Competitive –Federal – 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics)Grant Opportunity Materials

TO: Minnesota Adult Education Institutions and/or Non-Profit Organizations FROM: Todd Wagner, Adult Basic Education, Supervisor

Rose Hermodson, Assistant Commissioner

DATE: March XX, 2013

ACTION REQUIRED: Submission of Application Materials by XXX XX, 2013, Midnight, Central Time

This notification of the availability of federal grant funds is made for the purpose of: providing English language learning in the context of employment and the world of work, occupations, and employability skills, while integrating at least one of four civics concepts: naturalization, civic participation, U.S. history, and government. Civics, for purposes of this grant opportunity, focuses on the need for limited English individuals to understand the world of work in Minnesota, which may include, but is not limited to, career choices and in-demand job opportunities, governmental and educational resources for employment and employment training, career pathway experiences, and other concepts that are employment and work-focused in nature. This grant opportunity is an initial year grant with option to continue for one additional year contingent upon progress made and continued funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Approximately $750,000 is available for year one to fund multiple project(s) up to $40,000 each from funds made available through the Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 106-113) section 1000 (a) (4) of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, CFDA 84.002A. This application allows for multiple site workplans (up to 2 per applicant) to be represented within the one application submitted on behalf of an applicant.

Eligible applicants must be individual adult basic education programs or consortia of programs, nonprofit organizations, including community-based organizations and postsecondary institutions. Organizations may apply individually or as a fiscal agent for a consortium of organizations. Fiscal agent applicants must include letters of agreement with the proposed partners if applicable, identify the organization responsible for contract funds and outcomes, and include details pertaining to each agency’s role in service delivery. This information should be submitted as an attachment with your application. MDE highly encourages all eligible parties to respond.

The proposed initial award period is anticipated to be July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

This notification of grant opportunity does not obligate the state to make an award. The state reserves the right to cancel this notification if it is considered to be in the state’s best interest or if funding is terminated.

Each application must contain the elements as listed in the Application Components Chart.

If you are interested in applying for this grant, please refer to the application submission steps. If you need additional assistance in submitting the application into the system, please contact the Grants Services Team at mde.servsfinancial@state.mn.us during regular business hours.

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GENERAL INFORMATIONCompetitive –Federal – 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics)

Grant Opportunity Materials

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTSThis competitive grant opportunity is open to individual adult basic education programs or consortia of programs, nonprofit organizations including, community based-organizations or postsecondary institutions. Applicants are limited to one application per organization; however, an organization may submit one application that includes up to two sites within their organization. Refer to the SERVS Application Submission Steps, Section 3, Preparing your Application, for instructions on how to submit a multiple-site application.

Also, if you are a fiscal agent applicant submitting the application on behalf of a partner, you must attach a letter of agreement from that partner.

FUNDS AVAILABLE AND AWARD AMOUNTS This grant opportunity is for an initial year grant with an option for an additional year grant contingent upon continued funding from the U.S. Department of Education and progress. Approximately $750,000 is available for year one to fund multiple project(s) up to $40,000 each from funds made available through the Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 106-113) section 1000 (a) (4) of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, CFDA 84.002A for this competition. It is the intention of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), to award multiple project(s) up to $40,000 per grantee. However, applicants submitting an application for multiple sites are limited to $40,000 per site with a limit of up to two sites per applicant.

FUNDING PERIOD The proposed initial award period is anticipated to be July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

EXPECTATIONSThe purpose of the grant is to provide adult English language learning in the context of employment and the world of work, occupations, and employability skills. Civics, for purposes of this grant opportunity, is limited to the need for limited English individuals to understand the world of work in Minnesota, which may include, but is not limited to, career choices and in-demand job opportunities, governmental and educational resources for employment and employment training, career pathway experiences, and other concepts that are employment and work-focused in nature. Grantees will be expected to directly address workplace/employability concepts as the contextual focus of the funded English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics) program. Once awarded, grantees will be required to submit a final program report to MDE. Grantees will be expected to share strategies, activities and outcomes with MDE and other educational entities, including professional organizations.

It is also important to mention a desk review may be performed on this grant at least once during the grant period. The desk review may be conducted on at least two object code line items for one reimbursement request. If you are contacted for a desk review, you will be sent a MDE Expense Review form to be completed and returned. A general ledger plus all source documents to support the line items identified would need to be provided to MDE. Source documentation includes, but is not limited to:

payroll report for the reporting period of interest; time and effort reports for employees paid with grant funds; copies of written agreements with subcontractors [detailing purpose, duties, dates of service or dates of

employment, rate of pay, etc.]; copies of invoices [detailing purpose, duties, dates of service, type of purchase/merchandise, rate of pay if

from subcontractor, etc.] receipts; and copies of cancelled checks; etc.

MDE reserves the right to request documentation of additional line items if deemed appropriate.

EXPENDITURESCompetitive – Federal FIN 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics) 2

Expenditures must be reported by using UFARS budget object codes based on a restricted grid using Finance Code 801 for federal funding. A Budget Narrative Justification Worksheet is included in the application section and must be completed to reflect the total estimated expenditures.

