U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education 

Washington, DC 20006-8510

Fiscal Year 2015

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS 

UNDER THE

Title III, Part A

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Program

CFDA # 84.031X

CLOSING DATE: XX/XX/2015

Form Approved, OMB No. 1840-0816 Expires XX/XX/2018
Table of Contents

Page

Dear Applicant Letter .................................................................... 2

Competition Highlights .................................................................. 4

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants......................... 6

Application Transmittal Instructions.................................................... 9

Introduction ................................................................................ 11

Definitions .................................................................................. 12

Supplemental Information ................................................................. 13

Program Narrative Instructions............................................................ 16

Guidance for Addressing Selection Criteria............................................. 18

Notice Inviting Applications............................................................... 20

Authorizing Legislation ................................................................... 51 

Executive Order 12372 – Intergovernmental Review................................. 52

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA).................................................. 53

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA).................................... 54 

Instructions for Completing the Application............................................. 56

NASNTI Program Profile Form........................................................... 58 

Application Checklist ...................................................................... 60 

Paperwork Burden Statement.............................................................. 61
2

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a new grant under the fiscal year (FY) 2015 Title III, Part A, 

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program grant competition (Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance [CFDA] number 84.031X). This letter highlights specific elements in the 

Title III, Part A, NASNTI competition application package. As you formulate your application, please 

review these requirements carefully, and thoroughly review the entire application package before 

preparing and submitting.

In order to receive a grant under Title III, Part A programs, an institution of higher education (IHE) must

have applied for and been designated as an eligible institution. The Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) 

for the Designation as an Eligible Institution was published in the Federal Register on November 3, 2014

(79 FR 65137).

For FY 2015 there is one absolute priority, two competitive preference priorities, and one invitational 

priority for the Title III, Part A, NASNTI program. All applicants are required to address the absolute 

priority. The absolute priority is: Projects that are designed to increase the number and proportion of highneed students who are academically prepared for, enroll in, or complete on time college, other 

postsecondary education, or other career and technical education. Applicants that address the two 

competitive preference priorities can receive up to three additional points for each priority. These 

competitive priorities are: 1) Academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services; 2) 

Projects that are designed to leverage technology through implementing high-quality accessible digital 

tools, assessments, and materials that are aligned with rigorous college- and career-ready standards. The 

invitational priority is: Projects that support activities that strengthen Native American language 

preservation and revitalization. We are particularly interested in applications that address these priorities; 

however, under 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(1), we do not give an application that meets the invitational priority a 

competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

For FY 2015, the NASNTI program received $3.1 million in discretionary funding under Title III, Part A, 

Section 319 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). Applicants should refer to Title 

III, Part A for the allowable activities.

Applications for grants under the FY 2015 Title III, Part A, NASNTI program must be submitted 

electronically using Grants.gov at: http://www.grants.gov. An applicant who is unable to submit using 

Grants.gov must submit a written request to waive the electronic submission requirement at least two 

weeks before the deadline date. In order to submit a paper application, an applicant must have received 

approval for a non-electronic submission.

For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, please 

refer to the official NIA for New Awards for the FY 2015 Title III, Part A, NASNTI program published in 

the Federal Register. The Federal Register NIA for New Awards and application instructions are included 

in this package.

Do not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within this application 

package and the NIA. The NIA for the FY 2015 Title III, Part A, NASNTI program is the official 

document and you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained 

within the official document. I urge you to carefully read all the information contained in this package, 

including the eligibility requirements found in the HEA as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity 

Act of 2008 (HEOA), and the competition highlights, before preparing your application.
3

Page 2 - Dear Applicant

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Bora Mpinja by email at

Bora.Mpinja@ed.gov or by telephone at (202) 502-7629 or Don Crews by email at Don.Crews@ed.gov

or by telephone at (202) 502-7574.

Sincerely,

 /S/

 Leonard L. Haynes, III, Ph.D.

 Senior Director

 for Institutional Service
4

Competition Highlights 

1. Applications for the FY 2015 Title III, Part A, NASNTI program must be submitted electronically

using Grants.gov, accessible at: http://grants.gov. You are urged to acquaint yourself with the 

requirements of Grants.gov early. A more thorough discussion is included later in this application 

package.

2. Applications submitted late will not be accepted. 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 is required to enforce the established 

deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted 

after the deadline date.

3. Applicants must follow specific formatting requirements. A “page” is 8.5” x 11”, on one side only, 

with one inch margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be within 

the one inch margin. Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application 

narrative, except titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, captions and all text in charts, tables, 

and graphs. Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. 

Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will be rejected. Do 

not use less than a 12-point font.

4. Applicants are required to submit a Project Abstract. The Project Abstract is limited to a onepage single-spaced word document. The abstract must include the name of the institution, city, and 

purpose. No charts. The abstract must be uploaded into the “ED Abstract Form” in Grants.gov. 

5. Applicants are required to complete a program profile form. Applicants are asked to carefully

read the questions on the Program Profile located on page 58, and check the box or place an “X” next to 

the box certifying that they will comply with the statutory requirements and program assurances cited in 

the applicable regulations. Upon completion of the program profile sheet, you are required to copy and 

paste the Program Profile Form into a separate document or recreate the form exactly as it appears, and 

attach the form to the “Other Attachments Form” in Grants.gov as a .pdf document. 

6. Applicants must adhere to the page limit requirements. All applicants are required to adhere to the 

page limit for the Project Narrative portion of the application. You must limit the section of the narrative 

that addresses the selection criteria to no more than 50 pages for the Individual Development Grant.

7. Applicants must follow specific submission procedures. Included in this application package is a 

document containing submission procedures to ensure your application is received in a timely and 

acceptable manner. Consult and follow the Federal Register notice to ensure proper guidance for 

application submission. Exceptions to the electronic submission requirement are also outlined in the 

Federal Register notice. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline in order to ensure 

fairness to all applicants. 

 

8. NASNTI applicants. An institution of higher education is eligible to receive funds if such institution 

is a Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution. Applicants, at the time of submission, will be 

required to certify that 10 percent of their total undergraduate enrollment is Native American. 
5

9. SEC. 306 of the HEOA. Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Part A of 

Title III (20 U.S.C. 1059F et seq.) is amended by adding after section 318 the following:

SEC. 319, Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions authorizes competitive grants to eligible 

institutions of higher education as defined under Section 312(b) of the HEA that have, at the time of 

application, an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent Native American students. 

