[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 39485-39487] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-18654] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service. ACTION: Notice of availability of funds to support the AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative Through Grants to AmeriCorps National Programs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Corporation for National Service (Corporation) announces the availability of approximately $2,225,000 in grant funds to support information technology activities in selected cities in AmeriCorps programs operating on a national or multi-state basis. DATES: Applications must be received by September 9, 1999. ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to Box ACDR, Corporation for National Service, 1201 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20525. Applications may not be submitted by facsimile or electronic mail. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For an application or further information, contact Adin C. Miller, Corporation for National Service, 1201 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC, 20525, (202) 606-5000, extension 428, [email protected]. TDD (202) 565-2799. To request a copy of this Notice in an alternative format for persons with disabilities, contact Adin C. Miller at the contact information listed above. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The Corporation is a federal government corporation that encourages Americans of all ages and backgrounds to engage in community-based service. This service addresses the nation's educational, public safety, environmental and other human needs to achieve direct and demonstrable results. In doing so, the Corporation fosters civic responsibility, strengthens the ties that bind us together as a people, and provides educational opportunity for those who make a substantial commitment to service. Each year, the Corporation supports approximately 40,000 AmeriCorps members who perform substantial service in communities across the country. For more information about national service activities supported by the Corporation, go to http:// www.nationalservice.org. This Notice concerns funds that have been earmarked by Congress to support AmeriCorps National programs funded directly by the Corporation and operated by national nonprofit organizations in at least two states. Under the AmeriCorps National program, each national organization that serves as a parent organization provides subgrants to local chapters or affiliates, referred to as operating sites. For general information about applying for Corporation grants, you may obtain the 1999 Guide to Programs and Grants at the Corporation's Website listed above. This Notice concerns programs to be carried out over a period not to exceed three years. Applications must include a detailed proposed budget and proposed activities for the first year of operation, estimated funds required in the second and third years of operation, and program objectives for the entire award period. If the Corporation approves an application and enters into a multi-year award agreement, it will provide funding at the onset only for the first year of the program. The Corporation has no obligation to provide additional funding in connection with the award in subsequent years. Funding for the second and third years of an approved program is contingent upon satisfactory progress in relation to the approved objectives, submission of a detailed budget and budget narrative for the applicable program year, the availability of funds, and any other criteria established in the award agreement. Up to $2,225,000 is available for the initial one-year budget period. The Corporation anticipates awarding between one and seven grants in this competition. Existing Parent Organizations that receive funding under the AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative may submit future continuation proposals along the same timeline of the already approved AmeriCorps National grant. A successful Parent Organization should plan to include the AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative in its next AmeriCorps National continuation submission through the end of the three-year funding cycle, at which point the AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative should be included in its re-competition submission. Eligible Applicants Nonprofit organizations whose mission, membership, activities, or constituencies are national in scope and whose proposal involves AmeriCorps activities in more than one state may apply for funds under this Notice. An organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4), that engages in lobbying activities, is not eligible for these funds. Program Overview and Requirements The funds will support AmeriCorps National programs that propose to increase access to information technologies in K-12 school clusters located in federally-designated Round 1 Empowerment Zones, in conjunction with NextDay, a program of NetDay, a grassroots school wiring initiative. The goal of NextDay--a coalition of Empowerment-Zone leaders, education and technology specialists, and national partners--is to develop K-12 high-tech school clusters in sixteen communities (10 urban Empowerment Zones, 3 rural Empowerment Zones, and 3 Enhanced Enterprise Zones). Each school cluster consists of an elementary and middle or junior high school feeding into a high school. Successful applicants under this Notice will aim to provide AmeriCorps activities designed to place these targeted school clusters among the top 15% of public American schools in classroom use of information technologies and digital resources. These model schools will acquire and install current-generation technologies, integrate digital information technologies into school curricula, and prepare teachers to use and teach technology. Additionally, successful applicants under this Notice will reinforce school technology training at students' homes and assist in the placement of government surplus computers in family homes. For more information about NextDay, please contact Michael Kaufman, NetDay, 240 Tamal Vista, Suite 200, Corte Madera, California, 94925, (415) 927- 6850, extension 200, [email protected]. At each targeted Empowerment Zone, NextDay places a Local Coordinator charged with ensuring that the goals and benchmarks for the targeted community are met and partners each school cluster with a Higher Education Institution. In