Office of Environmental Education; Environmental Education Grants Program Solicitation Notice for 2006 Announcement Type: New Announcement, 57278-57291 [05-19708]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 189 (Friday, September 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57278-57291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19708]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7978-1; RFA NO: EPA-OEE-05-03]


Office of Environmental Education; Environmental Education Grants 
Program Solicitation Notice for 2006 Announcement Type: New 
Announcement

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: 66.951.

    Application Deadline: The closing date and time for receipt of 
Applications is November 23, 2005, 5 p.m. All applications, however 
transmitted, must be received in Headquarters or a Regional Office by 
the closing date and time to receive consideration. See Section IV(D) 
for further information.
    Where To Send Applications: Mailing addresses are provided in 
Section VII.
    Authorizing Legislation: Section 6 of the National Environmental 
Education Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-619).
    Number of Awards: 150 grants are estimated, subject to the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications received. Most 
grants will be in the $10,000 to $15,000 range.
    Funding Amount: Approximately $3 million.
    Cost Sharing Requirement: Applicant must provide non-federal 
matching funds of at least 25% of the total cost of the project.
    Project Period: July 1, 2006 is the earliest start date and most 
grants are for one year.
    Award Date: July 1, 2006.

Contents By Section

I. Funding Opportunity Description
II. Award Information
III. Eligibility Information
IV. Application and Submission Information
V. Application Review Information
VI. Award Administration Information
VII. Agency Contacts
Appendices
    A--Federal Forms and Instructions
    B--Checklist for Proposal and Performance Measures

Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Summary

    This document solicits grant proposals to support environmental 
education projects that promote environmental stewardship and help 
develop aware and responsible students, teachers, and citizens. 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 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 and 
requests for any other information needed to process your proposal.

B. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Results

    (1) Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan: The environmental education 
grants program supports progress towards EPA Strategic Goal 5 
(Compliance and Environmental Stewardship), Objective 5.2 (Improve 
Environmental Performance through Pollution Prevention and Innovation), 
and Sub-Objective 5.2.1 (Prevent pollution and promote environmental 
stewardship by government and the public). Recipients of these grants 
will further EPA's strategic goals by implementing environmental 
education projects that improve environmental behavior through 
nonregulatory means, raise the public's awareness of actions it can 
take to prevent pollution, and promote environmental stewardship. EPA, 
in negotiating an assistance agreement work plan under this 
competition, will ensure that the work plan contains well-defined 
outputs, and to the extent practicable, well-defined outcomes.
    Environmental Stewardship is defined for environmental education 
purposes as: Voluntary commitment, behavior, and accomplishments that 
result in environmental protection or improvement. Stewardship refers 
to an acceptance of personal responsibility for actions to improve 
environmental quality and to achieve sustainable outcomes. Stewardship 
involves initiatives and actions to enhance the state of the 
environment for the benefit of humanity and the animal kingdom. Some 
examples are: Minimizing or eliminating pollution at its source; using 
energy and natural resources efficiently; decreasing the use of 
hazardous chemicals; recycling wastes effectively; and conserving or 
restoring forests, prairies, wetlands, rivers, and urban parks to 
improve the quality of ecosystems, health, and life itself. Stewardship 
can be practiced by individuals, groups, schools, organizations, 
companies, communities, and government organizations.
    (2) Outputs refer to measurable quantitative or qualitative 
activities, efforts, deliverables, or work products that the applicant 
proposes to undertake during the project period. EPA anticipates that 
outputs from the awards made under this announcement will include: 
Outreach projects to educate the public about environmental issues; the 
conduct of workshops, classroom activities, or field trips; training 
sessions for educators; development of educational materials and Web 
sites; and the conduct of needs assessments. See Appendix B for further 
information on outputs. A grant proposal must clearly define outputs 
that can be measured during the funding period. Grant recipients are 
required to submit to EPA status reports about their progress achieving 
outputs once the project is implemented.
    (3) Outcomes refer to the result, effect, or consequence that will 
occur from carrying out the activities or outputs of the environmental 
education project that will support the EPA strategic goal. Outcomes 
may be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic, must 
be quantitative, and may not necessarily be achievable during the 
project period. Outcomes may also be classified as short-, medium-, and 
long-term. Short-term outcomes include: Increased learning, knowledge, 
skills, attitudes, and motivation and must occur during the project 
period. Medium-term outcomes include: Decisions, actions, practices, 
and behavior which are the foundations of stewardship. For example, a 
project directed at students might include students cleaning up a 
stream, beach, habitat, or nature trail. A project directed at teachers 
might include teachers taking newly acquired skills into classrooms to 
teach and motivate students. Most projects will accomplish some medium-
term outcomes during the project period. Long-term outcomes include: 
Enhanced civic responsibility, educational improvements; and 
environmental improvements. These outcomes are longer term and may 
occur after the project closes, such as a more environmentally literate 
public that takes action to restore or protect a watershed or transform 
a brownfields site into an inner city park.

