Fiscal Year 1996 Environmental Education Grants Program; Solicitation Notice

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 150 (Friday, August 4, 1995)]

[Notices]

[Pages 39994-40004]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 95-18991]

[[Page 39993]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part II

Environmental Protection Agency

_______________________________________________________________________

Fiscal Year 1996 Environmental Education Grants Program; Solicitation

Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 150 / Friday, August 4, 1995 /

Notices

[[Page 39994]]

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5268-2]

Fiscal Year 1996 Environmental Education Grants Program;

Solicitation Notice

Section I. Important Pre-Application Information

A. What is the purpose of this solicitation notice?

This notice solicits grant pre-applications from education

institutions, public agencies, and non-profit organizations to support

environmental education projects as defined in this notice.

B. What is the Environmental Education Grants Program? How much

money is available for this program?

The Environmental Education Grants Program provides financial

support for projects which design, demonstrate, or disseminate

environmental education practices, methods, or techniques. This program

is authorized under Section 6 of the National Environmental Education

Act of 1990 (the Act) (P.L. 101-619). Congress has appropriated

approximately $11 million for this grants program over the past four

years (between $2.5 and $2.9 million per year from FY 1992 through FY

1995). EPA headquarters awards approximately $1 million in grant funds

per year and each of EPA's ten regional offices award approximately

$150,000 to $180,000 per year. EPA expects funding in FY 1996 to be

about the same as in the past and will award grants subject to the

amount of funds appropriated by Congress.

C. What is environmental education?

The goal of environmental education is to increase public awareness

and knowledge about environmental issues, and to provide the public

with the skills needed to make informed decisions and to take

responsible actions. Environmental education enhances critical-

thinking, problem-solving, and effective decision-making skills. It

also teaches individuals to weigh various sides of an environmental

issue to make informed and responsible decisions.

D. When is my pre-application due to EPA and when will EPA announce

the grant awards?

Pre-applications (a signed original plus two copies) must be mailed

to EPA postmarked no later than Friday, October 13, 1995. Pre-

applications which are postmarked after October 13, 1995 will not be

considered for funding. EPA expects to announce the 1996 grant awards

in the Spring of 1996.

E. Do I mail my pre-application to EPA headquarters or an EPA

regional office? Is there a difference between the type of project that

is funded by EPA headquarters as opposed to EPA's regional offices?

Pre-applications requesting between $25,001 and $250,000 in federal

environmental education grant funds must be mailed to EPA headquarters

in Washington, DC; pre-applications requesting $25,000 or less must be

mailed to the EPA regional office where the project takes place (rather

than to the regional office where the applicant is located, if these

locations are different). A list of addresses is included at the end of

this notice. The EPA headquarters and regional grants will be evaluated

using the same criteria as defined in this solicitation. The only

difference between grants that are awarded by EPA headquarters and by

EPA's regional offices is the amount of money awarded.

F. Where do I get the information and forms needed to prepare my

pre-application?

Please read this solicitation notice carefully; it contains all the

information and forms necessary to prepare a pre-application. If your

project is selected as a finalist after the evaluation process is

concluded, EPA will provide you with additional forms needed to process

your pre-application.

G. How much money can I request for my grant project? How does the

dollar amount requested affect my chance of being funded?

Applicants may request up to $250,000 in environmental education

grant funds for any one grant. However, pre-applications which request

relatively small amounts of funding, especially for $5,000 or less,

have a much better chance of being funded because EPA awards a much

greater number of grants at lower funding levels. In fact, your chance

of being funded increases dramatically as the amount of money you

request decreases. A significant number of smaller awards are made for

the following reasons. First, EPA is required, under Section 6(i) of

the Act, to award 25% of the total amount of our grant funds for

projects which request $5,000 or less. For each EPA region, this means

that 50% of the regional grant funds each year are designated for

grants of $5,000 or less. Second, EPA chooses to award only a few large

grants (e.g., those submitted to headquarters which request over

$100,000) to enable EPA to support more projects.

EPA has awarded grants under the Environmental Education Grants

Program from FY 1992 through FY 1995. Individual awards have ranged

from less than $5,000 up to $250,000. Since FY 1992, EPA has funded

only about 10 proposals annually for projects requesting between

$25,001 and $250,000, and only 1 proposal each year has been funded at

or near the $250,000 level. By contrast, EPA has funded about 30

proposals annually for projects requesting between $5,001 and $25,000,

and about 200 proposals annually for projects requesting $5,000 or

less. EPA has received between 1,200 and 3,000 pre-applications each

year. To increase your chance of obtaining funding in FY 1996, EPA

strongly encourages applicants to request regional grants of $5,000 or

less. If larger sums are needed, EPA strongly encourages applicants to

request a headquarters grant closer to $25,000 rather than the maximum

of $250,000.

