Institute of Education Sciences(IES) Grant Program for Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems Recovery Act Program (ARRA) CFDA 84.384A | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this grant opportunity?

This opportunity is the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) Recovery Act Program (ARRA), CFDA 84.384A. It is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Education to support State Education Agencies (SEAs) in building or improving statewide longitudinal data systems.

2) What is the purpose of the SLDS Recovery Act (ARRA) program?

The program is intended to help State Education Agencies develop, strengthen, or improve statewide longitudinal data systems. The notice positions the program within broader American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) education initiatives.

3) Which federal agency runs this program?

The competition is administered by the U.S. Department of Education, through the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

4) What does ARRA mean in this context?

ARRA refers to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This grant is tied to Recovery Act funding and was described as part of a larger set of Recovery Act education initiatives.

5) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to State Education Agencies (SEAs). The primary eligible applicants are state-level education agencies, not school districts, universities, or nonprofits.

6) Are local school districts eligible to apply directly?

No. Based on the notice information provided, eligibility is limited to State Education Agencies (SEAs), rather than districts.

7) Are universities, nonprofits, or other organizations eligible to apply?

No. The information provided states eligibility is limited to State Education Agencies (SEAs), not universities or nonprofits.

8) Is this a formula grant or a competitive grant?

This is a discretionary grant competition, meaning awards are made competitively rather than by formula.

9) What is the assistance listing / CFDA number?

The opportunity is identified as CFDA 84.384A.

10) What type of funding instrument is used?

The funding instrument is a grant.

11) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is education under the Recovery Act.

12) Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?

No. The notice indicates there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to provide a funding match as a condition of award.

13) How much funding is available?

The opportunity metadata lists an estimated total funding amount of $2,000,000.

14) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The opportunity metadata reports an award ceiling of up to $20,000,000.

15) How do applicants submit an application?

Applications are primarily submitted electronically through the U.S. Department of Education e-Application system via the e-Grants website at http://e-grants.ed.gov, unless the applicant qualifies for an exception described in the official notice.

16) Are paper submissions allowed?

The process is described as primarily electronic via the Department of Education e-Application system. A non-electronic submission would only be possible if the applicant qualifies for an exception under the instructions in the official notice.

17) What is the submission deadline?

The deadline was extended to December 4, 2009. The notice states the original deadline was November 19, 2009, but the Department later extended it to December 4, 2009.

18) What time is the application due on the deadline date?

Applications must be fully transmitted by 4:30 p.m. Washington, DC time on the deadline date.

19) What happens if an application is submitted after 4:30 p.m. Washington, DC time?

The e-Application system will not accept submissions after 4:30 p.m. Washington, DC time on the deadline date.

20) Why was the deadline extended?

The Department extended the deadline to give states additional time to coordinate across multiple Recovery Act applications, including other major efforts like the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and Race to the Top.

21) Did anything else change when the deadline was extended?

The Department stated that, aside from the deadline change, all other elements of the July 29, 2009 notice inviting applications remained the same.

22) When was the notice inviting applications published in the Federal Register?

The notice inviting applications was originally published in the Federal Register on July 29, 2009 (74 FR 37872).

23) When were the opportunity materials made available?

The Request for Applications (RFA) was made available on July 24, 2009, and the application package was made available on August 10, 2009.

24) What is the posting date and archive date shown for this opportunity?

The posting date shown is July 31, 2009, and the archive date is January 3, 2010.

25) Where can applicants find the official rules and requirements?

The opportunity emphasizes that the authoritative source for rules, requirements, and definitive eligibility details is the Federal Register notice itself. Free access is available through GPO Access at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.

26) If there is a conflict between a summary and the Federal Register notice, which controls?

The materials repeatedly emphasize that the Federal Register notice is the authoritative source for official rules, requirements, and eligibility details.

27) Where should applicants go for help with accessing the full announcement or submission system issues?

The notice lists Julius C. Cotton, Jr., Esq., an ED Grants.gov FIND System Administrator, as a contact for help with accessing the full announcement or submission system issues.

28) What contact information is provided for Julius C. Cotton, Jr., Esq.?

Telephone: 202-245-6140. Email: julius.cotton@ed.gov.

29) Who is the program manager contact listed in the notice?

The notice lists Tate Gould as the program manager contact at the U.S. Department of Education.

30) What contact details are provided for the program manager?

Mailing address: U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW, Room 9023, Washington, DC 20006-5651. Telephone: 202-219-7080. The notice also indicates there is an option to reach the program manager via email as described in the notice.

31) What submission site is named for the Department of Education e-Application?

The e-Application system is accessed via the e-Grants website at http://e-grants.ed.gov.

32) What should applicants keep in mind about the electronic submission process?

The notice highlights a hard cutoff time and states the system will not accept late submissions. This implies applicants should plan ahead for technical issues, internal routing, and final validations before the deadline.

33) How does this program relate to other Recovery Act education efforts?

The Department noted that states were coordinating these applications alongside other major Recovery Act efforts such as the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and Race to the Top.