[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 8, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12749-12750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-5591]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Urban Community Service Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priority.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces a competitive funding priority to 
focus funds for new urban community service projects on communities 
designated as Empowerment Zones (EZs) or Enterprise Communities (ECs) 
by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Under the 
competitive funding priority, the Secretary awards five (5) additional 
points to an application that meets the priority.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This priority takes effect April 7, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Babson, U. S. Department of 
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW (Portals C-80), Washington, DC 
20202-5329. Telephone: (202) 260-3472. Persons 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 the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community 
Initiative

    The Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program is a critical 
element of the Administration's community revitalization strategy. It 
promotes comprehensive economic and community development through 
strategic planning. On December 21, 1994, the President announced the 
designation of six urban Empowerment Zones, two urban Supplemental EZs, 
65 urban Enterprise Communities, and four Enhanced urban ECs. These 
areas will benefit from flexible social service block grants and tax 
breaks in accordance with Internal Revenue Code section 1392, as 
amended by Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 
(Pub. L. 103-66). Urban Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities 
were nominated by one or more local governments and their States and 
have been designated by HUD on the basis of the quality of their 
strategic plans. Interested individuals may contact HUD at 1-800-998-
9999 for additional information on the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise 
Community program, including which communities have been selected for 
designation.
    The Department of Education is supporting the Empowerment Zone and 
Enterprise Community initiative through the Urban Community Service 
Program by giving preference to proposed projects which are located in 
urban Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities. A list of the 
designated Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities will be 
included in the application package. The program's emphasis on 
coordinated planning to meet pressing urban needs makes it ideally 
suited to play a key role in the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise 
Community program.

Background on the Urban Community Service Program

    The Urban Community Service Program is authorized under Title XI of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. It uses the skills, 
experience and resources of institutions of higher education to help 
public and private organizations devise and carry out solutions to 
pressing and severe problems in their urban communities. The program 
makes discretionary grants of up to five years in duration to support 
collaborative projects that address problems confronting urban 
communities, ranging from work force preparation, economic development, 
urban poverty, crime, lack of health care services and access, 
underperforming school systems and students to urban housing and 
infrastructure deficits. Recipients may use program funds to carry out 
a variety of activities, such as planning, applied research, training, 
resource exchanges or technology transfers, delivery of services and 
other activities that the urban institution and its community partners 
agree have high priority.
    Only institutions of higher education which have been designated as 
urban grant institutions are eligible to apply for funding. A 
designated urban grant institution has demonstrated to the Secretary 
that (a) it is a nonprofit municipal university established by the 
governing body of the city in which it is located and operating as of 
July 23, 1992, or that (b) it is an institution of higher education 
which meets all of the following criteria (a consortium of institutions 
is also eligible if at least one of its members meets all of the 
criteria). The institution(1) is located in an urban area; (2) draws a 
substantial portion of its undergraduate student body from the urban 
area in which it is [[Page 12750]] 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 
pertinent to the needs and priorities of the urban area or 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 adjoining areas and the people 
in those areas.
    On August 29, 1994 the Secretary published a notice of proposed 
priority for this program in the Federal Register (59 FR 44580).

    Note: This notice of final priority does not solicit 
applications. A notice inviting applications under the FY 1995 
competition will be published in the Federal Register at a later 
date.

Analysis of Comments

    Two parties submitted comments in response to the Secretary's 
invitation in the notice of proposed priority. An analysis of the 
comments follows:
    Comment: One party commented that designations will be limited due 
to funding restraints and suggested expanding the definition of 
designated Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities to include 
areas that submitted Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community 
designation requests.
    Discussion: The Secretary believes that the Urban Community Service 
Program would be most effective in communities that are actually 
designated and have embarked on implementing their strategic plans.
    Change: None.
    Comment: The second party suggested giving a competitive preference 
to proposals that show partnerships with AmeriCorps.
    Discussion: The program regulations already give an absolute 
preference (34 CFR 636.23) to applications that propose to conduct 
joint projects with other Federal, State or local programs. This would 
include partnerships with AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps is a new national 
initiative to foster community-based service and includes a wide 
variety of programs operated by grantees, the National Civilian 
Community Corps and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA).
    Change: None.

Priority

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) the Secretary gives preference to 
applications that meet the following priority:
    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 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. 
The Secretary awards five points to an application that meets this 
priority. These points will be added to any points the application 
earns under the selection criteria for 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 procedures 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.
    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Part 636.

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

    Dated: March 2, 1995.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 95-5591 Filed 3-7-95; 8:45 am]
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