2021 ED Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) - UCI Proposal Development Resources

This resource is for UCI faculty and staff developing the 2021 U.S. Education Department (ED) Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) application.

Applications are due Monday, March 1.

For Research Development assistance, please contact:

General questions - Beth Riley, briley@uci.edu

Engineering - Lori Greene, legreene@uci.edu

A. Important Links and Information:

ED GAANN website: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gaann/applicant.html

Application and directions found on grants.gov (ED-GRANTS-011521-001): https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=GAANN

PowerPoint from ED information session, 1/28/2021, on GAANN applications: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/gaann/fy2021gaanntawebinar.pdf. Megan Vu (Bio Sci) points out that most of the information overlaps with the application instructions, but you may find additional information that is particularly useful.

UCI Office of Institutional Research Student data (for institution and School level; departmental information can be requested from Grad Division or departmental staff): https://www.oir.uci.edu/Data-Hub/index.php under "Student Enrollment."

Compilation of 2012 GAANN reviews (PDF)

• ED is making available 72 awards ranging from $101,460 to $405,840, and a guidance on average of $275,000 per year. The maximum total three-year project period request is $1,217,520. This equates to 8 full fellows requested per year ($34,000 stipend + $16,730 allowance). There is still an additional 25% cost share, which is provided by UCI Grad Division.

• A project must provide fellowships in one or more of the following areas of national need: Cybersecurity, Secure Computer Programming, and Artificial Intelligence; General Engineering; Aerospace, Astronautical, and Aeronautical Engineering; Agricultural Engineering; Architectural Engineering; Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering; Ceramic Sciences and Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Civil Engineering; Computer Engineering; Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering; Engineering Mechanics; Engineering Physics; Engineering Science; Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering; Geological Engineering; Geophysical Engineering; Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering; Materials Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Metallurgical Engineering; Mining and Mineral Engineering; Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering; Nuclear Engineering; Ocean Engineering; Petroleum Engineering; Systems Engineering; Engineering Design; Engineering/Industrial Management; Materials Science; Polymer/Plastics Engineering; General Biology; Biochemistry and Biophysics; Botany; Cell and Molecular Biology; Microbiology/Bacteriology; Miscellaneous Biological; Zoology; Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics; Community Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Developmental and Child Psychology; Experimental Psychology; Industrial and Organizational Psychology; Physiological Psychology/Psychobiology; Social Psychology; School Psychology; Nursing (focusing on preparing nursing scholars for educational leadership roles).

• Interdisciplinary means a course of study that involves academic fields in two or more disciplines.

• Multidisciplinary means an application that requests fellowships for more than a single academic department in areas of national need designated as priorities in this competition.

• Eligible Applicants: (a) Any academic department of an IHE that provides a course of study that— (i) Leads to a graduate degree in an area of national need; and (ii) Has been in existence for at least four years at the time of an application for a grant under this competition. (b) An academic department of an IHE that–(i) Satisfies the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section and (ii) Submits a joint application with one or more eligible non-degree-granting institutions that have formal arrangements for the support of doctoral dissertation research with one or more degree-granting institutions.

• For ED, Minority means Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian-American, Black (African-American), Hispanic American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander (please note that Asian-Americans are not considered underrepresented minorities).

B. Official Documents from ED:

Full Instructions (93 pages) (GAANN 2021 ED Instructions 020921.docx) (Includes notice inviting applications)

C. Budget (updated 02/11/2021; note: waiting for budget justification)

6 Fellows (0 non CA residents) Requested + 1 Institutional Fellow; 25% cost share only 

• Internal UCI budget spreadsheet (GAANN 2021 Budget Internal 6 fellows plus 1 021121.xls)
• GAANN 2021 Budget Template 6 Fellows + 1 (GAANN 2021 budget form 021121.docx)
• Boilerplate Text - Section I (GAANN 2021 Budget Justification Template Final 021821.docx)
  

-- If you would like to add non-residents to this, please have the Department/School additionally cost share the tuition. The academic year tuition rates per non resident fellow are the following: UPDATE FOR 2021! The 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21 rates are $15,102, $16,158 and $17,287, respectively.

