Applications for New Awards; Promise Neighborhoods Program, 33881-33894 [2017-15359]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 139 (Friday, July 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33881-33894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15359]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Promise Neighborhoods Program

AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting 
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017 for the Promise 
Neighborhoods Program--Grant Competition, Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance (CFDA) number 84.215N.

DATES: Applications Available: July 21, 2017.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: August 21, 2017.
    Date of Pre-Application Webinars: The Promise Neighborhoods team 
intends to hold pre-application webinars to provide technical 
assistance to interested applicants. Detailed information regarding 
these webinar times will be provided on the Promise Neighborhoods' Web 
site at https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/parental-options/promise-neighborhoods-pn/.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 5, 2017.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: November 3, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrienne Hawkins, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W256, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 453-5638 or by email: PromiseNeighborhoods@ed.gov.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program

    The Promise Neighborhoods program is newly authorized under the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by 
the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The purpose of the Promise 
Neighborhoods program is to significantly improve the academic and 
developmental outcomes of children living in the most distressed 
communities of the United States, including ensuring school readiness, 
high school graduation, and access to a community-based continuum of 
high-quality services. The program serves neighborhoods with high 
concentrations of low-income individuals; multiple signs of distress, 
which may include high rates of poverty, childhood obesity, academic 
failure, and juvenile delinquency, adjudication, or incarceration; and 
schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities 
or targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of 
the ESEA. All strategies in the continuum of solutions must be 
accessible to children with disabilities and English learners.

Background

    The vision of the Promise Neighborhoods program is that all 
children and youth living in our most distressed communities have 
access to great schools and strong systems of family and community 
support that will prepare them to attain an excellent education and 
successfully transition to postsecondary education and a career.
    A Promise Neighborhood is both a place and a strategy. A place 
eligible to become a Promise Neighborhood is a geographic area \1\ that 
is distressed, often facing inadequate access to high-quality early 
learning programs and services, with struggling schools, low high 
school and college graduation rates, high rates of unemployment, high 
rates of crime, and indicators of poor health. These conditions 
contribute to and intensify

[[Page 33882]]

the negative outcomes associated with children and youth living in 
poverty.
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    \1\ For the purpose of this notice, the Department uses the 
terms ``geographic area'' and ``neighborhood'' interchangeably.
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    A Promise Neighborhood strategy addresses the complex, 
interconnected issues in the distressed community it serves. Promise 
Neighborhoods are led by organizations, such as nonprofit 
organizations, institutions of higher education, offices of chief 
elected officials of local governments, or Indian Tribes or Tribal 
organizations, that work to ensure that all children and youth in the 
target geographic area have access to services that lead to improved 
educational and developmental outcomes from cradle-to-career. The 
organizations ensure that services are based on the best available 
evidence and employ robust data collection and management systems to 
learn about the impact of approaches for which there is less evidence; 
that services are linked and integrated seamlessly; and that services 
include education programs as well as programs that provide family and 
community supports. Promise Neighborhoods enable children and youth 
within targeted distressed communities to participate in the full range 
of cradle-to-career supports that are necessary for them to realize 
their potential. The Department of Education's expectation is that over 
time, a greater proportion of the neighborhood residents receive these 
supports and that neighborhood indicators (see Table 1) show 
significant progress. For this reason, each Promise Neighborhood 
applicant must demonstrate several core features: (1) Significant need 
in the neighborhood; (2) a strategy to build pipeline services (as 
defined in this notice) with strong schools at the center; and (3) the 
organizational and relational capacity to achieve results.
    This year's Promise Neighborhoods competition is different from 
previous years' competitions in several ways. The Promise Neighborhoods 
program, under the ESEA as amended by ESSA, requires applicants to 
propose the use of not less than 50 percent of grant funds in year one, 
and not less than 25 percent in year two, to support planning 
activities for the development and implementation of pipeline services. 
Because applicants must now propose to use grant funds for limited 
planning activities, the Department will no longer award separate 
Promise Neighborhoods planning and implementation grants. The 
priorities and some program requirements for this year's competition 
have also changed from previous competitions. In this year's 
competition, we introduce new data and performance management 
requirements while continuing to prioritize evidence-based (see section 
8101(21) of the ESEA) activities and programs. Previously funded 
Promise Neighborhoods grantees have struggled to conduct meaningful 
data collection and evaluation activities, which include collecting the 
full range of data necessary to effectively employ comprehensive case 
and longitudinal data management systems. Such data systems are 
critical to effectively coordinate a range of services for high-need 
students and their families within a Promise Neighborhood. In response 
to this challenge, we now require applicants to address specific data 
collection and performance management requirements.
    In addressing these requirements, we strongly encourage applicants 
to review a publication released by the Department in 2013 entitled, 
``Measuring Performance: A Guidance Document for Promise Neighborhoods 
on Collecting Data and Reporting Results.'' \2\ This publication 
provides guidance on Promise Neighborhoods case management and 
longitudinal data systems; data collection strategies, sources, and 
methods; and data tracking and reporting procedures.
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    \2\ https://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/pndataguidance.pdf.
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    Priorities: This competition includes three absolute priorities and 
four competitive preference priorities. The three absolute priorities 
focus on the types of neighborhoods or geographic areas that the 
proposed project will serve. Absolute Priority 1 is focused on non-
rural and non-Tribal applicants; Absolute Priority 2 is focused on 
rural communities; and Absolute Priority 3 is focused on Tribal 
communities.
    Absolute Priorities: We are establishing Absolute Priorities 1, 2, 
and 3 for the FY 2017 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). Applicants should indicate in their 
application whether they are applying under Absolute Priority 1, 
Absolute Priority 2, or Absolute Priority 3. If an applicant applies 
under Absolute Priority 2 or Absolute Priority 3 and is deemed 
ineligible, the application still may be considered for funding under 
Absolute Priority 1. The Secretary prepares a rank order of 
applications for each absolute priority based solely on the evaluation 
of their quality according to the selection criteria.
    Each of the three absolute priorities constitutes its own funding 
category. Assuming that applications in each funding category are of 
sufficient quality, the Secretary intends to award grants under each 
absolute priority.
    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet 
one or more of these priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Absolute Priority 1--Promise Neighborhoods in Non-Rural and Non-
Tribal Communities.\3\
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    \3\ An applicant that serves one or more non-rural or non-Tribal 
communities will not be disqualified because it also proposes to 
serve rural or Tribal communities.
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    To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a 
Promise Neighborhood strategy that serves one or more non-rural or non-
Tribal communities.
    Absolute Priority 2--Promise Neighborhoods in Rural Communities.
    To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a 
Promise Neighborhood strategy that serves one or more rural communities 
(as defined in this notice) only.
    Under section 4623 of the ESEA, the Department will use at least 15 
percent of the funds available for the Promise Neighborhoods program to 
award grants to eligible entities (as defined in this notice) that 
propose to carry out the Promise Neighborhoods activities in rural 
areas. The Department will reduce the funds reserved for rural areas if 
we do not receive enough applications of sufficient quality.
    Absolute Priority 3--Promise Neighborhoods in Tribal Communities.
    To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a 
Promise Neighborhood strategy that serves one or more Indian Tribes (as 
defined in this notice).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: We are establishing Competitive 
Preference Priorities 1 and 2 for the FY 2017 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 GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). Competitive Preference Priority 3 is 
from section 4624 of the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA, 20 U.S.C. 7231e. 
Competitive Preference Priority 4 is from the Promise Zones notice of 
final priority published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2014 (79 
FR 17035) (Promise Zones NFP).
    For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from 
the list of unfunded applications 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