If selected for funding, expenditures reported must be based on actual costs incurred and documentation to support those expenditures must be maintained and available upon request from MDE.

UFARS REPORTINGUniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) is Minnesota’s legally prescribed set ofaccounting standards for all school districts and is an integral part of the accounting and reporting process. Minnesota school districts, charter schools, cooperative districts, area learning centers, private alternative schools and non-public schools are required by law to prepare financial reports and annual budgets.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCEThe following Program Contact Representative is available to provide additional information or answer questions.

Contact:Todd Wagner, Acting Adult Basic Education SupervisorMDE Adult Basic Education Officetodd.wagner@state.mn.us

Questions related to the grant opportunity may only be answered by MDE’s Program Contact Representative identified above or his/her successor. Information received from an unauthorized source is not binding and could result in disqualification of your application due to misinformation. Other MDE personnel are NOT authorized to discuss this grant opportunity with responders, before the application submission deadline. Contact regarding this grant opportunity with any personnel not listed above could result in disqualification. APPLICATION FORMAT Directions for completion of the application materials should be carefully read and followed. Incomplete applications may not be forwarded to the review team. The total length of the application must not exceed 12 pages.

Please refer to the Application Components Section and the table below for details on the specific requirements in completing all forms.

APPLICATION COMPONENTS TABLEFORM PAGE LIMITS, IF ANY

Application Cover Sheet Does not apply to total page countAssurances Integrated into the Application Section Does not apply to total page countNarrative

Statement of Need Capacity Workplan Evaluation

Up to 12 pages total per site, if applicable (identify each section)Two (2) pagesOne (1) pageEight (8) pagesOne (1) page

Budget Narrative Justification Worksheet – (must represent total funds requested for entity/district)Additional Budget Form – (multiple-site applicants only - complete one for each site) Insert With Individual Workplan

Does not apply to total page count

Does not apply to total page count

APPLICATION SUBMISSION DUE DATE Grant applications are due to MDE by XXX XX, 2013, Midnight, Central Time.

Screening includes, but is not limited to the following:

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Absolute Disqualification/Rejection: Submitted (this includes electronic signature application by authorized agent) by MDE after the due date

as indicated in grant instructions Submitted by email or fax Submitted by an ineligible applicant Breach of security

Factors that may result in loss of points and/or disqualification/ rejection from consideration: Incomplete application (i.e., missing required materials/documents) Funds requested exceed the maximum amount specified Application exceeds the maximum pages allowed Includes materials not permitted Missing budget and/or workplan Invalid federal tax, state tax, or DUNS number(s) or CCR certification

Applications that have met the screening criteria determined by the program area will be forwarded on for further review. During the review process, members and/or MDE may take into consideration additional factors including, but not limited to, past performance in meeting outcomes, past timeliness and quality of reporting, demographics, geographic, program sustainability and/or programmatic diversity when determining final funding decisions. Recommendations from the review teams are considered. All funding decisions made by MDE are final.

Clarifications may be necessary before final approval is granted. Successful applicants may be partially or fully funded, depending on the availability of funding.

Successful applicants recommended for award should receive notification within 4 to 6 weeks. Selected applicants must wait until they receive an award letter before providing any services and before any expenditure(s) may be incurred. *Any expenses incurred prior to the receipt of an award letter are not reimbursable and are the responsibility of the applicant/grantee.

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SERVS FINANCIAL: APPLICATION SUBMISSION STEPS

If you need assistance submitting your application or obtaining authorization, please contact the Grants Services Team at mde.servsfinancial@state.mn.us. Assistance is provided only during regular business hours. Your question will be forwarded to the most appropriate person within the agency that can assist you.

Note: In order to complete your application and comply with reporting requirements, you must have the following information: (1) An organization site number (ORG) with MDE; (2) Federal Tax I.D. number; and (3) State Tax I.D, number. See the instructions on the following pages on how to obtain these important numbers.

Web-Ex tutorials are available outlining the following features of SERVS Financial: Registration, Grant Application Location, Grant Submission, Grant Signatures, Grant Monitoring and others. You may access the tutorials at: https://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Data/SERVS/SERVS_Finan_Train_Materials/index.html.

1. Obtaining SERVS Financial Authorization

VERY Important! Before your agency can submit a grant application, all staff involved with the application process must be granted access to SERVS Financial. Access to SERVS Financial is accomplished in three steps:

a. Agency Head (identified official with authority) completes the SERVS Financial Access Authorization Form by assigning user roles for any staff person using the MDE SERVS Financial on behalf of the organization.

b. Each staff person creates an MDE log in if they do not already have one.c. Each staff person must login to SERVS Financial and request the appropriate role. Access will be granted if the requested role matches the role assigned by the Agency Head.

The SERVS Financial Access Authorization Form is located by accessing:http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Accountability_Programs/Prog_Account_Improve/index.html which then references the authorization form located at http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/servs/documents/form/014173.pdf.

The Agency Head will need to send the completed and signed form via email (in PDF format) to mde.servsfinancial@state.mn.us

Below are four primary user roles available in SERVS. Please refer to the form above for a definition of the roles and further instructions.

