[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23961-23968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09604]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Project Prevent Grant Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

Project Prevent Grant Program

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2014.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.184M.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: April 29, 2014.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2014.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 27, 2014.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Project Prevent Grant Program provides 
grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to increase their capacity 
to help schools in communities with pervasive violence to better 
address the needs of affected students and to break the cycle of 
violence.

Background

    Children's exposure to violence, whether as victims or witnesses, 
is often associated with long-term physical, psychological, and 
emotional harms. These harms, among others, include depression, 
anxiety, and post-traumatic disorders; failing or having difficulty in 
school; and delinquency or criminal behavior, including violent acts.
    Several Federal agencies have worked to address the issues 
surrounding children's exposure to violence. Since 1980, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention has been studying patterns of 
violence and the effects of violence on communities and individuals, 
and it has been advancing strategies to prevent violence and mitigate 
the impacts of exposure to violence.\1\ Furthermore, in 2010, Attorney 
General Eric Holder launched the Defending Childhood initiative to 
better understand and address the problem of children's exposure to 
violence. As part of this initiative, the Attorney General's Task Force 
on Children Exposed to Violence released a report and national action 
plan in December 2012, which helped inform the development of the 
Project Prevent Grant Program.\2\
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    \1\ National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division 
of Violence Prevention. Retrieved from: www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention.
    \2\ U.S. Department of Justice. (2012). Report of the Attorney 
General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence. 
Retrieved from: www.justice.gov/defendingchildhood/task-force.html.
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    In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has 
launched a national effort to ``reduce the pervasive, harmful, and 
costly health impact of violence and trauma by integrating trauma-
informed approaches throughout health, behavioral health, and related 
systems and addressing the behavioral health needs of people involved 
in or at risk of involvement in the criminal and juvenile justice 
systems.'' This includes the outlining of ``Principles and Guidance for 
a Trauma-Informed Approach.'' \3\
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    \3\ Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. 
(2012). SAMHSA's Working Definition of Trauma and Principles and 
Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach. Retrieved from: http://samhsa.gov/traumaJustice.
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    On January 16, 2013, President Obama proposed ``Now is the Time,'' 
a comprehensive plan that proposed a series of actions and steps to 
protect our children and communities by reducing gun violence, 
including Project Prevent. The Project Prevent Grant Program also was 
included in the President's FY 2014 budget request, and Congress 
provided funding for the new program in the Department of Education 
Appropriations Act, 2014.
    Project Prevent grants will enable LEAs to increase their capacity 
to identify, assess, and serve students

[[Page 23962]]

exposed to pervasive violence, helping to ensure that affected students 
are offered mental health services for trauma or anxiety; support 
conflict resolution programs; and implement other school-based violence 
prevention strategies in order to reduce the likelihood that these 
students will later commit violent acts.
    Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and two 
competitive preference priorities. We are establishing the absolute 
priority and competitive preference priority 1 for the FY 2014 grant 
competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the 
list of unfunded applications from this competition, in accordance with 
section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 
U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). Competitive preference priority 2 is from the notice 
of final priority published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2014 
(79 FR 17035).

    Absolute Priority:  For FY 2014 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:

Absolute Priority--Expand the Capacity of LEAs To Assist Schools in 
Communities With Pervasive Violence To Break the Cycle of Violence by 
Better Meeting the Needs of Affected Students

    Under this priority, we provide funding for projects to expand the 
capacity of LEAs to more effectively assist affected schools in 
communities with pervasive violence to better meet the needs of 
students directly or indirectly exposed to pervasive violence. These 
projects must offer students: (1) Access to school-based counseling 
services, or referrals to community-based counseling services, for 
assistance in coping with trauma or anxiety; (2) school-based social 
and emotional supports for students to help address the effects of 
violence; (3) conflict resolution and other school-based strategies to 
prevent future violence; and (4) a safer and improved school 
environment, which may include, among others, activities to decrease 
the incidence of harassment, bullying, violence, gang involvement, and 
substance abuse. Applicants must address all four subparts of this 
absolute priority.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2014 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from 
this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional three 
points to an application that meets competitive preference priority 1 
and an additional three points to an application that meets competitive 
preference priority 2.

    Note: Applicants may address either of the competitive 
preference priorities or both. An applicant must identify in the 
abstract section of its application the competitive preference 
priority or priorities it wishes the Department to consider. The 
Department will not review or award points under any competitive 
preference priority for any application that fails to do so.

