[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 218 (Wednesday, November 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64252-64262]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28310]



[[Page 64251]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Part III





Environmental Protection Agency





-----------------------------------------------------------------------



Office of Environmental Education Solicitation Notice Environmental 
Education Grants Program (CFDA 66.951) Fiscal Year 2004; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 218 / Wednesday, November 12, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 64252]]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7585-7]


Office of Environmental Education: Solicitation Notice, 
Environmental Education Grants Program (CFDA 66.951), Fiscal Year 2004

Contents

Section I--Overview and Deadlines
Section II--Eligible Applicants and Activities
Section III--Funding Priorities
Section IV--Requirements for Proposals and Matching Funds
Section V--Review and Selection Process
Section VI--Grantee Responsibilities
Section VII--Resource Information and Mailing List
Appendices--Federal Forms and Instructions

Section I. Overview and Deadlines

A. Overview

    Subject to Congressional action to appropriate funds for EPA's 
Environmental Education Grant Program, this document solicits grant 
proposals from education institutions, environmental and educational 
public agencies, and not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organizations to support 
environmental education projects. This grants program provides 
financial support for projects which design, demonstrate, or 
disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques. 
This program is authorized under section 6 of the National 
Environmental Education Act of 1990 (the Act) (Pub. L. 101-619).


    Please Note: In recent years, EPA has traditionally received 
funding of approximately $3 million annually for this grant program. 
At the time of issuance of this Solicitation Notice, future funding 
for the program is uncertain because the federal budget for 2004 is 
not yet final. However, EPA decided not to miss the annual grant 
cycle by failing to issue a Solicitation Notice. Since EPA cannot 
currently anticipate what the appropriation from Congress, if any, 
will be, we are advising potential grant applicants to refer to our 
Web site closer to the application deadline to determine the status 
of funding for the program (www.epa.gov/enviroed). EPA reserves the 
right to reject all proposals and make no awards.


    This solicitation notice contains all the information and forms 
necessary to prepare a proposal. If your project is selected as a 
finalist after the evaluation process is concluded, EPA will provide 
you with additional Federal forms needed to process your proposal. 
These grants require non-federal matching funds for at least 25% of the 
total cost of the project.

B. Environmental Education versus Environmental Information

    Environmental Education: Increases public awareness and knowledge 
about environmental issues and provides the skills to make informed 
decisions and take responsible actions. It is based on objective and 
scientifically sound information. It does not advocate a particular 
viewpoint or course of action. It teaches individuals how to weigh 
various sides of an issue through critical thinking and it enhances 
their own problem-solving and decision making skills.
    Environmental Information: Proposals that simply disseminate 
``information'' will not be funded. These would be projects that 
provide facts or opinions about environmental issues or problems, but 
may not enhance critical-thinking, problem solving or decision-making 
skills. Although information is an essential element of any educational 
effort, environmental information is not, by itself, environmental 
education.

C. Due Date and Grant Schedule

    (1) Due Date--January 6, 2004 is the postmark due date for an 
original proposal signed by an authorized representative plus two 
copies to be mailed to EPA. Proposals mailed or sent after this date 
will not be considered for funding.
    (2) Rejection Letters--EPA Headquarters and the 10 Regional Offices 
mail these letters at different times as determined by scheduling to 
accommodate review teams. Letters are usually sent within 6 months 
after submission of proposals.
    (3) Start Date and Length of Projects--July 1, 2004 is the earliest 
start date that applicants should plan on and enter on their 
application forms and timelines. Budget periods cannot exceed one-year 
for small grants of $10,000 or less. EPA prefers a one-year budget 
period for larger grants, but will accept a budget period of up to two-
years, if the project timeline clarifies that more than a year is 
necessary for full implementation of the project.

D. Addresses for Mailing Proposals

    Proposals requesting over $25,000 in Federal environmental 
education grant funds must be mailed to EPA Headquarters in Washington, 
DC; proposals requesting $25,000 or less from EPA must be mailed to the 
EPA Regional Office where the project takes place. The Headquarters 
address and the list of Regional Office mailing addresses by state is 
included at the end of this notice. Note that in some locations EPA 
addresses differ for postal versus courier service.

E. Dollar Limits Per Proposal

    Each year, this program generates a great deal of public enthusiasm 
for developing environmental education projects. Consequently, EPA 
receives many more applications for these grants than can be supported 
with available funds. The competition for grants is intense, especially 
at Headquarters which usually receives over 250 proposals and is 
usually able to fund 10 to15 grants or about 5% of the applicants. The 
EPA Regional Offices receive fewer applications and on average fund 
over 30% each year.
    Grants in excess of $100,000 are seldom awarded through this 
program. Although the Act sets a maximum limit of $250,000 in 
environmental education grant funds for any one project, because of 
limited funds, EPA prefers to award smaller grants to more recipients. 
In summary, you will significantly increase your chance of being funded 
if your budget is competitive and you request $5,000 or less from a 
Regional Office or $100,000 or less from Headquarters.

