69 Fed. Reg. 55610 (Sep. 15, 2004)

Office of Environmental Education; Solicitation Notice, Environmental Education Grants Program (CFDA 66.951), Fiscal Year 2005

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Federal RegisterSep 15, 2004

69 Fed. Reg. 55610 (Sep. 15, 2004)

Section I—Funding Opportunity and Overview

Section II—Award Information

Section III—Eligibility of Applicants/Activities

Section IV—Application Requirements and Matching Funds

Section V—Application Review and Selection Process

Section VI—Award Information and Grantee Responsibilities

Section VII—Agency Contacts and Resource Information

Appendices—Federal Forms and Instructions

Section I—Funding Opportunity and Overview

A. Overview

This document solicits grant proposals from education institutions, environmental and educational public agencies, and not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations to support environmental education projects that promote environmental stewardship. This grant program provides financial support for projects which design, demonstrate, or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques as described in this notice. This program is authorized under Section 6 of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990 (the Act) (Public Law 101-619). These grants require non-federal matching funds for at least 25% of the total cost of the project.

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.

Please Note:

EPA has traditionally received funding of approximately $3 million annually for this grant program. At the time of issuance of this Solicitation Notice, future funding for the program is uncertain because the federal budget for 2005 is not yet final. However, EPA decided not to miss the annual grant cycle by failing to issue a Solicitation Notice. Since EPA cannot currently anticipate what the appropriation from Congress, if any, will be, we are advising potential grant applicants to refer to our Web site closer to the application deadline to determine the status of funding for the program ( http://www.epa.gov/enviroed ). Any grant awards to be made are subject to Congressional action to appropriate funds for EPA's Environmental Education Grant Program. EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no awards.

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 is based on objective and scientifically sound information. 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 and decision making 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 decision-making 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, 2004 is the postmark due date for an original proposal signed by an authorized representative plus two copies to be mailed to EPA. Proposals mailed or sent after this date will not be considered for funding.

(2) Rejection Letters—EPA Headquarters and the 10 Regional Offices mail these letters at different times as determined by scheduling to accommodate review teams. Letters are usually sent within 6 months after submission of proposals.

(3) Start Date and Length of Projects—July 1, 2005 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 a year is necessary for full implementation of the project.

D. Addresses for Mailing Proposals

Proposals requesting over $50,000 in Federal environmental education grant funds must be mailed to EPA Headquarters in Washington, DC; proposals requesting $50,000 or less from EPA 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.

Section II—Award Information

E. Dollar Limits per Proposal

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 which are approximately $3 million per grant cycle. The competition for grants is intense, especially at Headquarters which usually receives over 200 proposals and is usually able to fund 10 to12 grants or about 5% of the applicants. The EPA Regional Offices receive fewer applications and on average fund over 30% each year.

A large share of the annual funding is distributed through the regional office grants because Congress directs EPA to award small grants to local schools and organizations. By limiting the size of the grants, EPA is able to reach more applicant organizations. In summary, you will significantly increase your chance of being funded if your budget is competitive and you request $10,000 or less from a Regional Office or $100,000 or less from Headquarters. EPA Grants in excess of $100,000 are seldom awarded through this program and proposals for over $150,000 will not be considered.

F. 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 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.

Section III—Eligibility of Applicants and Activities

G. 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. 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.

“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.

A teacher's school district, an educator's nonprofit organization, or a faculty member's college or university may apply, but an individual teacher or faculty member may not apply.

H. Restrictions on Curriculum Development

EPA strongly encourages applicants to use and 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 Web site under “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 above in Paragraph (B);

(3) Lobbying or political activities, in accordance with OMB Circulars A-21, A-87 and A-122;

(4) Advocacy promoting a particular point of view or course of action;

(5) Non-educational research and development; or

(6) 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.

J. Educational Priorities for Funding

All proposals must satisfy the definition of “environmental education” specified above in Paragraph (B) and also address one of the following educational priorities. 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.

(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 or local 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.

(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.