[[Page 57279]]

    Anticipated outcomes for environmental education grants include: 
(1) Promotion of environmental stewardship; (2) increased environmental 
knowledge and public awareness of environmental issues as measured by 
pre- and post-training surveys; (3) improved environmental literacy; 
(4) improved teacher access to training and research on environmental 
topics; and (5) sustainable environmental education programs. See 
Appendix B for further information on outcomes.
    (4) Environmental Results and Performance Measures refer to methods 
of determining how successful you are at completing your planned 
outputs and outcomes, which must result in improved environmental 
results over time. Progress reports to EPA must document that outputs 
and short-term outcomes are completed, and that progress was made on 
medium- and long-term outcomes. See Section V(B)(3), for the 
requirements on evaluating your success in measuring performance. Your 
proposal must address those outputs and outcomes (as identified above 
and in Appendix B) that are appropriate for your project.
    In summary, all proposals must promote stewardship and define 
measurable results that can be evaluated and reported to EPA once a 
grant project is underway.

C. Statutory Authority for Education

    Section 6 of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990 (Pub. 
L. 101-619) authorizes the award of Environmental Education Grants. For 
purposes of this action, Environmental ``Education'' and 
``Information'' are defined as follows:
    Environmental Education: Increases public awareness and knowledge 
about environmental issues and provides the skills necessary 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. For example, 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.

D. Educational Priorities for Funding and Definition of Terms

    All proposals must satisfy the definition of ``environmental 
education'' specified above and also address at least one of these 
educational priorities to qualify for a grant. The order of the list is 
random and does not indicate a ranking.
    (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:
    Capacity Building as used here has a statewide focus and many 
proposals have been rejected for failure to satisfy the scope of this 
definition. If you plan to address this priority, please read this 
whole paragraph carefully. Capacity building 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, 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 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.
    Education Reform refers to state, local, or tribal efforts to 
improve student academic achievement. 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, i.e., 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.

Section II. Award Information

A. Type of Assistance Instrument To Be Awarded

    Assistance Agreement (Grant).

[[Page 57280]]

B. Number and Amount of Awards

    Approximately $3 million is available for awards under this 
announcement. This grant program generates a great deal of public 
enthusiasm for developing environmental education projects. 
Consequently, EPA receives more applications for these grants than can 
be supported with available funds. Under this announcement, 
Headquarters awards grants larger than $50,000 in federal funds and the 
10 EPA Regional Offices fund the smaller grants. The competition for 
grants is intense, especially at Headquarters which often receives 
between 150 and 200 proposals and will fund 10 to12 grants, or less 
than 10% of the applicants. The average size of Headquarters grants is 
about $79,000. EPA grants in excess of $100,000 are seldom awarded 
through this program and proposals for Headquarters grants over 
$150,000 will not be considered.
    Regional offices usually receive fewer proposals than Headquarters 
and typically fund between 12 and 15 grants per Region, or about 30% of 
the applications received. The total number of grants awarded in all 
Regions nationwide will exceed 100 grants. Most of those grants will be 
in the $10,000 to $15,000 range and none will exceed $50,000. Proposals 
for Regional grants over $50,000 will not be considered.
    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.