    In addition, an applicant must describe and list by name in the 
application narrative the school(s) that will be served under 
competitive preference priority 1, including information on how each of 
those school(s) meets the definition of high-poverty school, as defined 
in this notice. Applicants should submit a letter from the lead entity 
of a designated Promise Zone attesting to the contribution that the 
proposed activities would make, and supporting the application. A list 
of designated Promise Zones and lead organizations can be found at 
www.hud.gov/promisezones.
    These priorities are:

 Competitive Preference Priority 1--Serving High-Poverty Schools

    Projects that serve students in high-poverty schools (as defined in 
this notice).

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Promise Zones

    Projects that are designed to serve and coordinate with a federally 
designated Promise Zone.\4\
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    \4\ For additional information on Promise Zones, see 
www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/01/08/fact-sheet-president-obama-s-promise-zones-initiative.
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    Application Requirements: The following requirements apply to all 
applications submitted under this competition.
    (1) Description of the severity and magnitude of the problem and 
identification of schools to be served by the proposed project.
    Applicants must describe how pervasive violence in the community is 
specifically affecting students in schools to be served by project 
activities. Applicants must describe the nature of the problem for a 
specific geographic area, based on information such as, but not limited 
to, incidents of community domestic violence or violent crime; rates of 
child abuse and neglect; school crime and safety data; student mental 
health screenings or assessments; surveys of school climate; surveys of 
student engagement; or other relevant data and information as 
appropriate. The description may also include demographic data provided 
by U.S. Census surveys. In order to assess the magnitude of the problem 
and ensure the schools selected have the greatest need, data cited must 
be compared to similar data at the State or local level, and on a per 
capita basis (such as homicides per 100,000 persons) when available.
    (2) Collaboration and coordination with related Federal, State, and 
local initiatives.
    Applicants must describe how they intend to work collaboratively 
with Federal, State and local juvenile justice, mental health, public 
health, child welfare, and other community agencies to achieve project 
goals and objectives. Applicants must also describe proposed 
coordination with existing federally funded efforts related to youth 
violence prevention and mental health promotion (such as the National 
Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, Defending Childhood, and other 
violence prevention-related grants administered by the U.S. Department 
of Justice, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), if 
applicable. Evidence of collaboration and coordination must be provided 
through letters of support from local or State agencies and other 
federally funded projects, if applicable. Finally, applicants must 
describe how they will use Project Prevent Grant Program funds to 
complement, rather than duplicate, existing, ongoing, or new efforts to 
reduce youth violence and mitigate the effects of pervasive violence on 
students.
    (3) Expand and improve LEA capacity to serve students exposed to 
pervasive violence and ensure affected students receive mental health 
services, as appropriate.
    Applicants must describe the specific activities they will conduct 
to expand and improve LEA capacity to serve students exposed to 
pervasive violence, ensure that affected students receive appropriate 
mental health services, and break the cycle of violence. To meet this 
requirement, the applicant must propose three or more of the following:
    (a) Professional development opportunities for LEA and school 
mental health staff (e.g., counselors, psychologists, social workers, 
and psychiatrists) on how to screen for and respond to violence-related 
trauma and implement appropriate school-based mitigation strategies.

[[Page 23963]]