Definitions: The terms used above and in Section IV are defined as follows:

Environmental Stewardship refers to behavior to protect human health and the environment such as recycling wastes to the greatest extent possible, minimizing or eliminating pollution at its sources, and using energy and natural resources efficiently to reduce impacts on the environment.

Capacity Building is a significant EPA goal, however, many proposals have been rejected for failure to satisfy the scope of this definition. Read this whole paragraph carefully and please note that it requires networking with various types of educational organizations and statewide implementation of educational programs. If your project fails to meet these objectives, please select another educational priority. For purposes of this program “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. Coordination should involve all major education and environmental education providers including state education and natural resource agencies, schools and school districts, professional education associations, and nonprofit educational and tribal organizations. Effective efforts leverage available resources and decrease fragmentation of effort and duplication across programs. Examples of 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. If existing capacity building efforts are underway in your state please explain how you will support those efforts with your proposal. For an excellent example of a successful project please see http://www.epa.gov/enviroed and read the grant profile for the 1999 Ohio Environmental Education Council.

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 another community may threaten a nearby wildlife habitat, thus making habitat or ecosystem protection a high priority issue.

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—Application Requirements and Matching Funds

K. Contents of Proposal and Scoring

In the order listed here, the proposal must contain the following: (1) Two standard federal forms; (2) project summary sheet; (3) project description; (4) detailed budget; (5) timeline; (6) description of personnel; and (7) letters of commitment (if you have partner organizations). Please follow the instructions below and do not submit additional items. EPA must make copies of your proposal for use by grant reviewers. Unnecessary cover letters, attachments, divider sheets, forms or binders create a paperwork burden for the reviewers and failure to follow instructions may lower your score.

Federal Forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and Budget Information (SF-424A): These two forms are required for all federal grants and must be submitted on the front of your proposal. The two forms, along with instructions specific to this program and examples, are included at the end of this notice. On our Web site these two forms can also be completed and printed off with your data and dollars included. Only finalists will be asked to submit the other federal forms necessary to process a federal grant.

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 order in which each is listed. Correct order ensures that reviewers easily evaluate your proposal without overlooking information. Each section is 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 an overview of your entire project in the following 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 outcomes of your educational project. If a person unfamiliar with your project reads this paragraph and they cannot grasp your basic concept, then you have not achieved what is requested here.

(c) Educational Priority: Identify which priority listed in Paragraph (J) you will address, such as education reform or teaching skills. Proposals may address more than one educational priority, 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 and/or students and specific grade levels, health care providers, the general public, etc.

(f) Costs: List the types of activities on which you will spend the EPA portion of the grant funds.

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, who, when, how, and with what. Explain each aspect of your proposal in enough detail to answer a grant reviewer's questions. To facilitate the comparison of your project with others it is to your advantage to use the format and order described below. If you change the order, include the headings below or you risk the possibility of important information being overlooked when the project is scored. Please address all of the following to ensure that grant reviewers can fully comprehend and score your project fairly.

This subsection will be scored on how well you design and describe your project; how effectively your project meets the following criteria; and how well you describe your specific tasks to enable EPA to measure your success after the project is underway.

(a) Why: Explain the purpose of your project and how it will address an educational priority listed in Paragraph (J), such as teaching skills. 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. Explain how your project will increase environmental stewardship. 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 explain it.

(b) Who: Explain who will manage and conduct the project; also identify the target audience, the number to be trained, 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 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. Note: Restrictions on the development of curriculum and educational materials are specified in Paragraph 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, objectives, outputs, and outcomes of your project. Evaluation plans may be quantitative and/or qualitative and may include, for example, evaluation tools, observation, or outside consultation. Please Note: All applicants under this grant cycle must be willing to comply with forthcoming EPA requirements for using a pre and post training questionnaire to determine the overall effectiveness of this grant program. Additional information about this requirement should be available by the summer of 2005 when grant finalists are selected and awarded.

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 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. (See more detailed instructions for Budget Form 424A in back.)