Section II. Eligible Applicants

H. Who is eligible to submit pre-applications?

Any local or tribal government education agency, state government

education or environmental agency, college or university, not-for-

profit organization, or noncommercial educational broadcasting entity

may submit a pre-application. These terms are defined in Section 3 of

the Act and 40 CFR Part 47.105.

I. May an organization submit more than one pre-application in FY

1996?

Yes, an organization may submit more than one pre-application, but

only if the pre-applications are for different projects. No

organization will be awarded more than one grant for the same project

during the same fiscal year.

J. May I submit a pre-application for Fiscal Year 1996 even if I

have been awarded funding under this program in the past four years?

Yes, applicants who were awarded funding previously may submit a

pre-application for FY 1996. The FY 1996 pre-application may or may not

have any relationship to the project funded in a previous year. Each

pre-application for FY 1996 will be evaluated based upon the specific

criteria set forth in this solicitation and in relation to the other

pre-applications.

K. May a teacher, educator, or faculty member apply?

A teacher's school district, an educator's nonprofit organization,

or a faculty member's college or university may apply, but an

individual teacher, educator, or faculty member cannot. Only agencies,

organizations, and institutions--not individuals--are eligible to apply

for grants.

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Section III. Eligible Activities and Funding Priorities

L. What general activities are eligible for funding under this

program?

As specified under the Act, the environmental education activities

that are eligible for funding under this program must include, but are

not limited to, at least one of the following:

1. designing, demonstrating, or disseminating environmental

curricula;

2. assessing environmental and ecological conditions or specific

environmental issues or problems;

3. training or educating teachers, faculty, or related personnel;

or

4. fostering international cooperation in addressing environmental

issues and problems in the United States, Canada, and/or Mexico.

Under Section III.L.1. above, EPA strongly encourages applicants to

demonstrate or disseminate existing environmental curricula rather than

designing new curricula because experts indicate that a significant

amount of quality curricula have already been developed and are under-

utilized. EPA will consider funding new curricula only where the

applicant demonstrates that there is a need (e.g., that the new

curriculum has not been designed for a certain audience, existing

curricula cannot be adapted well to a particular local environmental

concern, or existing curricula are not otherwise accessible). The

applicant must specify what steps they have taken to determine this

need (e.g., you may cite a conference where this need was discussed,

the results of inquiries made within your community or with various

educational institutions, or a research or other published document).

M. What activities are NOT eligible for funding under this program?

Funds cannot be used for:

1. construction projects;

2. technical training of environmental management professionals;

3. non-educational research and development; and/or

4. environmental information projects.

Under Section III.M.4. above, EPA will not fund construction

activities such as the acquisition of real property (e.g., buildings)

or the construction or modification of any building. EPA may, however,

fund activities such as creating a nature trail or building a bird

watching station as long as these items are an integral part of the

environmental education project, and the cost is a relatively small

percentage of the total amount of federal funds requested.

Under Section III.M.4. above, EPA will fund only environmental

education projects, NOT projects that are solely designed to develop or

disseminate environmental information. As discussed under Section I.C.

above, environmental education teaches critical-thinking, problem-

solving skills, and decision-making skills. By contrast, environmental

information provides facts or opinions about environmental issues or

problems, but does not enhance critical-thinking, problem-solving, or

effective decision-making skills. Although information is an essential

element of any educational effort, environmental information is not, by

itself, environmental education. In other words, environmental

education teaches people how to think, not what to think.

N. What specific type of projects will EPA fund?

EPA will fund only those proposals which meet the criteria

specified under #1 and #2 below. Proposals which do not meet these

criteria will not be funded.

1. As specified under the Act, all proposals MUST discuss how the

proposed project:

a. is new or significantly improved;

b. has the potential for wide application; AND

c. addresses a high priority environmental issue.

Applicants must define ``new or significantly improved,'' ``wide

application,'' and ``high priority environmental issue'' as they relate

to each individual project. For example, a project may be new or

significantly improved if it reaches a specific community for the first

time, develops a new or improved teaching strategy, or uses a new or

improved method of applying existing materials. Similarly, a project

may have wide application if it targets a large and diverse audience in

terms of numbers or demographics or if it can serve as a model program

elsewhere. Finally, a project may address a high priority environmental

issue if the applicant demonstrates its importance to the community,

state, or region being targeted by the project (e.g., one community may

have significant air pollution problems which makes teaching about

human health affects from and solutions to air pollution important,

while rapid development in another community may threaten a nearby

wildlife habitat, thus, making habitat or ecosystem protection a high

priority issue).

