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Grant Community.com Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Descriptions |
CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC
ASSISTANCE
47.076: Education and Human Resources
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| PROGRAM AND AWARD | FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS |
| ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS | FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO. |
| APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS | INFORMATION CONTACTS |
| RELATED PROGRAMS | ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS |
| PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS | POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS |
Applicant Eligibility: Public and private colleges (2-year and 4-year) and universities, State and local educational agencies, nonprofit and private organizations, professional societies, science academies and centers, science museums and zoological parks, research laboratories, and other institutions with an educational mission may apply.
Beneficiary Eligibility: Elementary, secondary and undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, and technology teachers and faculty; preK-12, undergraduate and graduate students; public and private colleges (2-year and 4-year) and universities; State and local educational agencies; nonprofit and private organizations; professional societies; science academies and centers; science museums and zoological parks; research laboratories; and other institutions with an educational mission.
Credentials/Documentation: Proposals must be signed by the Principal Investigator(s) and by an official authorized to commit the institution in business and financial affairs. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-21 for colleges and universities, No. A-87 for State and local governments, and No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations. Applicants for fellowship support must show evidence of ability such as academic records, letters of recommendation, graduate record examination scores, and grade point average. Applications for H-1B Nonimmigrant Petitioner scholarships require documentation of financial need, evidence of inclination to pursue study in targeted disciplines, and evidence of academic ability.
Preapplication Coordination: In selected areas, discussion with NSF program staff is strongly recommended and/or submission of a preliminary proposal is required before submitting formal proposals. Other areas are 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 that the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.
Application Procedure: By submission of a formal proposal, and, in some areas, a preliminary proposal, describing the planned project and the proposed amount of the grant. For guidelines, see specific program announcements and "Grant Proposal Guide," NSF 00-2.
Award Procedure: NSF staff members review and evaluate all proposals based on a set of criteria established by the National Science Board. In most cases reviews are undertaken with the advice of scientists, engineers, educators and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the fields covered by the proposals. External reviewers, who are conversant with the fields covered by the applications, review and evaluate all graduate fellowship applications. Awards are made by NSF on a competitive basis.
Deadlines: Deadlines and target dates are published in the NSF bulletin and program announcements.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: From 5 to 9 months.
Appeals: The principal investigator may request, in writing within 90 days of a declination or return, that the Foundation reconsider its action in declining or returning any proposal or application.
Renewals: Contact NSF program staff for specific renewal policies and procedures.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals: The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating proposals submitted to NSF at its meeting on March 28, 1997 (NSB97-72). The revised criteria are designed to be useful and relevant across NSF's many different programs, however, NSF will continue to employ special criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities. The revised merit review criteria are listed below. Following each criterion are potential considerations that the reviewer may employ in the evaluation. These are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. Each reviewer will address only those that are relevant to the proposal and for which he/she is qualified to make judgments. Criterion 1: What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity? How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of prior work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources? Criterion 2: What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society? In addition to these criteria, many EHR programs employ special criteria to highlight specific educational objectives; see relevant program announcements and guidelines. In addition, consideration will also be given to the following: (a) Integration of Research and Education: One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learner perspectives. Principal Investigators should address this issue in their proposal to provide reviewers with the information necessary to respond fully to both NSF merit review criteria. NSF staff will give it careful consideration in making funding decisions. (b) Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects and Activities: Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens - women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities - are essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports. Principal Investigators should address this issue in their proposal to provide reviewers with the information necessary to respond fully to both NSF merit review criteria. NSF staff will give it careful consideration in making funding decisions.
Examples of Funded Projects: (1) The "Center for Innovative Learning Technologies (CILT)" has brought together the research, development, and marketing capacities of four institutions of higher education, affiliated research groups, and high technology firms (including INTEL Corporation) to promote cross-fertilization of ideas and integration of related efforts, as well as commercialization of effective usages of technology in learning environments. (2) The Florida-Georgia Alliance for Minority Participation, a collaboration of 12 institutions, is significantly increasing the number of science and engineering B.S. degrees awarded to minority students and enhancing student performance through summer bridge programs, study groups, undergraduate research, and institutes for graduate school preparation. (3) The "NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies (Bellevue, WA)" trains over 6,000 students in Its information technology (IT) courses and has developed IT skill standards in collaboration with Boeing, Microsoft, and over 50 small- and medium- sized software development firms. (4) In Detroit, the NSF urban systemic efforts are reforming K-12 math and science education through implementation of State frameworks, standards-based curricula and aligned performance assessments, as well as development of science and math teaching requirements, a Professional Development Council, and increased teacher release time. (5) High school level teachers, with support from NSF's Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education program, are engaged in astronomy research at Kitt Peak Observatory outside Tucson, Arizona. Participating teachers are mentored by professional astronomers, and transfer their research results to their classrooms via small telescopes. (6) Project LIFE is a professional development project for K-12 teachers of life science and biology, grades 5-12. Teachers in rural and poor school districts from Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas are recruited and trained in the areas of ecology, environmental science, and organismal biology. Curricular materials are subsequently developed for the teachers, and are used in pre-service undergraduate instruction at Louisiana Technological University. And, (7) "Windows on the Wild-Exploring Biodiversity," a national traveling museum exhibit for small to medium-sized institutions, raises public understanding of the decline of plant-animal species; the role of research in protecting biodiversity; and the impacts of individual behavior on biodiversity.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: From $2,500 to $4,000,000; $117,600.
Federal Agency: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Type of Assistance: Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements).
Obligations: (Grants) FY 99 $663,000,000; FY 00 est $724,000,000; and FY 01 est $760,000,000. (Includes H-1B Nonimmigrant Petitioner scholarships, systemic activities and student enrichment programs of: $26,000 in FY 99; $33,000,000 in FY 00; and $31,000,000 in FY 01.)
Budget Account Number: 49-0106-0-1-251.
Authorization: National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, Public Law 103-327, 42 U.S.C 1861 et seq.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature: 45 CFR Chapter VI; 48 CFR Chapter 25; "NSF Guide to Programs, FY 2000," NSF 00-65 (www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf0065); "Grant Proposal Guide," NSF 00-2 (www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf002).
Regional or Local Office: Not applicable.
Headquarters Office: Assistant Director, Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Room 805, Arlington, VA 22230. Phone: (703) 306-1600. NSF World Wide Web site URL: www.ehr.nsf.gov/.
(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)
Formula and Matching Requirements: Programs have no statutory formula. Projects vary with regard to the required level or institutional contribution or cost-sharing; requirements are provided in program announcements. Most equipment requests under "Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement" and "Advanced Technological Education" require an institutional matching contribution equal to or greater than the National Science Foundation contribution. The Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)(Sec. II.D.7.1) and the Grant Policy Manual (Sec. 330) provide additional information as to these requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Up to 5 years. Assistance is disbursed by letter of credit or as required. For fellowships, typically 9 to 12 months; up to 3 years of support. Assistance is disbursed to the institution for monthly stipend allotment to the fellow. Annual H-1B scholarships are awarded through institutions; reapplication is required.
Uses and Use Restrictions: Grant funds may be used for paying costs necessary to conduct research, educational activities or studies, such as salaries and expenses, permanent equipment, expendable equipment and supplies, travel, publication costs, and other direct and indirect costs. Primary responsibility for general supervision of all grant activities rests with the grantee institution. Funds may not be used for purposes other than those specified in the award. Graduate fellowships provide for stipends and allowances to be paid to the awardee through his/her institution; a fixed cost-of-education allowance is paid directly to the institution. H-1B Nonimmigrant Petitioner scholarships for tuition, displacement of loans and college/university-provided grants, and miscellaneous academic expenses will be paid to the awardee through his/her institution. Scholarships are restricted to fields of computer science, engineering, mathematics, and engineering and computer technology at associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctoral levels, pursuant to Title IV of the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-277). NSF does not provide funds directly to individuals for the payment of private or public tuition expenses.
Reports: A substantive technical report is required upon completion of the project. Frequency and complexity of interim reports varies among programs depending on size, scope and program objective. Quarterly Federal Cash Transactions Reports (SF 272) are required. For fellowships, brief annual activities reports are required.
Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records: Grantees are expected to maintain separate records for each grant to ensure that funds are used for the general purpose for which the grant was made. Records are subject to inspection during the life of the grant and for three years thereafter. Special record keeping requirements apply to fellowships.
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Last Updated, November, 2000
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