[[Page 33883]]

Priority 1; we award three additional points to an application that 
meets Competitive Preference Priority 2; we award one additional point 
to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 3; and we 
award one additional point to an application that meets Competitive 
Preference Priority 4.
    Applicants may address all of the competitive preference 
priorities. Also, applicants should identify on the abstract form and 
in the project narrative section of their application which competitive 
preference priority or priorities the applicants address. We will not 
award competitive preference priority points to an application that 
fails to clearly identify the competitive preference priority or 
priorities it wishes the Department to consider for purposes of earning 
the competitive preference priority points.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Byrne Criminal Justice 
Innovation (BCJI) Program (0 or 3 points).
    To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to serve 
geographic areas that were the subject of a targeted strategy 
addressing crime in a specific community pursuant to a BCJI grant 
awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice during FY 2012 or later 
years. To be eligible under this priority, the applicant must either: 
(1) Be able to demonstrate that it has received a BCJI grant; or (2) 
provide, in its application, a memorandum of understanding between it 
and a partner that is a recipient of a BCJI grant. The memorandum of 
understanding must indicate a commitment on the part of the applicant 
and partner to coordinate implementation and align resources to the 
greatest extent practicable.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Drug Free Communities (DFC) 
Support Program (0 or 3 points).
    To receive points under this priority, the applicant must either: 
(1) Demonstrate that it has received a DFC grant to prevent opioid 
abuse (as one of its areas of focus); or (2) provide, in its 
application, a memorandum of understanding between it and a partner 
that is a recipient of a DFC grant to address opioid abuse prevention 
as one of its areas of focus.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3--Evidence-Based Activities, 
Strategies, or Interventions (0 or 1 point).
    To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to carry out 
evidence-based activities, strategies, or interventions that, based on 
information included in their application, are supported by promising 
evidence (as defined in this notice).
    Competitive Preference Priority 4--Promise Zones (0 or 1 point).
    This priority is for projects that are designed to serve and 
coordinate with a federally designated Promise Zone.
    To meet this priority, an applicant must include a Certification of 
Consistency with Promise Zone Goals and Implementation (HUD Form 50153) 
signed by an authorized representative of the lead organization of a 
Promise Zone designated by the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development (HUD) or the United States Department of Agriculture. An 
application for Promise Neighborhoods grant funds that is not 
accompanied by a signed certification (HUD Form 50153) will receive 
zero points for this priority. The certification form is available at /
/portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=HUD_Form_50153.pdf. To 
view the list of designated Promise Zones and lead organizations please 
go to www.hud.gov/promisezones.
Definitions
    The definition of ``strong theory'' is from 34 CFR 77.1. The 
remaining definitions are established in accordance with section 
437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    The following definitions apply to this program:
    Eligible entity means an organization that:
    (1) Is representative of the geographic area (as defined in this 
notice) proposed to be served;
    (2) Operates or proposes to work with and involve in carrying out 
its proposed project, in coordination with the school's local 
educational agency (LEA), at least one public elementary or secondary 
school that is located within the identified geographic area that the 
grant will serve;
    (3) Is one of the following:
    (a) An institution of higher education, as defined in section 102 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1002);
    (b) An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined in section 4 
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
U.S.C. 5304); or
    (c) One or more nonprofit entities working in formal partnership 
with not less than one of the following entities:
    i. A high-need LEA.
    ii. An institution of higher education, as defined in section 102 
of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002).
    iii. The office of a chief elected official of a unit of local 
government.
    iv. An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined under 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 5304); and
    (4) Currently provides at least one of the solutions from the 
applicant's proposed pipeline services in the geographic area proposed 
to be served.
    Experimental study means a study, such as a randomized controlled 
trial (RCT) (as defined in this notice), that is designed to compare 
outcomes between two groups of individuals that are otherwise 
equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment group 
receiving a project component (as defined in this notice) or a control 
group that does not. In some circumstances, a finding from a regression 
discontinuity design study (RDD) (as defined in this notice) or 
findings from a collection of single-case design studies (SCDs) (as 
defined in this notice) may be considered equivalent to a finding from 
an RCT. RCTs, RDDs, and collections of SCDs, depending on design and 
implementation, can Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards 
without reservations.
    Graduation rate means the four-year or extended-year adjusted 
cohort graduation rate as defined by 34 CFR 200.19(b)(1).

