Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS): Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA): Rehabilitation Training: Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Program: Rehabilitation of Individuals Who Are Mentally Ill CFDA Number 84.129H | ED GRANTS 070519 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 070519 005

This funding opportunity comes from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), through the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). It is part of the Rehabilitation Training program under the Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Program, specifically the track focused on the Rehabilitation of Individuals Who Are Mentally Ill (CFDA 84.129H). The basic aim is to address workforce shortages by supporting academic training programs that produce more qualified personnel to deliver vocational rehabilitation (VR) services to people with disabilities, with this particular competition emphasizing preparation to serve individuals with mental illness.

The program sits within a larger FY 2019 long-term training portfolio where the Department planned awards across four specialty areas: Rehabilitation Counseling (84.129B), Rehabilitation of Individuals Who Are Mentally Ill (84.129H), Rehabilitation of Individuals Who are Blind or Have Vision Impairments (84.129P), and Rehabilitation of Individuals Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (84.129Q). In other words, 84.129H is one of several targeted pipelines meant to expand the supply of trained VR professionals in high-need areas that the Secretary has identified as having personnel shortages. Projects funded under this competition are expected to be run in compliance with nondiscrimination requirements under the U.S. Constitution and applicable federal civil rights laws, meaning recipients must design and operate their programs in ways that ensure equal access and lawful treatment for participants and beneficiaries.

The opportunity is a discretionary grant competition (Funding Opportunity Number ED GRANTS 070519 005) categorized under education-related federal assistance. A wide range of applicant types are listed as eligible, including state, county, and local governments (including special districts), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, other tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under the nonprofit category). The listing also notes that there may be additional eligibility clarifications in the official notice, so prospective applicants are expected to rely on the Federal Register application notice for the definitive rules.

From a funding standpoint, the notice indicates an award ceiling of $150,000 and an expectation of about 12 awards. The application window for this cycle opened on July 5, 2019, with a deadline for transmittal of applications of August 5, 2019. The Department also built in structured pre-application support. OSERS planned to post pre-recorded informational webinars no later than July 10, 2019, intended to provide technical assistance to potential applicants, and to host an online Q&A blog opening no later than July 15, 2019, where applicants could ask questions specifically about application requirements. That blog was scheduled to remain open until July 24, 2019, after which questions were to be directed to the program contact.

Applicants were strongly encouraged (but not required) to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply. The purpose was administrative: helping the Department anticipate volume and review applications more efficiently. Submitting this notice did not obligate an applicant to apply, and not submitting it did not disqualify anyone. The notice instructions specified emailing the program contact with the subject line "Intent to Apply" and including the applicant organization name along with a contact person name and email.

For official guidance, the synopsis repeatedly emphasizes that the authoritative requirements live in the Federal Register application notice, not in the summary. That includes the full eligibility details, the priorities, required components of the proposal, performance measures, submission procedures, and any pre-application or application conditions. It also directs applicants to the Department of Education "Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs" (published February 13, 2019, 84 FR 3768) for standard submission and procedural requirements, including addresses and methods for obtaining and submitting an application.

The listed point of contact for this competition was Darryl Glover at the U.S. Department of Education (Potomac Center Plaza, Room 5070C), reachable by phone at 202-245-7339 or by email at Darryl.Glover@ed.gov. The pre-application materials (webinars and the Q&A blog) were to be hosted on the RSA grants webpage at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/rsa/new-rsa-grants.html, and the Federal Register and related regulatory materials were referenced as being available through the Government Publishing Office (GPO) access site and govinfo.

• 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: Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Program: Rehabilitation of Individuals Who Are Mentally Ill CFDA Number 84.129H" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.129.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 05, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 05, 2019 Applications Available July 5, 2019.Deadline for Transmittal of Applications August 5, 2019.Pre-Application Webinar Information No later than July 10, 2019, OSERS will post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. The webinars will be available at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/rsa/new-rsa-grants.html.Pre-Application QampA Blog No later than July 15, 2019, OSERS will open a blog where interested applicants may post questions about the application requirements for this competition and where OSERS will post answers to the questions received. OSERS will not respond to questions unrelated to the application requirements for this competition. The blog will be available at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/rsa/new-rsa-grants.html and will remain open until July 24, 2019. After the blog closes, applicants should direct questions to Darryl Glover, Telephone 202-245-7339 or e-Mail Darryl.Glover@ed.gov, Potomac Center Plaza, room 5070C .Notice of Intent to Apply The Department will be able to review grant applications more efficiently if we know the approximate number of applicants that intend to apply. Therefore, we strongly encourage each potential applicant to notify us of their intent to submit an application. To do so, please email the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT with the subject line #8220Intent to Apply,#8221 and include the applicant#8217s name and a contact person#8217s name and email address. Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent to apply may still apply for funding applicants that do submit a notice of intent to apply are not bound to apply or bound by the information provided. For Further Information Contact Darryl Glover, Telephone 202-245-7339 or e-Mail Darryl.Glover@ed.gov, Potomac Center Plaza, room 5070C. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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