Section II. Eligible Applicants and Activities

E. Eligible Applicants

    Any local education agency, state education or environmental 
agency, college or university, not-for-profit organization as described 
in section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or noncommercial 
educational broadcasting entity may submit a proposal. Applicant 
organizations must be located in the United States and the majority of 
the educational activities must take place in the United States, Canada 
and/or Mexico.
    ``Tribal education agencies'' which may also apply include a school 
or community college which is controlled by an Indian tribe, band, or 
nation, which is recognized as eligible for special programs and 
services provided by the United States to Indians because of their 
status as Indians and which is not administered by the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs. Tribal organizations do not qualify unless they meet this 
criteria or the not-for-profit criteria listed above. The terms for 
eligibility are defined in section 3 of the Act and 40 CFR 47.105.
    A teacher's school district, an educator's nonprofit organization, 
or a faculty member's college or university may apply, but an 
individual teacher, educator, or faculty member may not.

F. Multiple or Repeat Proposals

    An organization may submit more than one proposal if the proposals 
are for different projects. No organization

[[Page 64253]]

will be awarded more than one grant for the same project during the 
same fiscal year. Applicants who received one of these grants in the 
past may submit a new proposal to expand a previously funded project or 
to fund an entirely different one. Each new proposal will be evaluated 
based upon the specific criteria set forth in this solicitation and in 
relation to the other proposals received in this fiscal year. Due to 
limited resources, EPA does not generally sustain projects beyond the 
initial grant period. This grant program is geared toward providing 
seed money to initiate new projects or to advance existing projects 
that are ``new'' in some way, such as reaching new audiences or new 
locations. If you have received a grant from this program in the past, 
it is essential that you explain how your current proposal is new.

G. Restrictions on Curriculum Development

    EPA strongly encourages applicants to use and disseminate existing 
environmental education materials (curricula, training materials, 
activity books, etc.) rather than designing new materials, because 
experts indicate that a significant amount of quality educational 
materials have already been developed and are under-utilized. EPA will 
consider funding new materials only where the applicant demonstrates 
that there is a need, e.g., that existing educational materials cannot 
be adapted well to a particular local environmental concern or 
audience, or existing materials are not otherwise accessible. The 
applicant must specify what steps they have taken to determine this 
need, e.g., you may cite a conference where this need was discussed, 
the results of inquiries made within your community or with various 
educational institutions, or a research paper or other published 
document. Further, EPA recommends the use of a publication entitled 
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence which was 
developed in part with EPA funding. These guidelines contain 
recommendations for developing and selecting quality environmental 
education materials. On our Web site under ``Resources'' you may view 
these guidelines and find information about ordering copies.

I. Ineligible Activities

    Environmental education funds cannot be used for:
    (1) Technical training of environmental management professionals;
    (2) Environmental ``information'' projects that have no educational 
component, as described in Section I (B);
    (3) Lobbying or political activities, in accordance with OMB 
Circulars A-21, A-87 and A-122;
    (4) Advocacy promoting a particular point of view or course of 
action;
    (5) Non-educational research and development; or
    (6) Construction projects-EPA will not fund construction activities 
such as the acquisition of real property (e.g., buildings) or the 
construction or modification of any building. EPA may, however, fund 
activities such as creating a nature trail or building a bird watching 
station as long as these items are an integral part of the 
environmental education project, and the cost is a relatively small 
percentage of the total amount of federal funds requested.