    Note: This definition is not meant to prevent a grantee from 
also collecting information about the reasons why students do not 
graduate from the target high school, e.g., dropping out or moving 
outside of the school district for non-academic or academic reasons.

    Indian Tribe means an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as 
defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)
    Indicators of need means currently available data that describe--
    (1) Education need, which means--
    (a) All or a portion of the neighborhood includes or is within the 
attendance zone of a low-performing school that is a high school, 
especially one in which the graduation rate (as defined in this notice) 
is less than 60 percent or a school that can be characterized as low-
performing based on another proxy indicator, such as students' on-time 
progression from grade to grade; and
    (b) Other indicators, such as significant achievement gaps between 
subgroups of students (as identified in section 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) of 
the ESEA) within a school or LEA, high teacher and principal turnover, 
or high student absenteeism; and
    (2) Family and community support need, which means--
    (a) Percentages of children with preventable chronic health 
conditions (e.g., asthma, poor nutrition, dental

[[Page 33884]]

problems, obesity) or avoidable developmental delays;
    (b) Immunization rates;
    (c) Rates of crime, including violent crime;
    (d) Student mobility rates;
    (e) Teenage birth rates;
    (f) Percentage of children in single-parent or no-parent families;
    (g) Rates of vacant or substandard homes, including distressed 
public and assisted housing; or
    (h) Percentage of the residents living at or below the Federal 
poverty threshold.
    Logic model (also known as a theory of action) means a reasonable 
conceptual framework that identifies key components of the proposed 
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be 
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the 
theoretical and operational relationships among the key components and 
outcomes.
    Meets What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without 
reservations is the highest possible rating for a study finding 
reviewed by the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). Studies receiving this 
rating provide the highest degree of confidence that an observed effect 
was caused by the project component studied. Experimental studies (as 
defined in this notice) may receive this highest rating. These 
standards are described in the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbooks, 
Version 3.0, which can be accessed at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
    Meets What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations 
is the second-highest rating for a group design study reviewed by the 
WWC. Studies receiving this rating provide a reasonable degree of 
confidence that an observed effect was caused by the project component 
studied. Both experimental studies (such as randomized controlled 
trials with high rates of sample attrition) and quasi-experimental 
design studies (as defined in this notice) may receive this rating if 
they establish the equivalence of the treatment and comparison groups 
in key baseline characteristics. These standards are described in the 
WWC Procedures and Standards Handbooks, Version 3.0, which can be 
accessed at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
    Pipeline services means a continuum of coordinated supports, 
services, and opportunities for children from birth through entry into 
and success in postsecondary education, and career attainment. Such 
services shall include, at a minimum, strategies to address through 
services or programs (including integrated student supports) the 
following:
    (a) High-quality early childhood education programs.
    (b) High-quality school and out-of-school-time programs and 
strategies.
    (c) Support for a child's transition to elementary school, from 
elementary school to middle school, from middle school to high school, 
and from high school into and through postsecondary education and into 
the workforce, including any comprehensive readiness assessment 
determined necessary.
    (d) Family and community engagement and supports, which may include 
engaging or supporting families at school or at home.
    (e) Activities that support postsecondary and work-force readiness, 
which may include job training, internship opportunities, and career 
counseling.
    (f) Community-based support for students who have attended the 
schools in the area served by the pipeline, or students who are members 
of the community, facilitating their continued connection to the 
community and success in postsecondary education and the workforce.
    (g) Social, health, nutrition, and mental health services and 
supports.
    (h) Juvenile crime prevention and rehabilitation programs.
    Project component means an activity, strategy, or intervention 
included in a project. Evidence (as this term is used in this notice) 
may pertain to an individual project component, or to a combination of 
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices 
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
    Promising evidence means the following conditions are met:
    (a) There is at least one study that is a correlational study with 
statistical controls for selection bias with a relevant finding (quasi-
experimental design studies or experimental studies may also qualify); 
and
    (b) The relevant finding in the study described in paragraph (a) is 
of a statistically significant and positive (i.e., favorable) effect of 
the project component on a student outcome or other relevant outcome 
with no statistically significant and overriding negative (i.e., 
unfavorable) evidence on that project component from other findings on 
the intervention reviewed by and reported in the What Works 
Clearinghouse that Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards 
with or without reservations.
    Public officials means elected officials (e.g., council members, 
aldermen and alderwomen, commissioners, State legislators, 
Congressional representatives, members of the school board), appointed 
officials (e.g., members of a planning or zoning commission, or of any 
other regulatory or advisory board or commission), or individuals who 
are not necessarily public officials (as defined in this notice), but 
who have been appointed by a public official to serve on the Promise 
Neighborhoods governing board or advisory board.
    Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that 
attempts to approximate an experimental design by identifying a 
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important 
respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation, 
can Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations 
(but not without reservations).
    Randomized controlled trial (RCT) means a study that employs random 
assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools 
to receive the project component being evaluated (the treatment group) 
or not to receive the project component (the control group). The 
estimated effectiveness of the project component is the difference 
between the average outcomes for the treatment group and for the 
control group. These studies, depending on design and implementation, 
can Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without 
reservations.
    Regression discontinuity design study (RDD) means a study that 
assigns the project component being evaluated using a measured variable 
(e.g., assigning students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or 
developmental education classes) and controls for that variable in the 
analysis of outcomes. The effectiveness of the project component is 
estimated for individuals who barely qualify to receive that component. 
These studies, depending on design and implementation, can Meet What 
Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations.
    Relevant finding means a finding from a study regarding the 
relationship between (A) an activity, strategy, or intervention 
included as a component of the logic model (as defined in this notice) 
for the proposed project, and (B) a student outcome or other relevant 
outcome included in the logic model for the proposed project.
    Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) (or the ultimate 
outcome if not related to students) the proposed project component is 
designed to

