[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 11, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29575-29577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14720]



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NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY

[CFDA No. 84.257I]


Notice Inviting Applications for the Literacy Leader Fellowship 
Program

AGENCY: The National Institute for Literacy.

PURPOSE: To establish the Literacy Fellows Program to provide Federal 
financial assistance to individuals pursuing careers in adult education 
or literacy in the areas of instruction, management, research, or 
innovation and adult new learners. Under the program, career literacy 
workers and adult learners are applicants for fellowships.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: Applications must be 
submitted August 1, 1996.I11Available Funds: $105,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $20,000-$30,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $20,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 5.

    Note: The National Institute for Literacy is not bound by any 
estimates in this Notice.

Project Period

    Projects will be no less than three nor more than 12 months of 
full-time activity or the equivalent in less than full-time 
participation.

Applicable Regulations

    The regulations governing the National Institute for Literacy's 
Literacy Leader Fellows Program were published on July 11, 1995, in the 
Federal Register. Applications for Fiscal Year 1996 are being accepted 
on the basis of those regulations.

[[Page 29576]]

    While the Institute is associated with the U.S. Departments of 
Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, the specific policies 
and procedures of these agencies regarding rulemaking and 
administration of grants are not adopted by the Institute except as 
expressly stated in this Notice.

Transmittal of Applications

    Five (5) copies of applications for award must be mailed or hand-
delivered on or before the deadline date of August 1, 1996.
    Applications delivered by mail. Applications sent by mail must be 
addressed to: National Institute for Literacy, 800 Connecticut Avenue, 
NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006, Attention: (CFDA#84.257I).
    An applicant must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the 
following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, the 
Institute does not accept either of the following as proof of mailing: 
(1) A private metered postmark, or (2) a mail receipt that is not dated 
by the U.S. Postal Service.
    An applicant should note that the U.S. Postal Service does not 
uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an 
applicant should check with the local post office.
    An applicant is encouraged to use registered, certified, or first 
class mail.
    Each late applicant will be notified that his/her application will 
not be considered.
    Applications delivered by hand. Applications that are hand-
delivered must be taken to the National Institute for Literacy, 800 
Connecticut Avenue, NW., Suite 200, Washington, DC.
    The Institute will accept hand-delivered applications between 8:30 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) daily, except Saturdays, 
Sundays, and Federal holidays. Applications that are hand-delivered 
will not be accepted by the Institute after 4:30 p.m. on the due date.
    The Institute will mail an Applicant Receipt Acknowledgment to each 
applicant within 15 days from the due date. If an applicant fails to 
receive the application acknowledgment, call the National Institute for 
Literacy at (202) 632-1525.
    The applicant must indicate on the outside of the envelope the CFDA 
number of the competition under which the application is being 
submitted.

Application Forms

    The National Institute for Literacy has no application forms or 
prescribed format for the Literacy Leader Fellowship Program. 
Applicants must submit the following: a detailed budget, curriculum 
vitae or resume, a description of your proposal (up to 8 pages); and 
sufficient information, e.g., two letters of recommendations, to allow 
the Institute to determine the merits of the proposed activities and 
rate the application according to the criteria and any applicable 
priorities. Applicants are also required to submit the following 
assurances and certifications:
    (a) Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
    (b) Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and 
other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements 
(ED90-0013).
    (c) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions.
    The assurances, and certifications must each have an original 
signature. No award can be made unless these forms are submitted.

Priorities

    (a) The Director invites applications for Literacy Leader 
Fellowships that meet the following priorities for 1996.
    (b) The priorities for 1996 are major areas of concern in the 
literacy field that are currently being addressed in the Institute's 
work.
    (c) An application may be awarded up to 5 bonus points for 
addressing a priority or priorities, depending on how well the 
application meets the priority or priorities.
    (d) The publication of these priorities does not bind the Institute 
to fund only applications addressing priorities. The Director is 
especially interested in fellowship applications that address one or 
more of the priorities, but not to the exclusion of other significant 
issues that may be proposed by applicants.
    (e) The priorities selected from the regulations for 1996 are as 
follows:
    (1) Developing Leadership in Adult Learners. Because adult learners 
are the true experts on literacy, they are an important resource for 
the field. Their firsthand experience as ``customers'' of the literacy 
system can be invaluable in assisting the field in moving forward, 
particularly in terms of raising public awareness and understanding 
about literacy.
    (2) Expanding the Use of Technology in Literacy Programs. One of 
the NIFL's major projects is the Literacy Information and Communication 
System (LINCS), an Intemet-based information system that provides 
timely information and abundant resources to the literacy community. 
Keeping the literacy community up to date in the Information Age is 
vital.
    (3) Improving Accountability for Literacy Programs. Legislation 
that has passed both houses of the U.S. Congress emphasizes that 
literacy programs must develop accountability systems that demonstrate 
their effectiveness in helping adult learners contribute more fully in 
their workplace, family, and community. Assessing practices that focus 
on outcomes and disseminating information about promising activities 
that will help the literacy field best adapt to the requirements of the 
new legislation is a priority.
    (4) Raising Public Awareness about Literacy. The NIFL is leading a 
national effort to raise public awareness that literacy is part of the 
solution to many social concerns, including the well-being of children, 
health, welfare, and the economy. Projects that enhance this effort 
will be given priority consideration.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

National Institute for Literacy:

    National Educational Goal 6, which is now included in the Goals 
2000 Educate America Act, puts forward an ambitious agenda for adult 
literacy and lifelong learning in America. To further this goal, the 
Congress passed Public Law 102-73, the National Literacy Act of 1991, 
which is the first piece of national legislation to focus exclusively 
on literacy. To overall intent of the Act, as stated, is:
    ``To enhance the literacy and basic skills of adults, to ensure 
that all adults in the United States acquire the basic skills necessary 
to function effectively and achieve the greatest possible opportunity 
in their work and in their lives and to strengthen and coordinate adult 
literacy programs.''
    In designing the Act, among the primary concerns shared by the 
Congress and literacy stakeholders was the fragmentation and lack of 
coordination among the many efforts in the field. To address these 
concerns, the Act created the National Institute for Literacy to:
    (A) Provide a national focal point for research, technical 
assistance and research dissemination, policy analysis and program 
evaluation in the area of literacy; and
    (B) Facilitate a pooling of ideas and expertise across fragmented 
programs and research efforts.

[[Page 29577]]

    Among the Institute's authorized activities is the awarding of 
fellowships to outstanding individuals who are pursuing careers in 
adult education or literacy in the areas of instruction, management, 
research, or innovation. These fellowships are to be awarded for 
activities that advance the field of adult education and literacy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alice Johnson, National Institute for 
Literacy, 800 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 200, Washington, DC 
20006. E-mail address [email protected], telephone: 202/632-1516, fax: 
202/632-1512. To receive an application package, please contact Darlene 
McDonald at the same address, e-mail [email protected], telephone: 
202/632-1525 or Fax: 202/632-1512.

Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden

    Under terms of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as amended, and 
the regulations implementing the Act, the National Institute for 
Literacy invites comment on the public reporting burden in this 
collection of information. Public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including 
the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, 
gathering and disseminating the data needed, and completing and 
reviewing the collection of information. You may send comments 
regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection 
of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the 
National Institute for Literacy, and the Office of Management and 
Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Washington, DC 20503. (Information 
collection approved under OMB control number 3200-0030, Expiration 
date: June 30, 1998).

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1213(c).
Andrew J. Hartman,
Director, National Institute for Literacy.
[FR Doc. 96-14720 Filed 6-10-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6055-01-M