Section III. Funding Priorities

J. Educational Priorities

    All proposals must satisfy the definition of ``environmental 
education'' specified above in Paragraph (B) and also address one of 
the following educational priorities. The order of the list is random 
and does not indicate a ranking. Please read the definitions that are 
included in this section to prevent your application from being 
rejected for failure to correctly address a priority.
    (1) Capacity Building: Increasing capacity to develop and deliver 
coordinated environmental education programs across a state or across 
multiple states.
    (2) Education Reform: Utilizing environmental education as a 
catalyst to advance state, local, or tribal education reform goals.
    (3) Community Issues: Designing and implementing model projects to 
educate the public about environmental issues and/or health issues in 
their communities through community-based organizations or through 
print, film, broadcast, or other media.
    (4) Health: Educating teachers, students, parents, community 
leaders, or the public about human-health threats from environmental 
pollution, especially as it affects children, and how to minimize human 
exposure to preserve good health.
    (5) Teaching Skills: Educating teachers, faculty, or nonformal 
educators about environmental issues to improve their environmental 
education teaching skills, e.g., through workshops.
    (6) Career Development: Educating students in formal or nonformal 
settings about environmental issues to encourage environmental careers.
    (7) Environmental Justice: Educating low-income or culturally-
diverse audiences about environmental issues, thereby advancing 
environmental justice.
    Definitions: The terms used above and in Section IV are defined as 
follows:
    Capacity Building is a significant EPA goal, however, many 
proposals have been rejected for failure to satisfy the scope of this 
definition. Read this whole paragraph carefully and please note that it 
requires networking with various types of educational organizations and 
statewide implementation of educational programs. If your project fails 
to meet these objectives, please select another educational priority. 
For purposes of this program ``Capacity Building'' refers to developing 
effective leaders and organizations that design, implement, and link 
environmental education programs across a state or states to promote 
long-term sustainability of the programs. Coordination should involve 
all major education and environmental education providers including 
state education and natural resource agencies, schools and school 
districts, professional education associations, and nonprofit 
educational and tribal organizations. Effective efforts leverage 
available resources and decrease fragmentation of effort and 
duplication across programs. Examples of activities include: 
identifying and assessing needs and setting priorities; identifying, 
evaluating and linking programs; developing and implementing strategic 
plans; identifying funding sources and resources; facilitating 
communication and networking; promoting sustained professional 
development; and sponsoring leadership seminars. If existing capacity 
building efforts are underway in your state please explain how you will 
support those efforts with your proposal. For an excellent example of a 
successful project please see www.epa.gov/enviroed and read the grant 
profile for the 1999 Ohio Environmental Education Council.
    Education Reform refers to state, local, or tribal efforts to 
improve student academic achievement. Where feasible, collaboration 
with private sector providers of technology and equipment is 
recommended. Education reform efforts often focus on changes in 
curriculum, instruction, assessment or how schools are organized. 
Curriculum and instructional changes may include inquiry and problem 
solving, real-world learning experiences, project-based learning, team 
building and group decision-making, and interdisciplinary study. 
Assessment changes may include developing content and performance 
standards and realigning curriculum and instruction to the new 
standards

[[Page 64254]]

and new assessments. School site changes may include creating magnet 
schools or encouraging parental and community involvement. Note: All 
proposals must identify existing educational improvement needs and 
goals and discuss how the proposed project will address these needs and 
goals.
    Environmental issue is one of importance to the community, state, 
or region being targeted by the project, e.g., one community may have 
significant air pollution problems which makes teaching about human 
health effects from it and solutions to air pollution important, while 
rapid development in another community may threaten a nearby wildlife 
habitat, thus making habitat or ecosystem protection a high priority 
issue.
    Environmental Justice refers to the fair treatment of people of all 
races, cultures, and income with respect to the development, 
implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and 
policies. No racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group should bear a 
disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences that 
might result from the operation of industrial, municipal, and 
commercial enterprises and from the execution of federal, state, local, 
and tribal programs and policies.
    Partnerships refers to the forming of a collaborative working 
relationship between two or more organizations such as governmental 
agencies, not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions, and/
or the private sector. It may also refer to intra-organizational unions 
such as the science and anthropology departments within a university 
collaborating on a project.
    Wide application refers to a project that targets a large and 
diverse audience in terms of numbers or demographics; or that can serve 
as a model program elsewhere.