C. Other Funding Provisions

    EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no awards 
under this announcement. EPA also reserves the right to fund additional 
awards for up to 4-months after the original selections are made, if 
additional funding becomes available, and consistent with Agency 
policy. In addition, EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals 
by funding discrete activities, portions, or phases of a proposed 
project. If EPA decides to partially fund a proposal, it will do so in 
a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis 
upon which the proposal, or portion thereof, was evaluated or selected 
for award, and that maintains the integrity of the competition and the 
evaluation/selection process.

D. Multiple or Repeat Proposals

    An organization may submit more than one proposal to Headquarters 
and or a Regional office 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 for a different 
project. All proposals will be considered new and will be evaluated 
based upon the specific criteria set forth in this solicitation. Only 
those with the highest scores each annual cycle will receive grants. 
Due to limited resources, EPA does not 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 received a grant from this program in the past, it is 
essential that you explain how your current proposal is new.

Section III. Eligibility Information

A. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

    All proposals will first be reviewed for compliance with threshold 
eligibility factors, which are described in more detail below. In 
addition, applications must be received by EPA on or before the 
solicitation closing date published in Section IV of this announcement. 
Applications received after the published closing date will be returned 
to the sender without further consideration.
    Proposals must meet all of the threshold factors in order to be 
eligible for funding. Only those proposals that are deemed eligible 
will be reviewed based on the factors identified in Section V(B). The 
threshold criteria are:
    (1) Proposal must substantially comply with the submission 
instructions in Section IV(D);
    (2) The Applicant must be an eligible organization (see Section 
III(B) for more details on eligible applicants);
    (3) The Applicant must meet the non-federal match (see Section 
III(C) below for more information);
    (4)(a) For Headquarters grants, the Applicant requests $150,000 or 
less; (b) For Regional grants, the Applicant requests $50,000 or less;
    (5) The Applicant must propose a project that meets the definition 
of environmental education (see Section I(C) for more information);
    (6) The Applicant must meet at least one of the educational 
priorities (See Section I(D) for more information); and
    (7) The Applicant must propose to perform an eligible activity (See 
Section III(D) for more information)

B. Eligible Applicants

    Any local education agency, college or university, state education 
or environmental agency, 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 or territories and 
the majority of the educational activities must take place in the 
United States and territories, 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.

C. Matching Funds

    Non-federal matching funds of at least 25% of the total cost of the 
grant project are required. The matching requirement is explained in 
detail in Section IV(A)(4) under Budget and Non-Federal Match.

D. 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 Section I(C);
    (3) Lobbying or political activities as defined in 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

[[Page 57281]]

relatively small percentage of the total amount of federal funds 
requested.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Content and Form of Proposal

    The proposal must contain the following information: (1) Two 
standard federal application and budget forms; (2) project summary 
sheet; (3) project description; (4) project evaluation plan and 
criteria; (5) detailed budget; (6) timeline; (7) description of 
organization and personnel; and (8) letters of commitment (if you have 
partner organizations). Please follow the instructions below and do not 
submit additional items. EPA must make copies of your proposal for use 
by grant reviewers. Unnecessary cover letters, attachments, divider 
sheets, forms, or binders create a paperwork burden for the reviewers 
and are not helpful. The proposal must explicitly describe the 
applicant's proposed project and specifically address each of the 
evaluation factors disclosed in Section V(B).
    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. These two forms can 
also be completed on our web site and printed off with your data and 
dollars included. Only finalists will be asked to submit additional 
federal forms necessary to process a federal grant.
    Work Plan and Appendices: A work plan describes your proposed 
project, evaluation process, and your budget. Appendices establish your 
timeline, your qualifications, and any partnerships with other 
organizations. Grant reviewers look at many proposals, and providing 
your information in the order listed below prevents information from 
being overlooked. The work plan and appendices must address the ranking 
factors identified in Section V(B).
    (1) Project Summary: Provide a one page overview of your entire 
project in the following format; pages in excess of one will not be 
reviewed.
    (a) Organization: Briefly 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. Full details about your organization and staff will be an 
appendix.
    (b) Summary Statement: Provide an overview of your project that 
explains the concept and your goals and objectives. This should be a 
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 cannot grasp your basic concept, then you have not achieved what is 
requested here.
    (c) Educational Priority: Identify which priority listed in Section 
I you will address, such as education reform or teaching skills. 
Proposals may address more than one educational priority for the same 
project; 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.
    (2) Project Description: Describe precisely what your project will 
achieve--why, who, when, how, and with what. Explain each aspect of 
your proposal clearly and address each topic below. If you choose to 
reorder the following paragraphs, include the headings below or you 
risk the possibility of 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 correctly.
    (a) Why: (i) Explain the purpose of your project and how it will 
address an educational priority listed in Section I, such as teaching 
skills.
    (ii) Identify your environmental issue, such as energy 
conservation, clean air or water, ecosystem protection, or cross-
cutting topics. Explain the importance to your community, state, or 
Region. 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 how.
    (iii) Stewardship: Explain how your project will increase 
environmental stewardship as defined in Section I.
    (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 and continuing education credits.
    (c) How: Explain your strategy, objectives (outputs and outcomes), 
activities, and delivery methods 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. Please note the following 
restrictions on the development of educational materials.

