ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility: State and local educational agencies, elementary or secondary schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, regional educational laboratories, or any combination of these entities. Applicants must have demonstrated expertise in mathematics and science education.

Beneficiary Eligibility: State and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations will benefit.

Credentials/Documentation: None.

Pre-application Coordination: This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." If the applicant's State has selected the program for review, the applicant should consult the office or the official designated as the single point of contact in that State for more information on the application process required.

Application Procedure: Procedures are described in an application notice published in the Federal Register. Contact the headquarters office listed below for application packages containing the announcement, application, and other forms.

Award Procedure: Awards are competitively selected following review by nonfederal experts and by program staff, in accordance with 34 CFR 700, Evaluation of Applications for Grants and Cooperative Agreements. The Assistant Secretary for Education Research and Improvement approves the selection.

Deadlines: Deadlines will be announced in an application notice published in the Federal Register. Contact the headquarters office listed below for further information.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Applications will be approved within 2 to 4 months after the application deadline.

Appeals: None.

Renewals: Regional consortia awards may be made for a maximum period of five years. After the initial one-year grant, four noncompetitive continuation grants may be awarded.

Formula and Matching Requirements: Once accepted the Department of Education will pay 80 percent of the cost of the activities described in the application. Of the nonfederal share, at least 10 percent must be from a source other than a Federal, State, or local government.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Following an initial competitively selected award of up to twelve months, up to four additional one-year noncompeting continuation awards may be made, for a total maximum term of 5 years to projects demonstrating substantial progress toward accomplishing their objectives.

Reports: Annual performance and financial reports as required by EDGAR, 34 CFR 75 for direct programs, unless otherwise required in the award document.

Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records: As required by EDGAR, 34 CFR 75, for direct grant programs. Generally, records related to grant funds, compliance, and performance must be maintained for a period of five years.

Account Identification: 91-0500-0-1-503.

Obligations: (Grants) FY 01 est $15,000,000; FY 02 est $15,000,000; and FY 03 est $0.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance: Average award is $1,500,000.

In fiscal year 2001, the Regional Consortia Program funded ten grants.

EDGAR, 34 CFR 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86.

Regional or Local Office: Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:
THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED*

Web Site Address: http://www.enc.org/partners/index.htm

Projects provide a variety of dissemination, technical assistance, and collaboration services to multi-state regions. Projects provide support for systemic reform of mathematics and science teaching, improvement of educational outcomes for at-risk students, and planning and evaluation mathematics and science education.

The criteria for the approval of proposals under this program are contained in 34 CFR 700, Evaluation of Applications for Grants and Cooperative Agreements. The specific criteria to be used for a particular grant competition are selected from among those in 34 CFR 700, and announced in the application notice published in the Federal Register.