[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77581-77582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31974]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7727]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; Modifications to 
Grant Guidelines and Procedures

    SUMMARY: The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) 
announces four modifications to the guidelines governing the award of 
program grants and cooperative agreements by the Bureau and the

[[Page 77582]]

procedures used to implement them, beginning on or about January 3, 
2012.

Background

    The guidelines governing ECA's grant program were established in 
1983 and have been modified from time-to-time to comply with new 
directives and mandates. The four modifications outlined in this 
announcement will serve to further support the Department's Greening 
Diplomacy Initiative, help the Department adhere to new OMB guidance to 
all Federal agencies to streamline, standardize and simplify grants 
processes, allow for expanded monitoring and oversight over programs 
and increase opportunities for new organizations to compete for ECA 
programs.
    The modifications are:
    (1) Eliminating use of the Federal Register to announce ECA grant 
funding opportunities referred to as Request for Grant Proposals 
(RFGPs) and rely exclusively on the Grants.gov and ECA Web sites for 
this purpose.
    (2) Requiring all applicants submitting proposals in response to 
RFGPs to utilize the grants.gov web--portal site exclusively for 
submission of grant proposals. Thus, eliminating the current ``hard- 
copy'' submission option.
    (3) Increasing the ``pilot grant limit'' for awards to 
organizations with less than four years of experience conducting 
international exchanges from the current $60,000 level established in 
1983 to $130,000 which reflects a comparable ceiling in today's 
dollars, adjusted for inflation. ECA will also update the pilot grant 
limit from time to time in the future, not to exceed the 1983 level 
adjusted for inflation.
    (4) Modifying ECA's current grant renewal process to allow for 
Option Years for certain programs. Individual announcements for 
competed programs will contain information on whether a program will be 
renewed through additional awards or through the use of option years, 
pending successful performance and the availability of funds.

Additional Information

    For additional information please contact Hans Posey, Program 
Management Division, ECA/EX/PM, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street 
NW., Washington, DC 20037, (202) 632-6385, email: [email protected].

     Dated: December 7, 2011.
J. Adam Ereli,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-31974 Filed 12-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-11-P