The Department of Education is offering the Centers for Independent Living (ARRA) Grant to support the establishment of a statewide network of independent living centers.

1. Eligible Applicants: To be eligible to apply, an applicant must–
(a) Be a consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability, nonresidential, private nonprofit agency;
(b) Have the power and authority to–
(1) Carry out the purpose of part C of title VII of the Act and perform the functions listed in section 725(b) and (c) of the Act and subparts F and G of 34 CFR part 366 within a community located within any State in which the Secretary has approved the State plan required by section 704 of the Act or in a bordering State; and
(2) Receive and administer–
(i) Funds under 34 CFR part 366;
(ii) Funds and contributions from private or public sources that may be used in support of a center; and
(iii) Funds from other public and private programs;
(c) Be able to plan, conduct, administer, and evaluate a center consistent with the standards and assurances in section 725(b) and (c) of the Act and subparts F and G of 34 CFR part 366;
(d) Either–
(1) Not currently be receiving funds under part C of chapter 1 of title VII of the Act; or
(2) Propose the expansion of an existing center through the establishment of a separate and complete center (except that the governing board of the existing center may serve as the governing board of the new center) at a different geographical location;
(e) Propose to serve one or more of the geographic areas that are identified as unserved or underserved by the States and territories listed under Estimated Number of Awards in this notice; and
(f) Submit appropriate documentation demonstrating that the establishment of a new center is consistent with the design for establishing a statewide network of centers in the State plan of the State or territory whose geographic area or areas the applicant proposes to serve.

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: This program provides support for planning, conducting, administering, and evaluating centers that comply with the standards and assurances in section 725 of part C of title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (the Act), consistent with the design included in the State plan for establishing a statewide network of centers.

The purposes of the ARRA include the following:
(1) To preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery;
(2) To assist those most impacted by the recession;
(3) To provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health;
(4) To invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefit; and
(5) To stabilize State and local government budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive State and local tax increases.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.400A.

Applications for grants under the Centers for Independent Living program, CFDA Numbers 84.132A and 84.400A, must be submitted electronically using e-Application, accessible through the Department’s e-Grants Web site at: http://e-grants.ed.gov. While completing your electronic application, you will be entering data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.