[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 12 (Thursday, January 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4799-4800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1529]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA NO. 84.334]


Office of Postsecondary Education; Notice Inviting Applications 
for New Awards for Fiscal Year 2001--Gaining Early Awareness and 
Readiness for Undergraduate Programs--GEAR UP

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to increase the 
number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in 
college. Through improved academic preparation and early awareness 
activities, eligible students are provided comprehensive mentoring, 
counseling, outreach and supportive services, including information to 
students and their parents about the benefits of postsecondary 
education and the availability of Federal financial assistance to 
attend college. Through the scholarship component, which is mandatory 
for State grants and recommended for Partnership grants, eligible 
students may receive scholarships for higher education.
    Eligible Applicants: 1. For Partnership grants, eligible applicants 
include at least--
     One institution of higher education. This may be any 
degree-granting two-year or four-year college or university;
     One local educational agency (school district) on behalf 
of one or more schools with a 7th grade and the high school(s) that the 
students at these middle schools would normally attend. Generally, at 
least 50 percent of the students attending the participating school 
with a 7th grade must be eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. 
However, as an alternative, Partnerships may choose to work with one or 
more grade levels of students, beginning not later than the 7th grade, 
who reside in public housing; and
     Two additional organizations, such as businesses, 
professional associations, community-based organizations, State 
Agencies, elementary schools, philanthropic organizations, religious 
groups, and other public or private organizations.
    2. For State grants, eligible applicants are State Agencies as 
designated by the State's Governor, one per State.
    Applications Available: January 19, 2001.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 30, 2001.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 29, 2001.
    Available Funds: Approximately $35,500,000 for Partnership grants 
and $23,000,000 for State grants. Federal funds shall provide not more 
than 50 percent of the total cost of any project funded by a grant 
under this program, except as provided for under 34 CFR 694.7. The non-
Federal share of project costs may be in-cash or in-kind, fairly 
valued, including services, supplies or equipment.
    Estimated Average Awards: No minimum, maximum or average award has 
been established for Partnership grants. The size of each Partnership 
grant will depend on the number of students served. However, there is a 
maximum annual Federal contribution of $800 per student for Partnership 
grants.
    State grants have a $2.5 million maximum and no minimum award.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Approximately 9-12 State grant awards 
and approximately 75-90 Partnership grant awards, depending on the size 
and configuration of each Partnership.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
86, 97, 98 and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 
694.
    Authorized Activities: Section 404D, 404E, 404F, and 404G of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. [20 U.S.C. 1070a-24]
    Selection Criteria: The Secretary uses the selection criteria in 
accordance with 34 CFR 75.209 and 75.210 to evaluate applications for 
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The 
application package includes the selection criteria and the points 
assigned to the criteria.
    Page Limits: The application narrative (Part 4 of the application) 
is limited to the equivalent of no more than 40 pages using the 
following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    The page limit does not apply to Part 1, the cover sheet; Part 2, 
the Table of Contents; Part 3 the Abstract; or Part 5, the budget 
section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances 
and certifications; or the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of 
support. However, you must include all of the application narrative 
(Part 4) in the page limit. Reviewers will not read any pages of your 
application that exceed the page limit if you apply these standards or 
exceed the equivalent of the page limit.

Priorities

Competitive Priorities

Competitive Preference Priority 1
    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) and 34 CFR 694.15(b), the Secretary 
will give preference to Partnership projects that establish or maintain 
financial assistance programs that award scholarships to participating 
students, either in accordance with section 404E of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, or in accordance with GEAR UP regulations 34 CFR 
694.11. The Secretary will award up to five (5) points in addition to 
any points the applicant earns under the selection criteria, to 
applicants who meet this priority, depending on how well the 
application meets the priority.
Competitive Preference Priority 2
    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii) and 34 CFR 694.15(a), the Secretary 
gives competitive preference to an application for a Partnership or 
State grant that serves a substantial number or percentage of students 
who reside in or attend school in an Empowerment Zone, Supplemental 
Empowerment Zone, or Enterprise Community, under 34 CFR 75.105(2)(ii) 
and 34 CFR 694.15(a). This preference means that an applicant meeting 
this criterion would be placed above another application of comparable 
merit, and the preference will be used in the selection process as a 
tie-breaker.
    For Applications Contact: Education Publications Center (EDPUBS), 
P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free) 1-
877-433-7827. Fax: (301) 470-1244. If you use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) you may call toll free 1-877-576-7734. You 
may also contact EDPUBS at its web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html.
    Or you may contact EDPUBS at its e-mail address: 
[email protected].
    If you request an application from EDPUBS, be sure to identify this 
competition as follows: CFDA number 84.334.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Department of Education, Office 
of Postsecondary Education, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for 
Undergraduate Programs, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6252, Washington, DC

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20006-8524, telephone 202-502-7676, fax (202) 502-7675, or e-mail 
[email protected]
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document or a copy of 
the GEAR UP application package in an alternative format (e.g., 
Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) upon request to 
the contact number listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative 
format the standard forms included in the application package.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/new.html

    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at either of the previous sites. If you have any questions about 
using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) at (202) 512-
1530 or, toll free, at 1-888-293-6498.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
offical edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-21--20 U.S.C. 1070a-28.

    Dated: January 12, 2001.
A. Lee Fritschler,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 01-1529 Filed 1-17-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P