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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

84.200:  Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need

Objectives:  To provide fellowships through graduate academic departments, programs, and units of institutions of higher education to graduate students of superior ability who demonstrate financial need for the purpose of sustaining and enhancing the capacity for teaching and research in academic areas of national need, as designated by the Secretary.

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

84.200 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Accredited institutions of higher education may apply or submit joint proposals involving a nondegree granting institution having formal arrangements for support of doctoral dissertation research.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Graduate students receiving fellowships must demonstrate financial need, have excellent academic records, plan to pursue the highest degree in the field, and be a U.S. citizen or a National, or a permanent resident of the U.S., or intend to become a U.S. citizen, be a permanent resident of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or a citizen of any one of the Freely Associated States.

Credentials/Documentation:  A properly formatted application must be filed with the Secretary. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

84.200 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. 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 Procedure:  Instructions and forms concerning application procedures will be mailed to eligible institutions of higher education following publication of the Notice Inviting Application funding criteria in the Federal Register. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110.

Award Procedure:  Panels of experts from outside the Government will appraise all applications. The program office will recommend funding to the Secretary, who will make the final decisions.

Deadlines:  Contact the program office for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  The range is about three months.

Appeals:  None.

Renewals:  Noncompeting continuation applications must be given funding preference subject to the availability of funds.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  This program will use the selection criteria contained in program regulations made available in the application package.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Awards are made to institutions of higher education to be used exclusively to provide fellowship aid to assist graduate students in designated academic areas of national need.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  In 1999, the average grant was $138,000.

84.200 RELATED PROGRAMS:

None.

84.200 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

In fiscal year 1999, 173 grants were awarded.

84.200 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants.

Obligations:  (Grants) FY 99 $23,924,000; FY 00 est $31,000,000; and FY 01 est $31,000,000.

Budget Account Number:  91-0201-0-1-502.

Authorization:  Higher Education Act of 1965, Title VII, Part A, Subpart 2, as amended, Public Law 102-325, 20 U.S.C. 1135-1135ee.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  Regulations were published in the Federal Register on December 16, 1993. The application package including forms and regulations will be mailed to eligible institutions and other interested parties. Contact the Program Office for information.

84.200 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:  International Education and Graduate Programs Service, Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20202-5247. Contact: Cosette Ryan. Phone: (202) 260-3608. Fax: (202) 205-9489.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

84.200 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  A grantee must match the award by 25 percent. Federal funds and matching funds must be used for stipends, tuition fees, and other educational costs of students.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  The length of the award is three years, subject to yearly appropriations. However students may receive support for up to five years.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Awards made to institutions under this part shall be used exclusively to provide direct fellowship aid that will include need-based stipends, based on the support level of National Science Foundation fellowships and an institutional allowance for each individual awarded a fellowship to be adjusted annually in accordance with the Department of Labor's Consumer Price Index.

84.200 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Annual fiscal and performance reports are required.

Audits:  Audits are performed as required by regulations.

Records:  None.