    Please note: Guidance on Curriculum Development. EPA strongly 
encourages applicants to use and disseminate existing environmental 
education materials (curricula, training materials, activity books, 
etc.) rather than designing new materials, because experts indicate 
that a significant amount of quality educational materials have 
already been developed and are under-utilized. EPA will consider 
funding new materials only where the applicant demonstrates that 
there is a need; e.g., that existing educational materials cannot be 
adapted well to a particular local environmental concern or 
audience, or existing materials are not otherwise accessible. The 
applicant must specify what steps they have taken to determine this 
need, e.g., you may cite a conference where this need was discussed, 
the results of inquiries made within your community or with various 
educational institutions, or a research paper or other published 
document. Further, EPA recommends the use of a publication entitled 
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence which 
was developed in part with EPA funding. These guidelines contain 
recommendations for developing and selecting quality environmental 
education materials. On our Web site under ``Resources'' you may 
view these guidelines and find information about ordering copies. 
(Please note: Provide up to 5 pages total to address both the 
Project Description and the Project Evaluation; pages in excess of 
that will not be reviewed.)

    (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

[[Page 57282]]

include, for example, evaluation tools, observation, or outside 
consultation. Pre and post-training questionnaires are recommended to 
determine if your performance measures for learning are being 
satisfied. Please Note: Section I(B) explains the EPA Strategic Plan 
and that all grants must support the EPA goals of promoting 
environmental stewardship and/or preventing pollution, and must result 
in improved environmental results over time.
    In this section, you must explain your plans for tracking and 
measuring progress on your outputs and your short-term outcomes. If 
your medium- and long-term outcomes can also be measured within the 
project period, explain your plans for that evaluation as well. (Please 
note: As mentioned above, provide up to 5 pages total to address both 
the Project Description and the Project Evaluation; pages in excess of 
that will not be reviewed.)
    (4) Budget and Non-Federal Match: Create a detailed budget to 
clarify in separate columns how EPA funds and non-federal matching 
funds will be used for specific items or activities. In the detailed 
budget, use the same order and headings listed on the Budget Form 424A; 
i.e., personnel/salaries, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, 
contract costs, and indirect costs, where appropriate. Provide details 
for each expense, such as personnel or travel, and make sure you factor 
in the costs for all proposed activities and clarify which will be paid 
by EPA. Smaller grants with uncomplicated budgets may have dollar 
columns (EPA and matching funds) that list only a few expenses and 
items. (See detailed instructions for Budget Form 424A at the back of 
this Notice).

