Independent Living-State Grants

 

To provide financial assistance to States for expanding and improving the provision of independent living (IL) services to individuals with significant disabilities by promoting and maximizing their full integration and inclusion into the mainstream of American society.

Deleted 02/05/2016 (Archived.) 84.169 Agency: Department of Education
Office: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services FORMULA GRANTS Fiscal Year 2013: No Current Data Available. Fiscal Year 2014: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2015: No Current Data Available Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Title VII, Chapter 1, Part B. Any designated State Unit (DSU) in a State with an approved State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) may apply for assistance under this program. The DSU is the State agency designated as the State unit to administer the State's independent living services program. DSUs in the 50 States and the District of Columbia and the territories (Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands) and the outlying areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) are eligible to apply. Individuals with significant disabilities as defined in section 7 of the Rehabilitation Act and 34 CFR 364.4 of the IL program regulations. This refers to an individual with a severe physical, mental, cognitive or sensory impairment whose ability to function independently in the family or community or whose ability to obtain, maintain, or advance in employment is substantially limited and for whom the delivery of IL services will improve the ability to function, continue functioning, or move toward functioning independently in the family or community or to continue in employment. The State agency must certify the availability of State funds for matching purposes. The match for this program may be cash or in-kind. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. 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. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. The Education Department General Administrative Regulations at 34 CFR Parts 76 and 80 apply to this program. In order to be eligible for an allotment under this program, States must submit a State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) that meets requirements in section 704 of the Rehabilitation Act and 34 C.F.R. Part 364 of the IL program regulations. State applicants must submit a 3-year State plan which must be submitted not later than July 1, of the fiscal year preceding the first fiscal year of the forth coming 3-year period. A notice of annual allotment to the State is issued. Initial distributions are subject to reallotment at the end of the fiscal year if the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration determines that the State will not expend its allotment. States receive annual grant award notices and funds may be withdrawn under the Electronic Transfer System. Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. 34 CFR 76.703 governs the approval/disapproval time of State plans in relation to when a State may begin to obligate funds. After reasonable effort has been made to resolve the questions involved, and the State has pursued a hearing before the Office of the Administrative Law Judge, the State may appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the State is located pursuant to the IL program regulations at 34 CFR 364.12. Awards are made on an annual basis and may be renewed for up to 2 additional years, for a total of 3 years under an approved State Plan for Independent Living. An approved State plan is a condition for receipt of funds under the IL State Grants program under the Rehabilitation Act. State plan requirements are contained in section 704 of the Rehabilitation Act and 34 CFR 364. Funds received under this program may be used to carry out the purposes of the Independent Living State Grants Program described in section 713 of the Rehabilitation Act and 34 CFR Section 365.1 of the IL program regulations. These purposes include to support the operation of the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC), to provide individuals with significant disabilities the core independent living services to demonstrate ways to expand and improve independent living services; to support the operations of centers for independent living that are in compliance with the standards and assurances in section 725 (b) and (c) of the Rehabilitation Act; to support activities to increase the capacities of public or nonprofit agencies and organizations and other entities to develop comprehensive approaches or systems for providing independent living services; to conduct studies and analyses, gather information, develop model polices and procedures, and present information, approaches, strategies, findings, conclusions, and recommendations to Federal, State, and local policymakers in order to enhance independent living services for individuals with significant disabilities; to train individuals with significant disabilities, individuals with disabilities, and individuals providing services to individuals with disabilities and other persons regarding the independent living philosophy; and to provide outreach to populations that are unserved or underserved by programs under Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act, including minority groups and urban and rural populations. As required by 34 CFR Sections 80.40 and 80.41 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) performance reports and financial reports are required annually. No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. No expenditure reports are required. No performance monitoring is required. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. The Education Department periodically conducts audits and site visits of designated State unit programs funded under the IL State Grants Program. As required by EDGAR for State-administered programs (34 CFR 76). Generally, States and subgrantees must retain records related to grant funds and compliance for a period of 3 years. Statutory Formula: Section 711 of the Rehabilitation Act contains the formula the Department uses for the allocation of funds to each State. Federal funds are distributed based on the percentage each State's population constitutes of the total population of the United States. The source is the Annual Population Estimates, Bureau of the Census.
Matching Requirements: Under section 712(b) of the Rehabilitation Act, the States must contribute $1 for each $9 of Federal grant funding received, in cash or in kind.
This program does not have MOE requirements. Awards are made on an annual basis. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer. None. . Veronica Hogan, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services Administration, Department of Education, Rehabiltation Services Administration, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Email: veronica.hogan@ed.gov Phone: (202) 245-7378. http://www.rsa.ed.gov/programs.cfm 91-0301-0-1-506. (Formula Grants) FY 13 $23,136,964; FY 14 est $22,878,000; and FY 15 est $23,312,000 In FY 2014, the range is $28,312 to $2,044,576. The average award is $401,368. Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 76, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, and 97; Program Regulations in 34 CFR Parts 364 and 365. Not Applicable.