24920 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 83 / Friday, April 28, 2000 / Notices

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Notice of Availability of Funds to

Support Americorps*State Competitive

and National Programs, and Learn and

Serve America K–12 School-Based

Programs, in Efforts to Help Overcome

the Digital Divide and Provide Digital

Opportunities

AGENCY: Corporation for National and

Community Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

SUMMARY: The Corporation for National

and Community Service (the

Corporation) will use approximately

$12,500,000 to award grants under the

AmeriCorps*State Competitive and

AmeriCorps*National programs, and

Learn and Serve America K–12 Schoolbased programs, to eligible

organizations to support efforts to help

overcome the digital divide and provide

digital opportunities.

DATES: All proposals must arrive at the

Corporation for National Service no

later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight

Time, June 23, 2000. The Corporation

anticipates announcing its selections

under this announcement no later than

August 8, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Proposals must be

submitted to the Corporation at the

following address: Corporation for

National and Community Service, Attn:

Nancy Talbot, 1201 New York Avenue

NW, Washington, DC 20525. This notice

may be requested in an alternative

format for the visually impaired.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

further information, or to obtain an

application, contact Maria Diaz at (202)

606–5000, ext. 372.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Corporation is a federal

government corporation that encourages

Americans of all ages and backgrounds

to engage in community-based service to

meet the nation’s educational, public

safety, environmental and other human

needs. In doing so, the Corporation

fosters civic responsibility, strengthens

the ties that bind us together as a

people, and provides educational

opportunity for those who make a

substantial commitment to service. This

year, the Corporation will support over

40,000 AmeriCorps members who

perform substantial service in

communities across the country and

over one million students in servicelearning programs.

Announcements concerning the

availability of Corporation funding for

AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve

America programs in fiscal year 2000

were previously made known to eligible

applicants and publicized (see the

Federal Register notice dated February

16, 2000 (65 FR 7857) and information

at the Corporation’s website at

www.nationalservice.org). The

Corporation is now making available

approximately $12.5 million for the

purpose of supporting AmeriCorps

members and students in grades K–12 in

efforts to overcome the digital divide. Of

the $12.5 million: approximately $5

million is being made available under

AmeriCorps*State competitive grants;

approximately $5 million is being made

available under AmeriCorps*National

grants; approximately $2 million is

being made available under Learn and

Serve America: School-based programs;

and approximately $500,000 is being

made available to Indian tribes under

Learn and Serve America: School-based

programs. The Corporation anticipates

making grants in each of these

categories; proposals within each of the

specified categories will be judged

against each other. The Corporation

anticipates making approximately 30

grants in AmeriCorps*State

Competitive, approximately 20 grants in

AmeriCorps*National, and

approximately 10 grants in Learn and

Serve America: School-based programs.

Purpose of Grants

Americans increasingly have access to

computers and the Internet. It is

estimated that more than 42 percent

have access to computers at home and

26 percent have access to the Internet at

home. At the same time, however,

studies find that there is a significant

‘‘digital divide’’ separating Americans

into information ‘‘haves’’ and ‘‘have

nots.’’ In some instances, the gap is

widening. By some estimates, the gaps

between White and Hispanic

households, and between White and

African American households, are now

approximately five percentage points

larger than they were in 1997. The

disparity based on education and

income levels also has increased in the

last year. (To learn more about the

digital divide, go to

www.digitaldivide.gov to view the

Department of Commerce’s study,

Falling Through the Net: Defining the

Digital Divide.) At the same time,

schools are gaining more access to

computers and the Internet. A

Department of Education report states

that about 95 percent of schools are now

connected to the web. However, many

schools do not have the trained

personnel to effectively use technology

in the curriculum. Nearly 50 percent of

today’s teachers have little or no

computer experience, much less the

training and confidence they need to

fully integrate networked computers

into their classroom teaching.

People power will be a critical

resource in successfully overcoming the

digital divide and creating digital

opportunities. They are needed to

ensure that technology is reaching all

communities and that it is being used

effectively. Without people who can

provide training and technical support,

children and families in low-income

communities will not develop the skills

needed to keep up in the digital age.

AmeriCorps members and Learn and

Serve America students can help bridge

the digital divide by serving in programs

that (1) Assist in delivering technology

access to low-income individuals and

families, (2) help train school teachers

and staff in community organizations so

that they will become adept at using

technology in their work with young

people; (3) build the technology skills of

those Americans, especially children,

who have not yet been exposed to

computers; and (4) use technology to

meet the needs of communities.

