Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Centers for Independent Living CFDA Number 84.132A | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this grant opportunity for?

This discretionary grant competition from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), through the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), supported the creation or expansion of Centers for Independent Living (CILs) under CFDA 84.132A. The overall aim was to fund the planning, operation, administration, and evaluation of community-based centers that help people with disabilities live independently and participate fully in their communities.

2) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The program is identified as CFDA 84.132A. For locating the application package on Grants.gov, applicants were instructed to search using the CFDA number without the alpha suffix, meaning "84.132" rather than "84.132A."

3) Who offered and posted the opportunity?

The opportunity was posted by the U.S. Department of Education, with RSA as the administering office within OSERS.

4) When was the opportunity posted and when were applications due?

The opportunity was posted on May 5, 2014, and applications were made available the same day. The deadline for transmittal of applications was June 4, 2014. The opportunity was later archived on July 1, 2014.

5) How much funding was expected to be available, and how many awards were anticipated?

Estimated total funding available was $1,257,912. RSA anticipated making about five awards.

6) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The competition did not require cost sharing or matching. Applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award.

7) What types of organizations were eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability, nonresidential, private nonprofit agencies.

8) Beyond being an eligible organization type, what capability requirements applied?

Applicants had to demonstrate they had the legal power and authority to carry out the purposes of the Independent Living program and to perform required functions under the Rehabilitation Act and implementing regulations, including the functions referenced in section 725(b) and (c) and 34 CFR part 366. Applicants also needed to show they could receive and administer federal independent living funds (as well as funds and contributions from other sources supporting a center) and had the capacity to plan, conduct, administer, and evaluate a center in compliance with program standards.

9) What is the core purpose of the Centers for Independent Living funded under this competition?

The funded centers were intended to support people with disabilities in living independently and participating fully in their communities, through community-based services delivered by centers planned and operated in alignment with Independent Living program requirements.

10) What legal standards and assurances had to be followed?

Funded centers had to follow the standards and assurances laid out in section 725 of Part C, Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended). They also had to align with the statewide network design described in the relevant State Plan for Independent Living.

11) What was the geographic focus of the competition?

The competition targeted geographic areas identified as unserved or underserved, with the intent of strengthening or completing statewide networks of Centers for Independent Living.

12) Did the proposed service area have to meet a specific requirement?

Yes. The proposed service area had to include one or more geographic areas identified by states and outlying areas as unserved or underserved.

13) How did applicants need to show the new center fit into the statewide network?

Applicants needed to provide documentation showing that establishing the proposed new center aligned with the design for the statewide network described in the State Plan for Independent Living for the state (or outlying area) where services would be provided.

14) Was this competition only for brand-new centers, or could an existing center apply?

The competition was structured primarily for organizations that were not already receiving Part C funding for a center. However, an existing center could apply if it proposed an expansion that results in a separate, complete center operating at a different geographic location.

15) If an existing center applied, did the new location have to be fully independent?

The notice required that the new center be separate and complete and operate at a different geographic location. At the same time, it clarified that the governing board of the existing center could serve as the governing board of the new center.

16) How were applications required to be submitted?

Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using the governmentwide "Apply" system. Applicants were instructed to complete the application offline and then upload it for submission.

17) Could applications be submitted by email?

No. The notice explicitly stated that applications could not be submitted by email and had to be submitted through Grants.gov.

18) What is the best source for authoritative requirements and official details?

RSA emphasized that the Federal Register application notice is the authoritative source. It contains official requirements, including any pre-application requirements, application formatting and submission rules, performance measures, priorities, and program contacts.

19) Who should be contacted for Grants.gov technical or access issues?

For technical access issues related to Grants.gov, the contact listed was Julius Cotton (EducationGrantInquiries@ed.gov, 202-245-6288).

20) Who should be contacted for program-related questions about this competition?

For program-related questions, the contact listed was Timothy Beatty (timothy.beatty@ed.gov, 202-245-6156).

21) Where were performance measures, priorities, and application rules described?

Those details were identified as being in the Federal Register application notice, which RSA stated was the authoritative reference for the competition.

22) What did the grant funds support in practical terms?

The funds supported the planning, operation, administration, and evaluation of community-based Centers for Independent Living, with a practical emphasis on creating or expanding centers to address unserved or underserved geographic areas as part of a statewide independent living network.