[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 11, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29575-29577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14720]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY
[CFDA No. 84.257I]
Notice Inviting Applications for the Literacy Leader Fellowship
Program
AGENCY: The National Institute for Literacy.
PURPOSE: To establish the Literacy Fellows Program to provide Federal
financial assistance to individuals pursuing careers in adult education
or literacy in the areas of instruction, management, research, or
innovation and adult new learners. Under the program, career literacy
workers and adult learners are applicants for fellowships.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: Applications must be
submitted August 1, 1996.I11Available Funds: $105,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $20,000-$30,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $20,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 5.
Note: The National Institute for Literacy is not bound by any
estimates in this Notice.
Project Period
Projects will be no less than three nor more than 12 months of
full-time activity or the equivalent in less than full-time
participation.
Applicable Regulations
The regulations governing the National Institute for Literacy's
Literacy Leader Fellows Program were published on July 11, 1995, in the
Federal Register. Applications for Fiscal Year 1996 are being accepted
on the basis of those regulations.
[[Page 29576]]
While the Institute is associated with the U.S. Departments of
Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, the specific policies
and procedures of these agencies regarding rulemaking and
administration of grants are not adopted by the Institute except as
expressly stated in this Notice.
Transmittal of Applications
Five (5) copies of applications for award must be mailed or hand-
delivered on or before the deadline date of August 1, 1996.
Applications delivered by mail. Applications sent by mail must be
addressed to: National Institute for Literacy, 800 Connecticut Avenue,
NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006, Attention: (CFDA#84.257I).
An applicant must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the
following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, the
Institute does not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark, or (2) a mail receipt that is not dated
by the U.S. Postal Service.
An applicant should note that the U.S. Postal Service does not
uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an
applicant should check with the local post office.
An applicant is encouraged to use registered, certified, or first
class mail.
Each late applicant will be notified that his/her application will
not be considered.
Applications delivered by hand. Applications that are hand-
delivered must be taken to the National Institute for Literacy, 800
Connecticut Avenue, NW., Suite 200, Washington, DC.
The Institute will accept hand-delivered applications between 8:30
a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) daily, except Saturdays,
Sundays, and Federal holidays. Applications that are hand-delivered
will not be accepted by the Institute after 4:30 p.m. on the due date.
The Institute will mail an Applicant Receipt Acknowledgment to each
applicant within 15 days from the due date. If an applicant fails to
receive the application acknowledgment, call the National Institute for
Literacy at (202) 632-1525.
The applicant must indicate on the outside of the envelope the CFDA
number of the competition under which the application is being
submitted.
Application Forms
The National Institute for Literacy has no application forms or
prescribed format for the Literacy Leader Fellowship Program.
Applicants must submit the following: a detailed budget, curriculum
vitae or resume, a description of your proposal (up to 8 pages); and
sufficient information, e.g., two letters of recommendations, to allow
the Institute to determine the merits of the proposed activities and
rate the application according to the criteria and any applicable
priorities. Applicants are also required to submit the following
assurances and certifications:
(a) Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
(b) Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and
other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements
(ED90-0013).
(c) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if
applicable) and instructions.
The assurances, and certifications must each have an original
signature. No award can be made unless these forms are submitted.
Priorities
(a) The Director invites applications for Literacy Leader
Fellowships that meet the following priorities for 1996.
(b) The priorities for 1996 are major areas of concern in the
literacy field that are currently being addressed in the Institute's
work.
(c) An application may be awarded up to 5 bonus points for
addressing a priority or priorities, depending on how well the
application meets the priority or priorities.
(d) The publication of these priorities does not bind the Institute
to fund only applications addressing priorities. The Director is
especially interested in fellowship applications that address one or
more of the priorities, but not to the exclusion of other significant
issues that may be proposed by applicants.
(e) The priorities selected from the regulations for 1996 are as
follows:
(1) Developing Leadership in Adult Learners. Because adult learners
are the true experts on literacy, they are an important resource for
the field. Their firsthand experience as ``customers'' of the literacy
system can be invaluable in assisting the field in moving forward,
particularly in terms of raising public awareness and understanding
about literacy.
(2) Expanding the Use of Technology in Literacy Programs. One of
the NIFL's major projects is the Literacy Information and Communication
System (LINCS), an Intemet-based information system that provides
timely information and abundant resources to the literacy community.
Keeping the literacy community up to date in the Information Age is
vital.
(3) Improving Accountability for Literacy Programs. Legislation
that has passed both houses of the U.S. Congress emphasizes that
literacy programs must develop accountability systems that demonstrate
their effectiveness in helping adult learners contribute more fully in
their workplace, family, and community. Assessing practices that focus
on outcomes and disseminating information about promising activities
that will help the literacy field best adapt to the requirements of the
new legislation is a priority.
(4) Raising Public Awareness about Literacy. The NIFL is leading a
national effort to raise public awareness that literacy is part of the
solution to many social concerns, including the well-being of children,
health, welfare, and the economy. Projects that enhance this effort
will be given priority consideration.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
National Institute for Literacy:
National Educational Goal 6, which is now included in the Goals
2000 Educate America Act, puts forward an ambitious agenda for adult
literacy and lifelong learning in America. To further this goal, the
Congress passed Public Law 102-73, the National Literacy Act of 1991,
which is the first piece of national legislation to focus exclusively
on literacy. To overall intent of the Act, as stated, is:
``To enhance the literacy and basic skills of adults, to ensure
that all adults in the United States acquire the basic skills necessary
to function effectively and achieve the greatest possible opportunity
in their work and in their lives and to strengthen and coordinate adult
literacy programs.''
In designing the Act, among the primary concerns shared by the
Congress and literacy stakeholders was the fragmentation and lack of
coordination among the many efforts in the field. To address these
concerns, the Act created the National Institute for Literacy to:
(A) Provide a national focal point for research, technical
assistance and research dissemination, policy analysis and program
evaluation in the area of literacy; and
(B) Facilitate a pooling of ideas and expertise across fragmented
programs and research efforts.
[[Page 29577]]
Among the Institute's authorized activities is the awarding of
fellowships to outstanding individuals who are pursuing careers in
adult education or literacy in the areas of instruction, management,
research, or innovation. These fellowships are to be awarded for
activities that advance the field of adult education and literacy.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alice Johnson, National Institute for
Literacy, 800 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 200, Washington, DC
20006. E-mail address [email protected], telephone: 202/632-1516, fax:
202/632-1512. To receive an application package, please contact Darlene
McDonald at the same address, e-mail [email protected], telephone:
202/632-1525 or Fax: 202/632-1512.
Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden
Under terms of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as amended, and
the regulations implementing the Act, the National Institute for
Literacy invites comment on the public reporting burden in this
collection of information. Public reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including
the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources,
gathering and disseminating the data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information. You may send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection
of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the
National Institute for Literacy, and the Office of Management and
Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Washington, DC 20503. (Information
collection approved under OMB control number 3200-0030, Expiration
date: June 30, 1998).
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1213(c).
Andrew J. Hartman,
Director, National Institute for Literacy.
[FR Doc. 96-14720 Filed 6-10-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6055-01-M
