Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 081415 001
Apply for ED GRANTS 081415 001
- The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Rehabilitation Training Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center Targeted Communities (VRTAC) CFDA Number 84.264F" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.264 Rehabilitation TrainingContinuing Education.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 14, 2015 and posted on Aug 14, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 14, 2015 Applications Available August 14, 2015. Date of Pre Application Webinar August 20, 2015. Date of Pre Application Webinar Interested parties are invited to participate in a pre application webinar. The pre application webinar with staff from the Department will be held on August 20, 2015. The webinar will be recorded. For further information about the pre application webinar, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications September 14, 2015.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Independent school districts Special district governments State governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Eligible Applicants States and public or nonprofit agencies and organizations, including Indian tribes and IHEs.
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Opportunity Summary:
This opportunity is a U.S. Department of Education grant run through the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), specifically the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), under the Rehabilitation Training program (CFDA 84.264F). It is framed as a Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center focused on targeted communities (VRTAC). The program authority comes from the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and the overall aim is workforce development and capacity-building in the public vocational rehabilitation (VR) system and related rehabilitation services.
At its core, the grant supports a single, large technical assistance and training project intended to increase both the number and the skill level of qualified rehabilitation personnel. The notice emphasizes rehabilitation counselors in particular, but the intent is broader: developing staff who can competently deliver vocational, medical, social, and psychological rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities. The scope also includes building expertise to assist individuals with communication and related disorders and to strengthen other services that are allowable under the Rehabilitation Act. In practical terms, a project funded under this competition would be expected to operate like a national or multi-jurisdictional support hub, providing structured training, traineeships, and hands-on technical assistance that helps agencies and community partners implement higher-quality, more consistent, and more effective VR services.
The award mechanism is a discretionary cooperative agreement, which generally signals that the Department expects substantial federal involvement during the project period (for example, collaboration on planning, deliverables, performance reporting, and technical direction). The opportunity anticipated one award, with an estimated total funding amount of $2,500,000 and an award ceiling of $2,500,000. The listing also indicates a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should be prepared to document non-federal resources that meet the match rules described in the official Federal Register notice.
Eligibility is broad but specific to mission-fit organizations. Eligible applicants include States and public or nonprofit agencies and organizations, including institutions of higher education and Indian tribes. The grants.gov metadata further lists a wide range of governmental entities (state, county, city/township, special districts, and independent school districts) and nonprofit categories (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits), as well as public and private institutions of higher education and tribal governments or tribal organizations. As always with these programs, the controlling details on who qualifies, what documentation is required, and any additional constraints are in the Federal Register application notice.
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, and the notice is explicit that submissions could not be emailed. Applicants were instructed to locate the application package by searching CFDA 84.264 (without the letter suffix) on Grants.gov, download the forms, complete the package offline, and then upload and submit through the Grants.gov portal. Key dates in the competition were an application availability date of August 14, 2015, a pre-application webinar on August 20, 2015 (recorded for later viewing), and an application deadline of September 14, 2015, with an archive date of October 14, 2015.
The synopsis repeatedly notes that it is only a summary of the official Federal Register notice and that the official notice controls all requirements. That includes the precise priority for the competition, the expected project activities and deliverables for the VRTAC targeted communities work, required performance measures, the application narrative structure, formatting rules, and the selection criteria reviewers use to score proposals. For applicants needing help with access or submission logistics, the notice provides a Grants.gov systems contact (Julius Cotton at EducationGrantInquiries@ed.gov, 202-245-6288) and identifies the RSA program contact as Felipe Lulli (felipe.lulli@ed.gov, 202-245-7425) at the Department of Education in Washington, DC.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the official name or type of this grant opportunity?
This is a U.S. Department of Education grant under the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), specifically the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), within the Rehabilitation Training program (CFDA 84.264F). It is framed as a Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center focused on targeted communities (VRTAC).
2) Which federal office administers this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of Education, OSERS, through RSA (Rehabilitation Services Administration).
