Solicitation Notice; Environmental Education Grants Program;
Fiscal Year 2002
[Federal Register: August 28, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 167)]
[Notices]
[Page 45539-45550]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28au01-114]
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Part V
Environmental Protection Agency
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Solicitation Notice; Environmental Education Grants Program; Fiscal
Year 2002
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7042-7]
Solicitation Notice; Environmental Education Grants Program;
Fiscal Year 2002
Contents
Section I--Overview and Deadlines
Section II--Eligible Applicants and Activities
Section III--Funding Priorities
Section IV--Requirements for Proposals and Matching Funds
Section V--Review and Selection Process
Section VI--Grantee Responsibilities
Section VII--Resource Information and Mailing List
Appendices--Federal Forms and Instructions
Section I. Overview and Deadlines
A. Purpose of Solicitation
This document solicits grant proposals from education institutions,
environmental and educational public agencies, and not-for-profit
organizations to support environmental education projects, as defined
in this notice. This solicitation notice contains all the information
and forms necessary to prepare a proposal. If your project is selected
as a finalist after the evaluation process is concluded, EPA will
provide you with additional Federal forms needed to process your
proposal. These grants require non-federal matching funds for at least
25% of the total cost of the project.
The Environmental Education Grants Program provides financial
support for projects which design, demonstrate, or disseminate
environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, including
assessing environmental and ecological conditions or specific
environmental issues or problems. This program is authorized under
section 6 of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990 (the Act)
(Public Law 101-619).
B. Environmental Education Versus Environmental Information
Environmental Education: Increases public awareness and knowledge
about environmental issues and provides the skills to make informed
decisions and take responsible actions. It does not advocate a
particular viewpoint or course of action. It teaches individuals how to
weigh various sides of an issue through critical thinking and it
enhances their own problem-solving skills.
Environmental Information: Proposals that simply disseminate
``information'' will not be funded. These would be projects that
provide facts or opinions about environmental issues or problems, but
may not enhance critical-thinking, problem solving or decisionmaking
skills. Although information is an essential element of any educational
effort, environmental information is not, by itself, environmental
education.
C. Due Date and Grant Schedule
(1) Due Date--November 15, 2001. This is the postmark due date for
an original proposal signed by an authorized representative plus one
copy to be mailed to EPA. Proposals mailed or sent after this date will
not be considered for funding.
(2) Rejection Letters--EPA Headquarters and 10 Regional Offices
mail these letters at different times as determined by scheduling to
accommodate review teams. Letters are usually sent between April and
June.
(3) Start Date for Projects--July 1, 2002 is the earliest start
date that applicants should plan on and enter on their application
forms and timelines. Budget periods cannot exceed one-year for small
grants of $10,000 or less. EPA prefers a one-year budget period for
larger grants, but will accept a budget period of up to two-years, if
the project timeline clarifies that more than 12 months is necessary
for full implementation of the project.
D. Addresses for Mailing Proposals
Proposals requesting over $25,000 in Federal environmental
education grant funds must be mailed to EPA Headquarters in Washington,
DC; proposals requesting $25,000 or less must be mailed to the EPA
Regional Office where the project takes place. The Headquarters address
and the list of Regional Office mailing addresses by state is included
at the end of this notice.
E. Funding Limits per Proposal
EPA anticipates funding of approximately $3 million for this annual
grant cycle, subject to appropriations and the availability of funds.
Each year, this program generates a great deal of public enthusiasm for
developing environmental education projects. Consequently, EPA receives
many more applications for these grants than can be supported with
available funds. The competition for grants is intense, especially at
Headquarters which usually receives about 250 proposals and is able to
fund 10 to15 grants or about 5% of the applicants. The EPA Regional
Offices receive fewer applications and on average fund over 30% each
year.
Grants in excess of $150,000 are seldom awarded through this
program. Although the Act sets a maximum limit of $250,000 in
environmental education grant funds for any one project, because of
limited funds, EPA prefers to award smaller grants to more recipients.
In summary, you will significantly increase your chance of being funded
if you request $5,000 or less from a Regional Office or $100,000 or
less from Headquarters.
Section II. Eligible Applicants and Activities
F. Eligible Applicants
Any local education agency, state education or environmental
agency, college or university, not-for-profit organization as described
in section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or noncommercial
educational broadcasting entity may submit a proposal.
