OpportunityTitle: Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Program: Grants for Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities CFDA Number 84.354A
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: 1. Eligible Applicants:        (a) A public entity, such as a State or local governmental entity;      (b) A private, nonprofit entity; or      (c) A consortium of entities described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.
Description: Note: Each funding opportunity description is a synopsis of information in the Federal Register application notice. For specific information about eligibility, please see the official application notice. The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html. Please review the official application notice for pre-application and application requirements, application submission information, performance measures, priorities and program contact information. Purpose of Program: The Grants for Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities (Credit Enhancement) program provides grants to eligible entities to demonstrate innovative methods of helping charter schools to address the cost of acquiring, constructing, and renovating facilities by enhancing the availability of loans and bond financing. Background Since FY 2002, the Department has made new Credit Enhancement grants each year, which has resulted in a portfolio of grantees using Federal funds to enhance the credit of charter schools so that they can access private-sector and other non-Federal capital in order to acquire, construct, and renovate facilities at a reasonable cost. In December 2015, the Credit Enhancement program was reauthorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (20 U.S.C. 7221c). This notice contains application requirements from the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA,\1\ and selection criteria and a competitive preference priority for charters operating in high-need communities and geographic areas. This notice also includes an invitational priority that encourages applicants to partner with other entities to leverage new or previously untapped capital and other resources to expand support to more schools and students as well as improve their ability to support schools and students. For example, under this priority, an applicant could propose to partner with a newly created State-funded credit enhancement program designed to improve charter schools&apos; credit ratings on bonds, thereby enabling charter school facility financing at lower interest rates and lower borrowing costs. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Unless otherwise indicated, references to the ESEA are to the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.354A. Applications for grants under the Credit Enhancement program, CFDA number 84.354A, must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a grant application to us. You may access the electronic grant application for the Credit Enhancement program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number&apos;s alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.354, not 84.354A).
GrantorContactEmailDescription: e-Mail: Program Manager
GrantorContactText: Julius Cotton &lt;br/&gt;ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Admin. &lt;br/&gt;Phone 202-245-6288 &lt;br/&gt;EducationGrantInquiries@ed.gov &lt;br/&gt;Program Manager: &lt;br/&gt;Clifton Jones,  &lt;br/&gt;U.S. Department of Education,  &lt;br/&gt;400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W244,  &lt;br/&gt;Washington, DC 20202-5970.  &lt;br/&gt;Telephone: (202) 205-2204 or by email: Clifton.Jones@ed.gov.
CloseDateExplanation: Applications Available: March 27, 2017.       Date of Pre-Application Meeting: April 12, 2017, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Washington, DC, time.       Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 11, 2017.