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improve, consistent with the specific goals of a program.
    Representative of the geographic area proposed to be served means 
that residents of the geographic area proposed to be served have an 
active role in decision-making and that at least one-third of the 
eligible entity's (as defined in this notice) governing board or 
advisory board is made up of--
    (1) Residents who live in the geographic area proposed to be 
served, which may include residents who are representative of the 
ethnic and racial composition of the neighborhood's residents and the 
languages they speak;
    (2) Residents of the city or county in which the neighborhood is 
located but who live outside the geographic area proposed to be served, 
and who are low-income (which means earning less than 80 percent of the 
area's median income as published by HUD);
    (3) Public officials (as defined in this notice) who serve the 
geographic area proposed to be served (although not more than one-half 
of the governing board or advisory board may be made up of public 
officials); or
    (4) Some combination of individuals from the three groups listed in 
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this definition.
    Rural community means a neighborhood that--
    (1) Is served by an LEA that is currently eligible under the Small 
Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program or the Rural and Low-Income 
School (RLIS) program authorized under Title VI, Part B of the ESEA. 
Applicants may determine whether a particular LEA is eligible for these 
programs by referring to information on the following Department Web 
sites. For the SRSA program: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/reapsrsa/eligible16/For the RLIS program: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/reaprlisp/eligibility.html; or
    (2) Includes only schools designated with a school locale code of 
41, 42, or 43. Applicants may determine school locale codes by 
referring to the following Department Web site: https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/.
    Segmentation analysis means the process of grouping and analyzing 
data from children and families in the geographic area proposed to be 
served according to indicators of need (as defined in this notice) or 
other relevant indicators. The analysis is intended to allow grantees 
to differentiate and more effectively target interventions based on 
what they learn about the needs of different populations in the 
geographic area.
    Single-case design study (SCD) means a study that uses observations 
of a single case (e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral 
intervention) over time in the absence and presence of a controlled 
treatment manipulation to determine whether the outcome is 
systematically related to the treatment. According to the WWC Single 
Case Design Pilot Standards, a collection of these studies, depending 
on design and implementation (e.g., including a sufficient number of 
cases and of data points per condition), can Meet What Works 
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations.
    Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.
    Student achievement means--
    (1) For tested grades and subjects:
    (a) A student's score on the State's assessments under the ESEA; 
and, as appropriate,
    (b) Other measures of student learning, such as those described in 
paragraph (2) of this definition, provided they are rigorous and 
comparable across classrooms and programs.
    (2) For non-tested grades and subjects: Alternative measures of 
student learning and performance, such as student scores on pre-tests 
and end-of-course tests; student performance on English language 
proficiency assessments; and other measures of student achievement that 
are rigorous and comparable across classrooms.
    Student mobility rate is calculated by dividing the total number of 
new student entries and withdrawals at a school, from the day after the 
first official enrollment number is collected through the end of the 
academic year, by the first official enrollment number of the academic 
year.

    Note: This definition is not meant to limit a grantee from also 
collecting information about why students enter or withdraw from the 
school, e.g., transferring to charter schools, moving outside of the 
school district for non-academic or academic reasons.

    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, selection criteria, 
definitions, and other 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. This is the first grant 
competition for this program under section 4623-4624 of the ESEA, 20 
U.S.C. 7273-7274, and therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order 
to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo 
public comment on the priorities, requirements, definitions, and 
selection criteria under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. These priorities, 
requirements, definitions, and selection criteria will apply to the FY 
2017 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards 
from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7273-7274.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79 81, 82, 
84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on 
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474. (d) Promise Zones NFP.

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


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $30,000,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $4,000,000 to $6,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $5,000,000.
    Maximum Award: $6,000,000.
    The maximum award amount is $6,000,000 per 12-month budget period. 
We will not fund an annual budget exceeding $6,000,000 per 12-month 
budget period.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 5-7.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Under section 4623 of the ESEA, a grant awarded under this 
competition will be for a period of not more than five years, and may 
be extended for an additional period of not more than two

[[Page 33886]]