1. Application and Budget – Read/Write in grant and budget, read in checkbook (Enter grant application and budget and view the budget)

2. Approve Application and Budget – Approver (Read/Write in grant and budget, approve grant submission and read in checkbook (role of official with legal authority to sign)

3. Account Register/Request Draws – Read grant and budget and Read/Write in register and checkbook draw(role of business office)

4. View All (Read Only) – No write permission

Note: Competitive grants do not require payment requests or draws through SERVS. The grant specialist assigned to this grant project will provide you with financial reporting and payment request forms.

Although each staff person requests their role preference when requesting access to the SERVS Financial (see the Registering to SERVS Financial instructions below), the agency head must authorize the access level each person should have, as described above.

Each person can only be assigned one role (e.g., Joe Smith cannot have the Applicant and Budget role AND the Account register role).

More than one person can be assigned to each role (e.g., Joe Smith and Sally Right can both have the Application and Budget role).

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Once MDE receives the SERVS Financial Access Authorization Form, and the appropriate staff has requested clearance to SERVS Financial, MDE will process the request within 24 hours. You will be notified via e-mail if you are approved or denied for the role that you requested.

o If you are denied access an explanation is included in the e-mail notification sent to you. o If you are approved you can then proceed with Registering to SERVS Financial (see instructions

below).

NOTE: Make sure that the e-mail address that you registered with when requesting an MDE account is accurate, as this is where all communications will be sent. Make sure that your e-mail software is not set to filter out e-mails from MDE as junk or spam.

2. Obtaining Required ID Number Information Necessary to Complete the Application Cover Sheet

REQUIRED I.D. NUMBERSTo apply for this grant opportunity your agency head will be expected to provide the following pieces of information:

1. Federal Tax I.D. number2. State Tax I.D. number3. CCR registration and DUNS number* (required only if a federally funded grant

opportunity)4. Organization Site number**

*WHAT IS A CCR AND DUNS? All school districts, charters schools, non-profits and other entities applying for federal funding are required to create/and or validate existing Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) registration data. Registering for CCR and DUNS is a federal requirement. If you do not have this, please register immediately. A DUNS number is a unique nine-character number that identifies your organization. The DUNS number will be used to track how the federal grant money is allocated. The CCR is a web-enabled government wide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the federal government’s trading partners in support of the contract award, grants, and the electronic payment process. For additional information on DUNS and CCR, visit www.Grants.gov.

A. Registering for a DUNS number1. To verify or register for a DUNS number, go to the Dun and Bradstreet website at: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do or http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/org_step1.jsp2. The following information will be needed to obtain a DUNS number:

a. name of organizationb. organization addressc. name of CEO/organization ownerd. legal structure of organization e. year the organization startedf. primary type of businessg. total number of employees

B. Registering in CCR1. To register with CCR, you can apply by phone (1-888-227-2423) or register online at http://www.ccr.gov. 2. If your organization is already registered, take note of who is listed as your E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC). For applications being submitted through Grants.gov, this person will be responsible for authorizing who within your organization has the responsibility to submit applications. 3. The following information will be needed to register in CCR:

a. DUNS numberb. Tax identification number (TIN) and name used in federal tax mattersc. Electronic Funds Transfer information for payment of invoices

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4. When registering in CCR, please do not opt out of the public search.

REMINDER: Make sure that your E-Business Point of Contact with the Central Contractor Registration is up to date.

**Obtaining an Organization Site Number with MDEIf you currently do not have an organization site number with MDE (e.g., new nonprofit organizations), you will need to obtain one before you can complete the application submission steps outlined below. To register and obtain an Organization Number, go to our home page at:  http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Data/District_School_Site_Verification/index.html.

Scroll down and select the Site Change Request Form. You can save the form to your computer, complete it and email to: mde.school-verify@state.mn.us. If you have any questions, please email the same address or call Mary Pat Olsen at 651-582-8624.

3. Preparing Your Application

While you are waiting to obtain access to SERVS Financial, you may begin preparing your grant application. Remember only one application document may be submitted into the system. More than one supplemental document may be attached, if necessary and required, for your application.

You must download the application from the MDE website. Any document(s) that you may have used for earlier grant opportunities will not work. To obtain an original application please go to: http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Accountability_Programs/Prog_Account_Improve/index.html. Choose Grants Management Directory and then select All Open Grant Opportunities.

You must download and save all materials related to the grant opportunity to your personal computer.

Do not copy and paste the grant opportunity application into a new Word document, as the system will not allow you to upload it in this format. The document that you upload must be the same document that you originally download.

Do not use any underlines or hyperlinks in the application.

Do not change the layout structure of the application. Your grant application must be completed using Microsoft® Office Word.

o If you are using Word 2003 for Windows or Word 2004 for Macintosh, the document must be saved in Word 97-2004 format and be named so that it has a “.doc” file extension. This is the document format that is compatible with Word 98 through Word 2004 for Macintosh and Word 97 through Word 2003 for Windows.

o If you are using Word 2007 for Windows or Word 2008 for Macintosh, the document must be saved in Word Document format and be named so that it has a “.docx” file extension. This is the default XML-based document format for Word 2008 for Macintosh and Word 2007 for Windows.

