e-Application User Guide

Last updated: 2/26/2005

Overview

What is e-Application?
Can I apply for all grants electronically through e-Application?
How do I apply for a grant with e-Application?
Who is an Authorized Representative?
How do I navigate through the website?

Register and Login

Why do I need to register?
How do I create a Username?
What should I do if I forget my Username/password?

View Competitions and Apply

Where can I find a listing of available application packages?
How do I select an application to begin applying?
How do I access an e-Application package?

Collaborate in Applying

There are several people in my organization working on our application. Can we work in e-Application at the same time on the same application?
What is locking? How do I unlock a form?
Who is an Application Manager?
What are privileges?
How do I get View, Edit and Submit privileges?

Forms and Narratives

Can I save my work and come back to it at a later time?
Can I attach files to the electronic application?
Can I attach tables, charts and graphs?
Can I attach letters of support?
How do I complete the narratives required by some application packages?
What is the page limitation?
When I click the "Save" button on a narrative attachment page, nothing happens or a blank page appears.
Can I attach more than one document (file) on a narrative attachment page?
How do I complete/submit SF form 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page) and ED 524?
How do I complete/submit the Certifications and Assurances required?

Submit and Unsubmit

How do I submit a completed application?
How do I submit the forms that require a signature?
When is the deadline for electronic submission?
When will I receive a confirmation that the Department of Education has received my application?
How do I unsubmit a completed application?

Printing

Which forms are required to be printed and mailed?
How do I print one of my completed forms? How do I print a narrative I uploaded?

My Profile and Logout

How do I log out?
How do I change my contact information, Username or password?

Additional Help

Where can I get additional help?
Where do I find the applicable Statutes and Regulations and the Federal Register notice?
Where do I find Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Listing?
Where do I find the State Single Points of Contact (SPOC) Listing?

Overview

What is e-Application?
e-Application automates, and exists in parallel with, the current paper-based U.S. Department of Education (ED) grant application process. e-Application allows applicants to apply on-line to grant programs. A completed application includes basic applicant information, required certifications and assurances, and a variety of separate forms and narrative content that may be required by the specific ED Program Office managing the grant programs. These separate forms may include, but are not limited to 1) a one page abstract or summary of your proposed project; 2) a detailed project description which addresses the general and/or program specific selection criteria included in the application package and/or published in the Federal Register; 3) a budget description; 4) project performance information.
The Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), P. L. 105-277, Title XVII, requires that federal agencies must provide, by October 21, 2003, for the (1) option of electronic maintenance, submission, or disclosure of information, when practicable as a substitute for paper; and (2) use and acceptance of electronic signatures, when practicable. As ED moves to a paperless environment, this e-Application takes the next step toward meeting this goal. The ED on-line grant application process will be available to many discretionary and formula grant program applicants.

Discretionary and Formula Grant Programs developing new Packages that will use e-Application will be identified beginning in October each year. The list of online packages is available here. You can go through the e-Application demo by clicking the Demo button on the e-Application Home Page to practice editing and submitting a test application.

As you work with the site, help is available online, via e-mail, or by calling the e-Grants Helpdesk. If you have a problem or encounter an error message on the site, save your work if you can. Then, log out of the site and restart your browser. The site is viewed best in Internet Explorer 5. We currently support IE 5 and Netscape 6.2 (along with later versions of both IE and Netscape). Please make sure that you have Cookies and JavaScript enabled in your browser.

An e-Grants Customer Satisfaction Survey has been developed to solicit input from the applicants who submit their applications through the Internet, and from those who apply to the grant competition via a paper application. Please take a few moments, after submitting your application, to complete the e-Grants Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Can I apply for all grants electronically through e-Application?
No. See the Packages Page to check which grant competitions you may apply for through e-Application. A list of all discretionary open ED grant application packages can be found at http://www.ed.gov/GrantApps, regardless of the submission method (electronic or paper).
There is also a Grants Forecast that lists virtually all discretionary programs and competitions under which ED has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards regardless of submission method.
How do I apply for a grant with e-Application?
The 9 Steps to Prepare an e-Application web page offers a quick overview of the electronic submission process for most e-Application packages.
All persons wishing to apply for a grant using e-Application must go through a registration process from the e-Grants Home Page. See Register and Login for more information.e-Application allows multiple people from an organization to work on the same application. The first person who creates an application is assigned the role of Application Manager for that application with the responsibility to submit the application. The Application Manager can allow other registered users to view and edit parts of the application as well as reassign the responsibility for application submission. See Collaborate in Applying for more information. Staff from an Institution of Higher Education (IHE) should first check with the Office of Sponsored Research within your institution before registering. Due to internal procedures of most, if not all IHEs, only staff within the Office of Sponsored Research should serve as the Application Manager and submit the application on behalf of the Authorized Representative. After you have registered and created a Username, you can begin an application from the Applicant Start Page. See View Competitions and Apply for more information.