``Tribal education agencies'' which may also apply include a school
or community college which is controlled by an Indian tribe, band, or
nation, which is recognized as eligible for special programs and
services provided by the United States to Indians because of their
status as Indians and which is not administered by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs. Tribal organizations do not qualify unless they meet this
criteria or the not-for-profit criteria listed above. The terms for
eligibility are defined in section 3 of the Act and 40 CFR 47.105.
Applicant organizations must be located in the United States and
the majority of the educational activities must take place in the
United States, Canada and /or Mexico. A teacher's school district, an
educator's nonprofit organization, or a faculty member's college or
university may apply, but an individual teacher, educator, or faculty
member may not.
G. Multiple or Repeat Proposals
An organization may submit more than one proposal if the proposals
are for different projects. No organization will be awarded more than
one grant for the same project during the same fiscal year. Applicants
who received one of these grants in the past may submit a new proposal
to expand a previously funded project or to fund an entirely different
one. Each new proposal will be evaluated based upon the specific
criteria set forth in this solicitation and in relation to the other
proposals received in this fiscal year. Due to limited resources, EPA
does not generally sustain projects beyond the initial grant period.
This grant program is geared toward providing seed money to initiate
new projects or to advance existing projects that are ``new'' in some
way, such as reaching new audiences or
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new locations. If you have received a grant from this program in the
past, it is essential that you explain how your current proposal is
new.
H. Restrictions on Curriculum Development
EPA strongly encourages applicants to demonstrate or disseminate
existing environmental education materials (curricula, training
materials, activity books, etc.) rather than designing new materials,
because experts indicate that a significant amount of quality
educational materials have already been developed and are under-
utilized. EPA will consider funding new materials only where the
applicant demonstrates that there is a need, e.g., that existing
educational materials cannot be adapted well to a particular local
environmental concern or audience, or existing materials are not
otherwise accessible. The applicant must specify what steps they have
taken to determine this need, e.g., you may cite a conference where
this need was discussed, the results of inquiries made within your
community or with various educational institutions, or a research paper
or other published document. Further, EPA recommends the use of a
publication entitled Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for
Excellence which was developed in part with EPA funding. These
guidelines contain recommendations for developing and selecting quality
environmental education materials. On our website ``www.epa.gov/
enviroed/resources'' you may view these guidelines and find information
about ordering copies.
I. Ineligible Activities
Environmental education funds cannot be used for:
(1) Technical training of environmental management professionals;
(2) Environmental ``information'' projects that have no educational
component, as described in Section I (B);
(3) Lobbying or political activities, in accordance with OMB
Circulars A-21, A-87 and A-122;
(4) Non-educational research and development; or
(5) Construction projects-EPA will not fund construction activities
such as the acquisition of real property (e.g., buildings) or the
construction or modification of any building. EPA may, however, fund
activities such as creating a nature trail or building a bird watching
station as long as these items are an integral part of the
environmental education project, and the cost is a relatively small
percentage of the total amount of federal funds requested.
Section III. Funding Priorities
J. Educational Priorities
All proposals must satisfy the definition of ``environmental
education'' under Section I(B) and also address one of the following
educational priorities. Headquarters will fund the proposals for larger
grants (over $25,000 in Federal funds) that address any of the top
three categories listed below; and regional offices will fund grants in
any of seven categories listed below. The order of the list is random
and does not indicate a ranking. Please read the definitions that are
included in this section to prevent your application from being
rejected for failure to correctly address a priority.
Headquarters Priorities (Federal Funds in Excess of $25,000)
(1) Capacity Building: Increasing capacity to develop and deliver
coordinated environmental education programs across a state or across
multiple states.
(2) Education Reform: Utilizing environmental education as a
catalyst to advance state, local, or tribal education reform goals.
(3) Community Issues: Designing and implementing model projects to
educate the public about environmental issues and/or health issues in
their communities through community-based organizations or through
print, film, broadcast, or other media.
Regional Office Priorities ($25,000 or Less in Federal Funds)
(1-3) All of the Above.
(4) Health: Educating teachers, students, parents, community
leaders, or the public about human-health threats from environmental
pollution, especially as it affects children, and how to minimize human
exposure to preserve good health.
(5) Teaching Skills: Educating teachers, faculty, or nonformal
educators about environmental issues to improve their environmental
education teaching skills, e.g., through workshops.
(6) Career Development: Educating students in formal or nonformal
settings about environmental issues to encourage environmental careers.
