Rehabilitation Services Demonstration and Training Programs

Published on AidPage by IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005

Administered by:

Purpose of this program:

To provide financial assistance to projects and demonstrations for expanding and improving the provision of rehabilitation and other services authorized under the Act or that further the purposes of the Act, including related research and evaluationactivities.

Possible uses and use restrictions...

Authorized activities under this program include carrying out special demonstrations for expanding and improving the provision of rehabilitation and other services authorized under this Act and that further the purposes of the Act. Projects may include demonstrations to increase client choice; technical assistance; systems change; special studies and evaluations; demonstrations of service delivery; model demonstrations; transition services; supportive employment; services to underserved populations and/or unserved or underserved areas; services to low-incidence disabilities; transportation; and other projects designated by the Secretary. Other authorized programs include Parent Information and Training and Braille training projects.

Who is eligible to apply...

Eligible applicants are States and public or nonprofit organizations. Grants cannot be made directly to individuals.

Eligible Applicant Categories:
Eligible Functional Categories:
Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local Governments. Costs will also be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational institutions, and A-122 for nonprofit organizations.

Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.

About this section:

This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy. For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree, 3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible. Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they must satisfy.

Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs, the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.

How to apply...

Application Procedure:

Applications should be submitted to the Department of Education, Application Control Center. Attention: (program 84.235), 600 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202. The standard application kit as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 must be used for this program. ED No. 80-0013 must also be submitted.

Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.

Award Procedure:

Awards are made on approval of the Commissioner, RSA and the Assistant Secretary, OSERS, for new projects and the Commissioner, RSA, for continuation projects.

Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check. Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office, or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.

Deadlines and process...

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters office, RSA, for application deadlines. Deadlines are published in the Federal Register.

Note: When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received. When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

The range is approximately 150 to 180days.

Preapplication Coordination

This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-102. 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.

Note: This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.

Appeals

None.

Note: In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Renewals

Projects with multi-year periods may be continued based on annual review of accomplishments and availability of adequate funds. Renewals are available through the continuation application process.

Note: In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.

Who can benefit...

Individuals with disabilities.

Beneficiaries
About this section:

This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.

What types of assistance...

Project Grants

The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.

How much financial aid...

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Not applicable.

Note: This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.

Obligations

(Grants and Contracts) FY 03 $21,392,000; FY 04 est $24,286,000; and FY 05 est $18,784,000.

Note: The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.

Account Identification

91-0301-0-1-506.

Note: Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program. This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.

Examples of funded projects...

Funded projects include: projects to increase client choice; projects providing services to people with severe mental illness; projects servicing low-functioning adults that are deaf or hard of hearing disorders; projects to provide services to individuals with disabilities, and projects to provide services to youths with disabilities.

About this section

This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.

Program accomplishments...

Approximately 78 projects were funded in fiscal year 2003.

Criteria for selecting proposals...

Funding priorities are published in the Federal Register. Applications for discretionary grants are subject to peer review procedures leading to recommendations for approval or disapproval by Federal and nonfederal experts. Criteria for evaluating applications are published in program and department regulations (34 CFR369).

Assistance considerations...

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Grants are awarded for up to 60 months. Renewals are subject to the availability of funds.

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula or matching requirements.

Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.

Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.

In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.

Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.

Post assistance requirements...

Reports

As required by the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (34 CFR 75). Generally annual performance reports are required.

Note: This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.

Audits

See 34 CFR 74.26. Institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations are subject to the audit requirements of OMB Circular No. A-133. State and local government are subject to the requirements in the Single Audit Act and the ED regulations.

Note: This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency. The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133. These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year, as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period, rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).

Records

As required by EDGAR for direct grant programs (34 CFR 75). Generally records related to grant funds, compliance, and performance must be maintained for a period of 5 years after completion.

Note: This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require. Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office. For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C. For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.

Regulations...

Authorization

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Title III, Section 303. 20 U.S.C. 777a and 797a.

Note: This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).

Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature

Regulations: (A) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86; and (B) the regulations for this program in 34 CFR 369 and 376 (transition) apply.

Contact information...

Web Sites
Regional Or Local Office

State Vocational Rehabilitation Offices or the RSA Regional Offices. See Additional Contact Information - FMR Help for a list of regional offices.

Note: This section lists the agency contact person, address and telephone number of the Federal Regional or Local Office(s) to be contacted for detailed information regarding a program such as: (1) current availability of funds and the likelihood of receiving assistance within a given period; (2) pre-application and application forms required; (3) whether a pre-application conference is recommended; (4) assistance available in preparation of applications; (5) whether funding decisions are made at the headquarters, regional or local level; (6) application renewal procedures (including continuations and supplementals) or appeal procedures for rejected applications; and (7) recently published program guidelines and material. However, for most federal programs, this section will instruct the reader to consult the so-called Appendix IV of the Catalog due to the large volume of Regional and Local Office Contacts for most agencies. This information is provided in Additional Contact Information (see below).

Headquarters Office

U.S. Department of Education, OSERS Rehabilitation Services Administration 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-2500. Contact: Tim Muzzio. E-mail Address tim.muzzio@ed.gov. Telephone: (202) 245-7458.

Note: This section lists names and addresses of the office at the headquarters level with direct operational responsibility for managing a program. A telephone number is provided in cases where a Regional or Local Office is not normally able to answer detailed inquiries concerning a program. Also listed are the name(s) and telephone number(s) of the information contact person(s) who can provide additional program information to applicants.

Additional Contact Information (Appendix IV)

Due to the large volume of regional and local office contacts for most agencies, full contact information is also provided separately here in a PDF format: