach your “Exempt Research” or “Nonexempt Research” narrative to your 

submission of the U.S Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424 form as 

instructed in item II, “Instructions for Exempt and Nonexempt Human Subjects Research Narratives” in the 

attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF424.” 

Note about Institutional Review Board Approval. ED does not require certification of Institutional 

Review Board approval with the application. However, if an application that involves non-exempt human 

subjects research is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will request that the 

applicant obtain and send the certification to ED within 30 days after the formal request.

No covered human subjects research can be conducted until the study has ED clearance for 

protection of human subjects in research.

Public Burden Statement:

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

information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this 

collection of information is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including time for reviewing 

instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing 

and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to 

obtain or retain benefit (20 USC 3474 General Education Provisions Act). Send comments regarding the 

burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this 

burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or 

email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1894-0007. Note: Please do not 

return the completed ED SF 424 Supplemental Form to this address.
62

PART I

DEFINITIONS FOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR THE SF-424

Definitions:

Novice Applicant (See 34 CFR 75.225)

For discretionary grant programs, novice applicant means any applicant for a grant from ED that—

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

• Has never been a member of a group application, submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-

75.129, that received a grant under the program from which it seeks funding; and

• Has not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal government in the five years before the 

deadline date for applications under the program. For the purposes of this requirement, a grant is 

active until the end of the grant’s project or funding period, including any extensions of those 

periods that extend the grantee’s authority to obligate funds.

In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, a group includes 

only parties that meet the requirements listed above.

PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH

I. Definitions and Exemptions

A. Definitions.

A research activity involves human subjects if the activity is research, as defined in the Department’s 

regulations, and the research activity will involve use of human subjects, as defined in the regulations.

—Research

The ED Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 

97, define research as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, 

designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.” If an activity follows a deliberate plan 

whose purpose is to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge it is research. Activities which 

meet this definition constitute research whether or not they are conducted or supported under a program 

that is considered research for other purposes. For example, some demonstration and service programs 

may include research activities.

—Human Subject

The regulations define human subject as “a living individual about whom an investigator (whether 

professional or student) conducting research obtains (i) information or biospecimens through 

intervention or interaction with the individual and uses through intervention or interaction with the 
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individual and uses, studies, or analyzes the information or biospecimens, or (ii ) obtains, uses, studies, 

analyzes, or generate identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens. ” 

If an activity involves obtaining information about a living person by manipulating that person or that 

person’s environment, as might occur when a new instructional technique is tested, or by communicating 

or interacting with the individual, as occurs with surveys and interviews, the definition of human subject 

is met. If an activity involves obtaining private information about a living person in such a way that the 

information can be directly or indirectly linked to that individual), the definition of human subject is met. 

Private information includes information about behavior that occurs in a context in which an individual 

can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place, and information which has been 

provided for specific purposes by an individual and which the individual can reasonably expect will not 

be made public (for example, a school health record).

B. Exemptions.

Research activities in which the only involvement of human subjects will be in one or more of the 

following eight categories of exemptions are not covered by the regulations:

(1) Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, that specifically 

involves normal educational practices that are not likely to adversely impact students’ opportunity to learn 

required educational content or the assessment of educators who provide instruction. This includes most 

research on regular and special education instructional strategies, and research on the effectiveness of or 

the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods. If an 

educational practice is being introduced to the site and is not widely used for similar populations, it is 

not covered by this exemption.

(2) Research that only includes interactions involving educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, 

achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior (including 

visual or auditory recordings) if at least one of the following criteria is met: (i) the information obtained is 

recorded by the investigator in such a manner that the identity of the human subjects cannot readily be 

ascertained, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects; (ii) Any disclosure of the human 

subjects’ responses outside the research would not reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or 

civil liability or be damaging to the subjects’ financial standing, employability, educational advancement 

or reputation; or (iii) the information obtained is recorded by the investigator in such a manner that the 

identity of the human subjects can readily be ascertained, directly or through identifiers linked to the 

subjects, and an IRB conducts a “limited IRB review” to make the determinations required by 34 CFR 

97.111(a)(7). 

If the subjects are children, exemption 2 applies only to research involving educational tests and 

observations of public behavior when the investigator(s) do not participate in the activities being 

observed. 

Exemption 2 does not apply if children are surveyed or interviewed or if the research involves 

observation of public behavior and the investigator(s) participate in the activities being observed. 

Children are defined as persons who have not attained the legal age for consent to treatments or 

procedures involved in the research, under the applicable law or jurisdiction in which the research will be 

conducted.
64

(3) Research involving benign behavioral interventions in conjunction with the collection of information 

from an adult subject through verbal or written responses (including data entry) or audiovisual recording 

if the subject prospectively agrees to the intervention and information collection and at least one of the 

following criteria is met: (A) The information obtained is recorded by the investigator in such a manner 

that the identity of the human subjects cannot readily be ascertained directly or through identifiers linked 

to the subjects; (B) Any disclosure of the human subjects’ responses outside the research would not 

reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or civil liability or be damaging to the subject’ financial 

standing, employability, educational advancement or reputation; or (C) The information obtained is 

recorded by the investigator in such a manner that the identity of the human subjects can readily be 

ascertained, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects, and an IRB conducts a limited IRB 

review to make the determination required by 34 CFR 97.111(a)(7).

For the purpose of this provision, benign behavioral interventions are brief in duration, harmless, painless, 

not physically invasive, not likely to have a significant adverse lasting impact on the subjects, and the 

investigator has no reason to think the subjects will find the interventions offensive or embarrassing. 

Provided all such criteria are met, examples of such benign behavioral interventions would include having 

the subject play an online game, having them solve puzzles under various noise conditions, or having 

them decide how to allocate a nominal amount of received cash between themselves and someone else.

If the research involves deceiving the subjects regarding the nature or purposes of the research, this 

exemption is not applicable unless the subject authorizes the deception through a prospective agreement 

to participate in research in circumstances in which the subject is informed that he or she will be unaware 

of or misled regarding the nature or purposes of the research. 

(4) Secondary Research for which Consent is not required. Secondary research uses of identifiable 

private information or identifiable biospecimens, if at least one of the following criteria is men: (i) The 

identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens are publicly available; (ii) Information, 

which may include information about biospecimens, is recorded by the investigator in such a manner that 

the identity of the human subjects cannot readily be ascertained directly or through identifiers linked to 

the subjects, the investigator does not contact the subjects, and the investigator will not re-identify 

subjects; (iii) the research involves only information collection and analysis involving the investigators’ 

use of identifiable health information when that use is regulated under 45 CFR parts 160 and 164, 

subparts A and E, for the purposes of “health care operations” or “research” as those terms are defined at 

45 CFR 164.501 or for “public health activities and purposes” as described under 45 CFR 164.512 (b); or 

(iv) The research is conducted by, or on behalf of, a Federal department or agency using governmentgenerated or government-collected information obtained for nonresearch activities, if the research 

generates identifiable private information that is or will be maintained on information technology that is 

subject to and in compliance with section 208(b) of the E-Government Act of 2002, 44 USC 3501 note, if 

all of the identifiable private information collected, used or generated as part of the activity will be 

maintained in systems of records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 USC 552a, and, if applicable, the 

information used in the research was collected subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 USC 

3501 et seq.

(5) Research and demonstration projects that are conducted or supported by a Federal department or 

agency, or otherwise subject to the approval of department or agency heads (or otherwise subject to the 

approval of department or agency heads (or the approval of the heads of bureaus or other subordinate 

agencies that have been delegated authority to conduct the research and demonstration projects), and that 

are designed to study, evaluate, improve, or otherwise examine public benefit or service programs, 

including procedures for obtaining benefits or services under those programs, possible changes in or 
65

alternative to those programs or procedures, or possible changes in methods or levels of payment for 

benefits or services under those programs. Such projects include, but are not limited to, internal studies 

by Federal employees, and studies under contracts or consulting arrangements, cooperative agreements, 

or grants. Exempt projects also include waivers of otherwise mandatory requirements using authorities 

such as sections 1115 and 1115A of the Social Security Act as amended.