(7) Environmental Justice: Educating low-income or culturally-
diverse audiences about environmental issues, thereby advancing
environmental justice.
Definitions: The terms used above and in Section IV are defined as
follows:
Capacity Building refers to developing effective leaders and
organizations that design, implement, and link environmental education
programs across a state or states to promote long-term sustainability
of the programs. Effective efforts address both leadership and
organizational needs, as well as coordination to decrease fragmentation
of effort and duplication across programs. Coordination should involve
all major education and environmental education providers (e.g. state
education and natural resource agencies, tribal education agencies,
schools and school districts, professional education associations, and
nonprofit education and environmental education organizations).
Examples of capacity building activities include identifying and
assessing needs and setting priorities; identifying, evaluating and
linking programs; developing and implementing strategic plans;
identifying funding sources and resources; facilitating communication
and networking; promoting sustained professional development; and
sponsoring leadership seminars. For purposes of this definition, States
and tribal lands are equivalent and thus capacity building can take
place ``across'' either or both.
Note: Proposals must identify existing capacity building
efforts, if any, and discuss how the proposed project will support
these efforts.
Education Reform refers to state, local, or tribal efforts to
improve student academic achievement. Where feasible, collaboration
with private sector providers of technology and equipment is
recommended. Education reform efforts often focus on changes in
curriculum, instruction, assessment or how schools are organized.
Curriculum and instructional changes may include inquiry and problem
solving, real-world learning experiences, project-based learning, team
building and group decision-making, and interdisciplinary study.
Assessment changes may include developing content and performance
standards and realigning curriculum and instruction to the new
standards and new assessments. School site changes may include creating
magnet schools or encouraging parental and community involvement.
Note: All proposals must identify existing educational
improvement needs and goals and discuss how the proposed project
will address these needs and goals.
Environmental issue is one of importance to the community, state,
or region being targeted by the project, e.g., one community may have
significant air pollution problems which makes teaching about human
health effects from it and solutions to air pollution important, while
rapid development in
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another community may threaten a nearby wildlife habitat, thus making
habitat or ecosystem protection a high priority issue.
Environmental Justice refers to the fair treatment of people of all
races, cultures, and income with respect to the development,
implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and
policies. Fair treatment means that no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic
group should bear a disproportionate share of the negative
environmental consequences that might result from the operation of
industrial, municipal, and commercial enterprises and from the
execution of federal, state, local, and tribal programs and policies.
Partnerships refers to the forming of a collaborative working
relationship between two or more organizations such as governmental
agencies, not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions, and/
or the private sector. It may also refer to intra-organizational unions
such as the science and anthropology departments within a university
collaborating on a project.
Wide application refers to a project that targets a large and
diverse audience in terms of numbers or demographics; or that can serve
as a model program elsewhere.
Section IV. Requirements for Proposals and Matching Funds
K. Contents of Proposal and Scoring
The proposal must contain two standard federal forms, a work plan
with budget, and appendices, as described below. Please follow
instructions and do not submit additional items. EPA will make copies
of your proposal for use by grant reviewers. Unnecessary attachments
and forms create a paperwork burden for the reviewers.
Federal Forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and
Budget Information (SF-424A): The SF-424 and SF-424A are required for
all federal grants and must be submitted as part of your proposal.
These two forms, along with instructions and examples, are included at
the end of this notice. Only finalists will be asked to submit
additional federal forms needed to process their proposal.
Work Plan and Appendices: A work plan describes your proposed
project and your budget. Appendices establish your timeline, your
qualifications, and any partnerships with other organizations. Include
all five sections described below in the same numerical order in which
they are listed. Each section will be evaluated and scored by
reviewers. The highest possible score per proposal is 100 points as
outlined below and in paragraph (N).
(1) Project Summary: Provide the following overview of your entire
project in this format and on one page only:
(a) Organization: Describe: (1) your organization, and (2) list
your key partners for this grant, if applicable. Partnerships are
encouraged and considered to be a major factor in the success of
projects.
(b) Summary Statement: Provide an overview of your project that
explains the concept and your goals and objectives. This should be a
very basic explanation in layman's terms to provide a reviewer with an
understanding of the purpose and expected outcome of your educational
project.
(c) Educational Priority: Identify which priority listed in section
III you will address, such as education reform. Proposals may address
several educational priorities, however, EPA cautions against losing
focus on projects. Evaluation panels often select projects with a
clearly defined purpose, rather than projects that attempt to address
multiple priorities at the expense of a quality outcome.
