[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 166 (Monday, August 29, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-21190]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 29, 1994]


      
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Part VIII





Department of Education





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Grants and Cooperative Agreements; Availability, etc.; Urban Community 
Service Program; Notice
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

RIN 1840-ZA01

 

Urban Community Service Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed priority.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes a competitive funding priority to focus 
funds for new urban community service projects on communities that have 
been designated as Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities 
authorized under section 1391 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended 
by title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. Under 
the proposed competitive funding priority, the Secretary would award 
five (5) additional points to an application that meets the priority.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 28, 1994.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning the proposed priority should be 
addressed to Patricia W. Gore, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room C-80 Portals Building, Washington, D.C. 
20202-5329.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia W. Gore. Telephone: (202) 
260-3262. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-
877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through 
Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background on Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community Initiative

    The Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program is a critical 
element of the Administration's community revitalization strategy. The 
program is a first step in rebuilding communities in America's poverty-
stricken inner cities and rural heartlands. It is designed to empower 
people and communities by inspiring Americans to work together to 
create jobs and opportunity.
    Under this program, the Federal Government will designate up to 
nine areas as Empowerment Zones and up to 95 areas as Enterprise 
Communities in accordance with Internal Revenue Code section 1391, as 
amended by title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 
(Pub. L. 103-66). To be eligible for designation, an area must be 
nominated by one or more local governments and the State or States in 
which it is located or by a State-Chartered Economic Development 
Corporation. A nominated area must be one of pervasive poverty, 
unemployment, and general distress, and must have a poverty rate of not 
less than the level specified in section 1392 of the Internal Revenue 
Code.
    In the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program, 
communities are invited to submit strategic plans that comprehensively 
address how the community would link economic development with 
education and training as well as how community development, public 
safety, human services, and environmental initiatives will together 
support sustainable communities. Empowerment Zones and Enterprise 
Communities will be designated by the Department of Agriculture and the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) based on the quality 
of their strategic plans. Designated areas will receive Federal grant 
funds and substantial tax benefits and will have access to other 
Federal programs. (For additional information on the Empowerment Zone 
and Enterprise Community program, contact HUD at 1-800-998-9999.)
    The Department of Education is supporting the Empowerment Zone and 
Enterprise Community initiative in a variety of ways. It is encouraging 
Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities to use funds they already 
receive from Department of Education programs (including Chapter 1 of 
Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Drug-Free 
Schools and Communities Act, the Adult Education Act, and the Carl D. 
Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act) to support the 
comprehensive vision of their strategic plans. Moreover, the Department 
of Education intends to give preferences to Empowerment Zones and 
Enterprise Communities in a number of discretionary grant programs that 
are well suited for inclusion in a comprehensive approach to economic 
and community development. In addition to the Urban Community Service 
Program described in this notice, the Department also intends to give 
preferences to Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities in the 
Rehabilitation Act Projects with Industry program, Rehabilitation Act 
Special Demonstration Projects program, the Parent Training program and 
Early Childhood Education program under the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act, the National Workplace Literacy Program, 
and a variety of discretionary programs under the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act. Notices concerning those programs are being 
published separately.