Section IV. Requirements for Proposals and Matching Funds

K. Contents of Proposal and Scoring

    In the order listed here, the proposal must contain the following: 
(1) Two standard federal forms; (2) project summary sheet; (3) project 
description; (4) detailed budget; (5) timeline; (6) description of 
personnel; and (7) letters of commitment (if you have partner 
organizations). Please follow the instructions below and do not submit 
additional items. EPA must make copies of your proposal for use by 
grant reviewers. Unnecessary cover letters, attachments, divider 
sheets, forms or binders create a paperwork burden for the reviewers 
and failure to follow instructions may lower your score.
    Federal Forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and 
Budget Information (SF-424A): These two forms are required for all 
federal grants and must be submitted on the front of your proposal. The 
two forms, along with instructions specific to this program and 
examples, are included at the end of this notice. On our Web site these 
two forms can also be completed and printed off with your data and 
dollars included. Only finalists will be asked to submit the other 
federal forms necessary to process a federal grant.
    Work Plan and Appendices: A work plan describes your proposed 
project and your budget. Appendices establish your timeline, your 
qualifications, and any partnerships with other organizations. Include 
all five sections described below in the same order in which each is 
listed. Correct order ensures that reviewers easily evaluate your 
proposal without overlooking information. Each section is evaluated and 
scored by reviewers. The highest possible score per proposal is 100 
points as outlined below and in paragraph (N).
    (1) Project Summary: Provide an overview of your entire project in 
the following format and on one page only:
    (a) Organization: Describe: (1) Your organization, and (2) list 
your key partners for this grant, if applicable. Partnerships are 
encouraged and considered to be a major factor in the success of 
projects.
    (b) Summary Statement: Provide an overview of your project that 
explains the concept and your goals and objectives. This should be a 
very basic explanation in layman's terms to provide a reviewer with an 
understanding of the purpose and expected outcome of your educational 
project. If a person unfamiliar with your project reads this paragraph 
and they cannot grasp your basic concept, then you have not achieved 
what is requested here.
    (c) Educational Priority: Identify which priority listed in Section 
III you will address, such as education reform. Proposals may address 
more than one educational priority, however, EPA cautions against 
losing focus on projects. Evaluation panels often select projects with 
a clearly defined purpose, rather than projects that attempt to address 
multiple priorities at the expense of a quality outcome.
    (d) Delivery Method: Explain how you will reach your audience, such 
as workshops, conferences, field trips, interactive programs, etc.
    (e) Audience: Describe the demographics of your target audience 
including the number and types you expect to reach, such as teachers 
and/or students and specific grade levels, health care providers, 
migrant workers, the general public, etc.
    (f) Costs: List the types of activities on which you will spend the 
EPA portion of the grant funds.
    The project summary will be scored on how well you provide an 
overview of your entire project using the format and topics stated 
above.
Summary-Maximum Score: 10 Points
    (2) Project Description: Describe precisely what your project will 
achieve--why, how, when, with what, and who will benefit. Explain each 
aspect of your proposal in enough detail to answer a grant reviewer's 
questions. This section is intended to provide you with the flexibility 
to be creative and does not require any specific format for describing 
your project. However, you should address the following to ensure that 
grant reviewers can fully comprehend and score your project. Address 
all criteria in any sequence that best demonstrates the strengths of 
your project.
    This subsection will be scored on how well you design and describe 
your project and how effectively your project meets the following 
criteria:
    (a) Why: Explain the purpose of your project and how it will 
address an educational priority listed in Section III, such as 
education reform or community issues. Also identify your environmental 
issue, such as energy conservation, clean air, ecosystem protection, or 
cross-cutting topics. Explain the importance to your community, state, 
or region. Specify if the project has the potential for wide 
application, and/or can serve as a model for use in other locations 
with a similar audience.
    (b) Who: Explain who will conduct the project; identify the target 
audience and demonstrate an understanding of the needs of that 
audience. Important: explain your recruitment plan to attract your 
target audience; and clarify any incentives used such as stipends or 
continuing education credits.
    (c) How: Explain your strategy, objectives, activities, delivery 
methods, and outcomes to establish for reviewers that you have 
realistic goals and objectives and will use effective methods to 
achieve them. Clarify for the reviewers how you will complete all basic 
steps from beginning to end. Do not omit steps that lead up to or 
follow the actual delivery methods, e.g., if you plan to make a 
presentation about your project at a local or national conference, 
specify where.

[[Page 64255]]

    (d) With What: Demonstrate that the project uses or produces 
quality educational products or methods that teach critical-thinking, 
problem-solving, and decision-making skills. (Please note restrictions 
on the development of curriculum and educational materials in Section 
H.)
Description-Maximum Score: 40 Points (10 points for each of (a) through 
(d))
    (3) Project Evaluation: Explain how you will ensure that you are 
meeting the goals, objectives, outputs, and outcomes of your project. 
Evaluation plans may be quantitative and/or qualitative and may 
include, for example, evaluation tools, observation, or outside 
consultation.


    Please Note: All applicants under this grant cycle must be 
willing to comply with forthcoming EPA requirements for using a pre 
and post training questionnaire to determine the overall 
effectiveness of this grant program. Additional information about 
this requirement should be available by the summer of 2004 when 
grant finalists are selected and awarded.


    The project evaluation will be scored on how well your plan will: 
(a) Measure the project's effectiveness; and (b) apply evaluation data 
gathered during your project to strengthen it.
Evaluation-Maximum Score: 10 Points (5 Points each for (a) and (b))
    (4) Budget: Clarify how EPA funds and non-federal matching funds 
will be used for specific items or activities, such as personnel/
salaries, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contract costs, 
and indirect costs. Include a table which lists each major proposed 
activity, and the amount of EPA funds and/or matching funds that will 
be spent on each activity. Smaller grants with uncomplicated budgets 
may have a table that lists only a few activities. PLEASE NOTE the 
following funding restrictions:

--Indirect costs may be requested only if your organization already has 
an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement in place with a Federal Agency and has 
it on file, subject to audit.
--Funds for salaries and fringe benefits may be requested only for 
those personnel who are directly involved in implementing the proposed 
project and whose salaries and fringe benefits are directly related to 
specific products or outcomes of the proposed project. EPA strongly 
encourages applicants to request reasonable amounts of funding for 
salaries and fringe benefits to ensure that your proposal is 
competitive.
--EPA will not fund the acquisition of real property (including 
buildings) or the construction or modification of any building.