Within an application, you may see the following types of forms. See Forms and Narratives for more information.
e-Application allows applicants to open a "printable version" of a form or narrative. See Printing for more information.Once you review the application for completeness, the user with Submit privilege can submit the application. The person who submits the application should be authorized to act on behalf of your organization’s Authorized Representative. After submitting electronically, you may have to fax or mail copies of specific application forms. See Submit and Unsubmit for more information.

Navigate effectively in e-Application by using links, buttons and the tab key. Links are underlined and take you to reference information throughout the application. Buttons perform actions such as Save, Edit, Cancel, Submit and Delete. Use the tab key to move from one field to another within the forms. We recommend that you use the buttons, links and tab key to navigate through the application rather than relying on your browser navigational tools.
Who is an Authorized Representative?
Prior to submission, all applications must be approved by an Authorized Representative from the organization applying for the grant. Please check within your organization, (e.g. Sponsored Research Office, Administrative Office) to determine the appropriate Authorized Representative for your entity.
How do I navigate through the website?
There is a navigation bar on every e-Application Page.

Start Page: Lists the applications to which you are currently associated. Packages: Lists grant packages you may apply for with e-Application. Status Reports: Lists applications that have been submitted to a particular CFDA/Subprogram. My Profile: View or edit your registration information and change your password. Help: Opens this User Guide.

Logout: Returns you to the e-Grants Portal Page. Please log out when you are done.

User Privileges (for Application Managers) Allow more than one person to work on the current application. Change View or Edit user privileges for the current application. Delete the Application: (for Application Managers) Remove the current application from e-Application. It will no longer show on your Start Page.

Application History: (for Application Managers) View actions taken by you and other users with View or Edit privileges for the current application.

Register and Login

Why do I need to register?
Registration allows us to validate and verify that authorized users access the site. Only a user with a valid Username and password will be able to open, edit and submit an application. Registration is not necessary to view the Packages Page.

How do I create a Username?
All e-Grants users must register and create a valid Username. Click the "Register" button from the Portal Page to open the next page. The users must select the module they wish to register for and click the "Next" button, which would lead the user to the e-Application registration. Registration for e-Application requires users to provide information that allows registrants to be identified. The information collected is presented below:

Registration Element	Information
Last Name	Required; last name of the registrant.
First Name	Required; first name of the registrant.
Middle Initial	Optional; middle initial of the registrant.
Address	Required; address, city and state of the registrant.
Telephone Number	Required; area code and telephone number of the registrant.
Fax Number	Optional; area code and fax telephone of the registrant.
Primary Email Address	Required; primary e-mail address of the registrant.
Receive Notifications at Primary e-Mail Address	Optional; e-mail address notifications are sent to.
Alternate Email Address	Optional; alternate e-mail address of the registrant.
Recieve Notifications at Alternate e-Mail Address	Optional; e-mail address notifications are sent to.

<%'ED0030908: Mike: 12/14/2005: Remove all references to the e-Grants newsletter ' ' ' ' %>

Subscribe ' to Newsletter	Required; ' yes or no to receive the newsletter
Username	Required; the registrant chooses a Username up to 12 letters and/or numbers that is used to log into the website.
User Type	Required; the registrant must select one of the following. Discretionary/Other Formula Grants: Default; allows the applicant to apply for discretionary and other formula grants. Impact Aid Formula Grant: If you are unfamiliar with Impact Aid, please see the What is Impact Aid? page. This option allows the applicant to only apply for Impact Aid grants. Registrants must either enter a valid Impact Aid Number if selecting this option or leave it blank. Both: Allows the applicant to apply for both discretionary and Impact Aid grants.
Impact Aid #	If you have applied to Impact Aid in the past, enter only the numeric State code and Applicant code. Do not include the State abbreviation, Fiscal Year, or hyphens (e.g. for 99-SC-2002-9999, please enter 999999).