2. All proposals MUST also focus on ONE of the following:

a. improving environmental education teaching skills for teachers,

faculty, and other nonformal educators (e.g., through workshops);

b. educating teachers, students, or the public about human health

problems from environmental pollution;

c. building state, local, or tribal capacity to develop and deliver

environmental education programs;

d. promoting environmental careers among students;

e. educating members of a community through a community-based

organization; OR

f. educating the general public to be more environmentally

conscious in making informed decisions and taking responsible actions

through print, film, broadcast, or other media.

All proposals MUST clearly identify which of the above the proposal

will focus on. You will NOT increase your chances of being funded by

focusing on more than one of the above. The terms used under Section

III.N.2.a-f. are defined below.

The term workshop refers to training activities that prepare

educators to utilize environmental education materials. Workshops may

be directed toward young people and/or adults in formal and/or informal

settings. (A formal setting is a school, college, university, or other

similar institution devoted to learning; an informal setting may

include a museum, nature center, park, or community center which may

not be devoted to learning but often includes such activities).

Workshops should emphasize a process, problem-solving, and

investigative approach to learning, and use a ``hands-on'' approach to

learning that leads to the development of problem-solving and critical-

thinking skills.

The term building state, local, or tribal capacity refers to the

development and implementation of plans designed to improve the

coordinated delivery of environmental education at the state, local, or

tribal level. This should involve a coordinated effort by the primary

environmental education providers from the respective state, local, or

tribal government in the planning and implementation of the project

(e.g., State Departments of Education or Natural Resources, local

school districts, and state, local, and tribal environmental education

coordinating councils). Examples of how to build state, local, or

tribal capacity include the development of plans for:

identifying and assessing needs as well as setting

priorities;

creating grant programs or identifying funding sources for

environmental education providers; and/or

identifying environmental education teacher training

needs.

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The term community-based organization refers to organizations in

which local problems are addressed by individuals who reside in the

community being served.

Section IV. The Pre-Application

O. What is a pre-application?

The pre-application contains three parts: (1) The ``Application for

Federal Assistance'' (Standard Form 424 (or SF 424, attached)), (2) the

``Budget Information: Non-Construction Programs'' (Standard Form 424A

(or SF 424A, attached)), and (3) a work plan (described below). To

ensure your pre-application is completed properly, carefully follow the

instructions on the SF 424, SF 424A, and those provided below. The SF

424, SF 424A, and completed work plan contain all the information EPA

will use to evaluate the merits of your pre-application. Only finalists

will be asked to submit additional forms needed to process your pre-

application.

P. Are matching funds required?

Yes, non-federal matching funds of at least 25% of the total cost

of the project are required, although EPA encourages matching funds of

greater than 25%. Federal funds to support the project must not exceed

75% of the total cost of the project. The 25% match may be provided by

the applicant or any another organization or institution, except that

no portion of the 25% match can include federal funds (unless

specifically authorized by statute). The 25% match may be provided in

cash or by in-kind contributions and other non-cash support. In-kind

contributions often include salaries or other verifiable costs. In the

case of salaries, applicants may use either minimum wage or fair market

value. The proposed match, including the value of in-kind

contributions, is subject to negotiation with EPA. The value of in-kind

contributions must be carefully documented. All grants are subject to

audit.

The matching non-federal share is a percentage of the entire cost

of the project. For example, if the 75% federal portion is $5,000, then

the entire project should, at a minimum, have a budget of $6,667, with

the recipient providing a contribution of $1,667. The amount of non-

federal funds, including in-kind contributions, must be itemized in

Block 15 of the SF 424.

Q. Can I use federal funds in addition to those provided by this

program to support the same project?

Yes, you may use federal funds in addition to those provided by

this program, but only for different activities. However, you may not

use any federal funds to meet all or any part of the required 25% match

as stated in Section IV.P. above. If you have already been awarded

federal funds for a project in which you are seeking additional support

from this program, you must indicate in the budget section of the work

plan that you have been awarded other federal support for this project.

You must also identify the project officer, agency, office, address,

phone number, and the amount of the award.

R. Can I request funding for any budget category on the SF 424A

(i.e., personnel/salaries, fringe benefits, travel, equipment,

supplies, contractual, and indirect charges)?

Yes, you may request funding for any or all of the budget

categories identified above with the following exceptions. First, as

indicated under Section III.M.1. above, EPA will not fund the

acquisition of real property (including buildings) or the construction

or modification of any building.