The grant application is to be original work of the applying program. If a source is used, the materials that are paraphrased or copied must be cited appropriately.

Note if the grant opportunity allows multiple site applications: Districts cannot submit more than one application per grant opportunity. Districts that have multiple schools eligible for a grant opportunity allowing multiple school applications, must bundle all schools into one grant application.

o Download and save the grant application to your computer. o Complete one application on behalf of all school/sites. However, for example, if you have six

schools/sites, you would need to complete one workplan for each of the six schools/site inserting a section break in between each workplan.

Competitive – Federal FIN 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics) 7

o Make sure that the application has all of the required components (e.g., Cover Page; Assurances; Workplan; Budget; etc.). One budget narrative justification worksheet will be completed on behalf of all school sites. However, the specific grant opportunity may require an additional budget for each school site workplan in additional to the total budget narrative worksheet.There may be additional forms outlined in the Application Components Section for completion.

o Copy and paste each completed workplan for each school site into the Word document you originally downloaded. The multiple workplans must be merged into one application document before uploading into SERVS. For example, if you completed six workplans, you would need to merge all six into one Word document for submission into the application site.

o Follow the instructions below for Uploading your Application.

NOTE: This is not a multiple site grant opportunity.

When you have finished preparing your grant application, you should send a copy of the application to the authorized representative/agency head for review prior to uploading.

You should send a reminder to the agency head (identified official with authority) and inform him/her that he/she will need to electronically sign the application (before the due date and time) in order for it to be completely submitted and considered.

It is important that you allow enough time to obtain the agency head’s electronic signature prior to the due date and time. MDE only considers applications to be completely submitted after electronic signatures have been obtained.

4. Registering to SERVS Financial – this is done after the SERVS Financial Access Authorization Form

Before you register, you must have an MDE account (user I.D. and password) and be sure that your agency head has submitted the SERVS Financial Access Authorization Form to MDE (see step #1 above the SERVS Financial Authorization instructions).

If you do not have an MDE account, you are required to self-register and establish a User I.D. and Password at http://education.state.mn.us/FinancialSystem/ (NOTE: if you already have an MDE account, you will login using your User I.D. and Password and skip to number 4 below (select your SERVS Financial Role).

From the MDE Web Site Login page (http://education.state.mn.us/FinancialSystem/): (1) Select “Create new MDE Account” (2) Accept the MDE agreement(3) Complete your MDE account profile (4) Select your SERVS Financial role (5) Choose the organization(s) you represent (be sure to select the correct number) (6) Click submit

After you have requested your User I.D. and password, log out and await notification (via email) that your registration is complete.

A request for access will be sent to MDE and your access will be confirmed by reviewing the SERVS Financial Access Authorization Form submitted by your agency head. Notification will occur within one business day.

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5. Uploading your Application (for submission)

Note: Individuals must be pre-registered with MDE before they may submit an application. See the SERVS Financial Authorization and Registering to SERVS Financial instructions above.

Please ensure that the agency head (identified official with authority) has had a chance to review the application prior to uploading/submitting for signature. If you are given permission by MDE to resubmit your application prior to the due date and time, the resubmitted application or documents MUST BE RESIGNED in the system by the due date and time identified. Changes cannot be made to the application after it has been uploaded.

NOTE: In the application submission site on SERVS, after you have attached your completed application and supplemental documents, you will also need to enter specific agency contact information for this grant. If you are selected for an award and this information is not available in SERVS it WILL delay approval of your application.

To submit a grant application through SERVS Financial, go to https://education.state.mn.us/FinancialSystem/ Under Grants Management Link, select “login to SERVS Financial.” Once there, you will enter your User I.D. and Password, select your agency (if you have more than one) and select Grants Management to manage current applications or upload a new application.

The application document you upload into the MDE SERVS Financial MUST be the same Word document that you originally downloaded to your computer from the MDE website. If you copy, cut or paste the downloaded document into another Word document, this will cause a major error and/or be considered a corrupt document, when you attempt to upload it. The system will not allow you to upload a new or different Word document; it must be the same Word document originally downloaded to your computer.

Districts that have multiple schools eligible for a grant opportunity must bundle all schools into one grant application (Word document) before uploading into SERVS. Follow the instructions above for Preparing your Application – Note to Districts with Multiple Eligible Schools.

The system will only allow you to upload up to five single supplementary attachments (e.g., Word or PDF). If you need to upload multiple documents, you can merge them into one single attachment if in the same format. If you have supplemental documents in different formats, you can attach each different type into the application site. However, only one application document may be uploaded into the application site.

Once you have successfully uploaded your grant application into the system, the status will say “Signature Pending.”

You should inform your agency head that an application has been submitted; the agency head needs to electronically sign the application in order for it to be considered and completely submitted. See the instructions below for Obtaining Electronic Signatures. If you are given permission to resubmit your application documents and this is rare with competitive grants, then the resubmitted application documents must be submitted and SIGNED by the due date and time.

Any applications, including resubmitted applications (upon MDE approval) submitted after the due date and time will not be accepted.