    Please note the following funding restrictions:

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

    Matching Funds Explanation: Non-federal matching funds must be at 
least 25% of the total cost of the project. 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.
    (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. will occur.
    (b) Background of Organization and Key Personnel--Attach a 
description of the programmatic capabilities of the lead organization 
and of partner organizations with significant roles in the project (see 
scoring criteria in Section V(B) for specific factors to address ). 
Also, include a paragraph describing qualifications of each of the key 
personnel conducting the project. If you send resumes, please keep it 
to a maximum of 3 one-page resumes.
    (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. EPA may 
request such items if your proposal is among the finalists under 
consideration for funding.

B. Page Limits

    As explained in Section IV.A, the entire narrative portion of the 
Work Plan (which includes the Project Summary, Project Description, and 
Project Evaluation) shall not exceed 6 pages--the Project Summary (1 
page) and up to 5 pages total for both the Project Description and 
Project Evaluation. ``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 a font size no smaller 
than 10 points. The Detailed Budget, Timeline, and Appendices are not 
included in the page limit.

C. 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. Your pages should 
be sorted as listed in Section IV(A) 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.
    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 call or write the 
appropriate EPA office listed at the end of this document. If you 
locate the federal forms elsewhere, please read our instructions which 
have been modified for this grant program.

D. Submission Deadline and Project Period

    (1) Due Date--The closing date and time for submission of completed 
applications is November 23, 2005, 5:00 p.m. based on the local time 
zone of the office for which the proposal is being submitted. All 
applications, however transmitted, must be received by Headquarters or 
a Regional Office by the

[[Page 57283]]

closing date and time in order to receive consideration.
    Applications may be submitted by U.S. Postal Service, express mail 
(such as FedEx and UPS), hand delivery, or courier service. Please see 
Section VII for additional information.
    (2) Start Date and Length of Projects--July 1, 2006 is the earliest 
start date that applicants should plan on and enter on their 
application forms and timeline. Budget periods cannot exceed 1 year for 
small grants of $10,000 or less. EPA prefers a 1-year budget period for 
larger grants, but will accept a budget period of up to 2 years, if the 
project timeline clarifies that more than a year is necessary for full 
implementation of the project.

E. Mailing Addresses

    Complete address information for Headquarters and the Regional 
Offices is provided in Section VII.

F. Other Submission Information

    (1) DUNS Identification Number: All organizations applying for 
federal grant funds must have one of these numbers which can be 
acquired by calling Dun and Bradstreet toll free at 1-866-705-5711 or 
by visiting their Web site at https://www.dnb.com.
    (2) Confidential Business Information: In accordance with 40 CFR 
2.203, applicants may claim all or a portion of their application/
proposal as confidential business information. EPA will evaluate 
confidentiality claims in accordance with 40 CFR Part 2. Applicants 
must clearly mark applications/proposals or portions of applications/
proposals they claim as confidential. If no claim of confidentiality is 
made, EPA is not required to make the inquiry to the applicant 
otherwise required by 40 CFR 2.204(c)(2) prior to disclosure.

Section V. Application Review Information

A. Threshold Factors

    Proposals will first be evaluated based on the threshold 
eligibility factors stated in Section III. The threshold eligibility 
review of Headquarters applications will be conducted by external 
environmental educators approved by EPA. The threshold eligibility 
review of Regional applications will be conducted by EPA officials or 
external environmental educators. Proposals that fail to meet all of 
the threshold eligibility factors will not be further considered and 
applicants will be notified accordingly. Headquarters and Regional 
proposals that meet all of the threshold eligibility factors in Section 
III will then be evaluated based on the criteria described below.