(d) Delivery Method: Explain how you will reach your audience, such
as workshops, conferences, field trips, interactive programs, etc.
(e) Audience: Describe the demographics of your target audience
including the number and types you expect to reach, such as, teachers,
students, specific grade levels, ethnic composition, members of the
general public, etc.
(f) Costs: List the types of activities for which the EPA portion
of grant funds will be spent.
The project summary will be scored on how well you provide an
overview of your entire project using the format and topics stated
above.
Summary-Maximum Score: 10 Points
(2) Project Description: Describe precisely what your project will
achieve--why, how, when, with what, and who will benefit. Explain each
aspect of your proposal in enough detail to answer a grant reviewer's
questions. This section is intended to provide you with the flexibility
to be creative and does not require any specific format for describing
your project. However, you should address the following to ensure that
grant reviewers can fully comprehend and score your project. Address
each criteria in any sequence that best demonstrates the strengths of
your project.
This subsection will be scored on how well you design and describe
your project and how effectively your project meets the following
criteria:
(a) Why: Explain the purpose of your project and how it will
address an educational priority listed in Section III, such as
education reform or children's health. Also identify your environmental
issue, such as energy conservation, clean air, ecosystem protection, or
cross-cutting topics. Explain the importance to your community, state,
or region. Specify if the project has the potential for wide
application, and/or can serve as a model for use in other locations
with a similar audience.
(b) Who: Explain who will conduct the project; identify the target
audience and demonstrate an understanding of the needs of that
audience. Important: explain your recruitment plan to attract your
target audience; and clarify any incentives used such as stipends or
continuing education credits.
(c) How: Explain your strategy, objectives, activities, delivery
methods, and outcomes to establish for reviewers that you have
realistic goals and objectives and will use effective methods to
achieve them. Clarify for the reviewers how you will complete all basic
steps from beginning to end. Do not omit steps that lead up to or
follow the actual delivery methods, e.g., if you plan to make a
presentation about your project at a local or national conference,
specify where.
(d) With What: Demonstrate that the project uses or produces
quality educational products or methods that teach critical-thinking,
problem-solving, and decision-making skills. (Please note restrictions
on the development of curriculum and educational materials in Section
H.)
Description-Maximum Score: 40 Points (10 Points for Each of (a) Through
(d))
(3) Project Evaluation: Explain how you will ensure that you are
meeting the goals and objectives of your project. Evaluation plans may
be quantitative and/or qualitative and may include, for example,
evaluation tools, observation, or outside consultation.
The project evaluation will be scored on how well your plan will:
(a) Measure the project's effectiveness; and (b) apply evaluation data
gathered during your project to strengthen it.
Evaluation-Maximum Score: 10 Points (5 Points Each for (a) and (b))
(4) Budget: Clarify how EPA funds and non-federal matching funds
will be used for specific items or activities, such as personnel/
salaries, fringe
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benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contract costs, and indirect
costs. Include a table which lists each major proposed activity, and
the amount of EPA funds and/or matching funds that will be spent on
each activity. Smaller grants with uncomplicated budgets may have a
table that lists only a few activities. Please Note the following
funding restrictions:
--Indirect costs may be requested only if your organization has already
prepared an indirect cost rate proposal and has it on file, subject to
audit.
--Funds for salaries and fringe benefits may be requested only for
those personnel who are directly involved in implementing the proposed
project and whose salaries and fringe benefits are directly related to
specific products or outcomes of the proposed project. EPA strongly
encourages applicants to request reasonable amounts of funding for
salaries and fringe benefits to ensure that your proposal is
competitive.
--EPA will not fund the acquisition of real property (including
buildings) or the construction or modification of any building.
Matching Funds Requirement: Non-federal matching funds of at least
25% of the total cost of the project are required, and EPA encourages
additional matching funds where possible. The match may be provided by
the applicant or a partner organization or institution, and may be
provided in cash or by in-kind contributions and other non-cash
support. In-kind contributions often include salaries or other
verifiable costs and this value must be carefully documented. In the
case of salaries, applicants may use either minimum wage or fair market
value. If the match is provided by a partner organization, the
applicant is still responsible for proper accountability and
documentation. All grants are subject to Federal audit.