The program authorizes grants that enable these institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve 

Native American students and low-income individuals. If a Native American-Serving Nontribal

Institution receives funding under this program, it cannot receive funding under other sections of Part A 

or Part B of Title III or Title V of the HEA.

10. For FY 2015 there is one absolute priority, two competitive preference priorities, and one 

invitational priority for this program. All applicants must address the absolute priority. The absolute 

priority is: 1) Projects that are designed to increase the number and proportion of high-need students who 

are academically prepared for, enroll in, or complete on time college, other postsecondary education, or 

other career and technical education. The competitive preference priorities are: 1) Academic tutoring and 

counseling programs and student support services; 2) Projects that are designed to leverage technology

through implementing high-quality accessible digital tools, assessments, and materials that are aligned 

with rigorous college- and career-ready standards. The invitational priority is: 1) Projects that support 

activities that strengthen Native American language preservation and revitalization. We are particularly

interested in applications that address these priorities; however, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not 

give an application that meets the invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other 

applications.

 

11. You are reminded that the document published in the Federal Register is the official document 

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

within the official document. 
6

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.

ATTENTION – Browser Support

Grants.gov is a Custom Java Application that uses standard web-browsers as the client. Grants.gov leverages the latest web 

technologies such as Ajax which relies extensively on JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Grants.gov recommends you use the most 

up-to-date web browser possible for the best User Experience. If you are unsure about which version of the browser you are 

using, please check the following places: 

 Microsoft IE – the About Internet Explorer setting under Help on your toolbar 

 Firefox – the About Firefox setting under Help on your toolbar 

 Chrome- the About Google Chrome setting under the Customize and Control Google Chrome option (located on the 

far right ) in your toolbar options for your browsers. 

The table below lists supported Web Browsers:

Web Browser Support Comments

Microsoft IE 9/10/11 Supported

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Versions change frequently; we recommend you have the latest 

version. Legacy versions are functional but may experience some 

issues. It is recommended to upgrade to the latest version.

Google Chrome Supported

Versions change frequently; we recommend you have the latest 

version. Legacy versions are functional but may experience some 

issues. It is recommended to upgrade to the latest version.

Apple Safari Supported

Versions change frequently; we recommend you have the latest 

version. Legacy versions are functional but may experience some 

issues. It is recommended to upgrade to the latest version.

For additional information of updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser Support Page. 

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/browser-support.html

ATTENTION – Adobe Forms and PDF Files Required

Applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms. Therefore, 

applicants will need to download the latest version of Adobe reader (at least Adobe Reader 10.1.14). (Please note that in early 

2013, Grants.gov discovered an issue with the newest version of Adobe Reader XI but it was subsequently resolved.) 

Information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe and links to download the latest version is available 

on Grants.gov at this link: compatibility table. We strongly recommend that you review these details on www.Grants.gov

before completing and submitting your application. In addition, applicants should submit their application a day or two in 

advance of the closing date as detailed below. Also, applicants are required to upload their attachments in .pdf format only. 

(See details below under “Attaching Files – Additional Tips.”) If you have any questions regarding this matter please email the 

Grants.gov Contact Center at support@grants.gov or call 1-800-518-4726.

1) REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.sam.gov) 

which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take upwards of several weeks to complete, depending 

upon 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 through Grants.gov. For detailed 
7

information on the Registration Steps, please go to: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html [Note: Your 

organization will need to update its SAM registration annually (formerly Central Contractor Registry (CCR).]

Primary information about SAM is available at www.sam.gov . However, to further assist you with obtaining and 

registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account the Department of Education has 

prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html

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 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time on the deadline date. 

Note: To submit successfully, you must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when 

you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This DUNS number is 

typically the same number used when your organization registered with the SAM (formerly CCR -Central 

Contractor Registry). If you do not enter the same DUNS number on your application as the DUNS you 

registered with, 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 

4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC 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 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time, on the deadline date, your application is 

late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is 

complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with 

Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an 

application can be found on the Grants.gov site: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-applicationprocess/application-statuses.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the 

Adobe Reader Error Messages document at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technicalsupport/troubleshooting/encountering-error-messages.html. If you discover your application is late or has been 

rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail 

about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been 

received timely and validated successfully. 

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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/about/contact-us.html, or access the Grants.gov Self-Service web portal at: 

https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

If electronic submission is optional and you have problems that you are unable to resolve before the deadline date and time for 

electronic applications, please follow the transmittal instructions for hard copy applications in the Federal Register notice and 

get a hard copy application postmarked by midnight on the deadline date.

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 4:30:00 p.m., unless you follow the 

procedures in the Federal Register notice and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and

submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for 

one of these exceptions. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving data on your 

computer. Please be sure to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your computer. You will need to logon to 

Grants.gov to upload and submit the application. You must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used 

when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov.
8

Please go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/about/contact-us.html for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to 

submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Submit Application FAQs found on the Grants.gov 

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/general-support/faqs.html. 

Dial-Up Internet Connections

When using 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. 

If you do not have access to a high-speed connection and electronic submission is required, 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 two weeks before the application deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.) 

MAC Users

For MAC compatibility information, review the Operating System Platform Compatibility Table at the following Grants.gov 

link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/recommended-software.html. If electronic submission is 

required and you are concerned about your ability to submit electronically as a non-windows user, please follow 

instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than 

two weeks before the application deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application, especially the requirement that applicants only 

include read-only, non-modifiable .PDF files in their application:

1. Ensure that you attach .PDF files only for any attachments to your application, and they must be in a read-only, 

non-modifiable format. PDF files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the Federal 

Register application notice. Applicants must submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their 

application. Specifically, the Department will not accept any attachments that contain files within a file, such as 

PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are 

password protected files will not be read. 

2. 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.

3. When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of 

file names. Uploaded files must be less than 50 characters, contain no spaces, no special characters (example: -, 

&, *, %, /, #, \) including periods (.), blank spaces and accent marks. Applications submitted that do not comply 

with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department. 

4. 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 totals 1 to 2 MB. Therefore, you may 

want to check the total size of your package before submission.
9

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 by 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 

Grants.gov Web site (http://www.grants.gov) by 4:30:00 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or before 

the deadline date.

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 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

Application Control Center

Attention: (CFDA Numbers 84.031X)

LBJ Basement Level 1

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202-4260

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.
10

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.

Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier service) may 

deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies 

of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following 

address:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: (CFDA Numbers 84.031X)

550 12th Street, SW.

Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza

Washington, DC 20202-4260 

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., 

Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays. 

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail or hand deliver 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 CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting

your application; and

(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If 

you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you 

should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

Late Applications

If your application is late, we will notify you that we will not consider the application.
11

Introduction

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions

(NASNTI)

PROGRAM AUTHORITY

Title III, Part A, Section 319 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) 

by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86,

97, 98 and 99), and the program regulations in 34 CFR part 607.6.

PURPOSE

The overall purpose of the program is to provide grants and related assistance to NASNTI to enable these 

institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

An institution of higher education is eligible to receive funds from the amounts made available under this 

section if such institution is a NASNTI.

ACTIVITIES FUNDED UNDER TITLE III, PART A, SECTION 319 

(DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY) – 84. 031X

Grants awarded under this section shall be used by Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions to 

assist such institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand such 

institutions’ capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.

1.) The purchase, rental or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, 

including instructional and research purposes;

2.) Renovation and improvement in classroom, library, and other instructional facilities;

3.) Support of faculty exchanges, and faculty development and faculty fellowships to assist faculty in 

attaining advanced degrees in the faculty’s field of instruction;

4.) Curriculum development and academic instruction;

5.) The purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials;

6.) Funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening 

funds management;

7.) The joint use of facilities such as laboratories and libraries;

8.) Academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services.

9.) Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of 

students or the students’ families.

Note: NO CONSTRUCTION IS ALLOWED FOR PART A OR PART F.
12

DEFINITIONS

Native American – The term “Native American” means an individual who is of a tribe, people, or culture 

that is indigenous to the United States.

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) – The term “Native American-Serving 

Nontribal Institutions” means an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101(a), that at the 

time of application-

(A)Is an eligible institution under section 312(b)

(B) Has an enrollment of undergraduate students that is not less than 10 percent Native American 

students; and

(C) Is not a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316 of the HEA, as amended).
13

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The following information supplements the information provided in the “Dear Applicant” letter and the 

Federal Register NIA.

1. Certification of Eligibility

All applicants for the NASNTI program must have received a Designation of Eligibility in order to be 

considered for funding.

2. Estimated Funding

 Available Funds for FY 2015

Title III, Part A, NASNTI $3,113,000

Program Name

And 

Type of Award

Minimum/

Maximum

Award

Amount

Estimated

Number of

Awards

Estimated

Average

Award

Amount

Native AmericanServing Nontribal

Institutions 

(NASNTI)

Title III, Part A, Fiveyear Individual Grants$300,000-

$400,000

8 $350,000

The U.S. Department of Education is not bound by these estimates.

3. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs was issued to foster an intergovernmental partnership 

and to strengthen federalism by relying on state and local processes for the coordination and review of 

proposed Federal financial assistance.

Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of Contact to find out about, and to comply 

with, the State’s process under Executive Order 12372. 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
14

4. Applicant Funding

The Department is often unable to award the full amount of funds requested. Applicants should pay

close attention to the “Award Information” section of the Federal Register Notice. The Department 

will not fund any application at an amount exceeding the applicable maximum level.

5. Evaluation of Applications

A three-member panel of non-federal reviewers evaluates each application. Each reviewer assigns 

points for each selection criterion and prepares evaluation comments.

6. Selection Criteria

The selection criteria in EDGAR 34 CFR part 75 section 75.210 are used to evaluate applications. The 

selection criteria and maximum possible points are included in the Federal Register Notice. The 

Secretary will evaluate applications on the extent to which the proposed project is supported by a logic 

model that meets the evidence standard of “strong theory.” Resources to assist applicants in creating a 

logic model can be found here: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014007.pdf. 

7. 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

email shortly after the Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before the 

Congress is notified.

8. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

 Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing.

9. Annual Performance Report Requirements

If you receive a FY 2015 new grant award under the NASNTI program, you will be required to 

complete an Interim Performance Report after six months into the grant period, an Annual 

Performance Report each year and Final Performance Report at the end of the grant period.

Grantees will be reminded of these reporting requirements prior to the due dates.

10. Contact Information

 NASNTI Program

 Bora Mpinja

 Program Officer – 84.031X

 U.S. Department of Education

 1990 K Street, N.W., Room 6023

 Washington, DC 20006-8513

 (202) 502-7629 (Telephone)

 (202) 502-7861 (Fax)

 Bora.Mpinja@ed.gov

 Don Crews

 Division Coordinator 

 U.S. Department of Education

 1990 K Street, N.W. Room 6032

 Washington, DC 20006-8513
15

 (202) 502-7574 (Telephone)

 (202) 502-7861 (Fax)

 Don.Crews@ed.gov

For Grants.Gov-related questions and assistance, please contact:

Support Desk: Grants.gov support Desk

Telephone (800) 518-4726

Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. Eastern Time

 
16

Project Narrative Instructions

This project narrative shall be attached to the “Project Narrative Attachment Form” in the 

application package, in Grants.gov.

Before preparing the Project Narrative, applicants should review the program statute, program 

regulations, the Federal Register Notice, and the Dear Applicant Letter for specific guidance and 

requirements.

The Secretary evaluates an application according to the program specific criteria in EDGAR 34 CFR part 

75 §75.210. The Program Narrative should provide in detail the information that addresses each selection 

criterion. The maximum possible score for each category of selection criterion is indicated in parenthesis. 

For ease of reading by the reviewers, applicants should follow the sequence of the criteria as provided 

below. Applications should be written in a clear and concise manner. You must limit the section of the 

narrative that addresses the selection criteria to not more than 50 pages for the Individual Development 

Grant application.

The absolute, competitive and invitational priorities instructions

Applicants must address the absolute priority and have 3 additional pages in which to do so. Applicants 

addressing the competitive priorities and invitational priority have up to 8 additional pages. You have 

three pages to address each competitive preference priority for a total of six pages and two pages to 

address the invitational priority. Please include a separate heading when responding to the absolute, 

competitive preference and invitational priorities. Responses to all priorities shall be attached to the Other 

Attachments Form in Grants.gov.

Your development grant application (individual or cooperative arrangement) must contain the 

following:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

 Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

 Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424

Note: Applicants must complete the SF 424 form first because the information you provided here is 

automatically inserted into other sections of Grants.gov.