Any applications submitted by any other means will not be accepted and will be automatically disqualified/rejected.

Any applications submitted without an electronic signature, will not be accepted and are automatically disqualified/rejected.

6. Obtaining Electronic SignaturesCompetitive – Federal FIN 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics) 9

After you have uploaded your application into SERVS Financial, you need to obtain the electronic signature of the agency head (identified official with authority).

The agency head is the person with legal authority to sign legal documents on behalf of the school district, organization or agency (e.g., superintendent, Executive Director, CEO, Board Chair, etc) and must have been given the role of Approve Application and Budget. See the SERVS Financial Authorization and Registering to SERVS Financial instructions above.

To electronically sign the application, the agency head must go to https://education.state.mn.us/FinancialSystem/. Under Grants Management Link, select “login to SERVS Financial.” Once there, you will enter your User I.D. and Password, select your agency (if you have more than one) and click on “submit.”

Click on “Current Grant Applications” (on the left side).

Select the application you want to sign from the list (the status should say Signature Pending).

On the Grant Applications Details page, you will be able to review the grant application submitted. If satisfied, you will click Sign Grant Application.

You must agree to the terms in the signature agreement in order to sign the document.

MDE will consider your application complete only after the electronic signature(s) has been obtained. If you must resubmit your application, this requires approval by MDE program person identified in the grant application and a resubmission is only allowed if resubmitted and signed prior to the due date and time.

The signature process is completely electronic. You will not provide your written signature nor will you provide an image of such. Instead, you will accept the MDE electronic signature agreement as the authorized representative and provide your MDE User I.D. and Password to confirm your identity.

Your signature event is recorded (time and date) on the Grant Application Details page. The grant application status is now “Under Process” by MDE.

Failure to comply with the signature requirements is a violation and breach of security and will result in disqualification.

Competitive – Federal FIN 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics)

If you have technical questions related to using SERVS Financial, e-mail Grant Services Team at mde.servsfinancial@state.mn.us during regular business hours.

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APPLICATION COMPONENTSCompetitive –Federal – 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics)

Grant Opportunity Materials

Each application must contain the following elements.

APPLICATION COVER SHEET AND ASSURANCES TO COMPLYAPPLICATION COVER SHEET AND ASSURANCES TO COMPLYYou MUST provide a submission cover sheet for any application submitted. Please include the following:

o District/Agency/Organization (legal name)o School/Site Name (if applicable)- Must Identify Each Site, if Multiple Siteo State Tax ID, Federal Tax ID, DUNS number, CCR registration, Organization site numbero Total amount requestedo Contact information for Identified Official with Authority (see below)o Contact information for Program Contact Representative o Contact information for Accounting/Business Manager

You will be required to insert additional information directly within MDE SERVS Financial.

IDENTIFIED OFFICIAL WITH AUTHORITY- is the person with legal authority to sign legal documents on behalf of the organization. This person must also authorize any internal agency staff permission to use the MDE SERVS Financial. Every person using the system must have a level of access granted by the agency head. Only the identified official with authority to sign (i.e., agency head) is authorized to electronically sign the application as part of the application submission process. More than one person can be assigned this authority within a district. However, that additional person may not create budgets and make draw requests. Failure to obtain the required signatures will result in an automatic disqualification. 

For a school district - the superintendent must sign as the Identified Official with Authority For an organization/agency - it must be the Executive Director, CEO, Board Chair, etc. Program Contact Representative – should be the key person charged with administering the project and will

be the main point of contact for the project. (If this person should change, notice to MDE is required).

As the preparer of the application – your agency head (identified official with authority to sign) must be informed that any application submitted using MDE SERVS Finance requires their electronic signature. As part of this process, they will be required to complete a one-time self-registration to obtain a user ID (if they already have a MDE user ID, they will need to use that).

Note: Once your application is uploaded into the MDE SERVS Financial, you must obtain the required electronic signature prior to the due date and time for the application to be considered an accepted submission.

We highly recommend: that you email or alert the identified individual who must sign electronically, using text similar to the following:

“I am in the process of submitting an application in response to a grant opportunity from the Minnesota Department of Education, titled [insert name of grant]. To locate our application/s, please go to https://education.state.mn.us/FinancialSystem/. Log in to SERVS Financial, select our organization, and select Grant Management in the left-hand menu. Under Current Grant Opportunities, your electronic signature is required where there is a status of “Signature Pending”, Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. You must complete this step before the application due date and time deadline. As a signer, you will need to supply the organization’s federal tax I.D number and state tax ID number.

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ASSURANCES AND AGREEMENT TO COMPLY ASSURANCES AND AGREEMENT TO COMPLY The applicant is required to submit the Assurances and the Agreement to Comply with Assurances that is already integrated in the application materials. The electronic signature applied to the application once submitted to MDE certifies that as an applicant/awardee your district/agency shall/will comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, provisions and public policies required and all assurances in the performance of the grant opportunity. Please refer to the section titled ASSURANCES.