Second, you may request funds to pay for salaries and fringe

benefits, but only for those personnel who are directly involved in

implementing the proposed project and whose salaries and fringe

benefits are directly related to specific products or outcomes of the

proposed project. EPA strongly encourages applicants to request

reasonable amounts of funding for salaries and fringe benefits. Third,

you may include a request for indirect costs if your organization has

already negotiated and received an indirect cost rate from the federal

government.

S. What must be included in the pre-application?

The pre-application must contain an SF 424, SF 424A, and work plan

as described below:

1. Application for Federal Assistance and Budget Information (SF

424 and SF 424A). The SF 424 and SF 424A are required for all federal

grants. A completed SF 424 and SF 424A must be submitted as part of

your pre-application. These forms, along with instructions and samples,

are included at the end of this notice. Please carefully review the

instructions and the sample. Refer to Section IV.R. above for

information on what types of budget categories can and cannot be funded

under this program.

2. Work Plan. A work plan describes your proposed project. The

total number of points possible for each proposal is 100. These points

will be distributed as follows. First, each of the following four

sections of the work plan are assigned points which add up to 90.

(Certain sections are given more points than others reflecting the

relative importance of each section). Second, reviewers will be given

the flexibility to provide up to 10 additional points for exceptional

projects based upon the overall quality of the proposal. All criteria

used to provide these 10 additional points will be consistent with the

criteria established in the solicitation.

All work plans must include and be formatted according all four

sections (a-d) below:

a. Project Summary: Provide EPA with an overview of your entire

project. The summary must be no more than one page and must briefly

include all seven of the following:

(1) Describe your organization (and your key partners);

(2) State the goals and specific objectives of your project;

(3) Identify what type of project you will focus on as described

under Section III.N.2.a-f. (e.g., teacher training or community-based

education);

(4) Describe the demographics of your target audience (including

the total number of direct participants, ethnic composition, and type

of individuals reached such as teachers, students, or the general

public).

(5) Indicate how you will reach your target audience;

(6) Describe the expected results of your project and how you will

evaluate it; and

(7) Indicate what types of activities the EPA funds will be used

for.

The project summary will be scored on how well you provide an

overview of your entire project based upon the seven subsections

identified above.

Project Summary Maximum Score: 5 points

b. Project Description: Provide EPA with an explanation of how your

proposed project meets #1 and #2 below.

(1) Explain how the proposed project (a) is new or significantly

improved, (b) has wide application, AND (c) addresses a priority issue

as described under Section III.N.1.a, b, and c.

This subsection will be scored on how well you explain how your

proposal meets the three elements identified above. Subsection maximum

score: 15 points (5 points for each of the three elements identified

above).

(2) Explain how the proposed project (a) improves teaching skills;

(b) educates about human health problems from pollution; (c) builds

state, local, or tribal capacity; (d) promotes environmental careers;

(e) educates a community through a community-based organization; OR (f)

educates the general public as described under Section III.N.2.a-f.

This subsection will be scored on how clearly and effectively your

project (a)

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establishes realistic goals and objectives, (b) identifies its target

audience and demonstrates an understanding of the needs of that

audience, (c) uses an effective means or delivery system for reaching

the target audience/implementing the project, and (d) demonstrates that

it uses or produces quality educational products or methods which teach

critical-thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

Subsection maximum score: 40 points (10 points for each of the four

elements identified in this paragraph)

Project Description Maximum Score: 55 points

c. Project Evaluation: Provide EPA with an explanation of how you

will determine or measure whether you are meeting the goals and

objectives of your project. Evaluation plans may be quantitative and/or

qualitative and may include, for example, surveys, observation, or

outside consultation.

The project evaluation will be scored on the extent to which (a)

your evaluation plan will measure the project's effectiveness and (b)

you plan to apply data gathered from your evaluation to strengthen your

project.

Project Evaluation Maximum Score: 10 points (5 points for each of the

two elements identified above)

d. Appendices: Provide EPA with a detailed budget, resumes of key

personnel, and letters of commitment. No other appendices or

attachments such as video tapes or sample curricula may be submitted.

(1) Budget: Describe how you will use the funds for personnel/

salaries, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contract costs,

and indirect costs. You must also include a table which lists each

major proposed activity as well as the month and year it will be

completed and the amount of EPA funds that will be spent on each

activity. For smaller grants, your table may list only one or two

activities.

This subsection will be scored on (a) how well the budget

information clearly and accurately shows how funds will be used, and

(b) whether the funding request is reasonable given the activities

proposed. Subsection maximum score: 10 points (5 points for each of the

two elements identified in this paragraph).

(2) Key Personnel and Letters of Commitment: Attach one or two page

resumes for up to three key personnel implementing the project. Also,

include one page letters of commitment from partners (if there are

partners) with a significant role in the proposed project. Do not

include letters of support; they will not be considered in evaluating

pre-applications.