2. U.S. Department of Education Budget Summary Forms:

 ED 524 (Section A and Section B)

The “U.S. Department of Education Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs” Form 

(found in Grants.gov) is where applicants provide budget information for Section A – Budget Summary

U.S. Department of Education Funds and Section B – Budget Summary Non-Federal Funds. Applicants 

should include costs for all project years. Note: Section C – Budget Narrative section in the selection 

criteria should be included in the “Project Narrative Attachment Form.”
17

3. ED Abstract Form

 The “ED Abstract Form” (found in Grants.gov) is where applicants will attach, in a .pdf document, 

their one page project abstract that will provide an overview of the proposed project. Do not use 

charts. 

4. Other Attachments Form– Program Profile Page, Absolute Priority, Competitive Preference Priority, 

and Invitational Priority.

5. Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF424-B)

6. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

7. ED GEPA 427 Form

8. Certification Regarding Lobbying (ED 80-0013)

9. Program Narrative Selection Criteria 

 As part of addressing the selection criteria and developing your program application, we presume that 

your institution has analyzed the major problems affecting it, and designed specific strategies to 

address and possibly resolve these problems. You should be ready to carry out the proposed project 

once you receive the grant and should not use the funds for intensive planning activities.

Be sure to include a Table of Contents. The Table of Contents will not be included in the page count. 

Prepare your complete program narrative in .pdf format and attach it to the “Project Narrative 

Attachment Form” in the application package downloaded from Grants.gov.

Content: This is the narrative portion of your application where you address the weighted selection 

criteria that the readers will use to evaluate your application and to assess the strengths and weaknesses

of your proposal. These pages will be included in the mandatory page count.

For each proposed activity, separately address the selection criteria I through VII, in the same order as 

they appear below and as precisely as possible, to ensure your application contains the information 

readers will need to judge the quality of the proposed development grant activities.

I. Need for the project. (Maximum 20 points) 

II. Quality of the project design. (Maximum 25 points)

III. Quality of the project services. (Maximum 10 points)

IV. Quality of project personnel. (Maximum 10 points) 

V. Adequacy of resources. (Maximum 5 points) 

VI. Quality of management plan. (Maximum 15 points)

VII. Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 15 points)
18

THE FOLLOWING GUIDANCE MAY ASSIST YOU IN ADDRESSING EACH OF THE 

WEIGHTED SELECTION CRITERIA:

Need: When addressing this criterion, applicants should provide detailed information that not only

identifies a need for their proposed project but they should also provide data that supports their claim for a 

need for the proposed project. Supporting documentation may consist of recent statistics from State, local 

and Federal sources; mission statement; comparison data from similar institutions; etc.

Project Design: When addressing this criterion, applicants should clearly and succinctly identify the 

goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved. A mere listing of the goals, objectives, and outcomes is 

not sufficient. The identified goals, objectives, and outcomes should not only address the identified need 

for the project but should also be measurable and support the purpose of the program.

Project Services: When addressing this criterion, applicants should clearly spell out the activities and 

services they are proposing and the intended recipients or beneficiaries of each service activity. A mere 

listing of the services and beneficiaries is not enough. Provide details as to the types of activities and 

services to be provided and the extent to which the activities and services reflect up-to-date knowledge 

from research and effective practice. In other words, will the proposed activities and services meet the 

need of the project?

Project Personnel: The minimum qualifications must be identified for all project personnel positions. 

The minimum educational qualifications should include the type of degree required and the acceptable 

field(s) of study. The type and minimum amount of work-related experience should also be described for 

each position.

Adequacy of Resources: This section should provide information that shows that the proposed budget 

will provide adequate resources necessary to successfully carry out the proposed project. Applicants 

should demonstrate how the proposed costs would enable them to carry out the project and that the 

proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and significance of the proposed 

project.

In response to this criterion, applicants must also provide a detailed, itemized budget (ED Form 524) and 

a detailed budget narrative for each 12 month budget period. The budget narrative addressing the 

selection criteria is to be included in the Project Narrative in the application package downloaded from 

Grants.gov.

Management Plan: Describe the plan of management. Who will be responsible for which task? What 

are the expected timelines and proposed budgets for each activity or service? What are the expected 

milestones for accomplishing the proposed activities or services? Have you included procedures that will 

ensure feedback and the opportunity for continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed 

project? Be sure that the management plans are clearly and concisely defined.

Project Evaluation: A strong evaluation plan should be included and should be used, as appropriate, to 

shape the development of the project from the beginning of the grant period. The evaluation plan should 

include benchmarks to monitor progress toward meeting specific project objectives based on the 

program’s performance indicators. Specifically, the plan should identify the individual or organization 

that has agreed to serve as evaluator for the project and describe the qualifications of the evaluator. The 

plan should describe the evaluation design, indicating: (1) what types of data will be collected; (2) when 
19

various types of data will be collected; (3) what methods will be used; (4) what instruments will be 

developed and when; (5) how the data will be analyzed; (6) when reports and outcomes will be available; 

and (7) how the applicant will use the information collected through evaluation to monitor progress of the 

funded project. Applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate level of resources to project 

evaluation and should explain the measures and strategies that will be used to ensure that the evaluation is 

appropriately rigorous and independent. 
20

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Native American-Serving Nontribal 

Institutions Program 

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education

ACTION: Notice.

Overview Information:

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program

Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2015.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.031X. 

Dates:

Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL 

REGISTER]. 

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 30 DAYS AFTER 

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 90 DAYS AFTER 

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The NASNTI Program provides grants to eligible 

institutions of higher education (IHEs) that have an undergraduate 

enrollment of at least 10 percent Native American students to assist 

such institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out 

activities to improve and expand such institutions’ capacity to serve 

Native American and low-income individuals.
21

Background: We encourage applicants to read carefully the Selection 

Criteria section of this notice. Consistent with the Department’s 

increasing emphasis in recent years on promoting evidence-based 

practices through our grant competitions, the Secretary will evaluate 

applications on the extent to which the proposed project is supported 

by a logic model that meets the evidence standard of “strong theory” 

(as defined in this notice). Resources to assist applicants in 

creating a logic model can be found here: 

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

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority, two 

competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority. The 

absolute priority is from the Department’s notice of final 

supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant 

programs (Supplemental Priorities), published in the Federal Register

on December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73425). Competitive Preference Priority 1 

is from section 320(c)(2)(H) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 

amended (HEA). Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from the 

Supplemental Priorities. 

