Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Appeals: An institution, on the basis of supplemental documentation, may rule that an applicant is self-supporting, even though under the standard criteria, the applicant would normally be considered financially dependent on his or her parents. An institution may adjust on a case-by-case basis a student's data elements used to calculate his or her EFC and cost of attendance due to unusual circumstances documented by the institution. Renewals: Students who have applied in the previous award year may be eligible to complete a paper or electronic renewal application that contains preprinted student data and requires students only to update certain information. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Students are limited to one Academic Competitiveness Grant during any award year (July 1 through June 30). Funds for these grants are usually disbursed at least twice during an award year. Students may only receive an Academic Competitiveness Grant until they have received a bachelor's degree. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer. Reports: Institutions will be required to furnish reports, periodically, on the disbursement of funds, as well as furnish any other reports the Secretary requires. No reports are required of students. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable. Audits: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-133. Annual audits will be made. Records: All records pertaining to the eligibility of each Academic Competitiveness Grant recipient and all fiscal management records must be maintained by the institution for a period of 3 years or until an acceptable audit has been completed, whichever is later. Selected students will have the information on their applications verified. Account Identification: 91-0205-0-1-502. Obligations: (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 08 $372,000,000; FY 09 est $554,000,000; FY 10 est $608,000,000 Range and Average of Financial Assistance: Grants are up to $750 for first-year students and up to $1,300 for second-year students. In combination with other Federal student aid, awards may not exceed a student's cost of education. FY 08 the estimated average grant is $762. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: The Department of Education estimates that awards will support 458,000 students. Fiscal Year 2009: Estimated 783,000. Fiscal Year 2010: Estimated 865,000. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Contact the program office for more information. Regional or Local Office: None. Headquarters Office: Federal Student Aid Information Center, Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Phone: (800) 433-3243. Website Address: http://www.ifap.ed.gov. RELATED PROGRAMS: 84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants; 84.032 Federal CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: 84.376 NATIONAL SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS ACCESS TO RETAIN TALENT (SMART) GRANTS (SMART Grants) FEDERAL AGENCY: Office of Student Financial Assistance Programs, Department of Education AUTHORIZATION: Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended., Executive Order Title IV, Part A, Subpart 1, Section 401A. OBJECTIVES: To provide eligible third- and fourth-year full-time undergraduates who major in certain designated technical fields or foreign languages with need-based grant assistance to help meet educational expenses. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR A SPECIFIED USE The student must be a U.S. citizen who has been accepted for enrollment in, Applicant Eligibility: Undergraduate students enrolled as full-time regular students in an eligible program at an eligible institution of higher education and making satisfactory academic progress. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have a high school diploma, a GED, or demonstrate the ability to benefit from the program of study offered. Beneficiary Eligibility: Third- and fourth-year undergraduate students who are U.S citizens and are eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant. Students must be full-time regular students in an eligible program at an eligible institution of higher education and making satisfactory academic progress. Students are required to pursue a major in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering or a critical foreign language, and obtain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in the coursework required for the major being pursued. In addition, students must sign a statement of educational purpose, not owe a refund on a Title IV grant, and not be in default on a Title IV loan. Eligible males that are at least 18 years old and born after December 31, 1959, can receive aid only if they have registered with the Selective Service. Credentials/Documentation: No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Student completes a "Free Application for Federal Student Aid" and submits it to the agency specified on the form. Students may apply using a paper application, an electronic application, or via the Internet. The Department of Education calculates the student's eligibility for assistance and the agency to which the student sent the application returns a notification to the student of his or her eligibility for assistance. The student submits this notification to the institution of his or her choice in order to have his or her award calculated. Award Procedure: Institutions act as disbursing agents for the Department of Education. The institution that the student attends calculates and disburses the SMART Grants, using a payment schedule developed by the Department of Education that determines the amount of the award based on the amount of available funding and the estimated number of recipients. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Appeals: An institution, on the basis of supplemental documentation, may rule that an applicant is self-supporting, even though under the standard criteria, the applicant would normally be considered financially dependent on his or her parents. An institution may adjust on a case-by-case basis a student's data elements used to calculate his or her EFC and cost of attendance due to unusual circumstances documented by the institution. Renewals: Students who have applied in the previous award year may be eligible to complete a paper or electronic renewal application that contains preprinted student data and requires students only to update certain information. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Students are limited to one SMART Grant during any award year (July 1 through June 30). Funds for these grants are usually disbursed at least twice during an award year. Students may only receive a SMART Grant until they have received a bachelor's degree. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer. Reports: Institutions will be required to furnish reports, periodically, on the disbursement of funds, as well as furnish any other reports the Department requires. No reports are required of students. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable. Audits: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-133. Annual audits will be made. Records: All records pertaining to the eligibility of each SMART Grant recipient and all fiscal management records must be maintained by the institution for a period of 3 years or until an acceptable audit has been completed, whichever is later. Selected students will have the information on their applications verified. Account Identification: 91-0205-0-1-502. Obligations: (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 08 $221,000,000; FY 09 est $331,000,000; FY 10 est $337,000,000 Range and Average of Financial Assistance: Grants are up to $4,000 for third- and fourth-year students. In combination with other Federal student aid, awrds may not exceed a students cost of education. For FY 08 the estimated aerage grant is $2,833. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: The Department of Education estimates that awards will support 78,000 students. Fiscal Year 2009: Estimated $127,000. Fiscal Year 2010: Estimated $131,000. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Contact the program office for more information. None. Federal Student Aid Information Center. Telephone: (1-800) 433-3243. Regional Director, Federal Student Aid, the Director of Financial Aid at the institution the student wishes to attend, high school guidance counselors, or directors of State agencies. Headquarters Office: Federal Student Aid Information Center, Federal Student Aid (FSA), http://www.ifap.ed.gov. RELATED PROGRAMS: 84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants; 84.032 Federal Family Education Loans; 84.033 Federal Work-Study Program; 84.037 Perkins Loan Cancellations; 84.038 Federal Perkins Loan Program_Federal Capital Contributions; 84.042 TRIO_Student Support Services; 84.044 TRIO_Talent Search; 84.047 TRIO_Upward Bound; 84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program; 84.066 TRIO_Educational Opportunity Centers; 84.069 Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership; 84.375 Academic Competitiveness Grants EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Not Applicable. 84.377 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS FEDERAL AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Education AUTHORIZATION: Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended, Executive Order Section 1003(g), Title I, Public Law 107-110, 115 Stat. 1442, 20 U.S.C 6303(g). OBJECTIVES: To strengthen the capacity of States to carry out their program improvement responsibilities required under Sections 1116 and 1117 of Title I of the ESEA by (1) building State capacity to provide leadership in implementing effective school improvement strategies for local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools that have been identified for improvement, are in corrective action, and are in the restructuring process and (2) providing resources to LEAs to support school improvement activities, including the development and implementation of effective restructuring plans. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Formula Grants USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: A State educational agency (SEA) must allocate at least 95 percent of the amount of the funds it receives directly to LEAs for schools that have been identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring to carry out activities under Section 1116(b). An SEA may retain up to 5 percent of the grant amount received for administration, evaluation, and technical assistance expenses. At the LEA level, these funds may be used for any reasonable costs associated with carrying out school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring activities described in Section 1116(b). Applicant Eligibility: SEAS with approved State plan amendments are eligible to receive funds. To be eligible to receive Title I School Improvement funds, an LEA must have one or more schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under Section 1116(b) of Title I. Credentials/Documentation: OMB Circular A-87. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Pursuant to Section 76.140 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is requiring States to amend their State plans in order to receive Title I accountability funds. The amendment may be brief (less than 10 pages) and must describe: (1) the criteria the State will use to determine which LEAs, among those eligible, will receive funds; (2) the criteria the State will use to determine how much each LEA will receive; and (3) the criteria the State will use to ensure that the funds awarded to LEAS will be used to address one or more short-term outcome measures to improve student academic achievement. Award Procedure: The Department will allocate funds to any State whose submission meets the Department's application requirements. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Varies with each State. Appeals: In programs administered by ED, Section 432 of the General Education Provisions Act provides LEAS with a right of appeal when there are disagreements between State and local educational agencies, including disagreements over funding decisions. Where an LEA alleges that the denial of funding is a violation of State or Federal law, rules, regulations, or guidelines governing the applicable program, it may, within 30 days, request a hearing from the SEA. Once the hearing is held and the SEA issues it written ruling, the LEA may appeal a negative ruling to the Secretary. Renewals: Not Applicable. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory Formula: Under ESEA, ED allocates section 1003 (g) School Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Title I School Improvement funds are available for obligation by local educational agencies for a maximum of 27 months after funds become available on July 1. Funds become available to the Department on July 1, and will be allocated to States on or after that date. They remain available for obligation by LEA under the initial period of availability for 15 months. Under section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act, any funds that remain unobligated may be carried over for obligation for an additional 12 months. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer. Reports: Grantees are subject to the reporting requirements contained in Parts 76 and 80 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable. Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June All grantees must maintain and complete records as provided in EDGAR. 91-0900-0-1-501. Obligations: (Formula Grants) FY 08 $491,265,000; FY 09 est $545,633,000; FY 10 est $1,545,633,000 Range and Average of Financial Assistance: Fiscal Year 2008: Range: $1,110,155 - $61,808,215. Average: $9,358,891. Fiscal Year 2009 (est): Range: $1,323,400 - $62,985,358. Average: $10,391,906. Fiscal Year 2010 (est): Range: $3,771,972 - $178,949,620. Average: $28,875,500. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: to be provided. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: ED is in the process of issuing guidance and instructions for States to use in applying for these funds. Regional or Local Office: None. Headquarters Office: Carlas McCauley, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, 3C116, Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Email: carlas.mccauley@ed.gov Phone: (202) 260-0829. Website Address: http://www.ed.gov/oese. RELATED PROGRAMS: 84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies; 84.388 School Improvement Grants, Recovery Act; 84.389 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, Recovery Act EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Not Applicable. 84.378 COLLEGE ACCESS CHALLENGE GRANT PROGRAM FEDERAL AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, Executive Order Title VII, Part E, 20 U.S.C 1141. OBJECTIVES: To foster partnerships among federal, State and local government entities and philanthropic organizations through matching challenge grants aimed at increasing the number of underrepresented students who enter and remain in postsecondary education. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: FORMULA GRANTS USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: States or philanthropic organizations (if a State does not meet program requirements) use funds to implement services and activities needed to achieve the goals and objectives of the program. The services and activities authorized in the statute include: providing information to students and families on postsecondary education planning, benefits, opportunities, financing options and career preparation; assisting students in completing FAFSA; engaging outreach activities; offering professional development for middle and secondary guidance counselors and college SFA and admissions administrators; providing need based grant aid; repaying student loans or lower interest rates; and offering tutoring/mentoring services, and other support services. A grantee may use not more than 6 percent of the total amount of the sum of the federal share provided and nonfederal share required for administrative purposes. Applicant Eligibility: An eligible applicant is the State agency with jurisdiction over higher education, or another agency designated by the Governor of the State. The Secretary may award funds to philanthropic organizations in cases where the State fails to meet program requirements. Beneficiary Eligibility: The authorized beneficiaries are underrepresented students and families. Credentials/Documentation: States or philanthropic organizations (if a State does not meet program requirements) must submit an application containing a description of the capacity to administer grant activities and services, a plan for using grant funds to meet the requirements and special efforts to benefit underrepresented students, and how the nonfederal share will be provided, and the structure the state has in place to administer the activities and services. The governor of a state must designate in writing which State agency is authorized to administer the grant. A letter from the governor (on letterhead, signed and dated) must be included in the application. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: An applicant should consult with the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his/her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Each State must submit an application covering a 2-year period to the Department of Education. Award Procedure: Applications are reviewed for quality and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements. An allotment is awarded to States or philanthropic organizations if the Assistant Secretary determines the application meets necessary requirements. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: The estimated range of time need to approve/disapprove an application is usually three months after the deadline for submission. Appeals: Not Applicable. Renewals: State applications are amended as needed. Awards are generally made around June 30 of each year. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory Formula: Matching Requirements: Funds are awarded on a formula basis to States (or philanthropic organizations if a State does not meet program requirements). Allotments are based on the relative number of persons between the ages of 5 and 17 and 15 and 44 living below the poverty line with no State receiving less than a half of one percent of the funds appropriated for a fiscal year. Poverty status data for participating States will be obtained from the Census Bureau. The minimum allotment for each State for a fiscal year cannot be an amount that is less than 0.5 percent of the total amount appropriated for the program. The statute requires a nonfederal matching contribution of not less than 1/3 of the costs of the project activities and services. This may be provided through in-kind and/or cash contributions. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Grants are made for up to two years, subject to the availability of funds. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer. Reports: States or philanthropic organizations (if a State does not meet program requirements) administering the grant must submit an annual performance report. The report must include: each activity or service that was provided to students and families over the course of the year; the cost of providing each activity or service; and the total contributions from private organizations included as nonfederal share for the fiscal year. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable. Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Records: Grantees must maintain appropriate records pertaining to grant funds, compliance and project performance, for three years after the completion of activities for which the grant or subgrant funds were used. This documentation should be sufficient to establish fiscal accountability and facilitate an effective audit. Account Identification: 91-0201-0-1-502. Obligations: (Formula Grants) FY 08 $66,000,000; FY 09 est $66,000,000; FY 10 est $0 Range and Average of Financial Assistance: No Data Available. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: 56 grants were awarded. Fiscal Year 2009: 57 grants are expected to be awarded. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: The administration of the formula grant program is governed by the statute and EDGAR (34 CFR 76, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82 and 85). Regional or Local Office: None. Headquarters Office: Karmon Simms-Coates, Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, College Access Challenge Grant Program, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Phone: (202) 502-7807. Website Address: http://www.ed.gov/programs/cacg/. RELATED PROGRAMS: Not Applicable. EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: State will receive funding based on the submission of an approvable application. The application must present a viable plan to achieve goals and objectives and also comply with statutory and regulatory requirements. 84.379 TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE AND HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS (TEACH GRANTS) FEDERAL AGENCY: Department of Education AUTHORIZATION: Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, Subpart 9, Title VI, Part A. To provide annual grants of up to $4,000 to eligible undergraduate and graduate students who agree to teach specified high-need subjects at schools serving primarily disadvantaged populations for four years within eight years of graduation. For students who do not fulfill their service requirements, grants convert to Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans with interest accrued from the date of award. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR A SPECIFIED USE USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: Undergraduate and graduate students completing coursework or other requirements necessary to begin a career in teaching. Students must attend an institution of higher education that provides high-quality teacher preparation and professional development services; is financially sound; provides, or assists in the provision, of pedagogical coursework; and provides, or assists in the provision, of supervision and support services to teachers. Applicant Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students completing coursework or other requirements necessary to begin a career in teaching. Students must attend an institution of higher education that provides high-quality teacher preparation and professional development services; is financially sound; provides, or assists in the provision, of pedagogical coursework; and provides, or assists in the provision, of supervision and support services to teachers. Beneficiary Eligibility: This program was created by the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Public Law 110-84; it will begin operation on July 1, 2008. Students must have a grade-point-average (GPA) comparable to a 3.25 on a scale of zero to 4.0, except that, if the student is in the first year of undergraduate education, the grade point average is determined based on the student's cumulative secondary school grade point average. A student applying for a grant to obtain a graduate degree must be a teacher or a retiree from another occupation with expertise in a field in which there is a shortage of teachers; grants for graduate education may also be obtained by a student who is or was a teacher who is pursuing high-quality alternative certification. In addition, students must sign an agreement to serve under which they agree to serve as a full-time teacher for not less than four years within eight years of completing the course of study for which they received a TEACH Grant. Service must be performed at a school serving a primarily disadvantaged population and must be in one of the following fields: mathematics, science, a foreign language, bilingual education, special education, as a reading specialist, or in another field documented as high-need. Students must also agree to provide evidence of qualifying employment upon completion of each year of service. Failure to complete these service requirements results in the student's TEACH Grants being treated as Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, with interest accrued from the date of award. Students must also sign a statement of educational purpose, not owe a refund on a Title IV grant, and not be in default on a Title IV loan. Eligible males that are at least 18 years old and born after December 31, 1959, can receive aid only if they have registered with the Selective Service. Credentials/Documentation: No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Students must complete a FAFSA, complete an agreement to serve and submit it to the Department of Education. Award Procedure: Institutions act as disbursing agents for the Department of Education. The institution that the student attends disburses the TEACH Grants based on the enrollment status of the student. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Appeals: To be determined in regulation. Renewals: Students who have applied in the previous award year must continue to meet all eligibility requirements and reaffirm their intention to fulfill the service requirements before obtaining subsequent grants. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Students are limited to one TEACH Grant during an academic year. Funds for these grants will likely be disbursed at least twice during an academic year. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer. Reports: Institutions will be required to furnish reports, periodically, on the disbursement This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-133. Records: All records pertaining to the eligibility of each TEACH Grant recipient and all fiscal management records must be maintained by the institution for a period of three years or until an acceptable audit has been completed, whichever is later. Selected students will have the information on their applications verified. Account Identification: 91-0206-0-1-502. Obligations: |