D. Documents Needed:

This is a standard proposal. SPA's 5-day deadline is 8am February 22, 2021. Please note that the ED recommends "that you submit your application several days before the deadline." SPA is always very busy, so we highly recommend getting this one in early and even submitting early!

Submitted to ED

Please note that ED has a new online application portal called Workspace, with instructions available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.  You can download and work on forms from Workspace, or upload PDF documents to it.  SPA will submit your proposal through Workspace.  For help with this tool, please contact Jonathan Lew at SPA, email jlew@uci.edu. 

1) SF 424 Form (includes the ED Supplemental Information Form) (from Workspace)

2) Abstract (attach in ED Abstract Form, from Workspace):

The abstract should include a short summary covering the designated area(s) of national need.  The abstract should include the following information:

3) Project Narrative (attach pdf in Project Narrative Attachment form, from Workspace) (GAANN 2021 Proposal Template 020921.docx). Address the selection criteria below and following formatting (double-spaced; 12pt font; note that incorrectly formatted proposals will not be penalized); and length requirements of 40 pages for single- or interdisciplinary projects, or 40 pages for each academic department for multidisciplinary projects. You can include an optional table of contents, with a length limit of 2 pages (this is in addition to the narrative page limit). See section D. below

4) Curriculum Vitae (CV) (attach pdf in Other Attachment form) - no more than two (2) pages per faculty member; 12pt font (all faculty CV’s must be uploaded in a single attachment);

     a) CV Template

     b) CV of Evaluator (Jessica Martone, The Mark) (GAANN 2021 Evaluator CV Martone 021221.pdf)

5) Course listing (attach pdf in Other Attachment form)

6) Letters of commitment (attach pdf in Other Attachment form)

     a) Letter from the Chancellor (optional) - Overall Institutional commitment letter - Research Development staff will take care of this (GAANN 2021 Chancellor's Letter Signed 021621.pdf)   

     b) Letter from Dean Hayes committing the mandatory 25% cost share (GAANN 2021 Grad Division Support Let Template Updated 021521.docx). Please use the template provided and send the updated letter to Yerga Meharenna (ymeharen@uci.edu).

     c) Letter from VCR Khargonekar committing to funding the evaluator - Attached is the signed letter. (GAANN 2021 VCR Evaluation commitment 021121 - signed.pdf)

     d) If you are getting additional support from your School/Department, please include a letter from your School Dean/Department Chair.

     e) Letter from Evaluator (optional) (GAANN 2021 Evaluation Commitment Letter 021221.pdf)

7) Bibliography (attach in Other Attachment form)

8) One additional optional appendix relevant to the support of the proposal, not to exceed five (5) pages (attach in Other Attachment form) (e.g., List of key faculty and technical staff; extra data such as admission and enrollment data; evaluation table(s) if need extra room in narrative; statement of teaching goals; Orientation/TA training/safety training schedule; Information about prior GAANN fellows).

9) GAANN Statutory Assurances (attach pdf in Other Attachment form) (GAANN 2021 Statutory Assurances Form 020921.docx)

10) GAANN Budget Spreadsheet(s) Form (attach pdf in Other Attachment form) (GAANN 2021 Budget Internal 6 fellows plus 1 021121.xls) (Example Single Discipline Budget Spreadsheet - 02/11/21 - see Section C above)

11) Assurances and Certifications

     a) ED GEPA 427 Form - Add Statement of GEPA requirements (Example GEPA statement - 04/16/15) *Please note: Please also address the GEPA requirements as they relate to your program in the project narrative; see p. 66 of GAANN Instructions.