addition, NextDay and its coalition of local partners plan to provide each cluster with an Education Integration Specialist and a Technology Support Specialist. The Corporation envisions an arrangement in which AmeriCorps members serve at each school throughout the implementation phases of the project. The Stanford Research Institute will evaluate the overall NextDay project with a specific focus on the educational outcome impact of the [[Page 39486]] project and how information technology affects teaching. National partners for the NextDay project include:Cisco Systems, which will provide access to its Networking Academy/Network Administrator School; The 3M Corporation, which will provide $1,800,000 in fiber optic cables along with technical support; AT&T, which will provide on-line teacher training via its Virtual Academy; and The University of California at Berkeley, which will serve as the lead institution of Higher Education partners. Additional Higher Education partners include Michigan State University, University of California at Los Angeles, Delta State University, Howard University, and Texas A & M. Through an existing arrangement with the Corporation, up to thirty- two AmeriCorps VISTA members will assist the school clusters and local NextDay partners. The AmeriCorps VISTA members will implement strategies to ensure that the school clusters sustain programmatic efforts, while working with school systems and local partners to find existing and develop new local resources. The AmeriCorps VISTA members will also engage in local community relations and outreach. The Corporation expects that successful applicants under this Notice will work in cooperation with the NextDay AmeriCorps VISTA projects. Additionally, as part of the preparation for submission of the AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative application and as outlined on page 59 of the 1999 Guide to Programs and Grants, Parent Organizations are required to communicate and coordinate with the State Commission in each state where Operating Sites will be located. By design, NextDay and its AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative will initiate activities in the Empowerment Zones in the following order: 1. Mississippi Delta (1 Cluster) 2. Oakland (1 Cluster) 3. Washington, DC (2 Clusters) 4. Detroit (2 Clusters) 5. Los Angeles (3 Clusters) 6. Rio Grande Valley (1 Cluster) 7. New York (2 Clusters) 8. Chicago (3 Clusters) 9. Baltimore (2 Clusters) 10. Atlanta (2 Clusters) 11. Cleveland (2 Clusters) 12. Philadelphia/Camden (2 Clusters) 13. Kentucky Highlands (1 Cluster) 14. Houston (2 Clusters) 15. Kansas City (2 Clusters) 16. Boston (2 Clusters) In the first year of the AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative, AmeriCorps activities will target only the first six Empowerment Zones listed above. NextDay has already selected the specific cluster schools in the Mississippi Delta, Oakland, Washington, DC, Detroit, and Los Angeles to participate in the project. The pre- selected cluster schools include: 1. Mississippi Delta: Cluster 1: West Bolivar Elementary, Middle and High schools 2. Oakland: Cluster 1: Garfield Elementary, Roosevelt Middle, Fremont High 3. Washington, DC Cluster 1: Walker-Jones Elementary, Terrell Middle, Dunbar High 4. Detroit: Cluster 1: Edmonson Elementary, Pelham Middle, Murray Wright High Cluster 2: Webster Elementary, Earhart Middle, Western International High 5. Los Angeles: Cluster 1: Barrett Elementary, Gompers Middle, Locke High Additional cluster schools for the second and third cluster in Los Angeles and the cluster in the Rio Grande Valley will be identified by August 31, 1999. Successful applicants for funding under the AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative must support activities at these pre- selected schools. Applicants must propose to operate in more than one state in order to qualify for funding under this AmeriCorps National grant competition. As such, applications must propose AmeriCorps activities that serve all targeted schools in at least one cluster in at least two states. Applicants also must demonstrate experience in an educational setting or with technology information based curriculum. In addition, applications submitted must provide a programmatic design detailing how the AmeriCorps program will: Integrate digital information technologies and resources in the academic curricula at K-12 school clusters located in Empowerment Zones; Prepare teachers at K-12 school clusters located in Empowerment Zones to use digital resources in classroom lesson plans; Assist teachers and students at K-12 school clusters located in Empowerment Zones in the implementation of digital lessons; Assist in the implementation of digital information technology training programs for teachers at K-12 school clusters located in Empowerment Zones; Assist the NextDay Education Integration Specialist and Technology Support Specialist, which includes locating resources, such as teaching modules, to assist teachers in creating digital lessons; Provide project assessment support; and Integrate digital technologies into the homes of students at K-12 school clusters located in Empowerment Zones. Because this initiative requires concentrated service, applicants may only request either full-time members who serve at least 1700 hours in a nine to twelve month period or part-time members who serve at least 900 hours in one year or less. Review Process The Corporation expects to receive fewer than ten applications for funding under this Notice. Applications received for this competition will be evaluated through a multi-stage process that includes reviews by peers and Corporation staff, and approval by the Corporation's Board of Directors. During the peer review process, a panel of community service practitioners and policy experts will evaluate the quality of the proposals. During the staff review, the quality of proposals is evaluated along with other Corporation preferences, statutory requirements, and additional considerations. The Corporation may also conduct interviews with semi-finalists, in person or through teleconference. The Corporation anticipates awarding between one and seven grants in this competition. The grant award size may vary by circumstance, need and program model. Evaluation Criteria As outlined on page 15 of the 1999 Guide to Programs and Grants, the following three categories constitute the criteria by which the AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative applications will be evaluated and selected: Program Design (60%) Getting Things Done Participant Development Strengthening Communities Organizational Capacity (25%) Budget/Cost-Effectiveness (15%). The three subcategories under Program Design constitute the criteria by which the Corporation will evaluate Operating Sites narratives. The Organization Capacity and Budget/Cost-Effectiveness categories constitute the [[Page 39487]] criteria by with the Corporation will evaluate the Parent Organization narrative. The Operating Site narratives are averaged and account collectively for 60% of the total score while the Parent Organization narrative accounts for the remaining 40% of the total score. Additional information about the selection criteria may be found on page 15 in the 1999 Guide to Programs and Grants. Application Overview To assist in planning the peer review process, the Corporation requests that potential applicants submit a one-page letter indicating intent to apply. The letter does not constitute a commitment to apply. Please submit letters of intent by facsimile to the attention of Milinda Jefferson at 202-565-2787 by August 17, 1999. Applicants must submit one unbound single-sided original and two copies of the application. Submissions must arrive no later than 3:30 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, September 9, 1999, and should be sent to Box ACDR, Corporation for National Service, 1201 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC, 20525. Applications submitted by facsimiles or electronic mail will not be accepted. The entire request must be typed and double-spaced in not less than 12-point font size, with one-inch margins. Page limits, as specified below, must be followed. No appendices will be reviewed. Except under extenuating circumstances as determined by the Corporation, any submission that does not comply with the above requirements will not be reviewed. The AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative application consists of three major components: the Parent Organization application (8 pages maximum), the budget forms and budget narratives (no page limits), and the Operating Site application(s) (3 pages maximum per site). If a Parent Organization intends to also serve as an Operating Site then, in addition to the Parent Organization narrative and budget, it must submit an Operating Site narrative and include this Operating Site in the aggregate Operating Site budget. The Parent Organization narrative must describe: The number of AmeriCorps members requested; The program concept and design; The Parent Organization's capacity to plan, implement, and manage the program including staff roles and fiscal oversight; For current Corporation grantees, how the proposed program relates to the organization's existing program (e.g., how the Parent Organization will integrate AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative members into an already existing site, how the Parent Organization will integrate the proposed new activities into current monitoring and supervision systems, etc.); Experience in an educational setting and/or with information-based technology curricula; Cost-effectiveness plans and resources leveraged in support of the program; Rationale for selection of proposed Operating Sites; and The process for monitoring progress and assuring quality at the Parent Organization and across Operating Sites, including a plan for evaluation. The budget forms and budget narratives must include: A proposed Parent Organization operating budget and a proposed aggregate Operating Site operating budget for the entire award period with detailed operating budgets for the first year of the program, as described in the AmeriCorps*National Application Forms and Instructions; and A Parent Organization budget narrative and aggregate Operating Site budget narrative. The AmeriCorps*National Application Forms and Instructions describes the structure of these narratives, which should also identify projected operating costs for the second and third years of the proposed program and identify any deviation from the operating budget for the first year of the program. Each Operating Site narrative must describe: AmeriCorps member activities with measurable goals and objectives; The process for community input and support; Plans for recruitment, development, and training of AmeriCorps members; Supervision of AmeriCorps members including a qualifications of the individual responsible, frequency of contact with members, and previous supervisory experience; Anticipated community challenges and proposed continuous improvement strategies; and The plan for coordinating efforts with the State Commission, the State Corporation Office, and other Corporation programs in the area. Applications must abide by the Corporation's cost per full-time equivalent AmeriCorps member guideline of $11,250 as outlined on page 47 the 1999 Guide to Programs and Grants. The application must conform to the following format: Parent Organization 1. Parent Organization Title Page; 2. Copies of Each Operating Site Title Page (included behind the Parent Organization Title Page in the original document only); 3. Funding Request Chart; 4. Parent Organization Narrative (maximum 8 pages); and 5. Parent Organization Budget and Budget Narrative, which includes aggregate Operating Site budget information related to the AmeriCorps Information Technology Initiative expenses and projected expenses for the second and third year of program implementation. Operating Sites (Each Operating Site submission should follow the same format.) 1. Operating Site Title Page; and 2. Operating Site Narrative describing site, service activities, supervision (maximum 3 pages). Technical Assistance Prospective applicants with questions related to this initiative may contact Adin Miller at 202-606-5000, extension 428. In addition, the Corporation will hold a conference call of up to 90 minutes on Tuesday, August 24, 1999, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time for those organizations that intend to apply for funding under this Notice. If you wish to register for the call, please contact Milinda Jefferson at 202-606-5000, extension 483. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12571-12585. CFDA No. 94.006 AmeriCorps. Dated: July 16, 1999. Deborah Jospin, Director, AmeriCorps, Corporation for National and Community Service. [FR Doc. 99-18654 Filed 7-21-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6050-28-U