FEDERAL AGENCY:

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION:

Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 94- 437, as amended, Section 120, Public Law 102-573.

To provide scholarships to Indians for health professions education through Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Scholarships must be for health careers listed in the current fiscal year Federal Register Notice for the Indian Health Professions Scholarship Program. Related objectives of the program are the proper administration of a project, selection of scholarship recipients by fair and consistent means, monitoring of recipients to assure compliance with scholarship requirements, and eventual job placement within the service area of the grantee organization to fulfill service obligation. One of the monitoring objectives is assuring satisfactory academic performance which is defined as: (1) a 2.0 grade point average (GPA); (2) the GPA required by the college/university; or (3) a 3.0 GPA for most graduate level programs. A project awarded under this program will be by a grant to the tribe or tribal organization.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Establishing and operating a program to provide matching grants to Indian tribes and tribal organizations to assist them in educating Indians to serve as health professionals in Indian communities. Under these grants, Indian tribes and tribal organizations shall provide scholarships to Indians pursuing health professions careers as listed in the current Federal Register Notice for the Indian Health Professions Scholarship Program. The grantees shall provide 20 percent matching of such scholarship costs. A scholarship recipient under this program is required to sign a service obligation contract with the Indian Health Service (IHS). The service obligation is the number of years equal to the number of years for which the scholarship is awarded but not less than 2 years. There are penalties for recipients because of: failure to maintain academic standing, dismissal, voluntary termination of training, failure to accept payment under the scholarship, or failure to begin or complete service. The IHS is responsible for collection of penalties.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Any federally-recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization is eligible to apply for a grant. The definitions of federally-recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations are found under Sections 4(d) and 4(e) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 94-437, as amended.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Members of a federally-recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization.

Credentials/Documentation:   Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No A-87 for State and local governments and Indian tribes and applicable grant administration regulations 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.

Pre-application Coordination:   Not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   The standard forms, as furnished by PHS and required by 45 CFR Part 92 for State and local governments, must be used for this program. This program is subject to the provision of 45 CFR Part 92 for Indian Tribes. An IHS Grant Application Kit may be obtained from the Grants Management Branch, Division of Acquisition and Grants Management, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120, Rockville, MD 20852. Telephone: (301) 443-5204. This kit includes Standard Form PHS 5161-1 (Rev. 7/00); Standard Forms 424, 424A and 424B (Rev. 7/97); Application Receipt Card - IHS 815-1A (Rev. 7/97); Instructions for preparing the program narrative; IHS Application Check List; a copy of the Federal Register Notice for Indian Health Professions Scholarship Program, and a copy of Section 120 of the Act.

Award Procedure:   Grants are made directly by the Indian Health Service to the Indian tribal applicants, based on results of competitive review process.

Deadlines:   Contact Headquarters Office listed below for deadline dates.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Within 30 days of receipt.

Appeals:   None.

Renewals:   None.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   A tribe or tribal organization must provide matching funds of 20 percent of the costs of the scholarships. Matching funds shall be from nonfederal or eligible Federal contributions either directly from the tribe or tribal organization involved or from donations from public or private entities. Federal funds, depending upon their source, may be used for the matching share.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Payments of grant funds are made through the DHHS Payment Management System. Information will be forwarded to new grantees regarding the process of obtaining funds.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Grants are subject to administrative requirements under 45 CFR Part 92 for grants to Indian tribes and 45 CFR Part 74 to nonprofit tribal organizations.

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:   DHHS and the Comptroller General of the United States or any of their authorized representatives, shall have the right to access to any books, documents, papers, or other records of a grantee, subgrantee, contractor, or subcontractor, which are pertinent to the HHS grant, in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts and transcripts. Grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records 3 years after the end of the budget period. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   75-0390-0-1-551.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 01 $367,360; FY 02 est $368,000; and FY 03 est $368,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  
From $73,400 to $73,600; Average: $73,472.

In fiscal year 2001, there were five continuing grant awards. It is anticipated that five programs will be awarded in fiscal year 2002 and fiscal year 2003.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 94-437, Section 120, as amended by Public Law 102-573 authorizes the matching grant awards. PHS Grants Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH) 94-50,000 (Rev. April 1, 1994).

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:   Program Contact: Ms. Barbara Fine, Chief, Scholarships Branch, Indian Health Service, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120, Rockville, MD 20852. Telephone: (301) 443-6197. Grants Management Contact: Ms. Crystal C. Ferguson, Grants Management Officer, Grants Management Branch, Division of Acquisition and Grants Management, Indian Health Service, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120, Rockville, MD 20852. Telephone: (301) 443-5204. Use the same numbers for FTS.

Web Site Address:   http://www.ihs.gov

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

None.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Criteria are as follows: applicant's previous experience with scholarships; methodology for recruiting, selecting, paying, and monitoring students; types and number of health professionals to be funded; justification of need; description of the administration of the grant; and proposed payback services by graduates. Projects must be for a minimum of two scholarships with a maximum of five scholarships. A resolution from the tribal government specifically supporting this grant application project must accompany the application submission. Applicants must submit documentation showing the source(s) of the matching funds and verifying that these funds are from tribal sources or public or private donations, and not from Federal funds, regardless of source. In making the final funding decision, geographic location will be considered, in order to limit only one grant within an IHS Area.