Eligible Applicants

There are different eligible applicants

for each category of funds.

For AmeriCorps*State competitive

funds, most states and Puerto Rico are

eligible to submit an application to the

Corporation, through a Corporationapproved state commission or

alternative administrative entity.

Generally, any entity, including an

Indian tribe, proposing to operate a

program within a single state should

apply to its state commission for funds.

However, because North Dakota, South

Dakota, the District of Columbia, and

U.S. territories do not have state

commissions, entities proposing to

operate a program within these states or

territories are not eligible for

AmeriCorps*State competitive funds.

However, such entities may be included

in a program funded under

AmeriCorps*National.

Under the AmeriCorps*National

category, national nonprofits,

professional corps programs, and multistate programs are eligible to apply for

national service funds directly to the

Corporation. We define a national

nonprofit organization as one whose

mission, membership and activities, or

constituencies are national in scope.

National nonprofit organizations may

operate programs directly, replicate

successful models, or provide subgrants

to local chapters or affiliates.

Eligible applicants proposing

programs that operate in more than one

state must seek funding under this

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 83 / Friday, April 28, 2000 / Notices 24921

category. Eligible applicants also

include partnerships or consortia

formed across two or more states,

consisting of institutions of higher

education, Indian tribes, or other

nonprofits including labor and religious

organizations.

For Learn and Serve America Schoolbased programs, eligible applicants

include: State Education Agencies,

Grantmaking Entities, Indian tribes, and

U.S. territories. A Grantmaking Entity is

a public or private nonprofit

organization that must (1) Have

experience with service-learning; (2)

have existed for at least one year; and

(3) make subgrants in two or more

states. A state commission or

community-based organization that does

not qualify as a Grantmaking Entity may

participate in carrying out a Schoolbased program, provided that the

application is submitted by an eligible

applicant.

An organization described in Section

501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code

of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4) that engages

in lobbying activities is not eligible to

apply or receive any assistance under

this Notice.

Purpose of assistance

The following are examples of the

types of programs that a grant may

support:

• Programs that train teachers and/or staff

and volunteers in youth-serving

organizations in the use of technology so that

they, in turn, will become adept at using

technology in their ongoing work.

• Community-based programs that provide

in-school and after-school tutoring to

younger children in the use of the internet

and other computer technology.

• College-based programs in which

AmeriCorps members and/or service-learning

students, including Federal Work-Study

students, serve at schools, community

centers, and computer learning centers in

low-income, multi-family housing projects.

• Programs in which AmeriCorps members

recruit community volunteers and

individuals in organizations with technology

expertise to provide computer installation,

wiring, classroom instruction, e-mail

mentors, and staff for computer labs and

after-school and weekend programs.

• Programs designed to assure that

community centers are wired and connected

to the Internet.

• Programs that expand the technology

capacity of nonprofit organizations.

• Projects that use technology as a tool in

welfare-to-work or job-training programming.

AmeriCorps members could serve in

nonprofit agencies to develop and provide

technology training programs geared to the

needs of local businesses.

• Programs that involve AmeriCorps

members, Learn and Serve America

participants, and seniors.

The above are examples only; local

programs will determine the best

strategies for overcoming the digital

divide and providing digital

opportunities.

The Corporation strongly encourages

applications that involve all streams of

service in efforts to overcome the digital

divide. We encourage programs to make

use of volunteers, including senior

volunteers and intergenerational

programs, in their design. We also

recommend considering ways in which

AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve

America programs can work effectively

together. Because of statutory

requirements, an entity seeking to

sponsor both AmeriCorps and Learn and

Serve America activities must submit

separate applications, noting its

proposed relationship between the two

programs.

The Corporation also encourages

efforts that will have a lasting impact in

the communities being served. It may be

advantageous, for example, for a

program to train teachers, who in turn

will use their new skills to educate

children for coming decades. Applicants

should consider these and other ways to

assure the sustainability and longlasting effects of activities supported

with these grants.

For more information on the programs

supported by the Corporation, see the

Corporation’s website or contact the

Corporation representative listed above.

Contents of the Proposal

All eligible applicants must submit an

application that meets all of the criteria

and requirements contained in the

application package and accompanying

guidelines previously published for the

year 2000 and available on the

Corporation’s website.

Eligible applicants under

AmeriCorps*State competitive funds,

other than state commissions

themselves, should contact the state

commission for an application. A listing

and contact information is available on

the Corporation’s website.

Eligible applicants under

AmeriCorps*National can obtain a copy

of the requirements, including the

application package itself and

accompanying guidelines from the

Corporation website.

