Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) Program CFDA Number 84.274A | Apply Online

American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) Program (CFDA 84.274A) - FAQs

1) What is the American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) Program?

The AORC Program (CFDA 84.274A) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE). It supports American overseas research centers that advance postgraduate research, scholarly exchange, and area studies by strengthening U.S.-linked research infrastructure abroad.

2) What is the purpose of funding overseas research centers?

The program is designed to keep overseas research centers functional and academically active, while expanding access to research support services, events, collections, and exchange opportunities. These centers act as hubs for researchers, faculty, and students working in particular world regions and help make academic work overseas more feasible and productive.

3) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are American overseas research centers that are organized as consortia of institutions of higher education.

4) What specific requirements must an overseas research center meet to qualify as eligible?

To qualify, the center must:

• Be organized as a consortium of institutions of higher education.
• Receive more than 50 percent of its funding from U.S. public or private sources.
• Maintain a permanent presence in the country where it operates.
• Be a nonprofit organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt under section 501(a).

5) The listing mentions public and private institutions of higher education. Can a single university apply directly?

The controlling eligibility language points back to the definition of an eligible overseas research center consortium. Based on the posting, eligibility is tied to the overseas research center organized as a consortium of institutions of higher education, rather than a single institution applying on its own.

6) What types of activities can grant funds support?

Grant funds may be used broadly to cover all or part of the costs of establishing or operating a center or related program.

7) Can funds be used to operate and maintain overseas facilities?

Yes. Allowable uses include operating and maintaining overseas facilities.

8) Can the grant support conferences or academic events?

Yes. Allowable uses include organizing and managing conferences.

9) Can funds be used to purchase or develop teaching and research materials?

Yes. Allowable uses include purchasing or developing teaching and research materials.

10) Are library collections an allowable cost?

Yes. Allowable uses include acquiring, maintaining, and preserving library collections.

11) Can the grant support visiting scholars and faculty at the center?

Yes. Allowable uses include supporting visiting scholars and faculty who come to the center to teach or conduct research.

12) Are stipends and salaries allowed under this program?

Yes. Allowable uses include paying faculty and staff stipends and salaries.

13) Is travel an allowable expense?

Yes. Allowable uses include covering faculty, staff, and student travel.

14) Can the grant be used for publishing and dissemination?

Yes. Allowable uses include publishing and disseminating materials for both scholarly audiences and the general public.

15) How much funding was expected for the FY 2011 competition?

For the FY 2011 competition described in the posting, the Department anticipated an estimated total program funding level of $1.4 million.

16) How many awards were expected to be made?

For FY 2011, the Department anticipated making about 12 awards.

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

The listed award ceiling is $130,000 per award.

18) Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?

No cost-sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the posting.

19) When was the opportunity posted and when were applications due (FY 2011)?

The opportunity was posted on January 25, 2011, with applications available the same day. The deadline for transmittal of applications was April 5, 2011. The archive date listed is May 5, 2011.

20) How were applications required to be submitted?

Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, not by email.

21) How do applicants find the correct application package on Grants.gov?

Applicants were instructed to search the CFDA number without the letter suffix. In other words, search for 84.274 (not 84.274A) to locate the application package, download it, complete it offline, and then upload it for submission via Grants.gov.

22) Which document should applicants rely on for official requirements and detailed instructions?

For authoritative requirements such as priorities, selection criteria, performance measures, and detailed submission instructions, applicants were directed to rely on the official Federal Register notice (the Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for FY 2011). The posting summary is described as only a synopsis.

23) Who can help with Grants.gov technical or system-access issues?

For technical Grants.gov or system-access issues, the contact listed is Julius Cotton (ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Admin) at 202-245-6140 and julius.cotton@ed.gov.

24) Who can answer programmatic questions about the AORC Program?

For programmatic questions, the program manager listed is Cheryl E. Gibbs (International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) Service, U.S. Department of Education) at 202-502-7634, with an email contact provided in the announcement.