Click the "Submit" button after you input all the information. You will receive an e-mail with a system-generated password. To access any e-Grants module, users should use their Username and the password provided. After logging into e-Grants, users will be asked to select the module they wish to access and would select e-Application at this point. Users may change their password by using the My Profile link found under the tabs near the top of the page. Passwords must comply with the following: Passwords must be at least 8 characters in length, must contain at least one numeric and one alpha character, must be composed of a mixture of alpha numeric characters only, cannot be your Username, cannot be reused (i.e. the password you created for your Username in the past cannot be used again for six generations). Note: Existing users do not need to create a new Username, rather click on the module link they wish to access after login.

What should I do if I forget my Username/password?
The Username and password were e-mailed to you upon registration. If you do not have them, click on the I forgot my Username / password link on the e-Grants Portal Page.

View Competitions and Apply

Where can I find a listing of available application packages? ---
You do not have to register or log in to see the list. You can access this page by clicking on the "Application Packages" button found on the left side of the e-Application Home Page, or if you have registered, by clicking on the "Apply" button on the Applicant Start Page once you log in. You can also select the Packages link found on the Applicant Start Page once you log in.
A list of all ED grant application packages (electronic and hardcopy) can be found at http://www.ed.gov/GrantApps/.
How do I select an application to begin applying?
You can select an application and begin applying by first logging in from the Portal Page, selecting the e-Application module, going to the Applicant Start Page, and clicking the "Apply" button to see a list of grant packages. Click on a grant package to access its application.
How do I access an e-Application package? ---
If you have already started an application for a grant competition and you want to access it again, enter your Username and password on the Portal Page, click the "Login" button, and select the e-Application module link. You will be at the Applicant Start Page where you will see all application packages to which you have been given access. Select the application on which you would like to work.
If you need to begin a new application, you can click on the "Apply" button from the Applicant Start Page. You will be sent to the Packages Page from which you can select a competition for which you would like to apply. You can also select the Packages link found on the Applicant Start Page.

Collaborate in Applying

There are several people in my organization working on our application. Can we work in e-Application at the same time on the same application?
Yes. Multiple users can access an application according to their assigned privileges. You can assign edit and view privileges to multiple users. However, no two users may edit the same form at the same time, but you may work on different forms at the same time. Within the application you will see a status, Locked by <Username>, displayed below the form name. A form is in locked status if another user is modifying the form. A form becomes locked after you click on the form or narrative to open it. It does not become unlocked until you click the "Cancel" or "Save" button at the bottom of the form.
What is locking? How do I unlock a form?
When a form is locked, it usually means another user is editing the form and you cannot access it. Locking prevents you from overwriting changes being made by someone else on your application team.
You cannot unlock a form that is locked by someone else. The other user must exit the form, or click the padlock icon to unlock it. If a user uses the web browser Back and Forward buttons instead of using "Save" and "Cancel" buttons on the form, a form may become locked. Closing the web browser before logging out may also cause this problem. To log out properly, click on the log out link near the top of the page under the tabs.
Who is an Application Manager?
The Application Manager is a role that allows an e-Application user to manage access to an application. When an application is created, the creator of the application will, by default, be the Application Manager and have privileges to submit the application. The Application Manager can add additional e-Application Usernames and associate them to an application. For each additional Username, the Application Manager can assign user privileges for accessing the application, e.g., view or edit. The Application Manager can reassign the submit privilege to another user and/or reassign the privilege of being the Application Manager to another user if desired.

What are privileges?
All e-Application users are assigned privileges that determine the type of access they have to a particular application, e.g., view, edit, or submit. The Application Manager assigns the user privileges listed below.

Privilege	Actions Allowed
Application Manager	This privilege is automatically assigned to the first person to apply for an application. The Application Manager assigns other users to the application to view and/or edit forms. The Application Manager is allowed to delete the application.
Edit	Allows user to view, add, delete or change values in a form (assigned per form).
View	Allows user to view a form (assigned per form).
Submit	Allows user to submit the application to ED for review. This privilege is automatically assigned to the Application Manager, but can be reassigned to another user by the Application Manager.