    Matching Funds Requirement: Non-federal matching funds of at least 
25% of the total cost of the project are required, and EPA encourages 
additional matching funds where possible. The match must be for an 
allowable cost and may be provided by the applicant or a partner 
organization or institution. The match may be provided in cash or by 
in-kind contributions and other non-cash support. In-kind contributions 
often include salaries or other verifiable costs and this value must be 
carefully documented. In the case of salaries, applicants may use 
either minimum wage or fair market value. If the match is provided by a 
partner organization, the applicant is still responsible for proper 
accountability and documentation. All grants are subject to Federal 
audit.
    Important: The matching non-federal share is a percentage of the 
entire cost of the project. For example, if the 75% federal portion is 
$10,000, then the entire project should, at a minimum, have a budget of 
$13,333, with the recipient providing a contribution of $3,333. To 
assure that your match is sufficient, simply divide the Federally 
requested amount by three. Your match must be at least one-third of the 
requested amount to be sufficient. For a $5,000 EPA grant your match 
cannot be less than $1,667.
    Other Federal Funds: You may use other Federal funds in addition to 
those provided by this program, but not for activities that EPA is 
funding. You may not use any federal funds to meet any part of the 
required 25% match described above, unless it is specifically 
authorized by statute. If you have already been awarded federal funds 
for a project for which you are seeking additional support from this 
program, you must indicate those funds in the budget section of the 
work plan. You must also identify the project officer, agency, office, 
address, phone number, and the amount of the federal funds.
    This subsection will be scored on: (a) How well the budget 
information clearly and accurately shows how funds will be used; (b) 
whether the funding request is reasonable given the activities 
proposed; and (c) whether the funding provides a good return on the 
investment.
Budget-Maximum Score: 15 Points (5 points for each of (a) through (c))
    (5) Appendices:
    (a) Timeline--Include a ``timeline'' to link your activities to a 
clear project schedule and indicate at what point over the months of 
your budget period each action, event, product development, etc. 
occurs.
    (b) Key Personnel--Attach a one page resume for the key personnel 
conducting the project. (Maximum of 3 one page resumes please.)
    (c) Letters of Commitment--If the applicant organization has 
partners, such as schools, state agencies, or other organizations, 
include letters of commitment from partners explaining their role in 
the proposed project. Do not include letters of endorsement or 
recommendation or have them mailed in later; they will not be 
considered in evaluating proposals.
    Please do not submit other appendices or attachments such as video 
tapes or sample curricula. EPA may request such items if your proposal 
is among the finalists under consideration for funding.
    This subsection will be scored based upon: (1) The timeline 
clarifies the workplan and establishes for reviewers that the project 
is well thought out and feasible as planned; (2) the qualifications and 
skills of key personnel to implement the project; and (3) the type of 
partnership (if any) and the extent to which a firm commitment is made 
by the partner to provide services, facilities, funding, etc.
Appendices-Maximum Score: 15 Points (5 points each (a) through (c))
    (6) Bonus Points: Reviewers have the flexibility to provide up to 
10 bonus points for exceptional projects based on the following 
criteria. (a) A maximum of 5 bonus points for: addressing an 
educational priority or environmental issue well, strong partnerships, 
solid recruitment plan for teachers or other target audience, creative 
use of resources, innovation, or other strengths noted by the 
reviewers. (b) A maximum of 5 bonus points for a well explained and 
easily read proposal. Factors for points could include: clear and 
concise, well organized, no unnecessary jargon, and other strengths 
noted by the reviewers who evaluate and compare proposals.
Bonus Points-Maximum Score: 10 Points (5 points each for (a) and (b))

L. Page Limits

    The Work Plan should not exceed 5 pages. ``One page'' refers to one 
side of a single-spaced typed page. The pages must be letter sized 
(8\1/2\ x 11 inches), with margins at least one-half inch wide and with 
normal type size (11 or 12 font), rather than extremely small type. The 
5 page limit applies to the narrative portion, i.e., the Summary, 
Project Description, and Project Evaluation. The

[[Page 64256]]

Detailed Budget, Timeline, and Appendices are not included in the page 
limit.

M. Submission Requirements and Copies

    The applicant must submit one original and two copies of the 
proposal (a signed SF-424, an SF-424A, a work plan, a detailed budget, 
and the appendices listed above). Do not include other attachments such 
as cover letters, tables of contents, additional federal forms, divider 
sheets, or appendices other than those listed above. Grant reviewers 
often lower scores on proposals for failure to follow instructions. 
Your pages should be sorted as listed in Section IV, with the SF-424 
being the first page of your proposal and signed by a person authorized 
to receive funds. Blue ink for signatures is preferred. Proposals must 
be reproducible; they should not be bound. They should be stapled or 
clipped once in the upper left hand corner, on white paper, and with 
page numbers because many proposals get copied at one time. Mailing 
addresses for submission of proposals are listed in Section IV of this 
document.
    Forms: If you receive this solicitation electronically and if the 
standard federal forms for Application (SF-424) and Budget (SF-424A) 
cannot be printed by your equipment, you may locate them the following 
ways (but please read our instructions which have been modified for 
this grant program): The Federal Register in which this document is 
published contains the forms and is available to be copied at many 
public libraries; or you may call or write the appropriate EPA office 
listed at the end of this document.

