Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program CFDA Number 84.282D | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program (CFDA 84.282D)?

It is a discretionary U.S. Department of Education grant competition administered by the Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII). The program is designed to strengthen how states support charter school facility needs by helping eligible states create, expand, improve, and operate per-pupil facilities aid programs for charter schools.

2) What problem is this grant opportunity intended to address?

The opportunity targets a long-standing challenge for many charter schools: paying for buildings and related facility costs. Rather than funding individual charter schools directly, it supports state-level systems that provide ongoing, per-student facilities assistance.

3) Does this program award funding directly to individual charter schools?

No. The program operates at the state level. It supports eligible states in establishing or improving state-run per-pupil facilities aid programs that then provide facilities assistance to charter schools.

4) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to states that have enacted a law authorizing per-pupil facilities aid for charter schools. A state must already have the legal structure in place that allows it to provide facilities funding on a per-student basis to charter schools.

5) What types of state activities is the grant meant to support?

The grant is meant to help eligible states establish per-pupil facilities aid programs where they are new, expand or enhance such programs where they already exist but need improvement, and administer them effectively over time.

6) Is there a required cost share or matching requirement?

No cost-sharing or matching requirement is listed in the provided competition summary. Applicants are not required (based on the summary) to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving the award. The authoritative details should be confirmed in the official Federal Register notice.

7) What was the estimated total funding available for FY 2014?

The estimated total funding available for FY 2014 was $11,000,000.

8) About how many awards were expected?

The Department expected to make about three awards.

9) What is the funding opportunity number and category?

The funding opportunity number is ED GRANTS 051414 001, and the funding activity category is Education.

10) When was the opportunity posted and when were applications available?

The opportunity was posted on May 14, 2014, and applications were made available on the same date.

11) What was the application deadline?

The deadline for transmittal of applications was June 30, 2014.

12) What does it mean that the opportunity was archived?

The opportunity was archived on July 30, 2014. Based on the summary, this indicates the listing was placed into an archived status after the posting period and deadline.

13) How did applicants have to submit their applications?

Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov via the Grants.gov Apply site. The submission process described involved downloading the application package, completing it offline, and uploading it back to Grants.gov.

14) Were applications allowed to be submitted by email?

No. Submissions could not be sent by email. Grants.gov was the required channel for transmitting the application.

15) How could applicants find the application package on Grants.gov?

Applicants were instructed to locate the application package by searching the CFDA number without the letter suffix. Specifically, they needed to search for "84.282" rather than "84.282D."

16) Was there a pre-application webinar?

Yes. The Department scheduled a pre-application webinar to help potential applicants understand the program and the application process.

17) When was the pre-application webinar scheduled?

The webinar was set for Thursday, May 22, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. Washington, DC time.

18) How did participants register for the pre-application webinar?

Interested participants were encouraged to pre-register by emailing their name, organization, contact information, and preferred webinar date and time to Kristin.Lundholm@ed.gov and using the subject line "STATE INCENTIVE PRE APPLICATION MEETING."

19) Was there a fee to register for the webinar?

No. The summary states there was no registration fee.

20) Who could applicants contact for technical issues accessing the full announcement electronically?

For technical difficulties accessing the full announcement electronically, applicants could contact Julius Cotton, the ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Administrator, at 202-245-6288 or EducationGrantInquiries@ed.gov.

21) Who was the program contact for questions about the grant?

The program manager contact listed was Kristin Lundholm at the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W221, Washington, DC 20202-5970. She could be reached at 202-205-4352 or Kristin.Lundholm@ed.gov.

22) Where are the official requirements and full details for this competition found?

The synopsis emphasizes that it is only a summary and that the authoritative requirements are in the official application notice published in the Federal Register. That notice is where applicants would find full eligibility details, required application contents, submission instructions, performance measures, priorities, and other award conditions.