American Overseas Research Centers (84.274)
Program
84.274 American Overseas Research Centers
Federal Agency
Agency: Department of Education
Office: Office Of Postsecondary Education
Authorization
Higher Education Act, as amended, Title VI, Part A, Section 609.
Program Number
84.274
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To enable American overseas research centers, that are consortia of higher education institutions, to promote postgraduate research, exchanges, and area studies.
Types of Assistance
PROJECT GRANTS
Uses and Use Restrictions
Grants may be used to pay all or a portion of the cost of establishing or operating a center or program, including the cost of faculty and staff stipends and salaries; faculty, staff, and student travel; the operation and maintenance of overseas facilities; the cost of teaching and research materials; the cost of bringing visiting scholars and faculty to a center to teach or to conduct research; the cost of organizing and managing conferences; and the cost of publishing and disseminating materials for the scholarly and general public.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
The Secretary shall only award grants to centers that: (1) Receive more than 50 percent of their funding from public or private United States sources; (2) have a permanent presence in the country in which the center is located; and (3) are organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which are exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Consortia of institutions of higher education that (1) Receive more than 50 percent of their funding from public or private United States sources; (2) have a permanent presence in the country in which the center is located; and (3) are organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which are exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code.
Credentials/Documentation
No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.
Application Procedure
This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Eligible centers may submit an application for funding when a new competition is announced in the Federal Register. Application forms and guidelines for the submission of applications are available from the program.
Award Procedure
Final recommendations are made to the Secretary following advice from a panel of consultants.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
The range is approximately 90 days.
Appeals
Not Applicable.
Renewals
Centers selected to receive funds for the four year program must submit performance reports for continuation of support. Renewals are subject to the availability of funds.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula.
This program has no matching requirements.
This program does not have MOE requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Grants are awarded for 12-month periods for a total project period of up to 48 months. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Funded projects must provide reports within 90 days of termination of each of the three twelve month grant periods and a final report within 90 days of termination of the last twelve month grant period. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable.
Audits
This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-133. All fiscal records will be subject to audit by the Department of Education any time within three years after expiration of the grant.
Records
All records supporting claims under grants or relating to accountability for awarded funds must be available on request: (1) For three years after the close of the fiscal year that the grant expired; or (2) until the grantee is notified that the fiscal audit has closed, whichever is later.
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2008: Eleven continuation grants were awarded in FY 2008. Fiscal Year 2009: Eleven continuation awards are expected to be awarded in FY 2009. Fiscal Year 2010: Eleven continuation awards are expected to be awarded in FY 2010.
Financial Information
Account Identification
91-0201-0-1-502.
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 08 $1,187,122; FY 09 est $1,200,000; FY 10 est $1,200,000
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
No Data Available.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
This program is governed by the authorizing legislation and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations, 34 CFR 74, 75, 77, 79 through 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. Application guidelines will be announced in the Federal Register. Contact the program office for more information.
Related Programs
84.015 National Resource Centers Program for Foreign Language and Area Studies or Foreign Language and International Studies Program and Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship Program; 84.016 Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Programs; 84.017 International Research and Studies; 84.019 Overseas Programs - Faculty Research Abroad; 84.022 Overseas Programs - Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad; 84.153 Business and International Education Projects; 84.220 Centers for International Business Education; 84.229 Language Resource Centers
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
None.
Headquarters Office
Cheryl Gibbs International Education Programs Service, Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Email: Cheryl.Gibbs@ed.gov Phone: (202) 502-7634
Web Site Address
http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsaorc/.
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2008: American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS), founded in 1961, serves American scholars overseas, as a base for research and a liaison with scholars and research targets in India. Specific activities funded include library expansion, overseas director and staff salaries as well as operations and communications. American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT) directly supports programs of fellowship for research and for language study in Turkey for American researchers and graduate students. Its programs, services, and facilities are available to all U.S. scholars at its Centers in Istanbul and Ankara. Specific activities funded include administrator and librarian salaries and overseas operations. American Center of Oriental Research ACOR serves American scholars of archaeology providing fellowship and publication programs, coordinating American archaeological work and interest in Jordon, and undertaking cooperative efforts on behalf of the Jordanian and American scholarly communities. Specific activities funded include administrative salaries, library acquisitions, and overseas operations. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Applications for awards will be evaluated competitively in accordance with the selection criteria published in 34 CFR 75.209 and 75.210. The Secretary will weigh criteria using points indicated in the application package or in a notice published in the Federal Register. Applicants should address the selection criteria only in the context of the program requirements in Title VI, Part A, Section 609 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