How do I get View, Edit and Submit privileges?
After you register with e-Application, you should give your Username to your Application Manager. The Application Manager will assign view, edit and submit privileges appropriate to your work on the application. Privileges are assigned per individual form using the e-Application User Privileges Assignment Screen. This screen is presented below.

Forms and Narratives

Can I save my work and come back to it at a later time?
Yes. Save buttons are located on each form and narrative. We recommend that you save frequently. However, please keep in mind that the process might take a considerable amount of time when attaching a large file. On forms, check the "Form Completed" box when you have completed the entire form (all parts). The form status will change to Completed once you do this. You will still have access to edit forms in Completed status.
Can I attach files to the electronic application?
Yes. Files may be attached to an e-Application provided they are in Microsoft Word (.DOC), Rich Text Format (.RTF), or Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) file format. In an application package, a file size limitation may be imposed and will be displayed on the screen. Under each narrative section, you must attach your response in the form of a .DOC, .RTF, or .PDF file. This can be accomplished by clicking on the "Browse" button provided and selecting the appropriate document from either your hard drive or floppy disk. If there is only one "Browse" button on the Project Narrative page, then you can only attach one file on this page. Some Project Narrative pages allow more than one file to be attached on the page, shown by multiple "Browse" buttons.
Can I attach tables, charts and graphs?
Yes. Tables, charts and graphs should be included in the .DOC, .RTF, or .PDF files you are attaching under each narrative section.
Can I attach letters of support?
Yes. Letters of Support may be required by some application packages. If the letters of support are in hardcopy form, we recommend that you scan the letters as graphics, paste them into a single Word document (.DOC) and attach the file. This will ensure you retain the letterhead or other graphics. If the letters of support are in electronic format, we recommend that you combine them into a single Word document (.DOC) and attach the file. You also may convert this file using Acrobat (.PDF).
As you did with attaching files to your narrative sections, click on the "Browse" button from the e-Application window with the attachment capability. This will launch a browser window from which you can select the file you would like to attach to your e-Application package.

Throughout the process, you may need to replace or edit a file, which you have already attached to your e-Application package. In order to do this, you must edit the file and re-attach it following the attachment procedures outlined above.
How do I complete the narratives required by some application packages?
Most applications require written text about the project and budget you are providing in your e-Application package. In e-Application, the narrative is divided into multiple headings. In the e-Application package, you will see all the project and budget narrative headings to which you are required to respond. All narratives must be attached as separate files under each heading. These uploaded files must be in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (acrobat) format.
What is the page limitation?
Some Program Offices impose page limits on certain parts of the application. Program Offices will manually screen the applications for adherence to the page limit guidelines. Page limitations, if applicable, will be included in the Notice Inviting Applications published in the Federal Register, or in the application instructions.
There is a "Pages" box found on most Project Narrative pages where you can enter a page count for your attachment. You can enter half pages (e.g. 4.5). Page counting in e-Application is offered as an aid to help you track a page limitation imposed across the entire application (multiple attachments). If you decide to use page counting in e-Application, a warning will be displayed if you exceed the page limit. The warning will not stop you from submitting your application.

In the example below, the page counts you enter for the narratives shown with a C are summed together to check whether they exceed the combined page limit.
When I click the "Save" button on a narrative attachment page, nothing happens or a blank page appears.
Please be patient. If you are attaching a large file with images embedded, it may take extra time to complete the attachment. You will know the document attached when green text appears Narrative form saved near the top of the page. See the e-Application screenshot below. If the document attachment does not complete in 45 minutes, a blank page may appear meaning the document did not attach. Please try attaching the file again.
If you still encounter problems and connect to the Internet with a dial-up modem, try using e-Application from a location that carries a dedicated broadband Internet connection. If there are images in your document, you can try moving them to another project narrative attachment (if applicable to your grant application) to decrease the document file size.
Can I attach more than one document (file) on a narrative attachment page?
If there is only one "Browse" button on the narrative attachment page, you can only attach one file. In most cases, there will only be one "Browse" button. If there is only one "Browse" button, you cannot attach a file and return to the same narrative page again to attach a second file. If you do, the first attached file will be overwritten with the second file.
How do I complete/submit SF forms 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page) and 524?
Instructions for completing the forms are included in the application package on the e-Application website. If you decide to submit an electronic application, you are required to submit, via fax, a signed copy of the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424 Cover Page) or Program Specific Cover Page within (3) business days of application submission. Please follow these steps when submitting this form to ED:
1. Print the SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page) from the e-Application system.

