CHAPTER 7
CRITERIA FOR GRANTS
281—7.1(256,17A) Purpose. The department provides competitive grant funding to a variety of entities throughout the state for support of educational programs. To ensure equal access and objective evaluation of applicants for these funds, grant application materials shall contain, at minimum, specific content. Competitive program grant application packets shall be developed by the department in accordance with these rules unless prohibited by or in conflict with appropriation language, the Iowa Code, the Iowa Administrative Code, federal regulations or interagency agreements between the department and other state agencies.
281—7.2(256,17A) Definitions. For the purpose of these rules, the following definitions shall apply:
“Competitive program grant” means the collective activities of a competitive grant funded through the department.
“Department” means the Iowa department of education.
“Program period” means the period of time which the department intends to support the program without requiring the recompetition for funds. The program period is specified within the grant application.
“Service delivery area” means the defined geographic area for delivery of program services.
281—7.3(256,17A) Requirements. The following shall be included in all competitive program grant application materials made available by the department:
	1.	Funding source.
	2.	Program period.
	3.	Description of eligible applicants.
	4.	Services to be delivered.
	5.	Service delivery area.
	6.	Target population to be served (if applicable).
	7.	Funding purpose.
	8.	Funding restrictions.
	9.	Funding formula (if any).
	10.	Matching requirement (if any).
	11.	Reporting requirements.
	12.	Performance criteria.
	13.	Need for letters of support or other materials (if applicable).
	14.	Application due date.
	15.	Anticipated date of awarding grant.
	16.	Required components of submitted grant applications.
	17.	An explanation of the review process and the review criteria to be used by application evaluators, including the number of points allocated per required component.
	18.	Appeal process in the event an application is denied.
281—7.4(256,17A) Review process. The review process to be followed in determining the amount of funds to be approved for any competitive program grant shall be described in the application. The review criteria and point allocation for each criterion shall also be described in the grant application material.
The competitive program grant review committee shall be determined by the appropriate division administrator. The review committee members shall allocate points per review criterion when conducting the review.
In the event competitive program grant applications receive an equal number of points that necessitates a further determination of whether an applicant is to receive a grant, a second review shall be conducted by the division administrator or the division administrator’s designee.
281—7.5(290,17A) Appeal of grant denial or termination. Any applicant may appeal the denial of a properly submitted competitive program grant application or the unilateral termination of a competitive program grant to the director of the department. Appeals must be in writing and received within ten working days of the date of the notice of decision and must be based on a contention that the process was conducted outside of statutory authority; violated state or federal law, policy, or rule; did not provide adequate public notice; was altered without adequate public notice; or involved conflict of interest by staff or committee members. The hearing and appeal procedures found in 281—Chapter 6 that govern director’s decisions shall be applicable to any appeal of denial or termination.
In the notice of appeal, the grantee shall give a short and plain statement of the reasons for the appeal.
The director shall issue a decision within a reasonable time, not to exceed 60 days from the date of the hearing.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 256.9(7).
[Filed emergency 11/25/96—published 12/18/96, effective 11/25/96]
[Filed 2/13/97, Notice 12/18/96—published 3/12/97, effective 4/16/97]