[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55610-55622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20796]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OEE 04-03; FRL-7812-9]


Office of Environmental Education; Solicitation Notice, 
Environmental Education Grants Program (CFDA 66.951), Fiscal Year 2005

Contents

Section I--Funding Opportunity and Overview
Section II--Award Information
Section III--Eligibility of Applicants/Activities
Section IV--Application Requirements and Matching Funds
Section V--Application Review and Selection Process
Section VI--Award Information and Grantee Responsibilities
Section VII--Agency Contacts and Resource Information
Appendices--Federal Forms and Instructions

Section I--Funding Opportunity and Overview

A. Overview

    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 
that promote environmental stewardship. This grant program provides 
financial support for projects which design, demonstrate, or 
disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques 
as described in this notice. This program is authorized under Section 6 
of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990 (the Act) (Public 
Law 101-619). These grants require non-federal matching funds for at 
least 25% of the total cost of the project.
    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.


    Please Note: 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 2005 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 (http://www.epa.gov/enviroed). Any grant 
awards to be made are subject to Congressional action to appropriate

[[Page 55611]]

funds for EPA's Environmental Education Grant Program. EPA reserves 
the right to reject all proposals and make no awards.

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--November 15, 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, 2005 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 $50,000 in Federal environmental 
education grant funds must be mailed to EPA Headquarters in Washington, 
DC; proposals requesting $50,000 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.

Section II--Award Information

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 which are approximately $3 million per grant 
cycle. The competition for grants is intense, especially at 
Headquarters which usually receives over 200 proposals and is usually 
able to fund 10 to12 grants or about 5% of the applicants. The EPA 
Regional Offices receive fewer applications and on average fund over 
30% each year.
    A large share of the annual funding is distributed through the 
regional office grants because Congress directs EPA to award small 
grants to local schools and organizations. By limiting the size of the 
grants, EPA is able to reach more applicant organizations. In summary, 
you will significantly increase your chance of being funded if your 
budget is competitive and you request $10,000 or less from a Regional 
Office or $100,000 or less from Headquarters. EPA Grants in excess of 
$100,000 are seldom awarded through this program and proposals for over 
$150,000 will not be considered.

F. Multiple or Repeat Proposals

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

Section III--Eligibility of Applicants and Activities

G. 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 or faculty member may not apply.

H. 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

[[Page 55612]]

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 above in Paragraph (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.

J. Educational Priorities for Funding

    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 or local 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.
    Definitions: The terms used above and in Section IV are defined as 
follows:
    Environmental Stewardship refers to behavior to protect human 
health and the environment such as recycling wastes to the greatest 
extent possible, minimizing or eliminating pollution at its sources, 
and using energy and natural resources efficiently to reduce impacts on 
the environment.
    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 http://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 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.
    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--Application Requirements 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

[[Page 55613]]

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 outcomes 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 
Paragraph (J) you will address, such as education reform or teaching 
skills. 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, 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, who, when, how, and with what. Explain each aspect of 
your proposal in enough detail to answer a grant reviewer's questions. 
To facilitate the comparison of your project with others it is to your 
advantage to use the format and order described below. If you change 
the order, include the headings below or you risk the possibility of 
important information being overlooked when the project is scored. 
Please address all of the following to ensure that grant reviewers can 
fully comprehend and score your project fairly.
    This subsection will be scored on how well you design and describe 
your project; how effectively your project meets the following 
criteria; and how well you describe your specific tasks to enable EPA 
to measure your success after the project is underway.
    (a) Why: Explain the purpose of your project and how it will 
address an educational priority listed in Paragraph (J), such as 
teaching skills. 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. Explain how 
your project will increase environmental stewardship. 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 explain it.
    (b) Who: Explain who will manage and conduct the project; also 
identify the target audience, the number to be trained, 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 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.
    (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. Note: Restrictions on the 
development of curriculum and educational materials are specified in 
Paragraph 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 2005 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. (See more detailed 
instructions for Budget Form 424A in back.)
    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. High indirect costs may affect the 
competitiveness of your proposal.
--Funds for salaries and fringe benefits may be requested only for 
those

[[Page 55614]]

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.
    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, milestone, 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) How well 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, enhancing 
environmental stewardship, 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 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 Paragraph (K) 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 at the end of this 
document and the deadline for submission is in Paragraph (C).
    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.--Application 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

[[Page 55615]]

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; and send rejection letters to the others.