This subsection will be scored based upon whether resumes of key

personnel are included and whether the key personnel are qualified to

implement the proposed project. In addition, the score will reflect

whether letters of commitment are included (if partners are used) and

the extent to which a firm commitment is made. Subsection maximum

score: 10 points.

Appendices Maximum Score: 20 points

T. What are the page limits for the work plan?

Your work plan may include the following number of pages for

requests in federal funds of:

1. $5,000 or less--EPA prefers a work plan of 3 pages, but will

accept up to 5 pages.

2. $5,001 up to $250,000--a work plan of up to 10 pages.

These page limits apply only to the work plan (i.e., the

``summary,'' ``project description,'' and ``project evaluation''), not

the appendices. ``One page'' refers to one side of a single-spaced

typed page. The pages must be letter sized (8\1/2\ X 11 inches), with

normal type size (10 or 12 cpi) and at least 1 inch margins. To

conserve paper, please provide double-sided copies of the pre-

application.

U. How must the pre-application be submitted?

The applicant must submit one original and two copies of the pre-

application (a signed SF 424, an SF 424A, and a work plan). Please

submit ONLY the SF 424, the SF 424A, and the work plan. Do not include

other attachments such as cover letters, tables of contents, or

appendices other than those required (budget, resumes, letters of

commitment). The SF 424 should be the first page of your pre-

application and must be signed by a person authorized to receive funds.

Pre-applications must be reproducible; they should not be bound. They

should be stapled or clipped once in the upper left hand corner, on

white paper, and with page numbers in the upper right hand corner.

V. What regulations must I comply with in submitting my proposal?

The Environmental Education Grant Program Regulations, published in

the Federal Register on March 9, 1992, provides some additional

information on EPA's administration this program (57 Federal Register

8390; Title 40 CFR, Part 47 or 40 CFR Part 47). Also, EPA's general

assistance regulations at 40 CFR Part 31 applies to state, local, and

Indian tribal governments and 40 CFR Part 30 applies to all other

applicants such as nonprofit organizations.

Section V. Review and Selection Process

W. How will pre-applications be reviewed and who will conduct the

reviews?

Pre-applications will be reviewed in two phases--the screening

phase and the evaluation phase. During the screening phase, pre-

applications will be reviewed to determine whether they meet the basic

requirements of this notice, especially as described under Sections II

and III. Only those pre-applications which meet all of the basic

requirements will enter the evaluation phase of the review process.

During the evaluation phase, pre-applications will be evaluated based

upon the quality of their work plans, especially the degree to which

the work plan meets the requirements set forth in Section III.N.1 and

2. Reviewers conducting the screening and evaluation phases of the

review process will include EPA officials and external environmental

educators approved by EPA. At the conclusion of the evaluation phase,

the reviewers will score each applicant's work plan based upon the

scoring system identified in Section IV.S.2.

X. How will the final selections be made?

After individual projects are evaluated and scored by the reviewers

as described under Section V.W. above, EPA officials in the regions and

at headquarters will identify finalists among the highest ranking pre-

applications. In making final selections, EPA's goal is to fund diverse

types of projects that take into account, but are not limited to, the

following:

1. the geographic location of the project;

2. the type of environmental problem or issue addressed;

3. the type of target audience and their socioeconomic status;

4. the methods used to reach the target audience;

5. the type of organization submitting the proposal and/or whether

the proposal makes effective use of partnerships; and

6. the cost.

In reference to socioeconomic status, under Section V.X.1. above,

EPA's goal is to encourage applicants to submit proposals that promote

environmental justice for culturally-diverse and low-income

populations. EPA hopes to fund many proposals which score high in the

evaluation process and which promote environmental justice. The term

environmental justice refers to the fair treatment of people of all

races, cultures, and income with respect to the development,

implementation and

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enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair

treatment means that no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group should

bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental

consequences resulting from the operation of industrial, municipal, and

commercial enterprises and from the execution of federal, state, local,

and tribal programs and policies.

Efforts to address environmental justice through environmental

education may include educational programs that provide culturally-

diverse and low-income populations with critical-thinking, problem-

solving, and decision-making skills to identify, assess, and address an

environmental problem that has a disproportionately high and adverse

human health or environmental impact in their community.

In reference to the effective use of partnerships, under Section

V.X.3. above, EPA's goal is to encourage applicants to submit proposals

which form partnerships, where possible. EPA hopes to fund many

proposals which score high in the evaluation process and which promote

the effective use of partnerships between organizations. The term

partnerships refers to forming a collaborative working relationship

between two or more organizations such as governmental agencies, non-

profit organizations, educational institutions, and/or the private

sector.