B. Full Evaluation and Scoring

    Only those proposals that meet all of the threshold eligibility 
factors in Section III will be evaluated based on the factors below. 
Headquarters proposals will be reviewed by EPA officials and external 
environmental educators approved by EPA. Regional proposals will be 
reviewed by EPA officials, and external environmental educators 
approved by EPA may also be used. At the conclusion of the evaluation 
phase, the proposals will be ranked based upon the results of the 
evaluation. A maximum of 100 points is available as follows:
    (1) Project Summary--Maximum Score: 10 points--The project summary 
will be evaluated based on the applicant's overview of the entire 
project as addressed in the Project Summary described in Section 
IV(A)(1).
    (2) Project Description--Maximum Score: 40 points--Under this 
factor, proposals will be evaluated based on how well the applicant 
explained the need for the proposed project (10 points); how well the 
applicant designed and described the proposed project (10 points); how 
effectively the proposed project will accomplish the stated goals (10 
points); and how well the applicant described specific tasks for the 
successful achievement of stated goals (10 points).
    (3) Project Evaluation--Maximum Score: 15 points--The project 
evaluation score will be based on an assessment of: (a) The applicant's 
design and strategy for evaluation measures (5 points); (b) how 
effectively the applicant will measure or track its progress towards 
achieving the outputs and outcomes in Section I of this announcement 
(10 points).
    (4) Budget--Maximum Score: 15 points--Under this factor, proposals 
will be evaluated based on: (a) How well the budget information clearly 
and accurately shows how funds will be used (5 points); (b) whether the 
funding request is reasonable given the activities proposed (5 points); 
and (c) whether the funding provides a good return on the investment (5 
points).
    (5) Appendices--Maximum Score: 20 points--Under this factor, 
proposals will be evaluated based on:
    (a) Timeline: How well the timeline clarifies the workplan and 
establishes for reviewers that the project is well thought out and 
feasible as planned (5 points).
    (b) Partnerships: The extent of partnership, and the extent to 
which a firm commitment is made by the partner to provide services, 
facilities, or funding (5 points).
    (c) Programmatic Capability and Technical Experience: The 
applicant's demonstrated ability to successfully complete the proposed 
project based on its: (1) Past performance in successfully completing 
educational projects similar to the proposed project; (2) history of 
meeting reporting requirements on prior or current grants and 
submitting acceptable final technical reports; (3) organizational 
experience and plan for timely and successfully achieving the 
objectives of the project; and (4) staff expertise/qualifications, 
staff knowledge, and resources or the ability to obtain them, to 
successfully achieve the goals of the project. Under this factor, EPA 
will consider information provided by the applicant and may consider 
information from other sources including EPA agency files. In addition, 
applicants who do not have any relevant past performance or reporting 
history will receive a neutral evaluation for those elements of 
programmatic capability (10 points).

C. Final Selections

    After the proposals are evaluated and scored by the reviewers, as 
described above, the respective Recommending Officials (EPA staff in 
the Office of Public Affairs for proposals submitted to Headquarters, 
and EPA Regional staff in the Office of Public Affairs or the 
equivalent for proposals submitted to the Regional offices) will 
select, from among the highest numerically ranked proposals in 
Headquarters and each of the Regions, a group of Headquarters and 
Regional finalists to recommend for award to the respective 
Headquarters and Regional Approving Officials. In determining which 
finalists to recommend for award (to the respective Headquarters and 
Regional Approving Officials) from among the highest numerically ranked 
proposals, the Recommending Officials will consider the following 
factors:
    (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.

The Approving Official for Headquarters awards is a senior-level 
official in the Office of the Administrator. The Approving Official for 
Regional awards is a senior-level official within the

[[Page 57284]]

Office of the Regional Administrator. In making the final funding 
decisions, the Approving Officials will consider the recommendations of 
the Recommending Officials and may also consider geographical balance 
and program balance.

Section VI. Award Administration Information

A. Notification to Applicants

    Applicants will receive a confirmation that EPA has received their 
proposal after EPA has entered information about all proposals into a 
database, usually within 2 months after receipt. EPA will contact the 
highest scoring finalists to request additional federal forms and other 
information as recommended by reviewers; and send non-selection letters 
to the others. If selected for a grant, an award package will be mailed 
to the recipient organization explaining the responsibilities of the 
grantee. Non-selection letters will be sent within 15 business days 
after a decision of non-selection.

B. 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.

C. 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 deducted from the final grant award.

D. Reports and Work Products

    Specific financial, technical, and other reporting requirements to 
measure the grant recipient's 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.

E. Regulatory References

    The Environmental Education Grant Program Regulations provide 
additional information on EPA's administration of this program (57 FR 
8390; Title 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.

