Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural Program (84.345)

Program

84.345 Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural Program

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Education
Office: Office Of Postsecondary Education

Authorization

Higher Education Amendments of 1998;, Executive Order Title VIII, Part H.

Program Number

84.345

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To provide grants to nonprofit education organizations that are established to research, display, interpret and collect artifacts relating to the history of the underground railroad.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

In accordance with eligibility requirements. Organizations receiving funds must: demonstrate substantial private support through a public-private partnership; create an endowment that provides for the operations of the facility; and establish a network of satellite centers throughout the United States to help disseminate information regarding the Underground Railroad.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

An application submitted for funding under this program must include: (1) The name, address, and web site address, if any, of the nonprofit educational institution seeking to participate, and the name, title, mailing and e-mail address, and telephone number of a contact person for the institution. (2) A description of the facility that will be used to house the artifacts related to the history of the Underground Railroad and to make the interpretive efforts available to institutions of higher education that award a baccalaureate or graduate degree. (3) A description of the substantial private support for the facility through the implementation of a public private partnership between a State or local public entity and a private entity. for the support of the facility as required in section 841 (b) (2) of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998. An agreement documenting the commitment of the private entity to provide matching funds for the support of the facility in an amount equal to 4 times the amount of the contribution of the State or local public entity. (4) An explanation of the proposed contribution of the State or local public entity and documentation showing that not more than 20 percent of the matching funds will be provided by the Federal government. (5) A description of how the endowment will be created to fund any and all shortfalls in the costs of the on-going operations of the facility and expected sources of these funds. (6) A statement as to whether the applicant institution intends to establish a network of satellite centers throughout the United States to help disseminate information regarding the underground railroad. If the applicants institution does intend to establish a network, documentation showing how the satellite centers will raise 80 percent of the funds required from nonfederal public and private sources. (7) A detailed description of how the applicant intends to electronically link the facility with other local and regional facilities that have collections and programs which interpret the history of the underground railroad, including a listing of the facilities the applicant intends to include.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Nonprofit educational organizations that are established to research, display, interpret and collect artifacts relating to the history of the underground railroad.

Credentials/Documentation

Nonprofit certification including a description of the purpose for which the organization was established. 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 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 excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

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. All applications should clearly designate a contact person, telephone number, and the e-mail address of the contact person. Applicants should submit the original application. Copies are not necessary. Applications must be postmarked on or before June 30.

Award Procedure

Awards are reviewed by outside reviewers.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

One month.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Dependent upon the availability of appropriations.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

Matching Requirements: An agreement documenting the commitment of the private entity to provide matching funds for the support of the facility in an amount equal to 4 times the amount of the contribution of the State or local public entity is required. An explanation of the proposed contribution of the State or local public entity and documentation showing that not more than 20 percent of the matching funds will be provided by the Federal government is also required.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

One year. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

For each fiscal year for which the organization receives funding under this section, a report must be submitted to the Secretary of Education that contains a description of the programs and activities supported by the funding, the audited financial statement of the organization for the preceding fiscal year, and a plan for the programs and activities to be supported. The Secretary may require an evaluation of the programs and activities supported by the funding. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

No Data Available.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: Two awards were made in FY 2008. Fiscal Year 2009: Two awards are expected to be made in FY 2009. Fiscal Year 2010: Two awards are expected to be made in FY 2010.

Financial Information

Account Identification

91-0201-0-1-502.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $1,945,410; FY 09 est $1,945,000; FY 10 est $1,945,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

No Data Available.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Education Department General Administrative Regulations.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Claire Cornell Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W, Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Email: claire.cornell@ed.gov Phone: (202) 502-7609

Web Site Address

http://www.ed.gov/programs/ugroundrr/index.html.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (FC) (XE 'NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER"f"i")(Cincinnati, Ohio) - The 2007 grant award will be used to further and support the FC's mission to reveal stories about the Underground Railroad and freedom's heroes, past and present, challenging and inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom today. The grant will implement a robust schedule of special speakers, events, programs, community forums, and changing exhibits. FC exhibits consist of six permanent experiences and two changing galleries. Grant funds will also be used to manage the Center's highly-visited Web site, which serves an important role in itself to inform and educate our virtual visitors. Grant funds will also be used toward services specifically for FC's annual base of 50,000 visiting school children coming from cities all across the country. entitled "Revolution!" which continues the efforts of our landmark exhibitions "Slavery in New York" (2005) and "New York Divided: Slavery and the Civil War" (2006) to examine the "contagion of freedom" that buttressed the Underground Railroad. The project shows how revolutions in America, France, and Haiti uniquely defined notions of freedom, equality, and human rights, and in fact played a key role in the abolition of slavery in the United States by serving as a foundation for the rhetoric and activism of abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, David Walker, David Ruggles, Henry Highland Garnet, James McCune Smith, and many other key figures in the Underground Railroad. A comprehensive exhibition Web site with links to likeminded institutions, as well as a traveling version of the show, will extend the life of the exhibition and reach an enormous and diverse local, national, and international audience. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Contact the Program Office for information.