Background on Urban Community Service Program

    The Urban Community Service Program is authorized under Title XI of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. The program is ideally 
suited to play a key role in the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise 
Community program because it utilizes the skills, experience, and 
resources of institutions of higher education to help public and 
private organizations devise and implement solutions to pressing and 
severe problems in their urban communities. The program, which makes 
discretionary grants of up to five years in length, supports 
collaborative projects to address the wide range of problems that 
confront urban communities in areas such as workforce preparation, 
economic development, urban poverty, health care services and access, 
underperforming school systems and students, crime, urban housing and 
infrastructure. The Urban Community Service Program funds may be used 
to carry out activities such as planning, applied research, training, 
resource exchanges or technology transfers, delivery of services, or 
other activities that the urban academic institutions and community 
partners agree are of high priority.
    Eligible applicants under the program include any nonprofit 
municipal university, established by the governing body of the city in 
which it is located, and operating as of July 23, 1992. Also eligible 
is any institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions 
with at least one member that (1) Is located in an urban area; (2) 
draws a substantial portion of its undergraduate students from the 
urban area in which it is located or from contiguous areas; (3) carries 
out programs to make postsecondary educational opportunities more 
accessible to residents of the urban area or contiguous areas; (4) has 
the present capacity to provide resources responsive to the needs and 
priorities of the urban area and contiguous areas; (5) offers a range 
of professional, technical, or graduate programs sufficient to sustain 
the capacity of the institution to provide these resources; and (6) has 
demonstrated and sustained a sense of responsibility to the urban area 
and contiguous areas and the people in those areas.
    Urban Community Service projects can alleviate employment, 
economic, educational, and other problems that exist in Empowerment 
Zones and Enterprise Communities. They bring another resource--the 
urban academic institution--to the collaborative process to revitalize 
communities. These institutions are well positioned to lend vital 
support to this effort.
    In addition, the Urban Community Service Program is an important 
vehicle for achieving the National Education Goal that by the year 
2000, every adult American will be literate and will possess the 
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and 
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. The program 
helps further this goal by fostering partnerships between institutions 
of higher education and the community to improve educational 
opportunities and benefits for citizens. Faculty and students at 
institutions of higher education are providing leadership as well as 
direct services such as tutoring, mentoring, and counseling to 
community residents.
    The Urban Community Service Program also will benefit by 
establishing a competitive preference related to Empowerment Zones and 
Enterprise Communities. The Secretary believes that the Urban Community 
Service projects are likely to be more effective when the projects 
focus on urban areas in which other coordinated community 
revitalization efforts are underway. In addition, close coordination of 
these programs at the local level will avoid duplication of effort and 
assure that resources are used efficiently.

    Note: This notice of proposed priority does not solicit 
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition 
will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or 
following publication of the notice of final priority.

Priorities:

Absolute Priority

    Under 34 CFR 636.23 and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary 
currently gives an absolute preference to applicants that propose to 
conduct joint projects supported by other local, State, and Federal 
programs. The Secretary may reserve some or all of the funds available 
in any fiscal year for applications that meet the absolute preference. 
The proposed competitive preference will be given to applications that 
first satisfy the absolute preference.

Proposed Competitive Priority

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2), the Secretary proposes to give 
competitive preference to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under the Urban Community Service Program and that meet the 
following priority. The Secretary proposes to award five (5) points to 
an application that meets the priority. These points would be in 
addition to any points the application earns under the selection 
criteria for the program. The Secretary may implement this priority for 
fiscal year 1995 and for any later fiscal year:
    Projects that use 75 percent or more of the project budget to 
address pressing and severe problems in an Empowerment Zone or 
Enterprise Community.
    The proposed project under the Urban Community Service Program must 
contribute to the strategic plan of the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise 
Community and be made an integral component of the Empowerment Zone or 
Enterprise Community activities.

ADDITIONAL FACTOR THE SECRETARY CONSIDERS: Under 20 U.S.C. 1136e and 34 
CFR 636.22(a), the Secretary may select for funding one or more 
applications of high quality, other than the most highly rated 
applications, if the Secretary concludes that this selection would 
improve the distribution of grants among applicants throughout the 
Nation.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice of proposed priority has been reviewed in accordance 
with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of the order the Secretary 
has assessed the potential costs and benefits of this regulatory 
action.
    The potential costs associated with the notice of proposed priority 
are those resulting from statutory requirements and those determined by 
the Secretary to be necessary for administering this program 
effectively and efficiently.
    In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative 
and qualitative--of this notice of proposed priority, the Secretary had 
determined that the benefits of the proposed priority justify the 
costs.
    The Secretary also has determined that this regulatory action does 
not unduly interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the 
exercise of their governmental functions.
    To assist the Department in complying with the specific 
requirements of Executive Order 12866, the Secretary invites comment on 
whether there may be further opportunities to reduce any potential 
costs or increase potential benefits resulting from this proposed 
priority without impeding the effective and efficient administration of 
the program.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: This program is subject to the requirements 
of Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The 
objective of the Executive Order is to foster an intergovernmental 
partnership and a strengthened federalism by relying on processes 
developed by State and local governments for coordination and review of 
proposed Federal financial assistance.
    In accordance with the order, this document is intended to provide 
early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for 
this program.

INVITATION TO COMMENT: Interested persons are invited to submit 
comments and recommendations regarding the proposed competitive 
priority.
    All comments submitted in response to this priority will be 
available for public inspection, during and after the comment period, 
in Suite C-80, Portals Building, 1280 Maryland Avenue, S.W., 
Washington, D.C., between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday 
through Friday of each week except Federal holidays.

    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Part 636.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1136-1136h.

    Dated: August 11, 1994.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 94-21190 Filed 8-26-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P