years. In addition, continued funding of a grant under this 
competition, including an extended grant, after the third year of the 
initial grant period will be contingent on the eligible entity's 
progress toward meeting the performance metrics and annual performance 
objectives and outcomes under section 4625(a)(4)(C) of the ESEA.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Under section 4623 of the ESEA, an eligible 
organization must:
    (1) Be representative of the geographic area proposed to be served;
    (2) Operate or propose to work with and involve in carrying out its 
proposed project, in coordination with the school's LEA, at least one 
public elementary or secondary school that is located within the 
identified geographic area that the grant will serve;
    (3) Be one of the following:
    (a) An institution of higher education, as defined in section 102 
of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002);
    (b) An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined in section 4 
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
U.S.C. 5304); or
    (c) One or more nonprofit entities working in formal partnership 
with not less than one of the following entities:
    i. A high-need LEA.
    ii. An institution of higher education, as defined in section 102 
of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002).
    iii. The office of a chief elected official of a unit of local 
government.
    iv. An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined under 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 5304); and
    (4) Currently provide at least one of the solutions from the 
applicant's proposed pipeline services in the geographic area proposed 
to be served.
    2. Cost-Sharing or Matching: To be eligible for a grant under this 
competition, an applicant must demonstrate a commitment from one or 
more entities in the public or private sector, which may include 
Federal, State, and local public agencies, philanthropic organizations, 
private businesses, or individuals, to provide matching funds. An 
applicant proposing a project that meets Absolute Priority 1--Promise 
Neighborhoods in Non-rural and Non-Tribal Communities must obtain 
matching funds or in-kind donations equal to at least 100 percent of 
its grant award. An applicant proposing a project that meets Absolute 
Priority 2--Promise Neighborhoods in Rural Communities or Absolute 
Priority 3--Promise Neighborhoods in Tribal Communities must obtain 
matching funds or in-kind donations equal to at least 50 percent of its 
grant award.
    Eligible sources of matching funds include sources of funds used to 
pay for solutions within the pipeline services, initiatives supported 
by the LEA, or public health services for children in the neighborhood. 
At least 10 percent of an applicant's total match must be cash or in-
kind contributions from the private sector, which may include 
philanthropic organizations, private businesses, or individuals.
    Applicants must demonstrate a commitment of matching funds in the 
application. Applicants must specify the source of the funds or 
contributions and in the case of a third-party in-kind contribution, a 
description of how the value was determined for the donated or 
contributed goods or service. Applicants must demonstrate the match 
commitment by including letters in their applications explaining the 
type and quantity of the match commitment with original signatures from 
the executives of organizations or agencies providing the match.
    The Secretary may consider decreasing the matching requirement in 
the most exceptional circumstances, on a case-by-case basis. An 
applicant that is unable to meet the matching requirement must include 
in its application a request to the Secretary to reduce the matching 
requirement, including the amount of the requested reduction, the total 
remaining match contribution, and a statement of the basis for the 
request. The Secretary will grant this request only if an applicant 
demonstrates a significant financial hardship. An applicant should 
review the Department's cost-sharing and cost-matching regulations, 
which include specific limitations, in 2 CFR 200.306 and the cost 
principles regarding donations, capital assets, depreciations and 
allowable costs, set out in subpart E of 2 CFR part 200.
    3. Application Requirements: Each applicant that receives a grant 
award for the Promise Neighborhoods competition must use the grant 
funds to implement the pipeline services and continuously evaluate the 
success of the program and improve the program based on data and 
outcomes. Applicants may use not less than 50 percent of grant funds in 
year one, and not less than 25 percent of grant funds in year two for 
planning activities to develop and implement pipeline services.
    Under section 4624 of the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA, applicants 
must submit and address the following:
    (1) A plan to significantly improve the academic outcomes of 
children living in the geographically defined area (neighborhood) that 
is served by the eligible entity by providing pipeline services that 
address the needs of children in the neighborhood, as identified by the 
needs analysis; and that is supported by effective practices.
    (2) A description of the neighborhood the eligible entity will 
serve. Applicants may propose to serve multiple, non-contiguous 
geographically defined areas. In cases where target areas are non-
contiguous, the applicant must explain its rationale for including non-
contiguous areas.
    (3) An analysis of the needs and assets of the neighborhood, 
including:
    (a) The size and scope of the population affected;
    (b) A description of the process through which the needs analysis 
was produced, including a description of how parents, families, and 
community members were engaged in such analysis;
    (c) An analysis of community assets and collaborative efforts 
(including programs already provided from Federal and non-Federal 
sources) within, or accessible to, the neighborhood, including, at a 
minimum, early learning opportunities, family and student supports, 
local businesses, local educational agencies, and institutions of 
higher education;
    (d) The steps that the eligible entity is taking at the time of the 
application to address the needs identified in the needs analysis; and
    (e) Any barriers the eligible entity, public agencies, and other 
community-based organizations have faced in meeting such needs.
    (4) A description of all information the entity used to identify 
the pipeline services to be provided, which shall not include 
information that is more than 3 years old. This description should 
address how the eligible entity plans to collect data on children 
served by each pipeline service; and increase the percentage of 
children served over time.
    (5) A description of the process used to develop the Promise 
Neighborhoods application, including the involvement of family and 
community members.
    (6) A description of how the pipeline services will facilitate the 
coordination of the following activities:
    (a) Providing early learning opportunities for children, including 
by:
    (i) Providing opportunities for families to acquire the skills to 
promote early learning and child development; and
    (ii) Ensuring appropriate diagnostic assessments and referrals for 
children with disabilities and children aged 3

[[Page 33887]]

