The U.S. Department of Education’s Grant Competition to Prevent High-Risk Drinking or Violent Behavior Among College Students (84.184H)
(Fiscal Year 2007)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the goal of this grant competition?

The goal of this grant competition is to provide funds to develop or enhance, implement, and evaluate campus- and/or community-based prevention and early intervention strategies to prevent high-risk drinking or violent behavior among college students.

Who is eligible to apply?

This grant competition is open to institutions of higher education, consortia thereof, public and private nonprofit organizations, including faith-based organizations, and individuals. If an application is submitted on behalf of a consortium, one entity must serve as the grantee.

Note: This grant competition limits eligibility to applicants that do not currently have an active grant under this program. For the purpose of this eligibility requirement, a grant is considered active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds (71 FR 70369).

What is the deadline date for applications under this grant competition?

February 20, 2007. (Note: Date correction)

May I get an extension of the deadline date?

Waivers for individual applications failing to meet the deadline will not be granted, regardless of the circumstances. Under very extraordinary circumstances the Department may change the closing date for a grant competition. When this occurs, the Department announces such a change in a notice published in the Federal Register.

What are the project and budget periods for these grants?

24 months. Projects will be funded for one year with an option for an additional year, contingent upon substantial progress by the grantee and the availability of funds.

How much money is available under this grant competition?

The Administration has requested $2,323,000 for new awards under this program for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. This figure is only an estimate and does not bind the Department to any specific level of funding.

How many new awards will be made?

It is estimated that 18 new awards will be made.

What is the average amount of each grant?

Projects will be funded for approximately $100,000 to $150,000 per year depending on the scope of work. These figures are only estimates and do not bind the Department of Education to a specific number of grants or amount of any grant.

Is there a matching requirement?

No.

Is there a restricted indirect cost rate for this program?

No. For this grant competition, you may charge indirect costs using the rate negotiated with your cognizant federal agency (e.g., Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of the Interior). Individuals who apply for any grant competitions through the Department of Education are not allowed to budget for an indirect cost rate.

You are encouraged to give priority to direct services to students by limiting the indirect costs charged to the project. You will not be penalized for failure to reduce indirect costs nor will you gain a competitive advantage if you do.

If you claim indirect costs in the budget for your proposed project and do not have a negotiated rate with the federal government, you have 90 days from the time you transmit your application to submit the necessary paperwork to the Department to receive a negotiated indirect cost rate. For more information about indirect cost rates, please visit www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.

Can grant funds be used to support professional development activities?

Yes, as long as the activities directly support the purposes of the grant.

Are there guidelines for how much money can be spent on consultants? What is the daily limit and is there a cap?

There is no daily limit or cap for consultant fees. Information related to these fees should be included on ED Form 524 under the Contractual budget category. Also, applicants should be sure to fully substantiate all expenditures in the budget narrative.

Does my application have to address both of the absolute priorities?

No. However, in order for your application to be considered, it must address at least one of the two priorities. Applicants that choose to address both of the absolute priorities must submit a separate application for each. You should consider the primary behavior (i.e., high-risk drinking or violent behavior) your proposed project is designed to prevent in determining which priority to choose.

How is “high-risk drinking” defined in this grant competition?

“High-risk drinking” is defined as those situations that may involve but not be limited to: binge drinking (commonly defined as five or more drinks on any one occasion); underage drinking; drinking and driving; situations when one’s condition is already impaired by another cause, such as depression or emotional stress; and combining alcohol and medications, such as tranquilizers, sedatives, and antihistamines.

Under each of the two absolute priorities of this grant competition, applicants are required to identify a specific student population to be served by the grant and provide a justification for its selection. What does “specific student populations” mean?

A “specific student population” can include but not be limited to student athletes, members of fraternities and sororities, students attending two-year institutions of higher education, and first-year students.

Can I select high school students as a “specific student population”?

No. Providing services to high school students is outside the absolute priority of this grant competition, and applicants should not include such services in their proposals.

Applicants under Absolute Priority #2 should address what forms of violent behavior?

Absolute Priority #2 does not specify the type of violent behavior among college students that is to be prevented. Forms of violent behavior that are of concern on college campuses include rape and sexual assault; nonsexual physical assault, such as fights, muggings, and hazing; and hate crimes. Applicants can use their own discretion in determining what specific forms of violent behavior will be addressed in their respective proposals.

How does the Freedom of Information Act affect my application?

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides that any person has the right to request access to federal agency records or information. All U.S. Government agencies are required to disclose records upon receiving a written request for them, except for those records that are protected from disclosure by the nine exemptions listed in the FOIA. All applications submitted for funding consideration under this grant competition are subject to the FOIA. To read the text of the Freedom of Information Act, visit www.usdoj.gov/04foia/foiastat.htm.

Who do I contact for more information about this grant competition?

Richard Lucey, Jr.
Education Program Specialist
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW – Room 3E335
Washington, DC 20202-6450
Phone: 202/205-5471
Fax: 202/260-7767
E-mail: richard.lucey@ed.gov

Last Update: January 4, 2007