Absolute Priority: For FY 2015 and any subsequent year in which we 

make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 

competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 

75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Projects that are designed to increase the number and proportion of 

high-need students (as defined in this notice) who are academically 
22

prepared for, enroll in, or complete on time college, other 

postsecondary education, or other career and technical education.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2015 and any subsequent 

year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from 

this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 

priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an application up 

to three additional points for each priority, for a total of up to six 

additional points, depending on how well the application meets each of 

these priorities. 

 These priorities are:

 Competitive Preference Priority 1 (up to 3 additional points). 

 Academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support 

services.

Competitive Preference Priority 2 (up to 3 additional points).

Projects that are designed to leverage technology 

through implementing high-quality accessible digital tools, 

assessments, and materials that are aligned with rigorous college- and 

career-ready standards.

Invitational Priority: For FY 2015 and any subsequent year in which 

we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 

competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 

75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets this 

invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other 

applications. 

 This priority is:
23

Projects that support activities that strengthen Native American 

language preservation and revitalization. 

Definitions: The following definitions are from the Supplemental 

Priorities and from 34 CFR 77.1 and apply to the priorities and 

selection criteria in this notice:

High-minority school means a school as that term is defined by a local 

educational agency (LEA), which must define the term in a manner 

consistent with its State’s Teacher Equity Plan, as required by 

section 1111(b)(8)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 

1965, as amended (ESEA). The applicant must provide the definition(s) 

of high-minority schools used in its application.

 High-need students means students who are at risk of educational 

failure or otherwise in need of special assistance and support, such 

as students who are living in poverty, who attend high-minority 

schools, who are far below grade level, who have left school before 

receiving a regular high school diploma, who are at risk of not 

graduating with a diploma on time, who are homeless, who are in foster 

care, who have been incarcerated, who have disabilities, or who are 

English learners. 

Logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means a wellspecified conceptual framework that identifies key components of the 

proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e., the active 

“ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the 

relevant outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key 

components and outcomes, theoretically and operationally. 
24

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

resources such as the Pacific Education Laboratory’s Education Logic 

Model Application (http://relpacific.mcrel.org/resources/elm-app)

or http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED544779.pdf) to help design 

their logic models. 

 Regular high school diploma means the standard high school 

diploma that is awarded to students in the State and that is fully 

aligned with the State’s academic content standards or a higher 

diploma and does not include a General Education Development 

credential, certificate of attendance, or any alternative award.

Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, 

strategy, or practice that includes a logic model. 

Program Authority: Title III, part A, section 319 of the HEA (20 

U.S.C. 1059f).

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 

86, 97, 98, 99, and 607.3. (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 in 2 CFR 

part 3474. (d) The Supplemental Priorities.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
25

Estimated Available Funds: $3,113,000. 

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 

applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2016 from the list 

of unfunded applicants from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000-$400,000 per year.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000 per year.

Maximum Awards: We will reject any application that proposes a budget 

exceeding $400,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum 

amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.

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

Estimated Number of Awards: 8.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: (a) An IHE is eligible to receive funds 

under the NASNTI Program if it qualifies as a Native American-Serving 

Nontribal Institution. At the time of application, IHEs applying for 

funds under the NASNTI Program must have an enrollment of 

undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent Native American, as 

defined as follows:

Native American means a person who is of a tribe, people, or culture 

that is indigenous to the United States. 

At the time of submission of their applications, applicants must 

certify their total undergraduate headcount enrollment and that 10 

percent of the IHE’s enrollment is Native American. An assurance 
26

form, which is included in the application materials for this 

competition, must be signed by an official for the applicant and 

submitted. 

To qualify as an eligible institution under the NASNTI Program, an 

institution must also be–-

(i) Accredited or pre-accredited by a nationally recognized 

accrediting agency or association that the Secretary has determined to 

be a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training 

offered; 

(ii) Legally authorized by the State in which it is located to be a 

community college or to provide an educational program for which it 

awards a bachelor’s degree; and

(iii) Designated as an “eligible institution” by demonstrating that 

it has: (A) an enrollment of needy students as described in 34 CFR 

607.3; and (B) below average educational and general expenditures per 

full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student as described in 34 

CFR 607.4.

Note: The notice for applying for designation as an eligible 

institution was published in the Federal Register on November 3, 2014 

(79 FR 65197) and applications were due on December 22, 2014. Only 

institutions that submitted applications by the deadline date and that 

the Department determined are eligible may apply for a grant.

(b) A grantee under the Developing Hispanic-Serving 

Institutions (HSI) Program, which is authorized by title V, part A of 

the HEA, may not receive a grant under any HEA, title III, part A 
27

programs, including the NASNTI Program. Further, a current HSI 

Program grantee may not give up its HSI grant in order to receive a 

grant under any title III, part A program.

An eligible HSI that is not a current grantee under the HSI Program 

may apply for a FY 2015 grant under all title III, part A programs for 

which it is eligible, as well as under the HSI Program. However, a 

successful applicant may receive only one grant.

 2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 

sharing or matching unless funds are used for an endowment. 

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package: Bora Mpinja or Don Crews, 

U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th floor, 

Washington, DC 20006-8513. You may contact these individuals at the 

following email addresses or telephone numbers:

Bora.Mpinja@ed.gov; (202) 502-7629

Don.Crews@ed.gov; (202) 502-7574

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 

telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 

1-800-877-8339.

You can also obtain an application via the Internet using the 

following address: www.Grants.gov. 

Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 

package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, 

audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting one of the program contact 

people listed in this section.
28

2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 

concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 

must submit, are in the application package for this program.

Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 

is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria, the 

absolute priority, the competitive preference priorities, and the 

invitational priority that reviewers use to evaluate your 

application. We have established mandatory page limits. You must 

limit the section of the application narrative that addresses:

 The selection criteria to no more than 50 pages.

 The absolute priority to no more than three pages.

 A competitive preference priority, if you are addressing one or 

both, to no more than three pages (for a total of six pages if 

you address both).

 The invitational priority to no more than two pages, if you 

address it.

Accordingly, under no circumstances may the application narrative 

exceed 61 pages.

Please include a separate heading for the absolute priority and for 

each competitive preference priority and invitational priority that 

you address. 

 For the purpose of determining compliance with the page limits, 

each page on which there are words will be counted as one full page. 

