NOAA Mission-Related Education Awards

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Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2012: The following audiences and institution types were served by NOAA s mission-related educational awards; numbers of learners are approximate: 4 million Pre-K to12 students; 390,000 Pre-K to 12 teachers; 10,000 informal educators;
29 million adult learners in informal science education contexts; 12 institutions of higher education; 60 informal education institutions and other non-profit organizations. Fiscal Year 2013: An estimated 36% of applications will be awarded from the Priority 2 competition run in FY13. Applicants for Priority 2 are collaborative teams that are exclusively composed of two or more 501(c)(3) non-profit aquariums in the United States. Collaborative teams must include at least one aquarium accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Projects will enhance informal/formal educators" ability to use the wealth of scientific data, data visualizations, data access technologies, information products, and other assets available through NOAA to help K-12 students and/or the public understand and respond to global change. None of the applications to Priority 1 were funded due to budget cuts. Applications to Priority 1 may be funded from FY14 funding if available. Fiscal Year 2014: N/A.

Uses and Use Restrictions

To provide funds to support educational activities and studies related to NOAA"s mission.

Funds may not be used for construction of facilities.

Individual Federal Funding Opportunities may have additional restrictions on the use of funds, other than those mandated for grants and cooperative agreements.

These awards are primarily funded through annual appropriations to the Office of Education, but may also be funded through other agency programs and offices at their discretion.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Eligible applicants include federal, state, and local governments, tribal entities, universities and colleges, nonprofit and for-profit organizations and/or individuals.

Individual Federal Funding Opportunities may have more restrictive eligibility requirements.

Beneficiary Eligibility

This program benefits other Federal, state, and local governments, tribal entities, public and private universities and colleges, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and the general public. Individual Federal Funding Opportunities may have more restrictive eligibility requirements.

Credentials/Documentation

Applicants are required to satisfy all DOC/NOAA standards and regulations, including standard and special award conditions for financial assistance. Recipients are required to use the Central Contractor Registration and Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System and be subject to reporting requirements, as identified in OMB guidance published at 2 CFR Parts 25, 170 (2010):
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr25_main_02.tpl
and http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr170_main_02.tpl. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applications, and in some cases preliminary applications, are submitted through Grants.gov. Applicants will need to enter the Funding Opportunity and/or CFDA number to access the applications package and instructions. Application package will then be submitted directly to the Program Office. This program is subject to the provisions of 15 CFR 24, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments and 15 CFR 14, Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations. For guidelines, see the specific funding opportunity.

Award Procedures

Applications will undergo an administrative review and a technical review based on NOAA standardized evaluation criteria. For each project recommended for funding under this program, NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts of a projects as required under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, 40 CFR 1500. See the funding opportunity announcement for further NEPA guidance. NOAA reserves the right to withhold the awarding of a grant or cooperative agreement to any individual or organization delinquent on a debt to the Federal government until payment is made or satisfactory arrangements are made with the agency to which the debt is owed.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Authorization

America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Reauthorization Act of 2010 ("America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010")., Public Law 111-111-358, § 302, 33 U.S.C 893 a(a).

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

> 180 Days. Approval time is expected to range from 180 to 240 days from the time of receipt of a complete application. This timeframe includes processing the award through NOAA and DOC financial assistance functions.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the sole discretion of the Department of Commerce/NOAA and contingent upon satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
Matching Requirements: Programs vary with regard to the required level of cost-sharing. Requirements are provided in the Federal Funding Opportunity announcement.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Up to five years. The funding is spent during the award"s period of performance unless otherwise negotiated between the recipient and NOAA and approved by the NOAA Grants Management Division. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Reports are due in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award.

The Department"s Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions generally require that financial and performance reports are submitted semi-annually or as otherwise required under special award conditions.

Performance reports summarize work accomplished, relate the progress to the original approved application and timeliness, explain situations where expected work has not been completed, and request modifications to the project plan as necessary.

Reports will be submitted through NOAA"s Grants Online System.

Reports are due in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award.

The Department"s Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions generally require that financial and performance reports are submitted semi-annually or as otherwise required under special award conditions.

Performance reports summarize work accomplished, relate the progress to the original approved application and timeliness, explain situations where expected work has not been completed, and request modifications to the project plan as necessary.

Reports will be submitted through NOAA"s Grants Online System.

Reports are due in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award.

The Department"s Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions generally require that financial and performance reports are submitted semi-annually or as otherwise required under special award conditions.

Performance reports summarize work accomplished, relate the progress to the original approved application and timeliness, explain situations where expected work has not been completed, and request modifications to the project plan as necessary.

Reports will be submitted through NOAA"s Grants Online System.

Expenditure reports are not applicable.

Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

All financial and programmatic records, supporting documents, statistical reports, and other records of grantees or sub-grantees are required to be maintained in accordance with the terms of the award. The recipient must retain records for 3 years from the date with the final financial status report is submitted.

Financial Information

Account Identification

13-1450-0-1-306.

Obigations

(Cooperative Agreements) FY 12 $5,082,096; FY 13 est $3,487,883; and FY 14 est $0 - The Administration"s Fiscal Year 2014 request was zero, but available funding may be higher depending on the outcome of FY2014 Congressional appropriations.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Awards typically range from $100,000 to $1,500,000 under the competitive process, with an average award amount of approximately $500,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Department of Commerce Grants and Cooperative Agreements Regulations. Allowable cost will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular A-87 for State and local governments and Indian Tribes; OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit and for-profit organizations; OMB Circular A-21 for institutions of higher education. Financial assistance management will be in accordance with 15 CFR Part 14 for institutions of higher education, hospitals, and other non-profit and commercial organizations, and with 15 CFR Part 24 for state and local governments For programmatic information on past and current funding opportunities, visit http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/grants/.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Office of Education HCHB 6863
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20230 Email: oed.grants@noaa.gov Phone: 202-482-3384

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Applications will undergo an administrative review and a technical merit review based on NOAA standardized evaluation criteria. NOAA standardized selection factors may also be used in making the final selection.