WORKPLAN NARRATIVE – MUST BE SUBMITTED WORKPLAN NARRATIVE – MUST BE SUBMITTED Below are the criteria/elements that must be included in the Workplan Narrative. Follow instructions carefully and do not exceed the page maximum. Be sure to attach any additional documents (such as optional letters of support), and upload those as one supplemental document. Total possible points for all sections including the Budget Narrative Justification Worksheet: 100

I. STATEMENT OF NEED Possible Points: 15Please limit the length of your response to approximately two pages per site, if applicable.

Provide a statement of need based on: a. The proposed number for participants to be served.b. Information about participant employment and employability status.c. The ethnic groups to be served.d. The geographic area of service and related labor market information.e. The process used to determine student eligibility upon program entry.

II. CAPACITYPossible Points: 15Please limit the length of your response to approximately one page per site, if applicable. Page count does not apply to letters of agreement.

Include a plan for the organization’s mission/purpose and how it aligns with the purpose of this grant.Include information on the applicant’s competencies in the proposed grant activity. Outline evidence of prior success/effectiveness. List other evidence that relates to the applicant's ability/capacity to address workplace/employability concepts, including staff available, their skills and abilities, and the organization’s capacity to perform tasks included in the application.

Fiscal agent applicants must include letters of agreement with the proposed partners if applicable, identify the organization responsible for contract funds and outcomes, and include details pertaining to each agency’s role in service delivery.

III. WORKPLAN: PROJECT GOALS, ACTIVITIES, OUTCOMES AND ESTIMATED TIMELINES Possible Points: 40Please limit the length of your response to approximately eight pages per site, if applicable.

Describe the project including specific goals and activities, the anticipated outcomes for the proposed project and estimated timelines. List out each goal and specify the activities that will be carried out under each goal. Please provide information in the format below:

a. Provide a program summary (no more than one paragraph) that describes how this program will provide English language acquisition instruction delivered in the context of the world of work in Minnesota, which may include, but is not limited to, career choices and in-demand job opportunities, governmental and educational resources for employment and employment training, career pathway experiences, workplace culture, and other concepts that are employment and work-focused in nature.

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b. Describe the instructional program to be delivered including:i. Instructional goals, activities, anticipated outcomes and estimated timelines.

ii. Curricula to be used.iii. How the program will integrate at least one of the following into your work-

focused curriculum: naturalization, civic participation, U.S. history, and/or government.

iv. Use of technology.

c. Describe how instruction will be delivered in terms of the class schedule and instructional staffing.

d. Describe any collaboration or coordination with agencies, organizations or groups that have expertise or resource information applicable to the proposed curricula. If applicable, describe any planned collaborations or coordination with employers, educational training institutions, or labor organizations.

e. Describe your expectations for students after they complete this program or after the program funding ends.

IV. EVALUATION OF OUTCOMESPossible Points: 10Please limit the length of your response to approximately one page per site, if applicable.

Describe how the anticipated outcomes will be measured, what data will be collected and how the success of the project will be evaluated. Include plans for evaluation and reporting of successful strategies and outcomes to MDE and other education entities, including professional organizations. Describe what formal assessment will be used and the frequency of assessment. If students to be served under the EL/Civics grant are already included in the program’s National Reporting System (NRS) data set for state Adult Basic Education (ABE) aid funding purposes, no additional English as a Second Language (ESL) testing for those students is needed for level gain reporting.

BUDGET NARRATIVE JUSTIFICATION WORKSHEET PLUS ADDITIONAL BUDGET FORM FOR EACH SITE, IF MULTIPLE SITE APPLICANT (2 SITE LIMIT)Possible Points: 20Page Count Limit Does Not Apply

The Budget Narrative/Justification Worksheet template must be completed and submitted as part of the application for this grant opportunity. The worksheet is based on a restricted grid in UFARS specific to finance code 801 and identifies those budget object codes allowable for this grant opportunity.

When completing the Budget Narrative/Justification Worksheet in the application section of this grant opportunity, be sure to align your budget with your workplan. Also be sure to provide adequate, but brief justification to explain the total allocation in that budget object code. Your budget should be based on necessary and reasonable costs to run your program activities. The justification space expands to allow you the ability to insert additional information.

An additional budget form is required to be completed for each site (up to 2 sites allowed) if you are a multiple site applicant. This form is located in the application section of this grant opportunity. The totals of all sites must total the total grant request reflected in the budget narrative worksheet which should be based on totals for all sites (up to 2).

UFARS Dimensions and Other ResourcesThe Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) are standards developed to provide guidance on accounting procedures and identify the financial reporting requirements of local educational agencies (LEAs) in Minnesota. UFARS financial data must be reported to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) in a prescribed format.

Competitive – Federal FIN 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics) 13

For more information on each of these dimensions, please refer to the UFARS manual at http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Accountability_Programs/Program_Finance/Financial_Management/UFARS/index.html.

If you have UFARS or accounting questions, please contact mde.ufars-accounting@state.mn.us.

The permitted code combinations (also referred to as the Restricted Grid) may be found in Chapter 10 of the UFARS manual.