     b) Grants.gov Lobbying Form (ED-80-0013) (signed by the Officer when submitting the application through Grants.gov)

     c) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (please add N/A since there is nothing to disclose)

Internal UCI only

1) Internal Budget Spreadsheet (GAANN 2021 Budget Internal 6 fellows plus 1 021121.xls)

E. Selection Criteria (PDF, DOCX) and Available Corresponding Boilerplate Text (same as 2018 call):

Your applications are reviewed using the following criteria (out of 100 points):

(a) Meeting the purposes of the program. (7 Points) 

     (1) The applicant's general and specific objectives for the project are realistic and measurable;

     (2) The applicant's objectives for the project seek to sustain and enhance the capacity for teaching and research at the institution and at State, regional, or national levels;

     (3) The applicant's objectives seek to institute policies and procedures to ensure the enrollment of talented graduate students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds; and (See GAANN proposal template, D.3 above)

     (4) The applicant's objectives seek to institute policies and procedures to ensure that it will award fellowships to individuals who satisfy the requirements of §648.40.

(b) Extent of need for the project. (5 Points)  (- the extent to which a grant under the program is needed by the academic department)

     (1) How the applicant identified the problems that form the specific needs of the project;

     (2) The specific problems to be resolved by successful realization of the goals and objectives of the project; and

     (3) How increasing the number of fellowships will meet the specific and general objectives of the project.

(c) Quality of the graduate academic program. (20 Points)   (- quality of the current graduate academic program)

     (1) The course offerings and academic requirements for the graduate program;

     (2) The qualifications of the faculty, including education, research interest, publications, teaching ability, and accessibility to graduate students;

     (3) The focus and capacity for research; and

     (4) Any other evidence the applicant deems appropriate to demonstrate the quality of its academic program.

(d) Quality of the supervised teaching experience. (10 Points)   (- quality of the teaching experience the applicant plans to provide fellows under this program) (See GAANN proposal template, D.3 above)

     (1) Provides each fellow with the required supervised training in instruction;

     (2) Provides adequate instruction on effective teaching techniques;

     (3) Provides extensive supervision of each fellow's teaching performance; and

     (4) Provides adequate and appropriate evaluation of the fellow's teaching performance.

(e) Recruitment plan. (5 Points)  

     (1) How the applicant plans to identify, recruit, and retain students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in the academic program for which fellowships are sought; (See GAANN proposal template, D.3 above)

     (2) How the applicant plans to identify eligible students for fellowships;

     (3) The past success of the academic department in enrolling talented graduate students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds; and

     (4) The past success of the academic department in enrolling talented graduate students for its academic program.

(f) Project administration. (8 Points) 

     (1) How the applicant will select fellows, including how the applicant will ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, or disabling condition;

     (2) How the applicant proposes to monitor whether a fellow is making satisfactory progress toward the degree for which the fellowship has been awarded;

     (3) How the applicant proposes to identify and meet the academic needs of fellows;

     (4) How the applicant proposes to maintain enrollment of graduate students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds; and (See GAANN proposal template, D.3 above)

     (5) The extent to which the policies and procedures the applicant proposes to institute for administering the project are likely to ensure efficient and effective project implementation, including assistance to and oversight of the project director. (See GAANN proposal template, D.3 above)

(g) Institutional commitment. (15 Points)

     (1) The applicant will provide, from any funds available to it, sufficient funds to support the financial needs of the fellows if the funds made available under the program are insufficient;

     (2) The institution's social and academic environment is supportive of the academic success of students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds on the applicant's campus; (See GAANN proposal template, D.3 above)

     (3) Students receiving fellowships under this program will receive stipend support for the time necessary to complete their courses of study, but in no case longer than 5 years; and

     (4) The applicant demonstrates a financial commitment, including the nature and amount of the institutional matching contribution, and other institutional commitments that are likely to ensure the continuation of project activities for a significant period of time following the period in which the project receives Federal financial assistance.