Important: The matching non-federal share is a percentage of the
entire cost of the project. For example, if the 75% federal portion is
$10,000, then the entire project should, at a minimum, have a budget of
$13,333, with the recipient providing a contribution of $3,333. To
assure that your match is sufficient, simply divide the Federally
requested amount by three. Your match must be at least one-third of the
requested amount to be sufficient. For a $5,000 EPA grant your match
cannot be less than $1,667.
Other Federal Funds: You may use other Federal funds in addition to
those provided by this program, but not for activities that EPA is
funding. You may not use any federal funds to meet any part of the
required 25% match described above, unless it is specifically
authorized by statute. If you have already been awarded federal funds
for a project for which you are seeking additional support from this
program, you must indicate those funds in the budget section of the
work plan. You must also identify the project officer, agency, office,
address, phone number, and the amount of the federal funds.
This subsection will be scored on: (a) How well the budget
information clearly and accurately shows how funds will be used; (b)
whether the funding request is reasonable given the activities
proposed; and (c) whether the funding provides a good return on the
investment.
Budget--Maximum Score: 15 Points (5 Points for Each of (a) Through (c))
(5) Appendices:
(a) Timeline--Include a ``timeline'' to link your activities to a
clear project schedule and indicate at what point over the months of
your budget period each action, event, product development, etc.
occurs.
(b) Key Personnel--Attach a one page resume for the key personnel
conducting the project (Maximum of 3 resumes and 3 pages please).
(c) Letters of Commitment--If the applicant organization has
partners, such as schools, state agencies, or other organizations,
include one page letters of commitment from partners explaining their
role in the proposed project. Do not include letters of endorsement or
recommendation or have them mailed in later; they will not be
considered in evaluating proposals.
Please do not submit other appendices or attachments such as video
tapes or sample curricula. EPA may request such items if your proposal
is among the finalists under consideration for funding.
This subsection will be scored based upon: (1) Whether the timeline
clarifies the workplan and allows reviewers to determine that the
project is well thought out and feasible as planned; (2) whether the
key personnel are qualified to implement the proposed project; and (3)
whether letters of commitment are included (if partners are used) and
the extent to which a firm commitment is made to provide services,
facilities, funding, etc.
Appendices--Maximum Score: 15 Points (5 Points Each (a) Through (c))
(6) Bonus Points: Reviewers have the flexibility to provide up to
10 bonus points for exceptional projects based on the following
criteria. (a) A maximum of 5 bonus points for: addressing an
educational priority or environmental issue well, strong partnerships,
solid recruitment plan for teachers or other target audience, creative
use of resources, innovation, or other strengths noted by the
reviewers. (b) A maximum of 5 bonus points for a well explained and
easily read proposal. Factors for points could include: clear and
concise, well organized, no unnecessary jargon, or other strengths
noted by the reviewers who evaluate and compare proposals.
Bonus Points-Maximum Score: 10 Points (5 Points Each for (a) and (b))
L. Page Limits
The Work Plan should not exceed 5 pages. ``One page'' refers to one
side of a single-spaced typed page. The pages must be letter sized
(8\1/2\ x 11 inches), with margins at least one-half inch wide and with
normal type size (11 or 12 font), rather than extremely small type.
This page limit applies to Parts 1, 2, and 3 of the Work Plan, (i.e.,
the Summary, Project Description, and Project Evaluation). Parts 4 and
5 (i.e. Detailed Budget, Timeline, and Appendices) are not included in
these page limits.
M. Submission Requirements and Copies
The applicant must submit one original and one copy of the proposal
(a signed SF-424, an SF-424A, a work plan, a detailed budget, and the
appendices listed above). Do not include other attachments such as
cover letters, tables of contents, additional federal forms or
appendices other than those listed above. Grant reviewers often lower
scores on proposals for failure to follow instructions. Your pages
should be sorted as listed in section IV, with the SF-424 being the
first page of your proposal and signed by a person authorized to
receive funds. Blue ink for signatures is preferred. Proposals must be
reproducible; they should not be bound. They should be stapled or
clipped once in the upper left hand corner, on white paper, and with
page numbers. Mailing addresses for submission of proposals are listed
at the end of this document.
Forms: If you receive this solicitation electronically and if the
standard federal forms for Application (SF-424) and Budget (SF-424A)
cannot be printed by your equipment, you may locate them the following
ways (but please read our instructions which have been modified for
this grant program): the Federal Register in which this document is
published contains the forms and is available to be copied at many
public
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libraries; or you may call or write the appropriate EPA office listed
at the end of this document.