In reference to the type of environmental issue, under Section

V.X.4. above, EPA's goal is to encourage applicants to submit proposals

which use pollution prevention concepts or techniques to address a high

priority environmental issue (as discussed under Section III.N.1.c.).

EPA hopes to fund many proposals which score high in the evaluation

process and which convey the importance of pollution prevention. The

term pollution prevention refers to reducing or eliminating waste or

pollution at the source. It means not creating waste or pollution in

the first place, instead of deciding how to recycle, treat, or dispose

of waste and pollution that has already been created. Pollution

prevention may include increasing energy efficiency and resource

conservation efforts, as well as finding non-polluting substitutes for

existing products and activities.

Pollution prevention is EPA's preferred approach to reduce risk to

public health and the environment. Efforts to promote pollution

prevention through environmental education may include projects that

educate the public about the value of preventive approaches to

environmental problems and the choices they can make in their everyday

lives to minimize adverse effects of human activities on the

environment (e.g., in the home, work place, market place, and/or

community).

EPA Regional Administrators will select grant recipients for

projects with federal environmental education grant funding of $25,000

or less, taking into account the recommendations of the regional

environmental education coordinators who will base their

recommendations on the factors discussed above. The Associate

Administrator for Communications, Education, and Public Affairs at EPA

headquarters will select the grant recipients for projects with federal

environmental education grant funding of more than $25,000 and up to

$250,000, taking into account the recommendations of the Environmental

Education Division Director who will base the recommendations on the

factors discussed above.

Y. How and when will I be notified about the status of my proposal?

Applicants will receive a confirmation that EPA has received their

pre-application once EPA has received all pre-applications and entered

them into a computerized data base (in the winter of 1995-1996). EPA

will notify applicants again after awards have been announced (in the

spring of 1996). To the extent possible, this notification will include

feedback on those proposals which were screened out of the process

early and on how proposals were evaluated. The degree to which EPA can

provide such feedback will vary among EPA offices depending upon the

availability of resources to conduct these activities.

Z. Where may I obtain more information on possible sources of

funding other than this program?

The large number of pre-applications EPA received in the past four

years demonstrates the strong demand for funding environmental

education projects. Unfortunately, EPA alone cannot meet this demand.

In cooperation with EPA, the North American Association for

Environmental Education (NAAEE) has developed a publication called

``Grant Funding For Your Environmental Education Program'' which

provides strategies for identifying potential sources of funding. This

publication can be purchased for a $5.00 fee by writing to NAAEE,

Publications and Member Services, P.O. Box 400, Troy, Ohio, 45373.

Section VI. Grant Recipient Activities

AA. When can I begin incurring costs?

Grant recipients may begin incurring costs on the start date

identified in your EPA grant agreement. Since EPA plans to announce

awards in the spring of 1996, EPA recommends that you do not plan to

begin incurring costs until June of 1996.

BB. May an applicant request Fiscal Year 1996 funds for a project

that extends beyond a one-year budget period?

Pre-applications submitted to EPA regional offices for up to $5,000

may request funds for only a one-year budget period. Pre-applications

submitted to EPA regional offices or headquarters requesting funds of

more than $5,000 may request funds for up to a two-year budget period,

although EPA strongly encourages applicants to request funds for only a

one-year budget period.

CC. Who will perform projects and activities?

The Act requires that projects be performed by the applicant or by

a person satisfactory to the applicant and EPA. All pre-applications

must identify any person other than the applicant that will assist in

carrying out the project.

DD. What reports and work products must grant recipients submit to

EPA and when are they due?

All grant recipients must submit two copies of their final report

and two copies of all work products to the EPA project officer within

30 days after the expiration of the budget period. This report will be

accepted as the final report unless the EPA project officer notifies

you that changes must be made. Grant recipients with projects that have

a two-year budget period must also submit a progress report at the end

of the first year. Grant recipients with a federal environmental

education grant share greater than $5,000 may also be required to

submit a semi-annual progress report. Specific report requirements will

be identified in the EPA award agreement.

EE. What does EPA plan to do with the grant recipients' final

reports and final work products?

EPA hopes to assemble a central library of all final reports and

work products at headquarters in Washington, D.C. EPA plans to evaluate

these final reports and work products and may disseminate them to

others to serve as model programs.

Section VII. Additional Information on Preparing Pre-Applications and

for the FY 1997 Program

FF. Where can I get additional information in preparing my pre-

application?