through 9 experiencing developmental delays, consistent with the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), 
where applicable.
    (b) Supporting, enhancing, operating, or expanding rigorous, 
comprehensive, effective educational improvements, which may include 
high-quality academic programs, expanded learning time, and programs 
and activities to prepare students for postsecondary education 
admissions and success.
    (c) Supporting partnerships between schools and other community 
resources with an integrated focus on academics and other social, 
health, and familial supports.
    (d) Providing social, health, nutrition, and mental health services 
and supports, for children, family members, and community members, 
which may include services provided within the school building.
    (e) Supporting evidence-based programs (see section 8101(21) of the 
ESEA) that assist students through school transitions, which may 
include expanding access to postsecondary education courses and 
postsecondary education enrollment aid or guidance, and other supports 
for at-risk youth.
    (7) A description of the strategies that will be used to provide 
pipeline services (including a description of which programs and 
services will be provided to children, family members, community 
members, and children within the neighborhood) to support the purpose 
of the Promise Neighborhoods program.
    (8) An explanation of the process the eligible entity will use to 
establish and maintain family and community engagement, including:
    (a) Involving representative participation by the members of such 
neighborhood in the planning and implementation of the activities of 
each grant awarded;
    (b) The provision of strategies and practices to assist family and 
community members in actively supporting student achievement and child 
development;
    (c) Providing services for students, families, and communities 
within the school building; and
    (d) Collaboration with institutions of higher education, workforce 
development centers, and employers to align expectations and 
programming with postsecondary education and workforce readiness.
    (9) An explanation of how the eligible entity will continuously 
evaluate and improve the continuum of high-quality pipeline services to 
provide for continuous program improvement and potential expansion.
    (10) A commitment to collecting the required Promise Neighborhoods 
performance indicators' data; establishing the conditions for effective 
case and data management; and using data to improve program outcomes. 
In understanding the conditions necessary to collect, manage, and 
utilize data for Promise Neighborhoods, an applicant is required to:
    (a) Hire dedicated staff to ensure its project has sufficient 
personnel and/or contractors to effectively manage its data collection 
activities, case management, and data systems;
    (b) Submit a detailed data collection and reporting plan that 
includes a description of how it will conduct a bi-annual neighborhood 
survey of children and adults in the Promise Neighborhood; collect, at 
least annually, data on the performance indicators in Table 1; 
establish clear, annual targets and goals for growth on the performance 
indicators; and report those data to the Department annually;

                              Table 1--Promise Neighborhoods Performance Indicators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Result                                   Indicator                               Source
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Children enter kindergarten       1. Number and percentage of children in          Administrative data from
 ready to succeed in school.          kindergarten who demonstrate at the beginning    LEA.
                                      of the program or school year age-appropriate
                                      functioning across multiple domains of early
                                      learning as determined using developmentally-
                                      appropriate early learning measures.
2. Students are proficient in core   2.1 Number and percentage of students at or
 academic subjects.                   above grade level according to State
                                      mathematics assessments in at least the grades
                                      required by the ESEA (3rd through 8th grades
                                      and once in high school).
                                     2.2 Number and percentage of students at or
                                      above grade level according to State English
                                      language arts assessments in at least the
                                      grades required by the ESEA.
3. Students successfully transition  3.1 Attendance rate of students in 6th, 7th,
 from middle school grades to high    8th, and 9th grade as defined by average daily
 school.                              attendance.
                                     3.2 Chronic absenteeism rate of students in
                                      6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades.
4. Youth graduate from high school.  4. Four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate...
5. High school graduates obtain a    5.1 Number and percentage of Promise             Third party data such as
 postsecondary degree,                Neighborhood students who enroll in a two-year   the National Student
 certification or credential.         or four-year college or university after         Clearinghouse.
                                      graduation.
                                     5.2 Number and percent of Promise Neighborhood
                                      students who graduate from a two-year or four-
                                      year college or university or vocational
                                      certification completion.
6. Students are healthy............  Number and percentage of children who consume    Neighborhood survey,
                                      five or more servings of fruits and vegetables   school climate survey or
                                      daily.                                           other reliable data
                                                                                       source for population
                                                                                       level data collection.
7. Students feel safe at school and  7. Number and percentage of children who feel
 in their community.                  safe at school and traveling to and from
                                      school as measured by a school climate survey.
8. Students live in stable           8. Student mobility rate (as defined in the
 communities.                         notice).

[[Page 33888]]

 
9. Families and community members    9.1 Number and percentage of parents or family
 support learning in promise          members that read to or encourage their
 Neighborhood Schools.                children to read three or more times a week or
                                      reported their child read to themselves three
                                      or more times a week (birth-8th grade).
                                     9.2 Number and percentage of parents/family
                                      members who report talking about the
                                      importance of college and career (9th-12th
                                      grade).
10. Students have access to 21st     10. Number and percentage of students who have
 century learning tools.              school and home access to broadband internet
                                      and a connected computing device.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note:  The indicators in Table 1 are not intended to limit an 
applicant from collecting and using data from additional Family and 
Community Support indicators proposed to the Department. Applicants 
are strongly encouraged, but not required, to propose additional 
performance indicators aligned to the specific pipeline services 
proposed in their application.