Section V. Review and Selection Process

N. Proposal Review

    Proposals submitted to EPA headquarters and regional offices will 
be evaluated using the criteria defined here and in Section IV of this 
solicitation. Proposals will be reviewed in two phases--the screening 
phase and the evaluation phase. During the screening phase, proposals 
will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic eligibility 
requirements. Only those proposals satisfying all of the basic 
requirements will enter the full evaluation phase of the review 
process. During the evaluation phase, proposals will be evaluated based 
upon the quality of their work plans. Reviewers conducting the 
screening and evaluation phases of the review process will include EPA 
officials and external environmental educators approved by EPA. At the 
conclusion of the evaluation phase, the reviewers will score proposals 
based upon the scoring system described in detail in Section IV. In 
summary, the maximum score of 100 points can be reached as follows:

(1) Project Summary--10 Points
(2) Project Description--40 Points
(3) Project Evaluation--10 Points
(4) Budget--15 Points
(5) Appendices--15 Points
(6) Bonus Points--10 Points (Only for outstanding proposals)

O. Final Selections

    After individual projects are evaluated and scored by reviewers, as 
described above, EPA officials in the regions and at headquarters will 
select a diverse range of finalists from the highest ranking proposals. 
In making the final selections, EPA will take into account the 
following:
    (1) Effectiveness of collaborative activities and partnerships, as 
needed to successfully implement the project;
    (2) Environmental and educational importance of the activity or 
product;
    (3) Effectiveness of the delivery mechanism (i.e., workshop, 
conference, etc.);
    (4) Cost effectiveness of the proposal; and
    (5) Geographic distribution of projects.

P. Notification to Applicants

    Applicants will receive a confirmation that EPA has received their 
proposal once EPA has received all proposals and entered them into a 
computerized database, usually within two months of receipt. Usually 
within six months of application, EPA will contact finalists to request 
additional federal forms and other information as recommended by 
reviewers.

Section VI. Grantees Responsibilities

Q. Responsible Officials

    The Act requires that projects be performed by the applicant or by 
a person satisfactory to the applicant and EPA. All proposals must 
identify any person other than the applicant who will assist in 
carrying out the project. These individuals are responsible for 
receiving the grant award agreement from EPA and ensuring that all 
grant conditions are satisfied. Recipients are responsible for the 
successful completion of the project.

R. Incurring Costs

    Grant recipients may begin incurring allowable costs on the start 
date identified in the EPA grant award agreement. Activities must be 
completed and funds spent within the time frames specified in the award 
agreement. EPA grant funds may be used only for the purposes set forth 
in the grant agreement and must conform to Federal cost principles 
contained in OMB Circular A-87; A-122; and A-21, as appropriate. 
Ineligible costs will be reduced from the final grant award.

S. Reports and Work Products

    Specific financial, technical, and other reporting requirements 
will be identified in the EPA grant award agreement. Grant recipients 
must submit formal quarterly or semi-annual progress reports, as 
instructed in the award agreement. Also, two copies of a final report 
and two copies of all work products must be sent to the EPA project 
officer within 90 days after the expiration of the budget period. This 
submission will be accepted as the final requirement, unless the EPA 
project officer notifies you that changes must be made.

Section VII. Resource Information and Mailing List

T. Internet: www.epa.gov/enviroed

    Please visit our Web site where you can view and download: federal 
forms, tips for developing successful grant applications, descriptions 
of projects funded under this program by state, and other education 
links and resource materials. The ``Excellence in EE'' series of 
publications listed there includes guidelines for: developing and 
evaluating educational materials; the initial preparation of 
environmental educators; and using environmental education in grades K-
12 to support state and local education reform goals.

U. Other Funding

    Please note that this is a very competitive grant program. Limited 
funding is available and many qualified grant applications will not be 
reached by EPA even though efforts will be made to secure funding from 
all available sources within the Agency. If your project is not funded, 
you may wish to review other available grant programs in the Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance, which is available at www.cfda.gov/ and in 
local libraries.

V. Regulatory References

    The Environmental Education Grant Program Regulations, published in 
the Federal Register on March 9, 1992, provide additional information 
on EPA's administration of this program (57 FR 8390; Title 40 CFR, part 
47 or 40 CFR part 47). Also, EPA's general assistance regulations at 40 
CFR part 31

[[Page 64257]]

apply to state, local, and Indian tribal governments and 40 CFR part 30 
applies to all other applicants such as nonprofit organizations.

W. Federal Procedures

    (1) Pre-application assistance: None planned.
    (2) Dispute Resolution Process: Procedures are in 40 CFR 30.63 and 
40 CFR 31.70.
    (3) Quality Assurance Project Plans are not required for 
Environmental Education Grants because environmental data, if any, is 
not performed by or for EPA or submitted to EPA for use.
    (3) Confidential Business Information: Applicants should clearly 
mark information contained in their proposal which they consider 
confidential business information. EPA will make final confidentiality 
decisions as specified in 40 CFR part 2, subpart B. If no such claim 
accompanies a proposal when it is received by EPA, it may be made 
available to the public without further notice to the applicant.