    (b) Improving the range, availability, and quality of school-based 
mental health services by hiring qualified school psychologists, school 
counselors, or school social workers with expertise or training in 
violence prevention and responding to the mental health needs of 
students who have experienced trauma as a result of exposure to 
violence.
    (c) Providing training to select school staff (e.g., teachers, 
administrators, and support staff), community partners, youth, and 
parents on the problem of student exposure to pervasive violence, as 
well as the importance of screening students and providing 
interventions to help students cope with traumatic events.
    (d) Addressing the needs of students in affected schools by 
developing or improving processes to better target services to these 
students and developing or improving processes to assess students who 
are exposed to pervasive violence and who may be experiencing resulting 
mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders.
    (e) Enhancing linkages between LEA mental health services and 
community mental health systems to ensure affected students receive 
referrals to treatment as appropriate, including linkages that leverage 
new opportunities under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 
such as the expansion of mental health and substance use disorder 
coverage.
    (4) Delivery of a continuum of evidenced-based programs and 
practices in selected schools to promote conflict resolution, improve 
school climate and safety, and implement other school-based strategies 
to break the cycle of violence.
    Applicants must provide a description of the continuum of the 
evidence-based programs and practices that will be implemented at the 
school level to break the cycle of violence. The threshold for 
evidence-based programs is those that, at a minimum, are supported by 
evidence of promise (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)). These programs and 
practices must include all of the following:
    (a) Interventions and activities that serve all students in a 
school, regardless of risk level, with the goal of preventing negative 
or violent behavior (such as bullying, fighting, gang participation, 
and sexual assault) and enhancing student knowledge and skills 
regarding positive behavior (such as conflict resolution and other 
skills);
    (b) Interventions and activities (such as those related to anger 
management, conflict resolution, promotion of positive behavior, and 
development of protective factors) that target individual students or a 
sub-group of students whose risk of developing mental or behavioral 
disorders is significantly higher than average; and
    (c) Interventions and services that target individual students who 
are at risk for, and have shown signs of, mental, emotional, or 
behavioral disorders; exhibit aggressive, violent, or disruptive 
behavior; or participate in gangs.
    To meet this requirement, applicants must discuss the research and 
evidence supporting the proposed programs and practices and the 
estimated effects on the target population. Applicants may use the 
Federal registries listed in the application package for identifying 
such programs and practices.
    Definitions: We are establishing the definition of ``school 
engagement'' in this notice for the FY 2014 grant competition and any 
subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded 
applications from this competition, in accordance with section 
437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). The definition of ``high-
poverty school'' is from the notice of final supplemental priorities 
and definitions for discretionary grant programs published in the 
Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486) and corrected on 
May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637). The definition of ``local educational 
agency'' is from section 9101(26) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7801(26), and is 
included for the convenience of the reader. The definitions of 
``ambitious'' and ``baseline data'' are from 34 CFR 77.1.
    Ambitious means promoting continued, meaningful improvement for 
program participants or for other individuals or entities affected by 
the grant, or representing a significant advancement in the field of 
education research, practices, or methodologies. When used to describe 
a performance target, whether a performance target is ambitious depends 
upon the context of the relevant performance measure and the baseline 
for that measure.
    Baseline data means the starting point from performance is measured 
and targets are set.
    High-poverty school means a school in which at least 50 percent of 
students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the 
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50 
percent of students are from low-income families as determined using 
one of the criteria specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the ESEA, as 
amended. For middle and high schools, eligibility may be calculated on 
the basis of comparable data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a 
high-poverty school under this definition is determined on the basis of 
the most currently available data.
    Local educational agency (LEA) means:
    (1) A public board of education or other public authority legally 
constituted within a State for either administrative control or 
direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary 
schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school 
district, or other political subdivision of a State, or of or for a 
combination of school districts or counties that is recognized in a 
State as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or 
secondary schools.
    (2) The term includes any other public institution or agency having 
administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or 
secondary school.
    (3) The term includes an elementary school or secondary school 
funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs but only to the extent that 
including the school makes the school eligible for programs for which 
specific eligibility is not provided to the school in another provision 
of law and the school does not have a student population that is 
smaller than the student population of the local educational agency 
receiving assistance under this Act with the smallest student 
population, except that the school shall not be subject to the 
jurisdiction of any State educational agency other than the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs.
    (4) The term includes educational service agencies and consortia of 
those agencies.
    (5) The term includes the State educational agency in a State in 
which the State educational agency is the sole educational agency for 
all public schools.
    School engagement means participation in school-related activities, 
and the quality of school relationships, which may include 
relationships between and among administrators, teachers, parents, and 
students.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, definitions, and 
application requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows 
the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements, regulations 
governing the first grant competition under a new or substantially 
revised program authority.

[[Page 23964]]

This is the first grant competition for this program under the 
appropriation for Safe Schools and Citizenship Education in the 
Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2014, Title III of Division 
H of P.L. 113-76, and section 4121 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7131) and 
therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant 
awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo public comment on the 
absolute priority and competitive preference priority 1, the 
application requirements and the definitions under section 437(d)(1) of 
GEPA. These priorities, application requirements, and definitions will 
apply to the FY 2014 grant competition and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7131; the Department of Education 
Appropriations Act, 2014, Title III of Division H of Pub. L. 113-76.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department suspension and 
debarment regulations in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The regulations in CFR 
part 299. (d) The notice of final priority published in the Federal 
Register on March 27, 2014 (79 FR 17035).

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $9,750,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in in FY 2015 from the list 
of unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000 to $1,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $487,500.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: LEAs, including charter schools that are 
considered LEAs under State law.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: An entity that receives a grant under this program is 
required to provide for the equitable participation of private school 
children and their teachers or other educational personnel.
    In order to ensure that grant program activities address the needs 
of private school children, the applicant must engage in timely and 
meaningful consultation with appropriate private school officials 
during the design and development of the program. This consultation 
must take place before the applicant makes any decision that affects 
the opportunities of eligible private school children, teachers, and 
other educational personnel to participate. Administrative direction 
and control over grant funds must remain with the grantee (See section 
9501, Participation by Private School Children and Teachers, of the 
ESEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following 
address: www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html. To obtain a 
copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S. 
Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. 
Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), 
call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: [email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.184M.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the person listed under Accessible 
Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
provide the project narrative and management plan to address the 
selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. The 
required budget and budget narrative will be provided in a separate 
section. You must limit the application narrative to the equivalent of 
no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial.
    The page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget 
section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances 
and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the 
bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page limit does 
apply to all of the application narrative section.
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that 
exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: April 29, 
2014.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2014.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand 
delivery, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission Requirements 
of this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII 
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 27, 2014.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.