Please note the following funding restrictions:

—Indirect costs may be requested only if your organization already has an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement in place with a Federal Agency and has it on file, subject to audit. High indirect costs may affect the competitiveness of your proposal.

—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 must be for an allowable cost and may be provided by the applicant or a partner organization or institution. The match 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.

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, milestone, product development, etc. occurs.

(b) Key Personnel—Attach a one page resume for the key personnel conducting the project. (Maximum of 3 one page resumes please.)

(c) Letters of Commitment—If the applicant organization has partners, such as schools, state agencies, or other organizations, include 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) How well the timeline clarifies the workplan and establishes for reviewers that the project is well thought out and feasible as planned; (2) the qualifications and skills of key personnel to implement the project; and (3) the type of partnership (if any) and the extent to which a firm commitment is made by the partner 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, enhancing environmental stewardship, 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, and 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 (81/2 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. The 5 page limit applies to the narrative portion, i.e., the Summary, Project Description, and Project Evaluation. The Detailed Budget, Timeline, and Appendices are not included in the page limit.

M. Submission Requirements and Copies

The applicant must submit one original and two copies 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, divider sheets, 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 Paragraph (K) 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 because many proposals get copied at one time. Mailing addresses for submission of proposals are listed at the end of this document and the deadline for submission is in Paragraph (C).

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 libraries; or you may call or write the appropriate EPA office listed at the end of this document.

Section V.—Application Review and Selection Process

N. Proposal Review

Proposals submitted to EPA headquarters and regional offices will be evaluated using the criteria 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 proposals based upon the scoring system described in 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 above, 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 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. Usually within six months of application, EPA will contact finalists to request additional federal forms and other information as recommended by reviewers; and send rejection letters to the others.

Section VI—Award Information—Grantee Responsibilities

Q. Responsible Officials

Projects must 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 allowable 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 the award agreement. EPA grant funds may be used only for the purposes set forth in the grant agreement and must conform to Federal cost principles contained in OMB Circulars A-87; A-122; and A-21, as appropriate. Ineligible costs will be reduced from the final grant award.

S. Reports and Work Products

Specific financial, technical, and other reporting requirements to measure your progress will be identified in the EPA grant award agreement. Grant recipients must submit formal quarterly or semi-annual progress reports, as 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 or that tasks are incomplete.

Section VII—Agency Contacts—Resource Information

T. Internet: http://www.epa.gov/enviroed.

Please visit our Web site where you can view and download: federal forms, 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.

U. Other Funding

Please note that this is a very competitive grant program. Limited funding is available and many qualified grant applications will not be reached by EPA even though efforts will be made to secure funding from all available sources within the Agency. If your project is not funded, you may wish to review other available grant programs in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, at http://www.cfda.gov/ and http://www.grants.gov which also lists funding opportunities.

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. Federal Procedures

(1) Pre-application Assistance: None planned.

(2) Dispute Resolution Process: Procedures are in 40 CFR 30.63 and 40 CFR 31.70.

(3) Confidential Business Information: Applicants should clearly mark information contained in their proposal which they consider confidential business information. EPA will make final confidentiality decisions as specified in 40 CFR part 2, subpart B. If no such claim accompanies a proposal when it is received by EPA, it may be made available to the public without further notice to the applicant.

X. Mailing List for Environmental Education Grants

EPA annually creates a new mailing list for this grant program, except that all applicants who respond to this Solicitation Notice will automatically be put on the next list (future grant cycles are contingent upon availability of funding from Congress). If you fail to submit a proposal in response to this Solicitation Notice, but wish to be notified when it is issued, or added to the mailing list, please enter your e-mail address on our Web site or mail your request along with your name, organization, address, and phone number to: Environmental Education Grant Program (Year 2006), EPA Office of Environmental Education (1704 A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.

Dated: September 9, 2004.

Cece Kremer,

Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Public Affairs.