Section V. Review and Selection Process
N. Proposal Review
Proposals submitted to EPA headquarters and regional offices will
be evaluated using the same criteria, as defined here and in section IV
of this solicitation. Proposals will be reviewed in two phases--the
screening phase and the evaluation phase. During the screening phase,
proposals will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic
eligibility requirements. Only those proposals satisfying all of the
basic requirements will enter the full evaluation phase of the review
process. During the evaluation phase, proposals will be evaluated based
upon the quality of their work plans. Reviewers conducting the
screening and evaluation phases of the review process will include EPA
officials and external environmental educators approved by EPA. At the
conclusion of the evaluation phase, the reviewers will score work plans
based upon the scoring system described in more detail in section IV.
In summary, the maximum score of 100 points can be reached as follows:
(1) Project Summary--10 Points
(2) Project Description--40 Points
(3) Project Evaluation--10 Points
(4) Budget--15 Points
(5) Appendices--15 Points
(6) Bonus Points--10 Points (Only for outstanding proposals)
O. Final Selections
After individual projects are evaluated and scored by reviewers, as
described under Section IV, EPA officials in the regions and at
headquarters will select a diverse range of finalists from the highest
ranking proposals. In making the final selections, EPA will take into
account the following:
(1) Effectiveness of collaborative activities and partnerships, as
needed to successfully develop or implement the project;
(2) Environmental and educational importance of the activity or
product;
(3) Effectiveness of the delivery mechanism (i.e., workshop,
conference, etc.);
(4) Cost effectiveness of the proposal; and
(5) Geographic distribution of projects.
P. Notification to Applicants
Applicants will receive a confirmation that EPA has received their
proposal once EPA has received all proposals and entered them into a
computerized database, usually within two months of receipt. EPA will
contact finalists no later than early summer to request additional
federal forms and other items as recommended by reviewers.
Section VI. Grantees Responsibilities
Q. Responsible Officials
The Act requires that projects be performed by the applicant or by
a person satisfactory to the applicant and EPA. All proposals must
identify any person other than the applicant who will assist in
carrying out the project. These individuals are responsible for
receiving the grant award agreement from EPA and ensuring that all
grant conditions are satisfied. Recipients are responsible for the
successful completion of the project.
R. Incurring Costs
Grant recipients may begin incurring costs on the start date
identified in the EPA grant award agreement. Activities must be
completed and funds spent within the time frames specified in that
document.
S. Reports and Work Products
Specific financial and other reporting requirements will be
identified in the EPA grant award agreement. Grant recipients must
submit formal semi-annual progress reports, unless otherwise instructed
in the award agreement. Also, two copies of a final report and two
copies of all work products must be sent to the EPA project officer
within 90 days after the expiration of the budget period. This
submission will be accepted as the final requirement, unless the EPA
project officer notifies you that changes must be made.
Section VII. Resource Information and Mailing List
T. Internet: www.epa.gov/enviroed
Resources: Please visit our website where you can view and download
this solicitation notice, tips for developing successful grant
applications, descriptions of projects funded under this program by
state, and other education links and resource materials. The
``Excellence in EE'' series of publications listed there includes
guidelines for: Developing and evaluating educational materials; the
initial preparation of environmental educators; and using environmental
education in grades K-12 to support state and local education reform
goals. In addition, a tutorial for grant applicants is available at:
www.epa.gov/seahome/grants/src/grant.htm.
U. Other Funding
Please note that this is a very competitive grants program. Limited
funding is available and many qualified grant applications will not be
reached by EPA. If your project is not funded, you may wish to review
other available grant programs in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance, which is available at www.cfda.gov/ and in local libraries.
V. Regulatory References
The Environmental Education Grant Program Regulations, published in
the Federal Register on March 9, 1992, provide additional information
on EPA's administration of this program (57 FR 8390; Title 40 CFR, part
47 or 40 CFR part 47). Also, EPA's general assistance regulations at 40
CFR part 31 apply to state, local, and Indian tribal governments and 40
CFR part 30 applies to all other applicants such as nonprofit
organizations.
W. Classification of Notice
Under 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A) as added by the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, EPA submitted a report
containing this rule and other required information to the U.S. Senate,
the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the
General Accounting Office prior to publication of this document in
today's Federal Register. This document is not a ``major rule'' as
defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the
information collection requirements contained in this solicitation
under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et
seq. and has assigned OMB control number 2030-0006.