    (c) Describe how it will develop a case management system to track 
key information and progress toward outcomes for individual children 
and adults participating in its Promise Neighborhoods programs and to 
facilitate communication and the coordination of services on behalf of 
these individuals; and
    (d) Describe how it will develop and maintain a longitudinal data 
system to track outcome measures and other performance indicators over 
time (e.g., snapshots and extracts from the case management system at 
different points in time).
    The established performance indicators for the Promise 
Neighborhoods program serve as indicators of improved academic and 
developmental outcomes for children, including indicators of school 
readiness, high school graduation, postsecondary education and career 
readiness, and other academic and developmental outcomes. Each grantee 
is required to collect and report data on the performance indicators 
annually. Subsequently, the Department will make a determination for 
continuation funding and grant extensions based on performance 
indicator outcomes and available funding.
    (11) A commitment to work with the Department, and with a national 
evaluator for Promise Neighborhoods or another entity designated by the 
Department, to ensure that data collection and program design are 
consistent with plans to conduct a rigorous national evaluation of the 
Promise Neighborhoods program and of specific solutions and strategies 
pursued by individual grantees. This commitment must include, but need 
not be limited to--
    (a) Ensuring that, through memoranda of understanding with 
appropriate entities, the national evaluator and the Department have--
consistent with applicable privacy requirements--access to relevant 
program and project data sources (e.g., administrative data and program 
and project indicator data), including on a quarterly basis if 
requested by the Department;
    (b) Developing, in consultation with the national evaluator, an 
evaluation strategy, including identifying a credible comparison group; 
and
    (c) Developing, in consultation with the national evaluator, a plan 
for identifying and collecting reliable and valid baseline data for 
both program participants and a designated comparison group of non-
participants.
    (12) Each applicant must submit, as part of its application, a 
preliminary memorandum of understanding, signed by each organization or 
agency with which it would partner in implementing the proposed Promise 
Neighborhood. Within the preliminary memorandum of understanding, all 
applicants must detail each partner's financial, programmatic, and 
long-term commitment with respect to the strategies described in the 
application.
    Under section 4624(c) of the ESEA, applicants that are non-profit 
entities must submit a preliminary memorandum of understanding signed 
by each partner entity or agency, which must include at least one of 
the following: A high-need LEA; an institution of higher education, as 
defined in section 102 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002); the office of a 
chief elected official of a unit of local government; or an Indian 
Tribe or Tribal organization as defined in section 4 of the Indian 
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
    Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this program is 
required to prepare and submit an annual report to the Secretary that 
must include the following: (1) Information about the number and 
percentage of children in the neighborhood who are served by the grant 
program, including a description of the number and percentage of 
children accessing each support service offered as part of the pipeline 
of services; and (2) information relating to the metrics established 
under the Promise Neighborhood Performance Indicators.
    In addition, grantees are required to make these data publicly 
available, including through electronic means. To the extent 
practicable, and as required by law, such information must be provided 
in a form and language accessible to parents and families in the 
neighborhood served under the Promise Neighborhoods grant. In addition, 
data on academic indicators pertinent to the Promise Neighborhoods 
program will, in most cases, already be part of statewide longitudinal 
data systems.

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/. To obtain a copy from 
ED Pubs, write, fax, or call: 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 TDD or a TTY, call FRS, toll 
free: 1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.215N.
    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 or team listed under 
Accessible Format in section VII of this notice.
    2. a. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together

[[Page 33889]]

with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this 
competition.
    The Department will be able to develop a more efficient process for 
reviewing grant applications if it has a better understanding of the 
number of entities that intend to apply for funding under this 
competition. Therefore, the Secretary strongly encourages each 
potential applicant to notify the Department of the applicant's intent 
to submit an application for funding by completing a web-based form. 
When completing this form, applicants will provide (1) the applicant 
organization's name and address, and (2) information on the competitive 
preference priority or priorities under which the applicant intends to 
apply. Applicants may access this form online at https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/parental-options/promise-neighborhoods-pn/. Applicants that do not complete this form may still apply for 
funding.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) 
limit the application narrative to 75 pages, and (2) use 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 recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover 
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget 
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of 
support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the 
application narrative.
    2. b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the Promise 
Neighborhoods program, your application may include business 
information that you consider proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define 
``business information'' and describe the process we use in determining 
whether any of that information is proprietary and, thus, protected 
from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 
U.S.C. 552, as amended).
    Because we plan to make successful applications available to the 
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business 
information.
    Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your 
application any information that you feel is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your 
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page 
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional 
information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: July 21, 2017.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: August 21, 2017.
    Date of Pre-Application Webinar: Promise Neighborhoods intends to 
hold pre-application webinars to provide technical assistance to 
interested applicants. Detailed information regarding pre-application 
webinar times will be provided on the Web site at https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/parental-options/promise-neighborhoods-pn/.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 5, 2017.
    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 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to Other Submission Requirements in section 
IV 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. 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: November 3, 2017.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program 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.
    Applicants that operate a school in a neighborhood served by a 
grant program must provide such school with the operational 
flexibility, including autonomy over staff, time, and budget, needed to 
effectively carry out the activities described in this Notice.
    Grantees cannot, in carrying out activities to improve early 
childhood education programs, use Promise Neighborhoods funds to carry 
out the following activities:
    (1) Assessments that provide rewards or sanctions for individual 
children or teachers.
    (2) A single assessment that is used as the primary or sole method 
for assessing program effectiveness.
    (3) Evaluation of children, other than for the purposes of 
improving instruction, classroom environment, professional development, 
or parent and family engagement, or program improvement.
    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), 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 at the 
following Web site: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. 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 two to five 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 you enter into the SAM database. 
Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial 
assistance under a program

[[Page 33890]]

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, it may be 24 to 48 
hours before you can access the information in, and 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: 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: 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 Promise Neighborhoods, CFDA number 
84.215N, 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 Promise 
Neighborhoods 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 84.215, not 84.215N).
    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. In addition, for specific guidance and 
procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please 
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
     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 read-only, flattened 
Portable Document Format (PDF), meaning any fillable PDF documents must 
be saved as flattened non-fillable files. Therefore, do not upload an 
interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than 
a read-only, flattened PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or 
submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material. 
Please note that this could result in your application not being 
considered for funding because the material in question--for example, 
the application narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your 
proposal. For that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate 
time to upload all material as PDF files. The Department will not 
convert material from other formats to PDF. There is no need to 
password protect a file in order to meet the requirement to submit a 
read-only flattened PDF. And, as noted above, the Department will not 
review password protected files.
     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. Grants.gov 
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all 
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors 
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a 
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an 
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will 
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you 
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
    Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the 
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you 
an email with

[[Page 33891]]

a unique PR/Award number for your application.
    These emails do not mean that your application is without any 
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully 
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application 
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application 
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure 
to upload attachments in a read-only, flattened PDF; failure to submit 
a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant 
eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your 
submitted application has met all of the Department's requirements.
     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 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 the problem affected your ability to 
submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. We will contact you after we determine 
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 
prevents 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: Adrienne Hawkins, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W256, 
Washington, DC 20202-5970. FAX: (202) 205-5630.
    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 84.215N), 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.

