Notice2025-15154
Applications for New Awards; Assistance for Arts Education Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 11, 2025
Issuing agencies
Education Department
Abstract
The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2025 for the Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) program.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 152 (Monday, August 11, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 152 (Monday, August 11, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38630-38634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15154]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Assistance for Arts Education
Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2025 for the
Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) program.
DATES:
Applications Available: August 11, 2025.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 25, 2025.
The Department will post a preapplication presentation for
prospective applicants. To access the preapplication presentation,
visit the AAE program web page at <a href="https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade-12/well-rounded-education-grants/assistance-for-arts-education">https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade-12/well-rounded-education-grants/assistance-for-arts-education</a>.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on December 23, 2024 (89 FR 104528) and available at
<a href="http://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/23/2024-30488/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs">www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/23/2024-30488/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Asheley McBride or Sharon Burton, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 453-6398 or (202) 987-1762. Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0a4b797963797e6b64696f6c65784b787e794f6e7f696b7e6365644a6f6e246d657c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="87c6f4f4eef4f3e6e9e4e2e1e8f5c6f5f3f4c2e3f2e4e6f3eee8e9c7e2e3a9e0e8f1">[email protected]</span></a>.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The AAE program promotes arts education for
students, including disadvantaged students and students who are
children with disabilities, through activities such as (a) professional
development for arts educators, teachers, and principals; (b)
development and dissemination of accessible instructional materials and
arts-based educational programming, including online resources, in
multiple arts disciplines; and (c) community and national outreach
activities that strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, local
educational agencies (LEAs), communities, or centers for the arts,
including national centers for the arts.
Assistance Listing Number: 84.351A.
OMB Control Number: 1894-0006.
Eligible Applicants: To be considered for an award under this
competition, an applicant must be one of the following:
(1) An LEA in which 20 percent or more of the students served by
the local educational agency are from families with an income below the
poverty line; \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ An LEA must show that at least 20 percent of children ages
five to 17 that reside within the LEA's boundaries are from low-
income families based on the most recent LEA poverty estimates
provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Census LEA poverty estimates
are available at: <a href="http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe.html">www.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe.html</a>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) A consortium of such LEAs;
(3) A State educational agency;
(4) An institution of higher education;
(5) A museum or cultural institution;
(6) The Bureau of Indian Education;
(7) An eligible national nonprofit organization; or
(8) Another private agency, institution, or organization.
Application Requirement: Applicants that are LEAs must provide, in
the application, data from the most recent U.S. Census as evidence that
the LEAs meet the statutory requirement that 20 percent or more of the
students served by the LEA (or for each LEA within a consortium of
LEAs) are from families with an income below the Federal poverty line.
Note: Other applicants that are eligible under the definition of an
LEA, such as County Offices of Education, Education Service Districts,
and Regional Service Education Agencies, must provide the most recent
U.S. Census data for each of the individual LEAs served. For charter
schools for which U.S. Census data is not available, eligibility will
be based on a determination by the SEA, consistent with the manner in
which the SEA determines the charter school LEA's eligibility for the
Title I allocations, that 20 percent of the students aged 5-17 in the
LEA are from families with incomes below the Federal poverty line.
Applicants must submit documentation from the State certifying official
verifying that the SEA has determined this eligibility requirement is
met for each LEA not listed in the Small Area Income Poverty Estimates
(SAIPE) data.
Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you
may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) proof that the
Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an
organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State
taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the
organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and
that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private
shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's
certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly
establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item
described above if that item applies to a State or national parent
organization, together with a statement by the State or parent
organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.
Note: A faith-based organization is eligible to apply for and
receive a grant under this program on the same basis as any other
private organization, consistent with Appendix A to 34 CFR part 75.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $13,000,000.
[[Page 38631]]
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $750,000-$1,000,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $850,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $1,000,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 3-4.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
The estimated range and average size of awards are based on a single
12-month budget period. We may use FY 2025 funds to support multiple
12-month budget periods for one or more grantees.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Background: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA), authorizes activities under the AAE program that enrich
the academic experience of students by promoting arts education.
Priorities: This notice contains one competitive priority and one
invitational priority. The competitive priority is from section 4642(d)
of the ESEA.
Competitive Priority: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority.
This priority is:
Eligible National Nonprofit Organization (0 or 15 points).
Under this priority, the Secretary gives priority to eligible
entities that are eligible national nonprofit organizations. The term
``eligible national nonprofit organization'' means an organization of
national scope that--
(a) Is supported by staff, which may include volunteers, or
affiliates at the State and local levels; and
(b) Demonstrates effectiveness or high-quality plans for addressing
arts education activities for disadvantaged students or students who
are children with disabilities.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
This priority is:
Invitational Priority--Patriotic Education.
The Department encourages projects that are designed to provide an
introduction to and understanding of the founding documents and primary
sources of the American political tradition, in a manner consistent
with the principles of a patriotic education. Projects may address one
or more of the following topics:
(a) United States Constitution, government, and civics.
(b) United States history and geography.
(c) United States military and diplomatic history.
(d) United States literature and rhetoric.
(e) United States art, such as architecture, painting, music,
photography, theater, cinema, and sculpture.
(f) The founding documents and primary sources of Western
Civilization and the American founding and their influence on the
American political tradition.
(g) The influence of Western Europe upon the American political
tradition.
Requirements: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in which we make
awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition,
the following program requirements from sections 4642(a) and (b) of the
ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7292(a) and (b)) apply.