Eligible applicants under Learn and

Serve America School-based programs

can obtain a copy of the requirements,

including the application package itself

and accompanying guidelines, ‘‘2000

School- and Community-Based Grant

Application and Guidelines,’’ from the

Corporation website.

For a printed copy of any of these

materials, please contact Maria Diaz at

(202) 606–5000, ext. 372.

Applicants are urged to pay close

attention to these materials. They

govern a wide variety of relevant

requirements, including matching

funds, the amounts AmeriCorps

members may be paid, the activities

AmeriCorps members may engage in,

the requirement that Learn and Serve

participants cannot be paid, and the

requirements for organizations

proposing to operate a program.

In addition, applicants must propose

activities for AmeriCorps members and

students that seek to overcome the

digital divide. Proposals that do not

address the digital divide will be judged

nonresponsive under this Notice of

Funding Availability.

Applicants currently operating or

applying for AmeriCorps and Learn and

Serve America funding may apply for

funding under this notice. In doing so,

the applicant must also differentiate

between the proposed objectives and

activities and those of its currentlyfunded national service program or

pending application.

All applicants must submit an

estimated budget to carry out the

program, consistent with the

requirements contained in the

applicable application package.

Budget and Finances

The grant may support reasonable and

necessary costs typically associated

with a program of this type. The

otherwise applicable limit on the

percentage of grant funds that may be

used to purchase equipment (10 percent

of the total grant amount) may be

increased by the Corporation for grants

under this Notice.

Applicants for AmeriCorps funds are

required to meet previously published

limitations on per-member costs to be

paid by the Corporation (see the

guidelines referenced earlier). State

commissions are advised that this grant

is to be included in calculating averages

to meet the statewide per member

ceiling in funding for AmeriCorps.

Under AmeriCorps, the Corporation

will make awards covering a period not

to exceed three years. Applications must

include a proposed budget and

proposed activities for the entire award

period. If the Corporation approves an

application and enters into a multi-year

award agreement, at the outset it may

provide funding only based on the first

year’s budget. The Corporation has no

obligation to provide additional

funding. Additional funding is

contingent upon satisfactory

performance, the availability of funds,

24922 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 83 / Friday, April 28, 2000 / Notices

and other criteria established in the

award agreement.

For Learn and Serve America, grants

will be for up to $500,000 over a threeyear period, with the entire amount

awarded at one time.

Selection Criteria

In awarding these grants, the

Corporation will consider: program

design (60%); organizational capacity

(25%); and budget/cost effectiveness

(15%). The details of the selection

criteria are contained in the applicable

application package. The Corporation

will make all final decisions concerning

awards and may require revisions to the

grant proposal in order to achieve the

objectives under this Notice.

Notice of Intent To Submit

If you intend to submit an

application, please send us a notice of

intent to submit by May 30, 2000

addressed to: Maria Diaz, Corporation

for National Service, 1201 New York

Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20525.

or email to mdiaz@cns.gov. The letter of

intent should state that you plan to

submit an application for the digital

divide competition for the June 23, 2000

deadline. If you do not send a notice of

intent to submit, you may still submit

an application. Conversely, if you send

a notice of intent to submit, you are not

obligated to submit an application.

Although submission is not mandatory,

we encourage you to submit as it will

help the Corporation to plan more

efficiently for our review.

The notice should include the name

of your organization, address, contact

person, phone number and the program

under which you will submit an

application, i.e., AmeriCorps*State

Competitive, AmeriCorps*National,

Learn and Serve America School-based

programs. State commissions should

submit a letter of intent that includes all

subgrantee programs they plan to

submit to the Corporation.

CFDA Nos.

94.004 Learn and Serve America

School-Based

94.006 AmeriCorps

Dated: April 21, 2000.

Gary Kowalczyk,

Coordinator, National Service Programs,

Corporation for National and Community

Service.

[FR Doc. 00–10554 Filed 4–27–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6050–28–P

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 00–31]

36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification

AGENCY: Defense Security Cooperation

Agency, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is

publishing the unclassified text of a

section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification.

This is published to fulfill the

requirements of section 155 of Public

Law 104–164 dated 21 July 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.

J. Hurd, DSCA/COMPT/RM, (703) 604–

6575.

The following is a copy of a letter to

the Speaker of the House of

Representatives, Transmittal 00–31 with

attached transmittal and policy

justification.

Dated: April 24, 2000.

L.M. Bynum,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison

Officer, Department of Defense.

BILLING CODE 5001–10–M