EPA strongly encourages applicants to carefully read the

solicitation notice. Many questions, such as when is the deadline for

submitting pre-applications

[[Page 39999]]

and what activities can be funded under this program, are answered in

this solicitation. Applicants who need more information about this

grant program or clarification about specific requirements in this

solicitation notice, may contact the EPA Environmental Education

Division in Washington, D.C. for grant requests of more than $25,000 or

your EPA regional office for grant requests of $25,000 or less. A list

of the names and telephone numbers of EPA representatives are listed at

the end of this notice. Information about the grants program is also

available on the Internet. You can view and download this solicitation

notice, a list of EPA environmental education contacts, and

descriptions of past projects funded under this program from:

Gopher: ``nceet.snre.umich.edu'' (in the ``Grants'' directory'') or

from

World Wide Web: ``http://www.nceet.snre.umich.edu/grant.html''

In addition, may contact the National Consortium for Environmental

Education and Training (NCEET) at the University of Michigan for

general information on current environmental education activities and

recent developments in the field (e.g., information about current in-

service teacher education needs and opportunities as well as resources

that identify environmental education organizations, curricula, and

research). NCEET can also provide you with a list of all environmental

education grants awarded by EPA during the past four years. NCEET will

not provide sample curricula nor will they evaluate products or funding

proposals. NCEET was established in 1992 with financial support from

EPA to facilitate teacher training opportunities. You may contact NCEET

by writing to NCEET, School of Natural Resources, University of

Michigan, Dana Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109-1115 or by calling

313-998-6726.

GG. How can I get information on the Fiscal Year 1997 EPA

Environmental Education Grants Program?

EPA develops an entirely new mailing list for the grants program

each year. The Fiscal Year 1997 mailing list will include all

applicants who submitted pre-applications for Fiscal Year 1996 as well

as anyone else who specifically requests to be placed on the mailing

list. If you did not submit a pre-application for Fiscal Year 1996 and

you wish to be added to our mailing list to receive information on the

Fiscal Year 1997 Environmental Education Grants Program, you must mail

your request--please do not telephone--along with your name,

organization, address, and phone number to: U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Environmental Education Division (1707),

Environmental Education Grants Program (FY 1997), 401 M Street, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20460.

Approved By:

Denise Graveline,

Acting Associate Administrator, Office of Communications, Education,

and Public Affairs.

U.S. EPA Representatives and Mailing Addresses

U.S. EPA Headquarters--For Grants Over $25,000

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Env Ed Grants, Environmental

Education Division (1707), Office of Communications, Education, and

Public Affairs, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460

Information: George Walker or Kathleen MacKinnon, Environmental

Education Specialists, 202-260-8619

U.S. EPA Regional Offices--For Grants of $25,000 or less

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

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region I, Env Ed Grants, Henry

Burrell, Chief, Grants Information and Mgnt Section, JFK Federal

Building (PGI), Boston, MA 02203

Hand-deliver to: One Congress Street, 11th Floor, Mail Room, Boston,

MA 02114 (8am-4pm)

Information: Maria Pirie, EE Coordinator, 617-565-9447

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

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region II, Env Ed Grants, Grants

Administration Branch, 290 Broadway, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10007-

1866

Information: Teresa Ippolito, EE Coordinator, 212-637-3671

EPA Region III--DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region III, Env Ed Grants,

Grants Management Section (3PM71), 841 Chestnut Street,

Philadelphia, PA 19107

Information: EE Coordinator, 215-597-9076

EPA Region IV--AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region IV, Env Ed Grants, Office

of Public Affairs (E2), 345 Courtland Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30365

Information: Fred Thornburg, Environmental Education Office, 404-

347-3004

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

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region V, Env Ed Grants, Grants

Management Section (MC-10J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL

60604

Information: Suzanne Saric, EE Coordinator, 312-353-3209

Region VI--AR, LA, NM, OK, TX

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region VI, Env Ed Grants,

Environmental Education Coordinator (6X), 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas,

TX 75202

Information: Sandy Sevier, EE Coordinator, 214-665-2204

Region VII--IA, KS, MO, NE

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region VII, Env Ed Grants,

Grants Administration Division, 726 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City,

KS 66101

Information: Rowena Michaels, EE Coordinator, 913-551-7003

Region VIII--CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region VIII, Env Ed Grants, 999

18th Street (80EA), Denver, CO 80202-2466

Information: Cece Forget, EE Coordinator, 303-294-1113

Region IX--AZ, CA, HI, NV, American Somoa, Guam, Northern Marianas

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region IX, Env Ed Grants, Office

of Public Affairs (E2), 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

Information: Matt Gaffney, Office of Public Affairs, 415-744-1582

Region X--AK, ID, OR, WA

Mail pre-applications to: U.S. EPA, Region X, Env Ed Grants, Public

Information Center (SO-143), 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101

Information: Sally Hanft, EE Coordinator, 206-553-1207

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Instructions for the SF-424

This is a standard form used by applicants as a required

factsheet for preapplications and applications submitted for Federal

assistance. It will be used by Federal agencies to obtain applicant

certification that States which have established a review and

comment procedure in response to Executive Order 12372 and have

selected the program to be included in their process, have been

given an opportunity to review the applicant's submission.

