Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To provide grants to the States for use in programs of financial assistance to eligible postsecondary students.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
To make grants of up to $5,000 for full-time (reduced for less than full-time) attendance to students with substantial financial need who are enrolled at postsecondary institutions. This program is subject to non-supplanting requirements and must use a restricted indirect cost rate that is referenced under 34 CFR 76.564-76.569. For assistance call the Office of the Chief Financial Officer/Indirect Cost Group at 202-708-7770.
Who is eligible to apply...
The agency responsible for administering each State's need-based scholarship/grant program. U.S. Territories are also eligible to apply.
Credentials/Documentation
A State application reviewed and approved annually by the Secretary of Education qualifies the State for student award funds. States pay administrative costs. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.
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:
The designated State student scholarship or grant assistance agency in each State annually applies for State allotments/reallotments of funds; refer to ED Form 1288. Eligible students annually apply to their State of residence for a grant under this program, if the State has received an allotment. Student applicants must follow the application procedures as directed by each State and must demonstrate substantial financial need to receive a grant. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.
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:
The Federal Student Aid office awards grants to State student scholarship or grant assistance agencies for making grants or providing work-study financial assistance to students.
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
Application forms are mailed annually to eligible State agencies at least a month before the closing date which is published annually in the Federal Register. Students must submit an application according to deadlines established by the participating States.
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
From 30 to 45 days.
Preapplication Coordination
For technical assistance for States regarding the State application, refer to ED Form 1288. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
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
Appeals of final disapprovals can be made to the Secretary and may be subject to judicial review.
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
New State applications are required annually.
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...
Postsecondary education students with substantial financial need will benefit.
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...
Formula Grants
Allocations of money to States or their subdivisions in accordance with distribution formulas prescribed by law or administrative regulation, for activities of a continuing nature not confined to a specific project.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Maximum grant is $5,000; average grant is $1,000.
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) FY 03 $66,565,000; FY 04 est $66,172,000; and FY 05 est $0.
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
91-0200-0-1-502.
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...
Not applicable.
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...
In fiscal year 2003, approximately 169,695 students received grants to attend public, private, and proprietary schools.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
Not applicable.
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Funds are awarded for use by participating States for one award year at a time following the year of application.
Formula and Matching Requirements
Each State receives an allotment and possibly a reallotment of funds based upon the number of students it deems eligible to participate in the program relative to the total number of such students in all States; no State receives less than its fiscal year 1979 allotment (Section 415B(a)(1), HEA). Maintenance of effort (MOE) requirements provide that annual State-appropriated expenditures in the program must not be less than the average for the previous three fiscal years (Section 415C(b)(8), HEA). States match Federal funds on at least their MOE level, but not less than a one-to-one basis, out of resources appropriated by the State which represent additional State grant expenditures over an established base year, defined as the second year before the State entered the LEAP Program (Section 415C(b)(6), HEA).
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
Annual fiscal performance report (ED Form 1288-1) and other reports as required by the Secretary.
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
Records are examined by State or Federal auditors.
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
States must maintain records sufficient to identify student grants awarded in compliance with the program statute and requirements concerning the expenditure of Federal funds and matching State appropriated funds. Records must be retained for three years or until completion of Department audit, whichever is later.
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
Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV, Part A, Subpart 4, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1070c-1070c-4.
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
34 CFR 692 (Program Regulations) reissued July 14, 1981, amended December 1, 1986, November 27, 1987, and January 28, 1994. Directory of State Agency Official Contacts (current).