Program Requirements. Projects funded under this program must--
(1) Promote arts education for students, including disadvantaged
students and students who are children with disabilities. In meeting
this requirement, projects may implement activities such as--
(a) Professional development for arts educators, teachers, and
principals;
(b) Development and dissemination of accessible instructional
materials and arts-based educational programming, including online
resources, in multiple arts disciplines;
(c) Community and national outreach activities that strengthen and
expand partnerships among schools, LEAs, communities, or centers for
the arts, including national centers for the arts; and
(2) Coordinate, to the extent practicable, with appropriate
activities of public or private cultural agencies, institutions, and
organizations, including museums, arts education associations,
libraries, and theaters.
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are
from 34 CFR 75.210. The points assigned to each criterion are indicated
in the parentheses next to the criterion. An applicant may earn up to a
total of 100 points based on the selection criteria.
(a) Quality of the project design (up to 35 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified, measurable, and
ambitious yet achievable within the project period, and aligned with
the purposes of the grant program. (up to 20 points)
(2) The quality of the logic model or other conceptual framework
underlying the proposed project, including how inputs are related to
outcomes. (up to 15 points)
(b) Quality of the management plan (up to 30 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for
the proposed project, the Secretary considers:
(1) The extent to which the key personnel in the project, when
hired, have the qualifications required for the proposed project,
including formal training or work experience in fields related to the
objectives of the project, and represent or have lived experiences of
the target population. (up to 10 points)
(2) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project
objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks. (up to 10 points)
(3) The quality of the mechanisms the applicant will use to broadly
disseminate information and resources on its project to support further
development, adaptation, or replication by other entities to implement
project components in additional settings or with other populations.
(up to 10 points)
(c) Adequacy of resources (up to 35 points).
The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
(up to 20 points)
(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
number of persons to be served, the depth and intensity of services,
and the anticipated results and benefits. (up to 15 points)
[[Page 38632]]
Performance Measures: The Department has established the following
performance measures for the AAE program for the purpose of Department
reporting under 34 CFR 75.110: (1) The total number of students who
participate in arts education provided directly by the grantee's
project; (2) The number of AAE participants (arts educators, teachers,
principals, and other support staff) who receive at least 10 hours of
direct professional development provided by the grantee; (3) The number
of accessible, arts-based instructional materials that are developed
and disseminated by the grantee; (4) The total number of students from
low-income families who participate in arts education provided directly
by the grantee's project; and (5) The total number of students with
disabilities who participate in arts education provided directly by the
grantee's project.
All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance
report that includes data addressing these performance measures to the
extent that they apply to the grantee's project.
Definitions: The definitions of ``logic model,'' ``project
component,'' and ``relevant outcome'' are from 34 CFR 77.1. The
definitions of ``child with a disability,'' ``local educational
agency,'' and ``State educational agency'' are from section 8101 of the
ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7801). The definition of ``eligible national nonprofit
organization'' is from section 4642(e)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C.
7292(e)(2)). The definitions for this competition can be found under
Applicant Information at the AAE web page--Definitions of Terms.
Program Authority: ESEA section 4642 (20 U.S.C. 7292).
Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal
civil rights laws.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86,
97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension
(Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as
regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Guidance for
Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended
as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The
regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 299.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
1. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require
cost sharing or matching.
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement-
not-supplant funding requirements. Under section 4642(b)(2) of the
ESEA, funds must be used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal
funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized under this
program (20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474, and 6511(a)). Accordingly, grantees
must comply with 34 CFR 76.564 through 76.569, which apply to agencies
of State and local governments that are grantees under programs with a
statutory requirement prohibiting the use of Federal funds to supplant
non-Federal funds.
c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This competition uses a
restricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding indirect
costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division">https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division</a>.
d. Administrative Cost Limitation: This competition does not
include any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform
Guidance.
2. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities
described in its application.
III. Application and Submission Information
1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal
Register on December 23, 2024 (89 FR 104528) and available at
<a href="http://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/23/2024-30488/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs">www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/23/2024-30488/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs</a>, which contain requirements and information on how to
submit an application.
2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the AAE program, your
application may include business information that you consider
proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define ``business information'' and
describe the process we use in determining whether any of that
information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under
Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as
amended).
Because we plan to make successful applications available to the
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business
information.
Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your
application any information that you believe is exempt from disclosure
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional
information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
3. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this
competition. However, under 34 CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental
review in order to make an award by the end of FY 2025.
4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
5. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you,
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the
application narrative to no more than 25 pages and (2) use the
following standards:
<bullet> A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'' on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
<bullet> Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
<bullet> Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
<bullet> Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the
assurances and certifications; the one-page abstract, resumes,
bibliography, logic model, or letters of support. However, the
[[Page 38633]]
recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.
Note: The applicant should include, as an attachment, the logic
model used to address selection criterion (a)(2).
Application Review Information
1. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
2. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.206, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, in
appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not
responsible.
3. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently
$250,000), we must make a judgment about your integrity, business
ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards--that is, the
risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make an award. In doing
so, we must consider any information about you that is in the System
for Award Management's (SAM) Responsibility/Qualification reports
(formerly referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity
Information System (FAPIIS)). You may review and comment on any
information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and
that is currently in the Responsibility/Qualification reports in SAM.
If the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative
agreements, and procurement contracts from the Federal Government
exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200,
Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity information to
SAM semiannually. Please review these requirements if this grant plus
all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
V. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your GAN. We also may notify you
informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables.
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to <a href="http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html">www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html</a>.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VI. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities
can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an
accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an
accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text
format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print,
audiotape, compact disc, or other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations at <a href="http://www.govinfo.gov">www.govinfo.gov</a>. At this site you can view this
document, as well as all other Department documents published in the
Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF
[[Page 38634]]
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access Department documents published in the Federal
Register by using the article search feature at
<a href="http://www.federalregister.gov">www.federalregister.gov</a>. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Hayley B. Sanon,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary,
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2025-15154 Filed 8-8-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 11, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.