Mailing Addresses and Information

Applicants who need clarification about specific requirements in this Solicitation Notice, may contact the Environmental Education Office in Washington, DC for grant requests of more than $50,000 in Federal funds, or their EPA regional office for grant requests of $50,000 or less. Addresses differ for courier versus postal service at Headquarters and in some regions.

U.S. EPA Headquarters—For Proposals Requesting More Than $50,000 From EPA

Mail proposals (regular mail) to:

Environmental Education Grant Program, Office of Environmental Education (1704 A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.

Fed Ex, UPS or Courier to:

Office of Environmental Education (Room 1426A North), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004.

Information: Diane Berger or Sheri Jojokian (202) 564-0451.

U.S. EPA Regional Offices—For Proposals Requesting $50,000 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.

This is a standard Federal form to be used by applicants as a required face sheet for the Environmental Education Grants Program. These instructions are modified for this program only and do not apply to any other Federal program.

1. Choose “Non-Construction”—under Application—construction costs are unallowable.

2. Fill in the date you forward application to EPA. Leave “Applicant Identifier” blank as it will be a federal ID number filled in by EPA. If you have a state ID number it goes on the line directly below.

3. State use only (if applicable) or leave blank.

4. DUNS Number: All organizations making application for federal grant funds must now have a DUNS Identification Number. Enter it into the block entitled “Federal Identifier” or if you use a form from another Web site, you may enter the DUNS number in Section 5. You may acquire a DUNS number via telephone or Web site from Dun and Bradstreet. The Web site is http://www.dnb.com and the toll free phone number is 1-866-705-5711.

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, FAX number and email address of the person to contact on matters related to this application. You do not have to list the “county” as part of the address.

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 and if you are a not-for-profit organization you must be categorized as a 501(c)(3) by IRS to be eligible for this grant program

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 descriptive title of the project—please make it brief and also helpful as a descriptive title to be used in press releases and grant profiles which go onto our Web site.

12. List only the largest areas affected by the project (e.g., State, counties, cities).

13. Please see Section I(C) in Solicitation Notice for specifics on project/budget periods.

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 materials 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), because this grant program has a matching requirement of 25% of the total allowable project costs. Divide line (a) by three to determine the smallest match allowable for your proposal. Value of in-kind contributions should be included on appropriate lines as applicable. For multiple program funding, use totals and show breakdown using same categories as item 15.

16. Check (b) (NO) since this program is exempt from this requirement.

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 are modified for this grant program only and do not apply to any other Federal Program. Section A—Budget Summary—Do not complete—Leave blank for this program.

Section B—Budget Categories—Complete Columns (1), (2) and (5) as stated below.

All funds requested and contributed as a match must be listed under the appropriate Object Class categories listed on this form. Please round figures to the nearest dollar. Include Federal funds in column (1); Non-Federal (matching) funds in column (2); then add sideways and put the totals in column (5) for all categories. Many applicants will have blank lines in some Object Class Categories and no applicant should use line 6(g) Construction because it is an unallowable cost for this program. Note: Your figures on the Form 424 and 424A and detailed budget should all wind up with the same total dollars.

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 already has an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with a Federal Agency 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 and your planned use of the funds to enhance your project.

Detailed Itemization of Costs: The proposal must also contain a detailed budget description as specified in Section IV (K)(4) of this Notice, 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.). The detail should include for each person: Percentage of Time on project X Annual Salary = Personnel Cost. List this data for all personnel in your detailed budget and then put the total on the Form 424A.

Travel: If travel is budgeted, show trips, destinations, and purpose of travel as well as costs.

Equipment: Identify each piece of equipment with a cost of $5,000 or more per unit to be purchased and explain the purpose for which it will be used. List less costly items under supplies.

Supplies: List categories of supplies, e.g. laboratory supplies and office supplies for items that can be grouped. 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: Not allowable unless you have an approved rate with a Federal agency. Provide an explanation of how indirect charges were calculated for this project. Be aware that high indirect costs may reduce the competitiveness of your proposal.

Income: Describe the source of your income and how it will be used to enhance your project.

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

[FR Doc. 04-20796 Filed 9-14-04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-C