Commissioner’s Plan: http://www.mmd.admin.state.mn.us/commissionersplan.htm (Chapter 15 and Appendix H)

If awarded and once your budget has been approved, any change to the total budget amount that exceeds ten percent (10%) requires an official budget amendment. An amendment requires the official signature of the agency head. If you need to allocate funds to a budget line-item category that was not originally approved for expenditure reimbursement, you must also request a budget amendment. Please contact your grant specialist for a budget amendment request form.

ACCOUNTING SYSTEM AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE (ASFMQ) ACCOUNTING SYSTEM AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE (ASFMQ)

*ACTUAL FORM IS NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF THE APPLICATION MATERIALS, BUT MAY BE SENT FROM MDE IF REQUIRED AT A LATER DATE (see bullets below).

If you ARE a non-profit agency, educational service cooperative or private organization, or if the fiscal agent is any of these, you will be required to have the ASFMQ and supporting documentation on file with MDE.

Important information: The ASFMQ and supporting documentations are not required at the time of your application

submission, however if your application is considered for award you will be required to submit information at that time to the Minnesota Department of Education within five (5) working days after notification of consideration.

To ensure potential grantee or fiscal agent has adequate oversight and appropriate internal controls to properly administer grant funds, financial documentation must be submitted. Failure to provide this information when requested, or if your program lacks a healthy financial status, may hinder your ability to be funded.

A written and valid justification must be provided if any of the required documents are not submitted when requested. Each justification submitted must be reviewed and approved by MDE’s Program Contact/Authorized Representative to ensure that adequate oversight and appropriate internal controls to properly administer grant funds are in place within the organization.

The ASFMQ and supporting documentation must be updated on an annual basis. You will not need to submit this form if your organization is a school district, charter school, educational district, college, university or tribal government, or if school districts, institutions of higher education and charter schools are acting as fiscal agents.

Important Information:Records in the Program Finance Division will be examined to ensure all required audit reports and financial documentation have been filed with the Department of Education. Applicants/Awardees, including fiscal agents, found to be lacking in this documentation run the risk of being eliminated from competition if financial soundness cannot be verified.

Competitive – Federal FIN 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics) 14

REFERENCE DOCUMENTSNRS Outcome Measures Definitions

EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONING LEVEL DESCRIPTORS—ADULT BASIC EDUCATION LEVELS

Literacy LevelListening and Speaking Basic Reading and Writing Functional and Workplace Skills

Beginning ESL Literacy

Test benchmark:

CASAS scale scores

Reading 180 and below

Listening 180 and below

BEST Plus: 400 and below (SPL 0–1)

Individual cannot speak or understand English, or understands only isolated words or very simple learned phrases.

Individual has no or minimal reading or writing skills in any language. May be able to recognize and copy letters, numbers and a few words (e.g. own name). May have little or no comprehension of how print corresponds to spoken language. Individual may have difficulty using a writing instrument.

Individual functions minimally or not at all in English and can communicate only through gestures or a few isolated words. May recognize only common words, signs or symbols (e.g., name, stop sign, product logos). Can handle only very routine entry-level jobs that do not require oral or written communication in English. May have no knowledge or use of computers.

Low Beginning ESL

Test benchmark:

CASAS scale scores

Reading: 181–190

Listening: 181–190

Writing: 136-145

BEST Plus: 401–417 (SPL 2)

Individual can understand basic greetings, simple phrases and commands. Can understand simple questions related to personal information, spoken slowly and with repetition. Understands a limited number of words related to immediate needs and can respond with simple learned phrases to some common questions related to routine survival situations. Speaks slowly and with difficulty. Demonstrates little or no control over grammar.

Individual can read numbers and letters and some common sight words. May be able to sound out simple words. Can read and write some familiar words and phrases, but has a limited understanding of connected prose in English. Can write basic personal information (e.g., name, address, telephone number) and can complete simple forms that elicit this information.

Individual functions with difficulty in social situations and in situations related to immediate needs. Can provide limited personal information on simple forms, and can read very simple common forms of print found in the home and environment, such as product names. Can handle routine entry level jobs that require very simple written or oral English communication and in which job tasks can be demonstrated. May have limited knowledge and experience with computers.

Competitive – Federal FIN 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics) 15

NRS Outcome Measures Definitions

High Beginning ESL

Test benchmark:

CASAS scale scores

Reading: 191–200

Listening: 191–200

Writing: 146- 200

BEST Plus: 418-438 (SPL 3)

Individual can understand common words, simple phrases, and sentences containing familiar vocabulary, spoken slowly with some repetition. Individual can respond to simple questions about personal everyday activities, and can express immediate needs, using simple learned phrases or short sentences. Shows limited control of grammar.

Individual can read most sight words, and many other common words. Can read familiar phrases and simple sentences but has a limited understanding of connected prose and may need frequent re-reading. Individual can write some simple sentences with limited vocabulary. Meaning may be unclear. Writing shows very little control of basic grammar, capitalization and punctuation and has many spelling errors.

Individual can function in some situations related to immediate needs and in familiar social situations. Can provide basic personal information on simple forms and recognizes simple common forms of print found in the home, workplace and community. Can handle routine entry level jobs requiring basic written or oral English communication and in which job tasks can be demonstrated. May have limited knowledge or experience using computers.

