Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/03/20/2015-06464/applications-for-new-awards-asian-american-and-native-american-pacific-islander-serving-institutions
Timestamp: 2018-08-14 22:34:28
Document Index: 616671044

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 75', 'art 180', 'art 3485', 'art 200', 'art 3474', 'art 200', 'art 170']

A Notice by the Education Department on 03/20/2015
80 FR 14991
14991-14997 (7 pages)
2015-06464
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2015-06464 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2015-06464
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Program.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.031L.
Applications Available: March 20, 2015.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 19, 2015.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 20, 2015.
Purpose of Program: The AANAPISI Program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) that have an undergraduate enrollment of at least 10 percent Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander students to assist such institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand such institutions' capacity to serve Asian Americans and Native American Pacific Islanders and low-income individuals.
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.
Competitive Preference Priority 1 (up to 3 additional points).
Competitive Preference Priority 2 (up to 3 additional points). Start Printed Page 14992
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.
Projects that support activities that strengthen Native American Pacific Islander language preservation and revitalization.
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.
Program Authority: Title III, part A, section 320 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059g).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The 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. (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.
Estimated Available Funds: $3,062,000.
Maximum Awards: We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $300,000 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.
1. Eligible Applicants: (a) An IHE is eligible to receive funds under the AANAPISI Program if it qualifies as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. At the time of application, IHEs applying for funds under the AANAPISI Program must have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander, as defined as follows:
Asian American means a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent (including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam), as defined in the Office of Management and Budget's Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity as published in the Federal Register on October 30, 1997 (62 FR 58789).
Native American Pacific Islander means any descendant of the aboriginal people of any island in the Pacific Ocean that is a territory or possession of 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 Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander. An assurance 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 AANAPISI Program, an institution must also be—
(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
(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 programs, including the AANAPISI Program. Further, a current HSI Program grantee may not give up its HSI grant in Start Printed Page 14993order 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.
1. Address to Request Application Package: Pearson Owens 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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active. Start Printed Page 14994
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under the AANAPISI Program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section.
Applications for grants under the AANAPISI Program, CFDA number 84.031L, 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.
You may access the electronic grant application for the AANAPISI Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.031, not 84.031L).
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 Start Printed Page 14995instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
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.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Pearson Owens, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 6029, Washington, DC 20006-8513. FAX: (202) 502-7681.
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, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.031L), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
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 84.031L), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
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:
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 Start Printed Page 14996underrepresented 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 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 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)
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, high-risk conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.
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.
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).Start Printed Page 14997
4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of the AANAPISI Program:
a. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students at four-year AANAPISIs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same AANAPISI;
b. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students at two-year AANAPISIs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same AANAPISI;
c. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at four-year AANAPISIs who graduate within six years of enrollment; and
d. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at two-year AANAPISIs 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 activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
Pearson Owens 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:
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/​aanapi/​index.html.
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.
[FR Doc. 2015-06464 Filed 3-19-15; 8:45 am]