Program Descriptions
Program Number
84.274
Title
American Overseas Research Centers
Federal Agency
OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Authorization
Higher Education Act, Title VI, Part A, Section 609, as amended.
Status
Active
Objectives
To enable American overseas research centers, that are consortia of higher education institutions, to promote postgraduate research, exchanges, and area studies.
Types of Assistance
Project Grants (Discretionary).
Uses and Use Restrictions
Grants may be used to pay all or a portion of the cost of establishing or operating a center or program, including the cost of faculty and staff stipends and salaries; faculty, staff, and student travel; the operation and maintenance of overseas facilities; the cost of teaching and research materials; the cost of bringing visiting scholars and faculty to a center to teach or to conduct research; the cost of organizing and managing conferences; and the cost of publishing and disseminating materials for the scholarly and general public.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
The Secretary shall only award grants to centers that: (1) Receive more than 50 percent of their funding from public or private United States sources; (2) have a permanent presence in the country in which the center is located; and (3) are organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which are exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Consortia of institutions of higher education that (1) Receive more than 50 percent of their funding from public or private United States sources; (2) have a permanent presence in the country in which the center is located; and (3) are organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which are exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code.
Credentials/Documentation
None.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
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.
Application Procedure
Eligible centers may submit an application for funding when a new competition is announced in the Federal Register. Application forms and guidelines for the submission of applications are available from the program.
Award Procedure
Final recommendations are made to the Secretary following advice from a panel of consultants.
Deadlines
Deadlines will be announced in the Federal Register.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
The range is approximately 90 days.
Appeals
None.
Renewals
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
None.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Grants are awarded for 12-month periods for a total project period of up to 48 months.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Funded projects must provide reports within 90 days of termination of each of the three twelve month grant periods and a final report within 90 days of termination of the last twelve month grant period.
Audits
All fiscal records will be subject to audit by the Department of Education any time within three years after expiration of the grant.
Records
All records supporting claims under grants or relating to accountability for awarded funds must be available on request: (1) For three years after the close of the fiscal year that the grant expired; or (2) until the grantee is notified that the fiscal audit has closed, whichever is later.
Financial Information
Account Identification
91-0201-0-1-502.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 07 $1,000,000; FY 08 $1,200,000; and FY 09 est $1,000,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
For FY 2008, the range of awards is expected to be $84,000 to $129,000; the average award is expected to be $109,000.
Program Accomplishments
Eleven continuation grants are expected to be awarded in FY 2008.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
This program is governed by the authorizing legislation and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations, 34 CFR 74 through 77, 79 through 82, 85, and 86. Application guidelines will be announced in the Federal Register. Contact the program office for more information.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
None.
Headquarters Office
International Education Programs Service, Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-5331. Contact: Cheryl Gibbs, E-mail: Cheryl.Gibbs@ed.gov, Telephone: (202) 502-7634.
Web Site Address
http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsaorc/
Related Programs
84.015, National Resource Centers Program For Foreign Language And Area Studies Or Foreign Language And International Studies Program And Foreign Language And Area Studies Fellowship Program
84.016, Undergraduate International Studies And Foreign Language Programs
84.017, International Research And Studies
84.019, Overseas Programs - Faculty Research Abroad
84.022, Overseas Programs - Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad
84.153, Business And International Education Projects
84.220, Centers For International Business Education
84.229, Language Resource Centers
Examples of Funded Projects
American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS), founded in 1961, serves American scholars overseas, as a base for research and a liaison with scholars and research targets in India. Specific activities funded include library expansion, overseas director and staff salaries as well as operations and communications. American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT) directly supports programs of fellowship for research and for language study in Turkey for American researchers and graduate students. Its programs, services, and facilities are available to all U.S. scholars at its Centers in Istanbul and Ankara. Specific activities funded include administrator and librarian salaries and overseas operations. American Center of Oriental Research ACOR serves American scholars of archaeology providing fellowship and publication programs, coordinating American archaeological work and interest in Jordon, and undertaking cooperative efforts on behalf of the Jordanian and American scholarly communities. Specific activities funded include administrative salaries, library acquisitions, and overseas operations.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 75.209 (a) and 75.210, and are as follows--Meets the purposes of the authorizing statue (20 points); Neef for project (15 points); Significance (10 points); Quality of the project design (15 points); Quality of project servies (10 points); Quality of project personnel (10 points); Adequacy of resources (10 points); and Quality of the project evaluation (10 points). Additional information regarding these criteria is in the application package for this competition. Criteria subject to change. Contact program office for further information.
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