Outcome Measures Definitions EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONING LEVEL DESCRIPTORS—ADULT BASIC EDUCATION LEVELS

Literacy LevelListening and Speaking Basic Reading and Writing Functional and Workplace Skills

Low Intermediate ESL

Test benchmark:

CASAS scale scores

Reading: 201–210

Listening: 201–210

Writing: 201–225

BEST Plus: 439–472 (SPL 4)

Individual expresses basic survival needs and participates in some routine social conversations, although with some difficulty. Understands simple learned phrases easily and some new phrases containing familiar vocabulary spoken slowly with repetition. Asks and responds to questions in familiar contexts. Has some control of basic grammar.

Individual can read simple material on familiar subjects and comprehend simple and compound sentences in single or linked paragraphs containing familiar vocabulary. Individual can write simple notes and messages on familiar situations but may lack variety in sentence structure, clarity and focus of writing. Shows some control of basic grammar (e.g., present and past tense) and spelling. Uses some punctuation consistently (e.g., periods, commas, question marks, capitalization, etc.)

Individual can interpret simple directions, schedules, signs, and maps, etc. Completes simple forms but needs support on some documents that are not simplified. Can handle routine entry level jobs that involve some written or oral English communication but in which job tasks can be clarified orally or through demonstration. Individual may be able to use simple computer programs and can perform a sequence of routine tasks given directions (e.g., fax machine, computer).

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Outcome Measures Definitions

High Intermediate ESL

Test benchmark:

CASAS scale scores

Reading: 211–220

Listening: 211–220

Writing: 226–242

BEST Plus: 473–506 (SPL 5)

Individual participates in conversation in familiar social situations. Communicates basic needs with some help and clarification. Understands learned phrases and new phrases containing familiar vocabulary. Attempts to use new language but may be hesitant and rely on descriptions and concrete terms. May have inconsistent control of more complex grammar.

Individual can read text on familiar subjects that have a simple and clear underlying structure (e.g., clear main idea, logical order). Can use word analysis skills and context clues to determine meaning with texts on familiar subjects. Individual can write simple paragraphs with main idea and supporting details on familiar topics (e.g., daily activities, personal issues) by recombining learned vocabulary and structures. Can self- and peer-edit for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Individual can meet basic survival and social demands, and can follow some simple oral and written instructions. Has some ability to communicate on the telephone on familiar subjects. Can write messages and notes related to basic needs and complete basic medical forms and job applications. Can handle jobs that involve basic oral instructions and written communication in tasks that can be clarified orally. Individual can work with or learn basic computer software, such as word processing, and can follow simple instructions for using technology.

Advanced ESL

Test benchmark:

CASAS scale scores

Reading: 221–235

Listening: 221–235

Writing: 243–260

BEST Plus: 507–540 (SPL 6)

Exit Criteria: CASAS Reading and Listening: 236 and above

CASAS Writing: 261 and above

BEST Plus: 541 and above (SPL 7)

Individual can understand and communicate in a variety of contexts related to daily life and work. Can understand and participate in conversation on a variety of everyday subjects, including some unfamiliar vocabulary, but may need repetition or rewording. Can clarify own or others’ meaning by rewording. Can understand the main points of simple discussions and informational communication in familiar contexts. Shows some ability to go beyond learned patterns and construct new sentences. Shows control of basic grammar but has difficulty using more complex structures. Has some basic fluency of speech.

Individual can read moderately complex text related to life roles and descriptions and narratives from authentic materials on familiar subjects. Uses context and word analysis skills to understand vocabulary, and uses multiple strategies to understand unfamiliar texts. Can make inferences, predictions, and compare and contrast information in familiar texts. Individual can write multi-paragraph text (e.g., organizes and develops ideas with clear introduction, body, and conclusion), using some complex grammar and a variety of sentence structures. Makes some grammar and spelling errors. Uses a range of vocabulary.

Individual can function independently to meet most survival needs and to use English in routine social and work situations. Can communicate on the telephone on familiar subjects. Understands radio and television on familiar topics. Can interpret routine charts, tables and graphs and can complete forms and handle work demands that require non-technical oral and written instructions and routine interaction with the public. Individual can use common software, learn new basic applications, and select the correct basic technology in familiar situations.

Competitive – Federal FIN 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics) 17

Table 4-This document will be required for end of the year reportingEducational Gains and Attendance by Educational Functioning Level

Reference document

Enter the number of participants for each of the categories listed, the total number of attendance hours, and calculate the percentage of participants completing each level.

Entering Educational Functioning Level

Total Number of Participants

Total Participant Attendance

Hours

Number Completed

Level

Number who Completed a

Level and Advanced One or More Levels

Number Separated

Before Completed

Number Remaining

within Level

Percentage Completing

Level(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G) (H)

ABE Beginning LiteracyABE Beginning Basic EducationABE Intermediate LowABE Intermediate HighASE LowASE High*ESL Beginning LiteracyESL Beginning LowESL Beginning HighESL Intermediate LowESL Intermediate HighESL Advanced

Total

Competitive – Federal FIN 801 English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/Civics) 18