X. Mailing List for Environmental Education Grants

    EPA annually creates a new mailing list for this grant program, 
except that all applicants who respond to this Solicitation Notice will 
automatically be put on the next list, if there is a future grant 
cycle. A future cycle is contingent upon availability of funding. If 
you fail to submit a proposal in response to this Solicitation Notice, 
but wish to be added to the mailing list, please mail your request 
along with your name, organization, address, and phone number to: 
Environmental Education Grant Program (Year 2005), EPA Office of 
Environmental Education (1704 A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.

    Dated: November 5, 2003.
CeCe Kremer,
Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Public Affairs.

Mailing Addresses and Information

    Applicants who need more information about this grant program or 
clarification about specific requirements in this Solicitation Notice, 
may contact the Environmental Education Office in Washington, D.C. for 
grant requests of more than $25,000 in Federal funds or their EPA 
regional office for grant requests of $25,000 or less.

U.S. EPA Headquarters--for Proposals Requesting More Than $25,000 From 
EPA

Mail proposals (regular mail) to:
    Environmental Education Grant Program, Office of Environmental 
Education (1704 A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460

Fed Ex, UPS or Courier to:
    Office of Environmental Education (Room 1426 North), 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004

Information: Diane Berger or Sheri Jojokian (202) 564-0451

U.S. EPA REGIONAL OFFICES--For Proposals Requesting $25,000 or Less

    Mail the proposal to the Regional Office where the project will 
take place, rather than where the applicant is located, if these 
locations are different.

EPA Region I--CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region I, Enviro Education Grants (MGM), 1 Congress 
Street, suite 1100, Boston, MA 02114

Hand-deliver to:
    10th Floor Mail Room, Boston MA (M-F 8 a.m.-4 p.m.)

Information:
    Kristen Conroy, (617) 918-1069

EPA Region II--NJ, NY, PR, VI

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region, II, Enviro Education Grants, Grants and Contracts 
Management Branch, 290 Broadway, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10007-1866

Information:
    Teresa Ippolito, (212) 637-3671

EPA Region III--DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region III, Enviro Education Grants, Grants Management 
Section (3PM70), 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029

Information:
    Bonnie Turner-Lomax (215) 814-5542

EPA Region IV--AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region IV, Enviro Education Grants, Office of Public 
Affairs, 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, GA 30303

Information:
    Benjamin Blair, (404) 562-8321

EPA Region V--IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region V, Enviro Education Grants, Grants Management 
Section (MC-10J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604.

Information:
    Megan Gavin (312) 353-5282

Region VI--AR, LA, NM, OK, TX

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA Region VI, Enviro Education Grants (6XA), 1445 Ross 
Avenue, Dallas, TX 75202

Information:
    Jo Taylor, (214) 665-2204

Region VII--IA, KS, MO, NE

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region VII, Enviro Education Grants, Office of External 
Programs, 901 N. 5th Street, Kansas City, KS 66101

Information:
    Denise Morrison, (913) 551-7402

Region VIII--CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region VIII, Enviro Education Grants, 999 18th Street 
(80C), Denver, CO 80202-2466

Information:
    Christine Vigil, (303) 312-6605

Region IX--AZ, CA, HI, NV, American Samoa, Guam

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region IX, Enviro Education Grants (CGR-3), 75 Hawthorne 
Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

Information:
    Bill Jones, (415) 947-4276

Region X--AK, ID, OR, WA

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region X, Enviro Education Grants, Public Environmental 
Resource Center, 1200 Sixth Avenue (CEC-124), Seattle, WA 98101

Information:
    Sally Hanft, (800) 424-4372, (206) 553-1207

Instructions for the SF 424--Application

    This is a standard Federal form to be used by applicants as a 
required face sheet for the Environmental Education Grants Program. 
These instructions are modified for this program only and do not apply 
to any other Federal program.
    1. Choose ``Non-Construction''--under Application--construction 
costs are unallowable.
    2. Fill in date you forward application to EPA. Leave ``Applicant 
Identifier'' blank as it will be a federal ID number filled in by EPA. 
If you have a state ID number it goes on the line directly below.
    3. State use only (if applicable) or leave blank.
    4. New Requirement: All organizations making application for