Applicants must use the following standards:
29

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

the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may 

be within the 1" margins.

 • Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all 

text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, footnotes, 

quotations, references, and captions and all text in charts, tables, 

figures, and graphs. These items may be single-spaced. Charts, 

tables, figures, and graphs in the application narrative count toward 

the page limits.

 • Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no smaller 

than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However, you may use a 10-point 

font in charts, tables, figures, graphs, footnotes, and endnotes.

 • Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 

Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 

(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.

The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for Federal 

Assistance (SF 424); the Supplemental Information for SF 424 Form; 

Part II, the Budget Information Summary Form (ED Form 524); and Part 

IV, the assurances and certifications. The page limit also does not 

apply to the table of contents, the one-page abstract, the resumes, 

the bibliography, or the letters of support. If you include any 

attachments or appendices, these items will be counted as part of the 

application narrative for purposes of the page-limit requirement. You 

must include your complete response to the selection criteria and 

priorities in the application narrative.
30

We will reject your application if you exceed the page limits.

3. Submission Dates and Times: 

Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL 

REGISTER]. 

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 30 DAYS AFTER 

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 

electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For 

information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 

application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand 

delivery if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 

requirement, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission 

Requirements of this notice.

We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 

deadline requirements.

Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary 

aid in connection with the application process should contact the 

person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of 

this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary 

aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 

application process, the individual’s application remains subject to 

all other requirements and limitations in this notice.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 90 DAYS AFTER 

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].
31

4. 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 competition.

5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 

restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 

Number, and System for Award Management: To do business with the 

Department of Education, you must--

a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer 

Identification Number (TIN);

b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award 

Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry), the 

Government’s primary registrant database;

c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and

d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information while 

your application is under review by the Department and, if you are 

awarded a grant, during the project period.

You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 

can be created within one to two business days.

If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or organization, 

you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. If you are an 

individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service or 

the Social Security Administration. If you need a new TIN, please 

allow two to five weeks for your TIN to become active. 
32

The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business 

days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the 

completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by 

an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal 

financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, 

please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number 

and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to allow 24 

to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov and 

before you can submit an application through Grants.gov.

If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make any 

changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with 

your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update 

your registration annually. This may take three or more business 

days.

Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further assist 

you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or 

updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov Tip 

Sheet, which you can find at: 

http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.

In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 

you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 

Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 

Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the 
33

following Grants.gov Web page: 

www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under the 

NASNTI Program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for 

an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions 

in this section.

a. Electronic Submission of Applications.

Applications for grants under the NASNTI Program, CFDA number 84.031X, 

must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov 

Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to 

download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and 

then upload and submit your application. You may not email an 

electronic copy of a grant application to us.

We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 

unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 

the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 

later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 

statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 

exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date 

that is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided 

later in this section under Exception to Electronic Submission 

Requirement.

You may access the electronic grant application for the NASNTI Program 

at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application 

package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the 
34

CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.031, 

not 84.031X).

Please note the following:

• When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about 

submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as 

the hours of operation.

• Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time stamped. 

Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date 

and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 p.m., 

Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 

otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application 

if it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 

system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 

deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 

with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application 

from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your 

application because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 

system after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 

deadline date.

• The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary 

depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 

application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 

strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 

date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. 
35

• You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures 

for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in 

the application package for this competition to ensure that you submit 

your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can 

also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov 

under News and Events on the Department’s G5 system home page at 

www.G5.gov. 

• You will not receive additional point value because you submit your 

application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you 

qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, as 

described elsewhere in this section, and submit your application in 

paper format.

• You must submit all documents electronically, including all 

information you typically provide on the following forms: the 

Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 

Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--

Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 

certifications. 

 • 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.
36

• Your electronic application must comply with any page-limit 

requirements described in this notice.

• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive 

from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that contains a 

Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates receipt by 

Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The Department then 

will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send a second 

notification to you by email. This second notification indicates that 

the Department has received your application and has assigned your 

application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number 

unique to your application).

• We may request that you provide us original signatures on 

forms at a later date.

Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues with 

the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 

your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 

Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 

Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.

If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application 

on the application deadline date because of technical problems with 

the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30:00 

p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to 

transmit your application electronically or by hand delivery. You 

also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions 

described elsewhere in this notice.
37

If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, 

on the application deadline date, please contact one of the people 

listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of this 

notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 

experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 

Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 

technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 

problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 

p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 

Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 

your application will be accepted. 

Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply only to 

the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the Grants.gov 

system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully 

register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the 

application deadline date and time or if the technical problem you 

experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 

exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit 

your application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an 

application through the Grants.gov system because––

• You do not have access to the Internet; or 

• You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to the 

Grants.gov system;

and
38

• No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 

calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 

application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next 

business day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written 

statement to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for 

an exception prevents you from using the Internet to submit your 

application. 

If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 

postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 

date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 

receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 

application deadline date.

Address and mail or fax your statement to: Bora Mpinja, U.S. 

Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6023, Washington, DC 

20006-8513. FAX: (202) 502-7681.

Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail 

or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.

b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 

requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 

commercial carrier) your application to the Department. 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

Application Control Center
39

Attention: (CFDA Number 84.031X)

LBJ Basement Level 1

400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, DC 20202-4260

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.

c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
40

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 

requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 

application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 

and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the 

application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: (CFDA Number 84.031X)

550 12th Street, SW.

Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza

Washington, DC 20202-4260

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 

8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 

Sundays, and Federal holidays.

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail or 

hand deliver 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 CFDA number, including 

suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 

submitting your application; and

(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 

notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 

receive this notification within 15 business days from the application 
41

deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education 

Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

 1. Selection Criteria: The following selection criteria for 

this program are from 34 CFR 75.210. We will award up to 100 points 

to an application under the selection criteria; the total possible 

points for each selection criterion are noted in parentheses.

a. Need for project. (Maximum 20 points) The Secretary considers 

the need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the 

proposed project, the Secretary considers:

1. The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or the 

activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (10 points)

2. The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving or 

otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals. (5 

points)

3. The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 

infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 

addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 

of those gaps or weaknesses. (5 points)

b. Quality of the project design. (Maximum 25 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:
42

1. The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 

achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. 