Each Federal department or agency conducting or supporting the research and demonstration projects 

must establish, on a publicly accessible Federal website or in such other manner as the department or 

agency head may determine, a list of the research and demonstration projects that the Federal department 

or agency conducts or supports under this provision. The research or demonstration project must be 

published on this list prior to commencing the research involving human subjects. 

(6) Taste and food quality evaluation and consumer acceptance studies, (a) if wholesome foods without 

additives are consumed or (b) if a food is consumed that contains a food ingredient at or below the level 

and for a use found to be safe, or agricultural chemical or environmental contaminant at or below the 

level found to be safe, by the Food and Drug Administration or approved by the Environmental Protection 

Agency or the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

(7) Storage or Maintenance for Secondary Research for which Broad Consent is required. Storage or 

maintenance of identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens for potential secondary 

research use if an IRB conducts a limited IRB review and makes the determinations requires by 34 CFR 

97.111(a)(8).

(8) Secondary Research for which Broad Consent is Required. Research involving the use of identifiable 

private information or identifiable biospecimens for secondary research use if the following criteria are 

met: (i) Broad Consent for the storage, maintenance and secondary research use of the identifiable private 

information or identifiable biospecimens was obtained in accordance with 34 CFR 97.116(a) (1)-(4), (a) 

(6) and (d); (ii) Documentation of informed consent or waiver of documentation of consent was obtained 

in accordance with 34 CFR 97.117. (iii) an IRB conducts a limited IRB review and makes the 

determination that the research to be conducted is within the scope of the broad consent referenced in 

paragraph (d)(8)(i) of this section; and (iv) The investigator does not prevent an investigator from abiding 

by any legal requirements to return individual research results.

II. Instructions for Exempt and Nonexempt Human Subjects Research Narratives

If the applicant marked “Yes” for Item 3.b. of the U.S. Department of Education Supplemental 

Information for the SF 424, the applicant must attach a human subjects “exempt research” or “nonexempt 

research” narrative to the U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424 form. 

If you have multiple projects, include information about each, labeling the responses as to the project they 

address. For applications that include multiple research projects this can be done in a single narrative or 

in more than one narrative as appropriate. 

A. Exempt Research Narrative.

If you marked “Yes” for item 3.b. and designated exemption numbers(s), attach the “exempt research” 

narrative to the U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424. The narrative 

must contain sufficient information about the involvement of human subjects in the proposed research to 

allow a determination by ED that the designated exemption(s) are appropriate. The narrative must be 

succinct.
66

B. Nonexempt Research Narrative.

If you marked “No” for item 3.b. you must attach the “nonexempt research” narrative to the U.S. 

Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424. The narrative must address the 

following seven points. Although no specific page limitation applies to this section of the application, be 

succinct.

(1) Human Subjects Involvement and Characteristics: Provide a detailed description of the proposed 

involvement of human subjects. Describe the characteristics of the subject population, including their 

anticipated number, age range, and health status. Identify the criteria for inclusion or exclusion of any 

subpopulation. Explain the rationale for the involvement of special classes of subjects, such as children, 

children with disabilities, adults with disabilities, persons with mental disabilities, pregnant women, 

prisoners, institutionalized individuals, or others who are likely to be vulnerable

(2) Sources of Materials: Identify the sources of research material obtained from individually 

identifiable living human subjects in the form of specimens, records, or data. Indicate whether the 

material or data will be obtained specifically for research purposes or whether use will be made of 

existing specimens, records, or data.

(3) Recruitment and Informed Consent: Describe plans for the recruitment of subjects and the consent 

procedures to be followed. Include the circumstances under which consent will be sought and obtained, 

who will seek it, the nature of the information to be provided to prospective subjects, and the method of 

documenting consent. State if the Institutional Review Board (IRB) has authorized a modification or 

waiver of the elements of consent or the requirement for documentation of consent.

(4) Potential Risks: Describe potential risks (physical, psychological, social, legal, or other) and assess 

their likelihood and seriousness. Where appropriate, describe alternative treatments and procedures that 

might be advantageous to the subjects.