Item and Entry

1. Self-explanatory.

2. Date application submitted to Federal agency (or State if

applicable) and applicant's control number (if applicable).

3. State use only (if applicable).

4. If this application is to continue to revise an existing

award, enter present Federal identifier number. If for a new

project, leave blank.

5. Legal name of applicant, name of primary organizational unit

which will undertake the assistance activity, complete address of

the applicant, and name and telephone number of the person to

contact on matters related to this application.

6. Enter Employer Identification Number (EIN) as assigned by the

Internal Revenue Service.

7. Enter the appropriate letter in the space provided.

8. Check appropriate box and enter appropriate letter(s) in the

space(s) provided:

--``New'' means a new assistance award.

--``Continuation'' means an extension for an additional funding/

budget period for a project with a projected completion date.

--``Revision'' means any change in the Federal Government's

financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing

obligation.

9. Name of Federal agency from which assistance is being

requested with this application.

10. Use the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number and

title of the program under which assistance is requested.

11. Enter a brief descriptive title of the project. If more than

one program is involved, you should append an explanation on a

separate sheet. If appropriate (e.g., construction or real property

projects), attach a map showing project location. For

preapplications, use a separate sheet to provide a summary

description of this project.

12. List only the largest political entities affected (e.g.,

State, counties, cities).

13. Self-explanatory.

14. List the applicant's Congressional District and any

District(s) affected by the program or project.

15. Amount requested or to be contributed during the first

funding/budget period by each contributor. Value of in-kind

contributions should be included on appropriate lines as applicable.

If the action will result in a dollar change to an existing award,

indicate only the amount of the change. For decreases, enclose the

amounts in parentheses. If both basic and supplemental amounts are

included, show breakdown on an attached sheet. For multiple program

funding, use totals and show breakdown using same categories as item

15.

16. Applicants should contact the State Single Point of Contact

(SPOC) for Federal Executive Order 12372 to determine whether the

application is subject to the State intergovernmental review

process.

17. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the

person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of

debt include delinquent audit disallowances, loans and taxes.

18. To be signed by the authorized representative of the

applicant. A copy of the governing body's authorization for you to

sign this application as official representative must be on file in

the applicant's office. (Certain Federal agencies may require that

this authorization be submitted as part of the application.)

Additional Instructions for the SF-424

Block #6: You can obtain this number from your payroll office.

It is the same Federal Identification Number which appears on W-2

forms. If your organization does not have a number, you may obtain

one by calling the Taxpayer Services number for the IRS.

Block #14: If your project covers many areas, several

congressional districts will be listed. If it covers the entire

state, simply put in statewide. If your are not sure about the

congressional district, call the County Voter Registration

Department.

Block #15: Line a is for the amount of money you are requesting

from EPA. Lines b-e are for the amounts either you or another

organization are providing for this project. Line f is for any

program income which you expect will be generated by this project.

Program income can be fees for services performed, income generated

from the sale of a brochure which was produced with the grant funds,

or admission fees to a conference financed by the grant funds. The

total of lines b-e must be at least 25% of line g, as this grant has

a match requirement of 25% of the TOTAL ALLOWABLE PROJECT COSTS.

Block #16: Check b, (NO) since your application does not have to

be sent through the state clearinghouse for review.

Block #18: The authorized representative is the person who is

able to contact or obligate your agency to the terms and conditions

of the grant. (Please sign with blue ink.)

Instructions for the SF-424A

Do not fill in Section A--Budget Summary.

Section B Budget Categories

All applications should contain a breakdown by the object class

categories shown in Lines a-k of Section B. Include both Federal and

non-Federal (matching) funds combined.

For each major program, function or activity, fill in the total

requirements for funds by object class categories. Most applications

will only have one program, function, or activity.

Line 6I--Show the totals of lines 6a through 6h in each column.

Line 6j--Show the amount of indirect cost (if applicable).

Line 6k--Enter the total of amounts on Lines 6i and 6j.

Program Income--Enter the estimated amount of income, if any,

expected to be generated from this project. Do not add or subtract

this amount from the total project amount. Show under the program

narrative statement the nature and source of income.

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