(10 points)

2. 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. (5 points)

3. The extent to which the proposed project is supported by strong 

theory (as defined in this notice). (10 points)

c. Quality of project services. (Maximum 10 points) The Secretary 

considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed 

project. In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 

the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 

sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 

eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 

traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 

origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary 

considers:

1. The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 

project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or 

beneficiaries of those services. (5 points)

2. The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 

project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 

practice. (5 points)

d. Quality of project personnel. (Maximum 10 points) The Secretary 

considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed 
43

project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the 

Secretary considers the extent to which the applicant encourages 

applications for employment from persons who are members of groups 

that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, 

national origin, gender, age, or disability. 

 In addition, the Secretary considers:

1. The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of 

the project director or principal investigator. (5 points)

2. The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of 

key project personnel. (5 points)

e. Adequacy of resources. (Maximum 5 points) The Secretary 

considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In 

determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the 

Secretary considers:

1. The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed 

project. (3 points)

2. The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 

objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 

project. (2 points)

f. Quality of the management plan. (Maximum 15 points) The 

Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the 

proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan 

for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

1. The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of 

the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
44

defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 

project tasks. (10 points)

2. The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 

improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (2.5 points)

3. The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products and 

services from the proposed project. (2.5 points)

g. Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 15 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:

 1. The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 

feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of 

the proposed project. (5 points)

2. The extent to which the methods of evaluation include 

the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to 

the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 

qualitative data to the extent possible. (5 points)

3. The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 

performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 

achieving intended outcomes. (5 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 
45

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 discrimination in programs or 

activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 

of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

Awards will be made in rank order according to the average score 

received from a panel of three non-Federal reviewers.

3. Tie-breaker. In tie-breaking situations, we award one additional 

point to an application from an IHE that has an endowment fund of 

which the current market value, per FTE enrolled student, is less than 

the average current market value of the endowment funds, per FTE 

enrolled student, at comparable institutions that offer similar 

instruction. We also award one additional point to an application 

from an IHE that has expenditures for library materials per FTE 

enrolled student that are less than the average expenditures for 

library materials per FTE enrolled student at comparable institutions 

that offer similar instruction. We also award one additional point to 

an application from an IHE that proposes to carry out one or more of 

the following activities--

(1) Faculty development;

(2) Funds and administrative management;

(3) Development and improvement of academic programs;
46

(4) Acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening management and 

academic programs;

(5) Joint use of facilities; and

(6) Student services. 

For the purpose of these funding considerations, we use 2012-2013 

data. If a tie remains after applying the tie-breaker mechanism 

above, priority will be given to applications from IHEs that have the 

lowest endowment values per FTE enrolled student.

4. Special Conditions: Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary 

may impose special conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, highrisk 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, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a 

prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

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 
47

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. 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 multi-year award, you must submit an 

annual performance report that provides the most current performance 

and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary 

under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent 

performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements 

on reporting, please go to 

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

4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the following 

key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of the NASNTI 

Program: 
48

a. The percentage change, over the five-year period, in the number of 

full-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled at NASNTIs (Note: 

This is a long-term measure that will be used to periodically gauge 

performance);

b. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students at two-year NASNTIs who were in their first 

year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled 

in the current year at the same NASNTI; 

c. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students enrolled at four-year NASNTIs who graduate 

within six years of enrollment; and

d. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students enrolled at two-year NASNTIs who graduate 

within three years of enrollment. 

5. 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 established performance measurement 

requirements, 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 
49

activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 

(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Agency Contacts

For Further Information Contact: Bora Mpinja or Don Crews, U.S. 

Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th floor, Washington, DC 

20006-8513. You may contact these individuals at the following email 

addresses or telephone numbers:

Bora.Mpinja@ed.gov; (202) 502-7629

Don.Crews@ed.gov; (202) 502-7574

 If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-

8339.

Applicants should periodically check the Department’s Web 

site for the title III, part A programs for further information. The 

address is: www.ed.gov/programs/nasnti/index.html.

VIII. Other Information

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 

document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 

(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to 

either of the program contacts listed under For Further Information 

Contact in section VII of this notice.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 

document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free 

Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and 

the Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital 

System at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this 
50

document, as well as all other documents of this Department published 

in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 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.

Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated 

authority to Jamienne S. Studley, Deputy Under Secretary, to perform 

the functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 

Education.

Dated: 

______________________

Jamienne S. Studley,

Deputy Under Secretary.
51

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

The Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program is authorized under Title 

III, Part A, Section 319 (84.031X) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 

82, 84, 86, 97, 98 and 99 

The OMB 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.

The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 

Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended in 2 CFR part 3474.

Program regulations 34 CFR part 607.5. 
52

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:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.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—CFDA# 84.031X, 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.
53

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427

Section 427 requires each applicant to include in its application a description of the steps the applicant proposes to 

take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, its federally-assisted program for students, teachers, and 

other program beneficiaries with special needs.

This section allows applicants discretion in developing the required description. The statute highlights six barriers 

that can impede equitable access or participation that you may address: gender, race, national origin, color,

disability, or age.

A general statement of an applicant’s nondiscriminatory hiring policy is not sufficient to meet this requirement. 

Applicants must identify potential barriers and explain steps they will take to overcome these barriers.

*Notes: 

 Applicants are required to address this provision by attaching a statement to the ED GEPA 

427 Form that must be downloaded from Grants.gov. 

 All applicants must include information in their applications to address this provision in order to 

receive funding under this program.
54

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 2014-2018. 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:

1. Postsecondary Education, Career and Technical Education, and Adult Education. Increase college access, 

quality, and completion by improving higher education and lifelong learning opportunities for youth and adults.

2. Elementary and Secondary. Prepare all elementary and secondary students for college and career by 

improving the education system’s ability to consistently deliver excellent classroom instruction with rigorous 

academic standards while providing effective support services.

3. Early Learning. Improve the health, social-emotional, and cognitive outcomes for all children from birth 

through 3rd grade, so that all children particularly those with high needs, are on track for graduating from high 

school college- and career-ready.

4. Equity. Ensure effective educational opportunities for all students regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, 

age, sex, disability, language, and socioeconomic status.

5. Continuous improvement of the U.S. Education System. Enhance the education system’s ability to 

continuously improve through better and more widespread use of data, research and evaluation, transparency, 

innovation, and technology.

6. U.S. Department of Education Capacity. Improve the organizational capacities of the Department of 

implement this Strategic Plan.

 

What are the performance indicators for NASNTI?