(5) Protection Against Risk: Describe the procedures for protecting against or minimizing potential 

risks, including risks to confidentiality, and assess their likely effectiveness. Where appropriate, discuss 

provisions for ensuring necessary medical or professional intervention in the event of adverse effects to 

the subjects. Also, where appropriate, describe the provisions for monitoring the data collected to ensure 

the safety of the subjects.

(6) Importance of the Knowledge to be Gained: Discuss the importance of the knowledge gained or to 

be gained as a result of the proposed research. Discuss why the risks to subjects are reasonable in relation 

to the anticipated benefits to subjects and in relation to the importance of the knowledge that may 

reasonably be expected to result.

(7) Collaborating Site(s): If research involving human subjects will take place at collaborating site(s) or 

other performance site(s), name the sites and briefly describe their involvement or role in the research.

Copies of the Department of Education’s Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, 34 CFR 

Part 97 and other pertinent materials on the protection of human subjects in research are available 

from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 

20202-4331, telephone: (202) 245-8090, and on the U.S. Department of Education’s Protection of 

Human Subjects in Research Web Site: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.html
67

NOTE: The State Applicant Identifier on the SF-424 is for State Use only. Please complete it on the 

SF-424 in the upper right corner of the form (if applicable).
68

PART II

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ED 524 BUDGET SUMMARY FORM 

General Instructions

This form is used to apply to individual U.S. Department of Education (ED) discretionary grant programs. 

Unless directed otherwise, provide the same budget information for each year of the multi-year funding 

request. Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if attached. You may access the 

Education Department General Administrative Regulations cited within these instructions at:

http://www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edgar.html. You may access requirements from 2 CFR 200, 

“Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards” 

cited within these instructions at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/12/26/2013-

30465/uniform-administrative-requirements-cost-principles-and-audit-requirements-for-federal-awards.

You must consult with your Business Office prior to submitting this form.

Section A - Budget Summary

U.S. Department of Education Funds

All applicants must complete Section A and provide a break-down by the applicable budget categories 

shown in lines 1-11.

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

requested for each applicable budget category.

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

only one project year, leave this column blank.

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

requested.

Line 12, column (f): Show the total amount requested for all project years. If funding is requested for 

only one year, leave this space blank.

Indirect Cost Information: If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10 the indirect 

cost rate to be charged to the grant must be entered in the applicable field on line 10, and the following 

information is to be completed by your Business Office. 

(1): Indicate whether or not your organization has an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement that was approved by 

the Federal government. If you checked “no,” ED generally will authorize grantees to use a temporary 

rate of 10 percent of budgeted salaries and wages (complete (4) of this section when using the 

temporary rate) subject to the following limitations: 
69

(a) The grantee must submit an indirect cost proposal to its cognizant agency within 90 days after ED 

issues a grant award notification; and 

(b) If after the 90-day period, the grantee has not submitted an indirect cost proposal to its cognizant 

agency, the grantee may not charge its grant for indirect costs until it has negotiated an indirect cost rate 

agreement with its cognizant agency. 

(2): If you checked “yes” in (1), indicate in (2) the beginning and ending dates covered by the Indirect 

Cost Rate Agreement. In addition, indicate whether ED, another Federal agency (Other) or State agency 

issued the approved agreement. If you check “Other,” specify the name of the Federal or other agency 

that issued the approved agreement.

(3): If you check “no” in (1), indicate in (3) if you want to use the de minimis rate of 10 percent of 

MTDC (see 2CFR § 200.68). If you use the de minimis rate, you are subject to the provisions in 2 CFR § 

200.414(f). Note, you may only use the 10 percent de minimis rate if you are a first-time Federal grant 

recipient, and you do not have an Approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. You may not use the de 

minimis rate if you are a State, Local government, or Indian Tribe, or if your grant is funded under a 

training rate or restricted rate program. 

(5): If you are applying for a grant under a Restricted Rate Program (34 CFR 75.563 or 76.563), indicate 

whether you are using a restricted indirect cost rate that is included on your approved Indirect Cost Rate 

Agreement, or whether you are using a restricted indirect cost rate that complies with 34 CFR 

76.564(c)(2). Note: State or Local government agencies may not use the provision for a restricted indirect 

cost rate specified in 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2). Check only one response. Leave blank, if this item is not 

applicable.