F. Other Procedures

    (1) Pre-application assistance: None planned.
    (2) Dispute Resolution: Assistance agreement competition-related 
disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution 
procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 
26, 2005) which can be found at https://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/
2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-1371.htm.

G. Other Funding

    Please note that this is a very competitive grant program. Limited 
funding is available and many qualified grant applications will not be 
funded 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 on the main EPA 
Web site and in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at https://
www.cfda.gov which lists funding opportunities. Nonprofit applicants 
that are recommended for funding will be subject to pre-award 
administrative capability reviews consistent with Sections 8.b, 8.c, 
and 9.d of EPA Order 5700.8.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

A. Internet: https://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.

B. Mailing List for Environmental Education Grants

    If you wish to be notified when the next Solicitation Notice is 
issued, you should visit our Web site (https://www.epa.gov/enviroed) 
where you can log in for notification of a new notice. Or you can be 
added to a regular mailing list for a printed copy by mailing your 
request along with your name, organization, address, and phone number 
to: Environmental Education Grant Program (Year 2007), EPA Office of 
Environmental Education (1704 A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.

    Dated: September 27, 2005.
Cece Kremer,
Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Administrator.

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. Applications may be submitted by U.S. Postal Service, express 
mail (such as FedEx and UPS), and hand delivery or courier service. 
Complete address information for Headquarters and the Regional Offices 
is provided below.

U.S. EPA Headquarters--For Proposals Requesting More Than $50,000 From 
EPA

    For submission by U.S. Postal Service: Environmental Education 
Grant Program, Office of Environmental Education (1704 A), 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    For submission by express mail (Fed Ex and UPS), hand delivery, or 
courier service: Office of Environmental Education (Room 1426A North), 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004. (202) 564-0443.
    Information: Diane Berger or Sheri Jojokian (202) 564-0451.

U.S. EPA Regional Offices--For Proposals Requesting $50,000 or Less 
From EPA

    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.
    The addresses provided below are for proposals submitted by U.S. 
Postal Service. If you are interested in submitting your proposal by 
express mail, hand delivery, or courier service, please contact the 
Regional Office for additional information.

[[Page 57285]]

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

    Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region 1, Enviro Education Grants 
(MGM), 1 Congress Street, Suite 1100, Boston, MA 02114.
    Information: Kristen Conroy, (617) 918-1069, 
conroy.kristen@epa.gov.

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

    Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region II, Enviro Education Grants, 
26th Floor, 290 Broadway, New York, NY 10007-1866.
    Information: Teresa Ippolito, (212) 637-3671, 
ippolito.teresa@epa.gov.

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: Ruth Corcino-Woodruff, (215) 814-5737, corcino-
woodruff.ruth@epa.gov.

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: Alice Chastain, (404) 562-8314, 
chastain.alice@epa.gov.

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

    Mail proposals to: U.S. EPA, Region V, Enviro Education Grants (P-
19J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604.
    Information: Megan Gavin, (312) 353-5282, gavin.megan@epa.gov.

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: Bonnie King, (214) 665-2215, king.bonita@epa.gov.

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, 
morrison.denise@epa.gov.

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, 
vigil.christine@epa.gov.

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: Sharon Jang, (415) 947-4252, jang.sharon@epa.gov.

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,hanft.sally@epa.gov.

Appendix A--Federal Forms and Instructions

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 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 https://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 e-mail 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(A) in Solicitation Notice for specifics 
on project/budget periods.
    14. In (a) list the Congressional District where the applicant 
organization is located; and in (b) any District(s) affected by the 
program or project. If your project covers many areas, several 
congressional districts will be listed. If it covers the entire 
state, simply put in STATEWIDE. If you are not sure about the 
congressional district, call the County Voter Registration 
Department.
    15. Amount requested or to be contributed during the funding/
budget period by each contributor. Line (a) is for the amount of 
money you are requesting from EPA. Lines (b-e) are for the amounts 
either you or another organization are providing for this project. 
Line (f) is for any program income which you expect will be 
generated by this project. Examples of program income are fees for 
services performed, income generated from the sale of materials 
produced with the grant funds, or admission fees to a conference 
financed by the grant funds. The total of lines (b-e) must be at 
least 25% of line (g), because this grant program has a matching 
requirement of 25% of the TOTAL ALLOWABLE PROJECT COSTS. Divide line 
(a) by three to determine the smallest match allowable for your 
proposal. Value of in-kind contributions should be included on 
appropriate lines as applicable. For multiple program funding, use 
totals and show breakdown using same categories as item 15.
    16. Check (b) (NO) since this program is exempt from this 
requirement.
    17. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the 
person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of 
debt include delinquent audit disallowances, loans and taxes.
    18. The authorized representative is the person who is able to 
contract or obligate your agency to the terms and conditions of the 
grant. (Please sign with blue ink.) A copy of the governing body's 
authorization for you to sign this application as official 
representative must be on file in the applicant's office.