(h) Quality of key personnel. (5 Points)  

     (1) The qualifications of the project director;

     (2) The qualifications of other key personnel to be used in the project;

     (3) The time commitment of key personnel, including the project director, to the project; and

     (4) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, or disabling condition, except pursuant to a lawful affirmative action plan. (See GAANN proposal template, D.3 above)

(i) Budget. (5 Points) (NEEDS TO BE UPDATED! Boilerplate Text - 02/11/21 - see Section C above)

     (1) The applicant shows a clear understanding of the acceptable uses of program funds; and

     (2) The costs of the project are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project.

(j) Evaluation plan. (15 Points) (GAANN 2021 Evaluation Plan The Mark 021121.docx)

     (1) Relate to the specific goals and measurable objectives of the project;

     (2) Assess the effect of the project on the students receiving fellowships under this program, including the effect on persons of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, genders, and ages, and on persons with disabilities who are served by the project;

     (3) List both process and product evaluation questions for each project activity and outcome, including those of the management plan;

     (4) Describe both the process and product evaluation measures for each project activity and outcome;

     (5) Describe the data collection procedures, instruments, and schedules for effective data collection;

     (6) Describe how the applicant will analyze and report the data so that it can make adjustments and improvements on a regular basis; and

     (7) Include a time-line chart that relates key evaluation processes and benchmarks to other project component processes and benchmarks.

(k) Adequacy of resources. (5 Points)   (- the resources that the applicant makes available to graduate students receiving fellowships under this program, including facilities, equipment, and supplies.)

F. ED goals and performance indicators for the GAANN Program: (See GAANN Instructions, p. 67)

Goal 1: Support state and local efforts to improve learning outcomes for all P-12 students in every community.

Goal 2: Expand postsecondary educational opportunities, improve outcomes to foster economic opportunity and promote an informed, thoughtful, and productive citizenry.

Goal 3: Strengthen the quality, accessibility and use of education data through better management, increased privacy protections, and transparency.

Goal 4: Reform the effectiveness, efficiency and accountability of the Department.

The specific goal for the GAANN program is “to increase the number of persons trained at the highest academic level” in the areas of national need. The performance indicators for the GAANN program are:

(1.1) Graduate school completion: the percentage of GAANN fellows completing the terminal degree in the designated areas of national need.

(1.2) Time to completion: the median of time to completion of Master’s and Doctorate degrees for GAANN students.

(1.3) Employment: the percentage of GAANN Fellows who have placements in faculty or professional positions in the area of their studies within one year of completing the degree.

G. Formatting Requirements:

• A “page” is “8.5x11,” on one side only, with 1” margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.  Page numbers and an identifier may be within 1” margin.
• Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the project narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions.  Charts, tables, figures, and graphs in the project narrative may be single-spaced and will count toward the page limit.
• Applicants may use one of the following fonts:  Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New or Arial. An application that does not strictly adhere to formatting recommendations will not be penalized.
• Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).  However, you may use a 10 point font in charts, tables, figures, graphs, footnotes, and endnotes.
• You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable format.  Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file.  If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, DOED will not review that material.
  
  

Project Narrative Page Limits:

• Single and Inter-Disciplinary project narratives must be no more than 40 pages.
  • An inter-disciplinary application must request funding for a single proposed program of study that involves academic fields in two or more disciplines. 
• Multi-disciplinary project narratives, as defined below, must be no more than 40 pages for each academic department included in the proposal.
  • A multi-disciplinary application must request funding for two or more academic departments in areas of national need designated as priorities by the Secretary that are independent and unrelated to one another.
  • Applicants must abide by the definition of multi-disciplinary when applying page limits                                   

Note:  Each page on which there are words will be counted as one full page.

Note:  Applicants have the option of including a Table of Contents.  However, this document must not be longer than two (2) pages.  The formatting should be the same as listed above in the “Formatting Requirements.”  

\/ Below will be a list of attachments you add to this page.