(6): For Training Rate Programs, ED regulations limit non-governmental entities to the recovery of 

indirect costs on training grants to the grantee’s actual indirect costs, as determined by its negotiated rate 

agreement, or 8 percent of a MTDC, whichever is lower (see EDGAR § 75.562(c)(4)). The 8 percent limit 

also applies to cost-type contracts under grants, if these contracts are for training as defined in EDGAR § 

75.562(a). If a non-governmental entity that receives a grant under a training grant program does not 

have an approved indirect cost rate and wants to recover indirect costs, it may use a temporary rate of 10 

percent of budgeted direct salaries and wages, but it must submit an indirect cost rate proposal to its 

cognizant agency for indirect costs within 90 days after ED issues the GAN. After the 90-day period, the 

government entity may not charge its grant for indirect costs until it has negotiated an indirect cost rate 

agreement.
70

Section B - Budget Summary

Non-Federal Funds

If you are required to provide or volunteer to provide cost-sharing or matching funds or other non-Federal 

resources to the project, these should be shown for each applicable budget category on lines 1-11 of 

Section B.

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e): For each project year, for which matching funds or other contributions are 

provided, show the total contribution for each applicable budget category.

Lines 1-11, column (f): Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If non-Federal contributions 

are provided for only one year, leave this column blank.

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

Line 12, column (f): Show the total amount to be contributed for all years of the multi-year project. If 

non-Federal contributions are provided for only one year, leave this space blank.

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

Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, 

if attached.

1. Provide an itemized budget breakdown, and justification by project year, for each budget category 

listed in Sections A and B. For grant projects that will be divided into two or more separately 

budgeted major activities or sub-projects, show for each budget category of a project year the 

breakdown of the specific expenses attributable to each sub-project or activity.

2. For non-Federal funds or resources listed in Section B that are used to meet a cost-sharing or 

matching requirement or provided as a voluntary cost-sharing or matching commitment, you must 

include: 

a. The specific costs or contributions by budget category; 

b. The source of the costs or contributions; and

c. In the case of third-party in-kind contributions, a description of how the value was determined for 

the donated or contributed goods or services.

[Please review cost sharing and matching regulations found in 2 CFR 200.306.]

3. If applicable to this program, provide the rate and base on which fringe benefits are calculated.
71

4. If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, this information is to be completed 

by your Business Office. Specify the estimated amount of the base to which the indirect cost rate is 

applied and the total indirect expense. Depending on the grant program to which you are applying 

and/or your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, some direct cost budget categories in your grant 

application budget may not be included in the base and multiplied by your indirect cost rate. For 

example, you must multiply the indirect cost rates of “Training grants" (34 CFR 75.562) and grants 

under programs with “Supplement not Supplant” requirements ("Restricted Rate" programs) by a 

“modified total direct cost” (MTDC) base (34 CFR 75.563 or 76.563). Please indicate which costs 

are included and which costs are excluded from the base to which the indirect cost rate is applied. 

When calculating indirect costs (line 10) for "Training grants" or grants under "Restricted Rate" 

programs, you must refer to the information and examples on ED’s website at: 

http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html. 

You may also contact (202) 377-3838 for additional information regarding calculating indirect cost 

rates or general indirect cost rate information.

5. Provide other explanations or comments you deem necessary.

If Applicable Section D - Budget Summary

Limitation on Administrative Expenses

If your program is subject to an administrative cost cap (as indicated Section III.2.C of the program’s 

Notice Inviting Applications (NIA), fill out this form as follows:

1. On the top of the page, list the percentage cap on administrative costs, and indicate whether your 

administrative cost cap applies to both indirect and direct costs, or only direct costs (from Section 

III.2.C of the program’s NIA).