[[Page 64258]]

federal grant funds as of the current fiscal year must acquire a DUNS 
Identification Number and enter it into the block entitled ``Federal 
Identifier.'' You may acquire a DUNS number via telephone or Web site 
from Dun and Bradstreet. The Web site is http://www.dnb.com and the 
toll free phone number is 1-866-705-5711. This new requirement is from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) so any questions about this 
process should be directed to that Federal Agency and not to EPA.
    5. Legal name of applicant organization, name of primary 
organizational unit which will undertake the grant activity, complete 
address of the applicant organization, and name, telephone, and FAX 
number of the person to contact on matters related to this application. 
You do not have to list the ``county'' as part of the address.
    6. Enter Employer Identification Number (EIN) as assigned by the 
Internal Revenue Service. You can obtain this number from your payroll 
office. It is the same Federal Identification Number which appears on 
W-2 forms. If your organization does not have a number, you may obtain 
one by calling the Taxpayer Services number for the IRS.
    7. Enter the appropriate letter in the space provided and if you 
are a not-for-profit organization you must be categorized as a 501 
(c)(3) by IRS to be eligible for this grant program..
    8. Check the box marked ``new'' since all proposals must be for new 
projects.
    9. Enter U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    10. Enter 66.951 Environmental Education Grants Program
    11. Enter a descriptive title of the project--please make it brief 
and also helpful as a descriptive title to be used in press releases 
and grant profiles which go onto our Web site.
    12. List only the largest areas affected by the project (e.g., 
State, counties, cities).
    13. Please see Section I (C) in Solicitation Notice for specifics 
on project/budget periods.
    14. In (a) list the Congressional District where the applicant 
organization is located; and in (b) any District(s) affected by the 
program or project. If your project covers many areas, several 
congressional districts will be listed. If it covers the entire state, 
simply put in STATEWIDE. If you are not sure about the congressional 
district, call the County Voter Registration Department.
    15. Amount requested or to be contributed during the funding/budget 
period by each contributor. Line (a) is for the amount of money you are 
requesting from EPA. Lines (b-e) are for the amounts either you or 
another organization are providing for this project. Line (f) is for 
any program income which you expect will be generated by this project. 
Examples of program income are fees for services performed, income 
generated from the sale of materials produced with the grant funds, or 
admission fees to a conference financed by the grant funds. The total 
of lines (b-e) must be at least 25% of line (g), because this grant 
program has a matching requirement of 25% of the TOTAL ALLOWABLE 
PROJECT COSTS. Divide line (a) by three to determine the smallest match 
allowable for your proposal. Value of in-kind contributions should be 
included on appropriate lines as applicable. For multiple program 
funding, use totals and show breakdown using same categories as item 
15.
    16. Check (b) (NO) since this program is exempt from this 
requirement.
    17. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the 
person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of debt 
include delinquent audit disallowances, loans and taxes.
    18. The authorized representative is the person who is able to 
contract or obligate your agency to the terms and conditions of the 
grant. (Please sign with blue ink.) A copy of the governing body's 
authorization for you to sign this application as official 
representative must be on file in the applicant's office.

Instructions for the SF-424A--Budget

    This is a standard Federal form used by applicants as a basic 
budget. These instructions are modified for this grant program only and 
do not apply to any other Federal Program.
    Section A--Budget Summary--Do NOT complete--Leave blank for this 
program.
    Section B--Budget Categories--Complete Columns (1), (2) and (5) as 
stated below.
    All funds requested and contributed as a match must be listed under 
the appropriate Object Class categories listed on this form. Please 
round figures to the nearest dollar. Include Federal funds in column 
(1); Non-Federal (matching) funds in column (2); then add sideways and 
put the totals in column (5) for all categories. Many applicants will 
blank lines in some Object Class Categories and no applicant should 
have an entry on line 6(g) because it is an unallowable cost for this 
program.
    Line 6(i)--Show the totals of lines 6(a) through 6(h) in each 
column.
    Line 6(j)--Show the amount of indirect costs, but ONLY if your 
organization already has an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with a Federal 
Agency and has it on file, subject to audit.
    Line 6(k)--Enter the total of amounts of Lines 6(i) and 6(j).
    Line 7--Program Income--Enter the estimated amount of income, if 
any, expected to be generated from this project. Do not add or subtract 
this amount from the total project amount. Describe the nature and 
source of income in the detailed budget description and your planned 
use of the funds.
    Detailed Itemization of Costs: The proposal must also contain a 
detailed budget description as specified in Section IV (K)(4) of this 
Notice, and should conform to the following:
    Personnel: List all participants in the project by position title. 
Give the percentage of the budget period for which they will be fully 
employed on the project (e.g., half-time for half the budget period 
equals 25%, full-time for half the budget period equals 50%, etc.). 
Give the annual salary and the total cost over the budget period for 
all personnel listed.
    Travel: If travel is budgeted, show destination and purpose of 
travel as well as costs.
    Equipment: Identify all equipment to be purchased and for what 
purpose it will be used.
    Supplies: If the supply budget is less than 2% of total costs, you 
do not need to itemize.
    Contractual: Specify the nature and cost of such services. EPA may 
require review of contracts for personal services prior to their 
execution to assure that all costs are reasonable and necessary to the 
project.
    Construction: Not allowable for this program.
    Other: Specify all other costs under this category.
    Indirect Costs: Provide an explanation of how indirect charges were 
calculated for this project.
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

[[Page 64259]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12NO03.004


[[Page 64260]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12NO03.005


[[Page 64261]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12NO03.006


[[Page 64262]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12NO03.007

[FR Doc. 03-28310 Filed 11-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-C