X. Mailing List for Year 2003 Environmental Education Grants
EPA develops a new mailing list for this grant program each year,
however, all applicants who respond to this Solicitation Notice will
automatically be put on the new list that will be developed for the
next grant cycle. If you fail to submit a proposal in response to this
Solicitation Notice, but wish to be added to our future mailing list,
please mail your request along with your name, organization, address,
and phone number to: Environmental Education Grant Program (Year 2003),
EPA Office of Environmental Education, (1704 A), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
[[Page 45545]]
Dated: August 13, 2001.
Tina Kreisher,
Associate Administrator, Office of Communications, Education, and Media
Relations.
Mailing Addresses and Information
Applicants who need more information about this grant program or
clarification about specific requirements in this Solicitation Notice,
may contact the Environmental Education Office in Washington, DC for
grant requests of more than $25,000 or their EPA regional office for
grant requests of $25,000 or less.
U.S. EPA Headquarters--For Proposals Requesting More Than $25,000 From
EPA
Mail proposals (regular mail) to: Environmental Education Grants,
Office of Environmental Education (1704 A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Courier or hand-deliver to: Office of Environmental Education (AR
1426), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.
Information: Diane Berger or Sheri Jojokian, (202) 260-8619.
U.S. EPA Regional Offices--For Proposals Requesting $25,000 or Less
Mail the proposal to the Regional Office where the project will
take place, rather than where the applicant is located, if these
locations are different.
EPA Region I--CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT
Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region I, Enviro Education Grants
(MGM), 1 Congress Street, Suite 1100, Boston, MA 02114.
Hand-deliver to: 10th Floor Mail Room, Boston, MA (M-F 8am-4pm).
Information: Kristen Conroy, (617) 918-1069.
EPA Region II--NJ, NY, PR, VI
Mail proposals to: Information: U.S. EPA, Region II, Enviro
Education Grants, Grants and Contracts Management Branch, 290 Broadway,
27th Floor, New York, NY 10007-1866.
Information: Teresa Ippolito, (212) 637-3671.
EPA Region III--DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV
Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region III, Enviro Education Grants,
Grants Management Section (3PM70), 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
19103-2029.
Information: Judi Braunston, (215) 814-5536.
EPA Region IV--AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN
Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region IV, Enviro Education Grants,
Office of Public Affairs, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.
Information: Benjamin Blair, (404) 562-8321.
EPA Region V--IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI
Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region V, Enviro Education Grants,
Grants Management Section (MC-10J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago,
IL 60604.
Information: Megan Gavin, (312) 353-5282.
Region VI--AR, LA, NM, OK, TX
Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region VI, Enviro Education Grants
(6XA), 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX 75202.
Information: Jo Taylor, (214) 665-2204.
Region VII--IA, KS, MO, NE
Mail proposal to: U.S. EPA, Region VII, Enviro Education Grants,
Office of External Programs, 901 N. 5th Street, Kansas City, KS 66101.
Information: Denise Morrison, (913) 551-7402.
Region VIII--CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY
Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region VIII, Enviro Education Grants,
999 18th Street (80C), Denver, CO 80202-2466.
Information: Cece Forget, (303) 312-6605.
Region IX--AZ, CA, HI, NV, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas
Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region IX, Enviro Education Grants,
Commun. & Gov't Relations (CGR-3), 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco,
CA 94105.
Information: Stacey Benfer, (415) 744-1161.
Region X--AK, ID, OR, WA
Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region X, Enviro Education Grants,
Public Environmental Resource Center, 1200 Sixth Avenue (EXA-124),
Seattle, WA 98101.
Information: Sally Hanft, (800) 424-4372, (206) 553-1207.
Instructions for the SF 424--Application
This is a standard Federal form to be used by applicants as a
required face sheet for the Environmental Education Grants Program.
These instructions have been modified for this program only and do not
apply to any other Federal program.
1. Check the box marked ``Non-Construction'' under ``Application.''
2. Date application submitted to EPA and applicant's control number
(if applicable).
3. State use only (if applicable).
4. If you are currently funded for a related project, enter present
Federal identifier number. If not, leave blank.
5. Legal name of applicant organization, name of primary
organizational unit which will undertake the grant activity, complete
address of the applicant organization, and name, telephone, and FAX
number of the person to contact on matters related to this application.