    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.

    We will not consider applications postmarked after the application 
deadline date.
    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 84.215N), 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 are either from 34 
CFR 75.210 or established in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 
20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). All of the selection criteria are listed in this 
section and in the application package. The maximum score for all of 
the selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each 
criterion is included in parentheses following the title of the 
specific selection criterion. Each criterion also includes the factors 
that reviewers will consider in

[[Page 33892]]

determining the extent to which an applicant meets the criterion.
    Points awarded under these selection criteria are in addition to 
any points an applicant earns under the competitive preference 
priorities in this notice. The maximum score that an application may 
receive under the competitive preference priorities and the selection 
criteria is 108 points.
    (a) Need for the Project (15 points).
    The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In 
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:
    (1) The magnitude or severity of the problems to be addressed by 
the proposed project as described by indicators of need (as defined in 
this notice) and other relevant indicators identified in part by the 
needs assessment and segmentation analysis (as defined in this notice);
    (2) The extent to which the geographically defined area has been 
described; and
    (3) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses. (34 CFR 75.210)
    (b) Quality of Project Design (30 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of 
the project design. In determining the quality of the design of the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the applicant describes a plan to create a 
complete pipeline of services, including early learning through grade 
12, college- and career-readiness, and family and community supports, 
without time and resource gaps, that will prepare all children in the 
neighborhood to attain an excellent education and successfully 
transition to college and a career, and that will significantly 
increase the proportion of students in the neighborhood that are served 
by the complete continuum to reach scale over time;
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible (34 CFR 75.210); and
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project is supported by strong 
theory (as defined in this notice) (34 CFR 75.210).
    (c) Quality of Project Services (20 points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided 
by the proposed project. In determining the quality of the project 
services, the Secretary considers:
    (1) The quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal 
access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members 
of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (34 CFR 75.210);
    (2) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed 
project will lead to improvement in the achievement of students as 
measured against rigorous academic standards (34 CFR 75.210); and
    (3) The quality of the applicant's plan to establish formal and 
informal partnerships, including the alignment of the visions, theories 
of action, and theories of change described in its memorandum of 
understanding, and to create a system for holding partners accountable 
for performance in accordance with the memorandum of understanding.
    (d) Quality of the Management Plan (20 points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks (34 CFR 75.210); and
    (2) The adequacy of the management plan's provisions on collecting, 
analyzing, and using data for decision-making, learning, continuous 
improvement, and accountability, including whether the applicant has a 
plan to build, adapt, or expand a longitudinal data system that 
integrates student-level data from multiple sources in order to measure 
progress while abiding by privacy laws and requirements, and ensuring 
that any systems built, adapted, or expanded upon includes essential 
security controls.
    (e) Adequacy of Resources (15 points).
    The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers:
    (1) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and 
benefits (34 CFR 75.210);
    (2) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates that it has the 
resources to operate the project beyond the length of the grant, 
including a multi-year financial and operating model and accompanying 
plan; the demonstrated commitment of any partners; evidence of broad 
support from stakeholders (e.g., State educational agencies, teachers' 
unions) critical to the project's long-term success; or more than one 
of these types of evidence (34 CFR 75.210); and
    (3) The extent to which the applicant identifies existing 
neighborhood assets and programs supported by Federal, State, local, 
and private funds that will be used to implement pipeline services.
    2. Review and Selection Process: The Department will screen 
applications submitted in accordance with the requirements in this 
notice, and will determine which applications have met eligibility and 
other statutory requirements.
    The Department will use independent reviewers from various 
backgrounds and professions including: Pre-kindergarten through grade 
12, teachers and principals, college and university educators, 
researchers and evaluators, social entrepreneurs, strategy consultants, 
grant makers and managers, and others with community development and 
education expertise. The Department will thoroughly screen all 
reviewers for conflicts of interest to ensure a fair and competitive 
review process.
    Reviewers will read, prepare a written evaluation of, and score the 
applications assigned to their panel, using the selection criteria 
provided in this notice.
    The Secretary prepares a rank order of applications for each 
absolute priority based solely on the evaluation of their quality 
according to the selection criteria and competitive preference priority 
points. The Department may use more than one tier of reviews in 
determining grantees, including possible site visits for applicants. 
Additional information about the review process will be posted on the 
Department's Web site.
    We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in 
any 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

[[Page 33893]]

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. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, in 
appropriate circumstances, high-risk 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 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; 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); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your 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). If awarded a grant 
under this competition, information about the number and percentage of 
children in the neighborhood who are served by the grant program, 
including a description of the number and percentage of children 
accessing each support or service offered as part of the pipeline 
services; and information relating to the performance metrics must be 
stated in each annual report.
    (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 multiyear 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. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this 
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project 
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$150,000) under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your 
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal 
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make 
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that 
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as 
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any 
information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and 
that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
    5. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established performance 
indicators (i.e., performance measures) for Promise Neighborhoods. 
Performance indicators established by the Secretary include improved 
academic and development outcomes for children, including indicators of 
school readiness, high school graduation, postsecondary education and 
career readiness, and other academic and developmental outcomes. These 
outcomes promote data-driven decision-making and access to a community-
based continuum of high quality services for children living in the 
most distressed communities of the United States, beginning at birth. 
All grantees will be required to submit data annually against these 
performance measures as part of their annual performance report.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the 
Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee has made 
substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the 
project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, the 
performance of the grantee in meeting the targets established for each 
performance indicator identified in the grantee's approved data plan.
    In making a continuation award, 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. 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.
    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 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.


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    Dated: July 18, 2017.
Margo Anderson,
Acting Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2017-15359 Filed 7-20-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P