[[Page 23965]]

    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and System for Award Management: To do business with the 
Department of Education, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award 
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the 
Government's primary registrant database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one-to-two business days.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business 
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the 
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by 
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal 
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, 
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number 
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.

    Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to 
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in 
Grants.gov and before you can submit an application through 
Grants.gov.

    If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make 
any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with 
your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update 
your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
    Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further 
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in 
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov 
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
    In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the 
following Grants.gov Web page: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify 
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the 
instructions in this section.

a. Electronic Submission of Applications

    Applications for grants under the Project Prevent Grant Program, 
CFDA number 84.184M, must be submitted electronically using the 
Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this 
site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, 
complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You 
may not email an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Project 
Prevent Grant Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the 
downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA 
number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search 
(e.g., search for 84.184, not 84.184M).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 
system home page at www.G5.gov.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications.
     You must upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) 
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not

[[Page 23966]]

review that material. (Additional, detailed information on how to 
attach files is in the application instructions.)
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by email. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.

    Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed 
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before 
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Earl Myers, Jr., U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E247, 
Washington, DC 20202. FAX: (202) 453-6742.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.

b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.

    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail 
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.184M), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery

    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
CFDA Number 84.184M, 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 
receive this notification within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and are listed in the application package.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any

[[Page 23967]]

discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may consider, under 34 
CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the applicant in carrying out 
a previous award, such as the applicant's use of funds, achievement of 
project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary 
may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a timely 
performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary 
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is 
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; 
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the 
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled 
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: (a) Program Performance Measures. The 
Department has established the following performance measures for 
assessing the effectiveness of the Project Prevent Grant Program:
    (1) The percentage of grantees that report a measurable decrease in 
violent, aggressive, and disruptive behavior in schools served by the 
grant.
    (2) The percentage of grantees that report a measurable increase in 
the number of students in schools served by the grant receiving school-
based and community mental health services to address student needs 
resulting from exposure to violence.
    (3) The percentage of grantees that report a measurable increase in 
the school engagement (as defined in this notice) of students served by 
the grant.
    These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success 
for this program.
    (b) Project Performance Measures. The project performance measures 
are:
    (1) Annual decrease in violent, aggressive, and disruptive behavior 
in schools served by the grant.
    (2) Annual increase in the number of students in schools served by 
the grant receiving school-based and community mental health services 
to address student needs resulting from exposure to violence.
    (3) Annual increase in the school engagement (as defined in this 
notice) of students served by the grant.
    (c) Baseline data. Applicants must provide baseline data (as 
defined in this notice) for each of the project performance measures 
listed in (b) and explain why each proposed baseline is valid; or, if 
the applicant has determined that there are no established baseline 
data for a particular performance measure, explain why there is no 
established baseline and explain how and when, during the project 
period, the applicant will establish a valid baseline for the 
performance measure.
    (d) Performance measure targets. In addition, the applicant must 
propose annual targets for the measures listed in paragraph (b) in 
their application. Applications must also provide the following 
information as directed under 34 CFR 75.110(b) and (c):
    (1) Why each proposed performance target is ambitious (as defined 
in this notice) yet achievable compared to the baseline for the 
performance measure.
    (2) (a) The data collection and reporting methods the applicant 
would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, 
and meaningful performance data; and (b) the applicant's capacity to 
collect and report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as 
evidenced by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in 
other projects or research.

    Note: If the applicant does not have experience with collection 
and reporting of performance data through other projects or 
research, the applicant should provide other evidence of capacity to 
successfully carry out data collection and reporting for its 
proposed project.

    The reviewers of each application will score related selection 
criteria on the basis of how well an applicant has considered these 
measures in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) in conceptualizing the 
approach and evaluation of the project.
    All grantees must submit an annual performance report and final 
performance report with information that is responsive to these 
performance measures.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the 
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a 
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives 
in its approved application'' and the performance measurement and 
target requirements in the application notice. This consideration 
includes the review of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and 
projected outcomes in its approved application, and whether the grantee 
has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with its approved 
application and budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary 
also considers whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the 
assurances in its approved application, including those applicable to 
Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Earl Myers, Jr., U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E247, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 453-6716 or by email: [email protected].

[[Page 23968]]

    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-
8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to 
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
in section VII of this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free 
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the 
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well 
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the 
site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: April 23, 2014.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2014-09604 Filed 4-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P