2. IF the cost cap applies to both indirect and direct costs:

a. Fill out the entire table noting your administrative costs, including line 8. Line 8 is taken 

from Section A, line 10. For lines 1-6, these are only direct administrative costs; do not 

include in lines 1-6 any costs included in your indirect cost rate. If your program has a 

matching requirement (see NIA), include in lines 1-6 the administrative portions of the 

applicable rows from both Section A and Section B. If there is no program matching 

requirement, only use Section A.

b. Ensure that the line 10 percentage DOES NOT EXCEED the percentage cap on 

administrative costs. If your program does not have a matching requirement, divide line 9 
72

by Section A line 12. If your program does have a matching requirement, to calculate line 

10, divide line 9 by the sum of Section A line 12 and Section B line 12. 

3. IF the cost cap applies ONLY to direct costs:

a. Fill out the entire table noting your administrative costs, EXCLUDING line 8. Ensure 

that the line 10 percentage DOES NOT EXCEED the percentage cap on administrative 

costs. If your program does not have a matching requirement, divide line 7 by Section A 

line 9. If your program does have a matching requirement, to calculate line 10, divide line 

7 by the sum of Section A line 9 and Section B line 9).

Paperwork Burden Statement

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

information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number 

for this information collection is 1894-0008. The time required to complete this information collection is 

estimated to vary from 13 to 22 hours per response, with an average of 17.5 hours per response, including 

the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather the data needed, and complete and 

review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time 

estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to U.S. Department of Education, 

Washington, D.C. 20202-4537. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual 

submission of this form, write directly to the Office of Finance and Operations, Office of Acquisitions 

and Grants Administration, Grants Policy and Training Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 

Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202.
73

PART III

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE ED ABSTRACT FORM

The ED Abstract Form is required for submission. Applicants must provide a one-page abstract that 

briefly describes how the proposed project meets the absolute priorities all of the IHEs that comprise the 

consortium, the projected direct cost savings for students, and, if applicable whether they addressed the 

competitive preference priority and the invitational priorities. The Abstract narrative should identify the 

target population (e.g., faculty, staff, students), the services that will be provided and the proposed 

activities to be conducted during the 3-year performance period. It should also include anticipated results 

and citations, if applying for competitive priority points.

The abstract should serve as a quick reference guide to your application. Include the items below in the 

order listed and use the same number format. 

1. Applicant institution, or nonprofit organization or agency and partner institutions

2. Project title

3. Proposed partners for the purpose of meeting the priorities

4. Target Population (e.g., faculty, staff, students) 

5. Services and Proposed Activities

6. Anticipated Results (e.g., learning outcomes) and citations

7. Absolute Priorities Addressed: Yes or No; Briefly describe how they are addressed

8. Competitive Preference Priority Addressed: Yes or No; Briefly describe how it is addressed and 

indicate the institution/s that the applicant is proposing to partner with for the purpose of meeting 

this priority. 

9. Invitational Priority or Priorities Addressed: Yes or No; Briefly describe how it is addressed

The one-page abstract may be single or double spaced. The following format recommendations apply to 

the abstract:

• A “page” is “8.5x11,” on one side only, with 1” margins.

• Double-space all text in the application project narrative, and single-space titles, headings, 

footnotes, quotations, references and captions.

• Use an easily readable font such as Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

• Use a 12-point font.

Grants.gov Uploading Requirements:

You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF 

(Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. 

If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file,

we will not review that material.
74

PART III

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE PROJECT NARRATIVE 

ATTACHMENT FORM

The Project Narrative Attachment Form includes the narrative sections addressing the program 

selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted for this competition. Before 

preparing the project narrative, applicants should review the Dear Applicant Letter and the NIA for 

specific guidance and requirements. The project narrative has page limit recommendations. 

Recommended Page Limit: We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 

50 pages and (2) use the following standards:

• A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.

• Double space all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, 

references, and captions. 

• Use a readable 12-point font such as Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. 

The recommended 50-page limit applies only to the application narrative and does not apply to Part I, the 

cover sheet and table of contents; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; 

Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the 

letters of support. 