3) What is the program authority for this funding?
The program authority comes from the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
4) What is the main purpose of the grant?
The overall purpose is workforce development and capacity-building in the public vocational rehabilitation (VR) system and related rehabilitation services. The funded project is intended to increase both the number and skill level of qualified rehabilitation personnel who can deliver vocational, medical, social, and psychological rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities.
5) What does “VRTAC targeted communities†mean in practical terms?
Based on the synopsis, the project is expected to operate like a national or multi-jurisdictional support hub providing structured training, traineeships, and hands-on technical assistance to help agencies and community partners implement higher-quality, more consistent, and more effective VR services. The official Federal Register notice controls the precise priority and required activities for the targeted communities work.
6) What kinds of personnel are emphasized by this competition?
The notice emphasizes rehabilitation counselors in particular, while also indicating a broader intent to develop staff qualified to deliver a range of rehabilitation services. It also references building expertise to assist individuals with communication and related disorders and strengthening other allowable services under the Rehabilitation Act.
7) What is the award mechanism, and what does it imply?
The award mechanism is a discretionary cooperative agreement. This generally implies substantial federal involvement during the project period, such as collaboration on planning, deliverables, performance reporting, and technical direction.
8) How many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated one award.
9) What was the estimated funding amount and maximum award size?
The estimated total funding amount was $2,500,000, and the award ceiling was also $2,500,000.
10) Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
Yes. The listing indicates a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should be prepared to document non-federal resources that meet the match rules described in the official Federal Register notice.
11) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broad but mission-fit. Eligible applicants include States and public or nonprofit agencies and organizations, including institutions of higher education and Indian tribes. The Grants.gov metadata also lists multiple categories of governmental entities (state, county, city/township, special districts, independent school districts), nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits), public and private institutions of higher education, and tribal governments or tribal organizations.
12) Where are the definitive eligibility and application requirements published?
The synopsis states that it is only a summary and that the official Federal Register notice controls all requirements, including who qualifies, required documentation, and any additional constraints.
13) How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. The notice is explicit that submissions could not be emailed.
14) How do applicants find the application package on Grants.gov?
Applicants were instructed to search for CFDA 84.264 (without the letter suffix) on Grants.gov, download the forms, complete the package offline, and then upload and submit through the Grants.gov portal.
15) What were the key competition dates?
Key dates listed were: application availability on August 14, 2015; a pre-application webinar on August 20, 2015 (recorded for later viewing); an application deadline of September 14, 2015; and an archive date of October 14, 2015.
16) Was there a pre-application webinar?
Yes. A pre-application webinar was scheduled for August 20, 2015, and it was recorded for later viewing.
17) What determines the required project activities and deliverables?
The official Federal Register notice controls the precise competition priority and the expected project activities and deliverables for the VRTAC targeted communities work.
18) What determines performance measures and reporting expectations?
The synopsis notes that required performance measures and other requirements are governed by the official Federal Register notice. The cooperative agreement mechanism also suggests coordinated performance reporting and federal involvement in technical direction.
19) What determines the required application narrative format and how proposals are scored?
The synopsis states that the Federal Register notice controls the application narrative structure, formatting rules, and the selection criteria reviewers use to score proposals.
20) Who can applicants contact for Grants.gov submission or system issues?
The notice provides a Grants.gov systems contact: Julius Cotton at EducationGrantInquiries@ed.gov or 202-245-6288.
21) Who is the RSA program contact for this opportunity?
The RSA program contact identified is Felipe Lulli at felipe.lulli@ed.gov or 202-245-7425, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC.
22) Can an application be emailed instead of submitted through Grants.gov?
No. The notice explicitly states that submissions could not be emailed and had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
23) What should applicants rely on if there is a difference between a synopsis and the official notice?
The synopsis repeatedly emphasizes that it is only a summary and that the official Federal Register notice controls all requirements.
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