The specific performance indicators for NASNTI are:

1. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students at four-year NASNTI 

institutions who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are 

enrolled in the current year at the same NASNTI institution.

2. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students at two-year NASNTI

institutions who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are 

enrolled in the current year at the same NASNTI institution.
55

3. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at four-year 

NASNTI institutions graduating within six years of enrollment.

4. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at two-year 

NASNTI institutions who graduate within three years of enrollment. 

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 progress reports and a final 

report as a condition of the award. The reports will document the extent to which project goals and 

objectives are met.

The most recent version of this program’s annual performance report can be viewed at https://apr.ed.gov. 

To login, please click on the training tab and request login information to obtain access. 
56

Instructions for Completing the Application

The NASNTI application consists of the following four parts. These parts are organized in the same 

manner that the submitted application should be organized. Remember to upload all forms and sections 

and follow carefully the Grants.gov application instructions. Note: All attachments must be PDF files. 

The parts are as follows: 

Part I: 424 Forms:

 Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)

 Department of Education Supplemental Information form for SF 424 

Note: Applicants must complete the SF 424 form first because the information you provide here is 

automatically inserted into other sections of the Grants.gov application package.

Part II: U.S. Department of Education Budget Summary Forms:

 ED 524 (Section A and Section B) 

The “U.S. Department of Education Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs” is where 

applicants provide budget information for Section A – Budget Summary U.S. Department of Education 

Funds and Section B – Budget Summary Non-Federal Funds. Applicants should include costs for all 

project years. Note: Section C – Budget Narrative should be included in the “Budget Narrative 

Attachment Form,” located in Part III; the details of each task line item are to be included here.

Part III: Other Forms

 ED Abstract Form

 Project Narrative Attachment Form

 Budget Narrative Attachment Form

 Other Attachments Form

ED Abstract Form is where applicants will upload their one-page project abstract that will provide an 

overview of the proposed project.

Project Narrative Attachment Form is where applicants will upload the narrative responses to the 

selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted for this competition. Please include 

a Table of Contents as the first page of the project narrative. You must limit the project narrative to no 

more than 50 pages for the Individual Development Grant application. The Project Narrative pages

should be numbered consecutively.

Budget Narrative Attachment Form is where applicants will upload a detailed line item budget to 

justify that costs are reasonable and necessary to accomplish the proposed project objectives. Note: the 

selection criteria also require a budget section that you will respond to as a part of your project narrative. 

Other Attachments Form is where applicants will upload the NASNTI Program Profile Form and 

responses to the absolute, competitive preference and invitational priorities.

Please note that if these forms are missing from your application, your application will be deemed 

ineligible.
57

Part IV: Assurances and Certification.

 GEPA Section 427 Form

 Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B)

 Certification Regarding Lobbying (ED 80-0013)

 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

NOTE: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the 

Standard Form (SF 424). Although the form accepts attachments, the Department of Education will 

only review materials/files attached to the attachment forms listed above. All attachments must be in 

.pdf format. Other file types will not be accepted.
58

84.031X Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Program Profile

INSTRUCTIONS: ALL applicants must complete these pages. The completed pages must be attached 

to the “Other Attachments Form” in the application package in the Grants.gov system (as a .PDF 

document). DO NOT MODIFY OR AMEND THESE PAGES.

OPE ID #___________

1. INSTITUTION (Legal Name):

_____________________________________________________________________ 

2. Are you applying as a Branch Campus? _____ Yes _____ No

3. ADDRESS (Applicants must indicate the address where the project will be located):

Project Address: _______________________________________________________

City: _____________________________________State: ______Zip: _____________

4. Are you addressing one or both competitive priorities? _____ Yes _____ No

If yes, which one(s)?

__ Academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services.

__ Projects that are designed to leverage technology through implementing high-quality accessible digital 

tools, assessments, and materials that are aligned with rigorous college- and career-ready standards. 

5. Are you addressing the invitational priority listed below? _____ Yes _____ No 

Projects that suport activities that strengthen Native American Language preservation and revitalization.

6. Tie-Breaker Information

If the selection process ends in a tie and funds are not sufficient to fund all institutions, we will use the 

information provided here to determine who will receive a grant. In accordance with Section 607.23(b), 

the Secretary will award up to three (3) additional points based on the information provided here.

Content: Please provide the following information below:

Total 2013-2014 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) STUDENTS= ____________

A. Total market value of endowment fund at the end of 2013-2014 $___________

B. Total expenditures for library material during 2013-2014 $___________

C. Check activities applicant proposes to carry out in application:
59

a) Faculty development ____________

b) Funds and administrative management ____________

c) Development and improvement of academic programs ____________

d) Acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening management ____________

 and academic programs

e) Joint use of facilities ____________

f) Student services ____________

7. Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Certification:

___ By placing a check here, you, the applicant, certify pursuant to the statutory requirements governing 

the Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Program, authorized under Title III, Part A, section 

319 (84.031X) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) by the Higher Education 

Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), that:

The named institution of higher education, at the time of the application, has an enrollment of 

undergraduate students that is at least ten percent (10%) Native American students and is not a Tribal 

College or University (as defined in section 316 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended 

(HEA)). The term “Native American” means an individual who is of a tribe, people, or culture that is 

indigenous to the United States.

See the Office of Management and Budget’s Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting 

Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity as published on October 30, 1997 (62 Fed. Reg. 58789).
60

Application Checklist

Use this checklist while preparing your application package. All items listed on this 

checklist are required. Applications that do not adhere to this checklist will not be read.

 Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424) 

 Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424 

 Department of Education Budget Information Non-Construction Programs Form (ED 524)

 One-Page Program Abstract – Attached to the “ED Abstract Form” in Grants.gov

 Project Narrative – Attached to the “Project Narrative Attachment Form” in Grants.gov

 Budget Narrative – Attached to the “Budget Narrative Attachment Form” in Grants.gov

Note: Have you addressed all Application Requirements including Selection Criteria and 

Priorities?

 NASNTI Program Profile and Responses to Priorities – Attached to the “Other Attachments

Form” in Grants.gov

 Assurances and Certifications – found in Grants.gov

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

 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

 Certification Regarding Lobbying (ED 80-0013)

 ED GEPA 427 Form
61

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 (Title III, Part F, Section 319 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. If you have specific questions about this form, instrument or survey, please 

contact Bora.Mpinja@ed.gov.