Selection Criteria: 

The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR Part 75 Section 75.210. Applicants should 

address each of the selection criteria. The points assigned to each criterion are indicated in the 

parentheses next to the criterion. An applicant may earn up to a total of 100 points based on the selection 

criteria and up to 10 additional points under the competitive preference priority, for a total score of up to 

110 points. All applications will be evaluated based on the selection criteria as follows:

1) Quality of Project Design (up to 35 points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the 

quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

a. The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed 

project are clearly specified and measurable. (Up to 10 points)

b. The extent to which the design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will 

successfully address, the needs of the target population or other identified needs. (Up to 

10 points)

c. The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes a thorough, high-quality 

review of the relevant literature, a high-quality plan for project implementation, and the 

use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of project 

objectives. (Up to 5 points)
75

d. The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a rationale (as defined in this 

notice). (Up to 5 points)

e. The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build capacity and yield results 

that will extend beyond the period of Federal financial assistance. (Up to 3 points)

f. The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project involve the 

collaboration of appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project services. 

(Up to 2 points)

2) Quality of the Management Plan (up to 35 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan of the proposed project. In 

determining the quality of the management plan of the proposed project, the Secretary considers 

the following factors:

a. The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project 

on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and 

milestones for accomplishing project tasks. (Up to 10 points)

b. The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the number of persons to be 

served and to the anticipated results and benefits. (Up to 5 points)

c. The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products and services from the 

proposed project. (Up to 5 points)

d. The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous improvement in the 

operation of the proposed project. (Up to 5 points)

e. The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal 

investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the 

objectives of the proposed project. (Up to 10 points)

3) Adequacy of Resources (up to 10 points).

The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources of the proposed project. In determining the 

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

a. The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, 

from the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization. (Up to 5 points)

b. The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the proposed project to 

the implementation and success of the project. (Up to 5 points)

4) Quality of the Project Evaluation (up to 20 points).

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

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

a. The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to 

the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project (up to 10 points).

b. The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for examining the effectiveness of

project implementation strategies (up to 10 points).
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Grants.gov Uploading Requirements:

You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF 

(Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. 

If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, 

we will not review that material.
77

PART III

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OTHER ATTACHMENTS FORM

The Other Attachments Form is where you attach the Curriculum Vitae (CV) of project 

personnel/participants, letters of commitment and support from all members of the consortium, business 

information that you consider proprietary, and the bibliography, if applicable. 

Note: 

 It is recommended that the CV be no more than three (3) pages. 

 Attach all CV of project personnel/participants as a single document.

 Attach all letters of commitment and support as a single document.

 Attach the bibliography as a single document.

Grants.gov Uploading Requirements:

You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF 

(Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. 

If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, 

we will not review that material.
78

PART III

GENERAL EDUCATION PROVISIONS ACT (GEPA) SECTION 427

OMB Control No. 1894-0005 (Exp 02/28/2026)

NOTICE FOR ALL APPLICANTS: EQUITY FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER

PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES (OMB Control Number 1894-0005)

Form Overview:

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) has updated its standard form, NOTICE TO ALL 

APPLICANTS: EQUITY FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER PROGRAM

BENEFICIARIES, used by applicants seeking

Federal assistance under the Department’s grant programs to address the General Education Provisions

Act (GEPA) Section 427 (20 U.S.C. 1228a) requirements effective April 3, 2023.

GEPA Section 427 requires that applicants, based on the design of their proposed grant project, the

participants, and community the project proposes to serve, and local circumstances, determine the extent 

to which identified barriers prevent equitable access to or participation in their federal grant projects.

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.

Form Instructions:

• 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.
79

• 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.

Form Training:

Applicants may learn more about GEPA Section 427 and the form updates by participating in a 30-

minute computer- based training titled, Ensuring Equitable Opportunities Under the GEPA Section 427, 

at Grants Training and Management Resources Online Grants Training Courses.
80

PART IV

ASSURANCES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Please read the instructions carefully in the following pages before preparing and submitting your 

application. Complete the Assurances and Certifications below:

Assurances and Certifications

• Instructions for Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form (ED form 80-0013)

•

*All attachments must be in a .PDF format only. Other types of files will not be accepted.*

Grants.gov Uploading Requirements:

You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF 

(Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. 