6. Enter Employer Identification Number (EIN) as assigned by the
Internal Revenue Service. You can obtain this number from your payroll
office. It is the same Federal Identification Number which appears on
W-2 forms. If your organization does not have a number, you may obtain
one by calling the Taxpayer Services number for the IRS.
7. Enter the appropriate letter in the space provided.
8. Check the box marked ``new'' since all proposals must be for new
projects.
9. Enter U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
10. Enter 66.951 Environmental Education Grants Program.
11. Enter a brief descriptive title of the project.
12. List only the largest areas affected by the project (e.g.,
State, counties, cities).
13. Self-explanatory (see Section I(C) in Solicitation Notice).
14. In (a) list the Congressional District where the applicant
organization is located; and in (b) any District(s) affected by the
program or project. If your project covers many areas, several
congressional districts will be listed. If it covers the entire state,
simply put in STATEWIDE. If you are not sure about the congressional
district, call the County Voter Registration Department.
15. Amount requested or to be contributed during the funding/budget
period by each contributor. Line (a) is for the amount of money you are
requesting from EPA. Lines (b-e) are for the amounts either you or
another organization are providing for this project. Line (f) is for
any program income which you expect will be generated by this project.
Examples of program income are fees for services performed, income
generated from the sale of a brochure produced with the grant funds, or
admission fees to a conference financed by the grant funds. The total
of lines (b-e) must be at least 25% of line (g), as this grant has a
match requirement of 25% of the Total
[[Page 45546]]
Allowable Project Costs. Value of in-kind contributions should be
included on appropriate lines as applicable. If both basic and
supplemental amounts are included, show breakdown on an attached Budget
sheet. For multiple program funding, use totals and show breakdown
using same categories as item 15.
16. Check (b) (NO) since your application does not have to be sent
through the state clearinghouse for review.
17. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the
person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of debt
include delinquent audit disallowances, loans and taxes.
18. The authorized representative is the person who is able to
contract or obligate your agency to the terms and conditions of the
grant. (Please sign with blue ink.) A copy of the governing body's
authorization for you to sign this application as official
representative must be on file in the applicant's office.
Instructions for the SF-424A--Budget
This is a standard Federal form used by applicants as a basic
budget. These instructions have been modified for this grant program
only and do not apply to any other Federal Program. Do NOT fill in
Section A--Budget Summary.
Complete Section B--Budget Categories--Columns (1), (2) and (5).
For each major program, function or activity, fill in the total
requirements for funds by object class categories. Please round figures
to the nearest dollar.
All applications should contain a breakdown by the relevant object
class categories shown in Lines (a-h): columns (1), (2), and (5) of
Section B. Include Federal funds in column (1) and non-Federal
(matching) funds in column (2), and put the totals in column (5).
Many applications will not have entries in all object class
categories.
Line 6(i)--Show the totals of lines 6(a) through 6(h) in each
column.
Line 6(j)--Show the amount of indirect costs, but ONLY if your
organization has already prepared an ``indirect cost rate'' proposal
and has it on file, subject to audit.
Line 6(k)--Enter the total of amounts of Lines 6(i) and 6(j).
Line 7--Program Income--Enter the estimated amount of income, if
any, expected to be generated from this project. Do not add or subtract
this amount from the total project amount. Describe the nature and
source of income in the detailed budget description.
Detailed Itemization of Costs: The proposal must also contain a
detailed budget description as specified in the Notice in Section IV,
(K)(4), and should conform to the following:
Personnel: List all participants in the project by position title.
Give the percentage of the budget period for which they will be fully
employed on the project (e.g., half-time for half the budget period
equals 25%, full-time for half the budget period equals 50%, etc.).
Give the annual salary and the total cost over the budget period for
all personnel listed.
Travel: If travel is budgeted, show destination and purpose of
travel as well as costs.
Equipment: Identify all equipment to be purchased and for what
purpose it will be used.
Supplies: If the supply budget is less than 2% of total costs, you
do not need to itemize.
Contractual: Specify the nature and cost of such services. EPA may
require review of contracts for personal services prior to their
execution to assure that all costs are reasonable and necessary to the
project.
Construction: Not allowable for this program.
Other: Specify all other costs under this category.
Indirect Costs: Provide an explanation of how indirect charges were
calculated for this project.
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[FR Doc. 01-21703 Filed 8-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-C
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