Instructions for the SF-424A--Budget

    This is a standard federal form used by applicants as a basic 
budget. These instructions are modified for this grant program only 
and do not apply to any other federal Program.
    Section A--Budget Summary--Do not complete--Leave blank for this 
program.
    Section B--Budget Categories--Complete Columns (1), (2) and (5) 
as stated below.
    All funds requested and contributed as a match must be listed 
under the appropriate Object Class categories listed on this form. 
Please round figures to the nearest dollar. Include federal funds in 
column (1); Non-federal (matching) funds in column (2); then

[[Page 57286]]

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 total 
dollar figures on the Form 424 and 424A and detailed budget should 
all be the same. Your detailed budget should list costs under the 
same object class categories used on this form, but with 
significantly more information.
    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 amount 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(A)(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 and then put the total on the Form 424A.
    Fringe Benefits: Indicate percentage of basic salary and what it 
includes, such as health insurance and retirement.
    Travel: If travel is budgeted, show trips, travelers, 
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 and 
how costs were determined such as by using estimates or historical 
information. 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 application on 
file with a federal agency. Provide the percentage rate used and an 
explanation of how indirect charges were calculated for this 
project.
    Income: Describe the source of your income and how it will be 
used to enhance your project.

Appendix B--Checklist for Proposal and Performance Measures

    Checklist for Content of Proposal--Please submit only the 
following documents in this order:
    ----Standard Federal Application Form (SF-424).
    ----Budget Form (SF-424A)--Section B--Use 3 columns--EPA share, 
match, and total.
    ----Project Summary Sheet--one page--format required.
    ----Project Description (why, who, how, and with what)--Format 
optional--use headings to help reviewers to find everything.
    ----Project Evaluation Criteria for key outputs and outcomes.
    ----Detailed Budget--Use two columns to show EPA and non-Federal 
portions for each expense. Use the same order and categories used on 
424A with much greater detail.
    ----Timeline--List all major activities and milestones over 
project period.
    ----Organization and staffing--Summarize background information.
    ----Letters from partners taking responsibility for tasks or 
funding (optional).

Performance Measures

    This chart provides examples of some of the outputs and outcomes 
Environmental Education Grants may produce. It is intended as 
guidance to define terms used in this announcement. Outputs and 
short-term outcomes must be accomplished and reported to EPA within 
the project reporting period. Progress should begin on medium-or 
long-term outcomes.

                                           Project Performance Measures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Outputs                                                  Outcomes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Short-term                     Short-term                Medium-term                Long-term
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community education projects:      Students and communities   Students and communities  Promotion of
 Recruitment, Training, Workshops/  learn skills in            make decisions that       environmental
 Clinics, Field Trips,              environmental projects;    improve their             stewardship. Improved
 Educational Materials, Videos,     Teachers are motivated     environment; Specific     environmental literacy.
 CDs, Web sites, Conferences,       to train others on         actions are taken to      Changes in awareness
 Assessments.                       environmental topics;      improve the               about decisions that
                                    Increased environmental    environment;              affect the environment.
                                    knowledge; State           Environmental             Establishment of
                                    organizations develop      stewardship is underway.  sustainable
                                    capacity building                                    environmental education
                                    efforts; Increased                                   programs.
                                    access to environmental
                                    educati