Section VI--Award Information--Grantee Responsibilities

Q. Responsible Officials

    Projects must 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 Circulars 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 to 
measure your progress 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 or that tasks are incomplete.

Section VII--Agency Contacts--Resource Information

T. Internet: http://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, at http://www.cfda.gov/ and http://www.grants.gov which also lists funding opportunities.

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 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) 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 (future grant cycles are 
contingent upon availability of funding from Congress). If you fail to 
submit a proposal in response to this Solicitation Notice, but wish to 
be notified when it is issued, or added to the mailing list, please 
enter your e-mail address on our Web site or mail your request along 
with your name, organization, address, and phone number to: 
Environmental Education Grant Program (Year 2006), EPA Office of 
Environmental Education (1704 A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.


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    Dated: September 9, 2004.
Cece Kremer,
Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Public Affairs.

Mailing Addresses and Information

    Applicants who need clarification about specific requirements in 
this Solicitation Notice, may contact the Environmental Education 
Office in Washington, DC for grant requests of more than $50,000 in 
Federal funds, or their EPA regional office for grant requests of 
$50,000 or less. Addresses differ for courier versus postal service 
at Headquarters and in some regions.

U.S. EPA Headquarters--For Proposals Requesting More Than $50,000 
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 1426A 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 $50,000 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, [email protected].

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, [email protected].

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, [email protected].

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, [email protected].

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, [email protected].

EPA 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, [email protected].

Region VII--IA, KS, MO, NE

Mail proposal 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, [email protected].

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, (800) 227-8917 ext. 6605, 
[email protected].

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

Mail proposals to:
    U.S. EPA, Region IX, Enviro Education Grants (PPA-2), 75 
Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105.

Information:
    Bill Jones, (415) 947-4276, [email protected].

Region X--AK, ID, OR, WA

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

Information:
    Sally Hanft, (800) 424-4372, (206) 553-1207,  
[email protected].

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 the 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. DUNS Number: All organizations making application for federal 
grant funds must now have a DUNS Identification Number. Enter it 
into the block entitled ``Federal Identifier'' or if you use a form 
from another Web site, you may enter the DUNS number in Section 5. 
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.
    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, 
FAX number and email address 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

[[Page 55617]]

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 have blank lines in some Object Class Categories and 
no applicant should use line 6(g) Construction because it is an 
unallowable cost for this program. Note: Your figures on the Form 
424 and 424A and detailed budget should all wind up with the same 
total dollars.
    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 to enhance your project.
    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.). The detail should include for each person: 
Percentage of Time on project X Annual Salary = Personnel Cost. List 
this data for all personnel in your detailed budget and then put the 
total on the Form 424A.
    Travel: If travel is budgeted, show trips, destinations, and 
purpose of travel as well as costs.
    Equipment: Identify each piece of equipment with a cost of 
$5,000 or more per unit to be purchased and explain the purpose for 
which it will be used. List less costly items under supplies.
    Supplies: List categories of supplies, e.g. laboratory supplies 
and office supplies for items that can be grouped. 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: Not allowable unless you have an approved rate 
with a Federal agency. Provide an explanation of how indirect 
charges were calculated for this project. Be aware that high 
indirect costs may reduce the competitiveness of your proposal.
    Income: Describe the source of your income and how it will be 
used to enhance your project.

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[FR Doc. 04-20796 Filed 9-14-04; 8:45 am]
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