If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, 

we will not review that material. 
81

PART IV

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES (SFLLL)

This disclosure form shall be completed by the reporting entity, whether subawardee or prime Federal 

recipient, at the initiation or receipt of a covered Federal action, or a material change to a previous filing, 

pursuant to title 31 U.S.C. section 1352. The filing of a form is required for each payment or agreement 

to make payment to any lobbying entity for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee 

of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 

of Congress in connection with a covered Federal action. Complete all items that apply for both the 

initial filing and material change report. Refer to the implementing guidance published by the Office of 

Management and Budget for additional information.

1. Identify the type of covered Federal action for which lobbying activity is and/or has been 

secured to influence the outcome of a covered Federal action.

2. Identify the status of the covered Federal action.

3. Identify the appropriate classification of this report. If this is a followup report caused by a 

material change to the information previously reported, enter the year and quarter in which 

the change occurred. Enter the date of the last previously submitted report by this reporting 

entity for this covered Federal action.

4. Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the reporting entity. Include 

Congressional District, if known. Check the appropriate classification of the reporting entity 

that designates if it is, or expects to be, a prime or subaward recipient. Identify the tier of the 

subawardee, e.g., the first subawardee of the prime is the 1st tier. Subawards include but are 

not limited to subcontracts, subgrants and contract awards under grants.

5. If the organization filing the report in item 4 checks “Subawardee,” then enter the full name, 

address, city, State and zip code of the prime Federal recipient. Include Congressional 

District, if known.

6. Enter the name of the federal agency making the award or loan commitment. Include at least 

one organizational level below agency name, if known. For example, Department of 

Transportation, United States Coast Guard.

7. Enter the Federal program name or description for the covered Federal action (item 1). If 

known, enter the full Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for grants, 

cooperative agreements, loans, and loan commitments.

8. Enter the most appropriate Federal identifying number available for the Federal action 

identified in item 1 (e.g., Request for Proposal (RFP) number; Invitations for Bid (IFB) 

number; grant announcement number; the contract, grant, or loan award number; the 
82

application/proposal control number assigned by the Federal agency). Included prefixes, e.g., 

“RFP-DE-90-001.”

9. For a covered Federal action where there has been an award or loan commitment by the 

Federal agency, enter the Federal amount of the award/loan commitment for the prime entity 

identified in item 4 or 5.

10. (a) Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the lobbying registrant under the 

Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 engaged by the reporting entity identified in item 4 to 

influence the covered Federal action.

11. (b) Enter the full names of the individual(s) performing services, and include full address if 

different from 10(a). Enter Last Name, First Name, and Middle Initial (MI).

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

number.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act, as amended, no persons are required to respond to a 

collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control Number. The valid OMB control 

number for this information collection is OMB No. 0348-0046. Public reporting burden for this 

collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including time for reviewing 

instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing 

and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other 

aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Office of 

Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0046), Washington, DC 20503.
83

X. APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Use This Checklist While Preparing Your Application Package: 

All items listed on this checklist are required.

Part I:

 Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

 Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424 

Part II

 Department of Education Budget Information Non-Construction Programs Form (ED 524)

 Budget Narrative – Attached to the “Budget Narrative Attachment Form” in Grants.gov

Part III:

 One-Page Project Abstract – Attached to the “ED Abstract Form” in Grants.gov

 Project Narrative – Attached to the “Project Narrative Attachment Form” in Grants.gov

 Additional Appendices, if applicable – Attached to the “Other Attachments Form” in Grants.gov

 GEPA Section 427 – Attached to the “GEPA Section 427 Form” in Grants.gov

Part IV:

 Assurances and Certifications – found in Grants.gov 

 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

 Grants.gov Lobbying Form (ED 80-0013)

NOTE: Please do not attach any miscellaneous narratives, supporting files, or application components to 

the standard forms (SF Forms) within Grants.gov. Although the forms accept optional attachments, 

please do not upload attachments there. If you deem it necessary, you may upload miscellaneous 

attachments to “Other Attachments Form,” but be mindful that uploaded information that is not required 

in the Notice may not be reviewed. 
84

PAPERWORK BURDEN STATEMENT

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

information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this 

collection of information is estimated to average 40 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 required to 

obtain or retain benefit (Section 873 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended). Send comments 

regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions 

for reducing this burden, to regulations.gov during the public comment period for this collection of 

information.