2. Your organization’s Authorizing Representative must sign the form.

3. Submit the electronic application via the e-Application system. You will receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number (an identifying number unique to your application).

4. Include the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page).

5. The SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page) must be faxed to the Application Control Center at (202) 245-6272 within (3) working days of submitting your electronic application. We may request that you give us original signatures on all other forms at a later date.
How do I complete/submit the Certifications and Assurances required?
Certifications and Assurances required for your application are included in the package. Most require a signature of the Authorized Representative. In lieu of a signature, applicants are required to type in the name, title, phone, fax number and e-mail address of the Authorized Representative. Then, you should check the Completed field and click the "OK" button.

Signed paper copies of these documents may be required at a later time.

Submit and Unsubmit

How do I submit a completed application?
The user with Submit privilege will click the "Ready to submit" button. A message will appear asking if you are sure you want to submit the application. If all required forms are not in Complete status, the user will be prompted with a message and provided the option to submit the application or cancel the submission. Click OK to proceed with the submission.

On the Application Submission Page, the user is required to type in the Name, Title, Phone, Fax number and E-mail address of the Authorized Representative in lieu of a signature. Two warnings are in red on the page:

Then, you should click the "Submit" button. The submitter will receive a confirmation page with the PR/Award number (a number unique to your application). We strongly recommend that the submitter print this confirmation notice for your records!
How do I submit the forms that require a signature?
The SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page), containing the original signature, must be faxed at (202) 245-6272 to the Application Control Center within (3) working days of submitting the electronic application. Signed paper copies of all other documents may be required at a later time. (see section "How do I complete/submit SF 424 and ED 524?")
When is the deadline for electronic submission?
Electronic submission must be completed by 4:30 p.m. Washington, D.C., time on the day the application is due to ED. The due date for your application is displayed on your Start Page.
Please check the Education Federal Register Documents and the e-Application Home Page for any notices of deadline revisions due to technical issues with the site.
When will I receive a confirmation that the Department of Education has received my application?
When the application is submitted, an instantaneous confirmation message will be displayed with a PR/Award Number. Since you will not be able to see this page again, we strongly recommend that the Submitter print this confirmation notice for your records! This PR/Award Number is to be written in the upper right hand corner of the SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page) prior to faxing it to ED at (202) 245-6272 (see section "How do I complete/submit SF forms 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page) and 524?").

Upon submission, a confirmation notice with the PR/Award Number will be e-mailed to all applicants who are associated with the application. Again, we strongly recommend that users print this confirmation notice for your records!
How do I unsubmit my application?
If you accidentally submit your application before it is complete, you may unsubmit it, make changes, and resubmit until the application deadline. At the bottom of the page where the "Submit" button originally appeared, click the "Unsubmit" button. The "Submit" button will appear again. Once you make any necessary changes to the forms, click the "Submit" button again to resubmit your entire application. You will keep the same PR/Award number that you previously used. If necessary, you may fax the SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page) again.

Printing

Which forms are required to be printed and mailed?
See section Submit and Unsubmit for more information on the requirements for printing and mailing forms.
How do I print one of my completed forms? How do I print a narrative I uploaded?
To view and/or print individual forms or narratives.

To print the form, click the printer icon next to the applicable form on the package page and a second window will open with the printable form version. Click the "Print" button within your web browser (on the same bar as Back and Forward), or by using the File/Print function from the Internet browser menu. Close this window once you are done.

To print the uploaded narrative, click the printer icon. A second window will open, where you can click the underlined document link to open the text editor (e.g. Microsoft Word). Use print from within this application.

If you choose not to use e-Application and decide to submit your application in paper, most Program Offices organizing the grant offer downloadable forms from the individual Program Office websites.

To print completed forms and narratives in PDF.

To request a complete package in PDF, click on the “Request Complete Package in PDF” on the e-Application PR/Award page after submission of the e-Application. A second window will open informing you that your request has been received and that you will be notified via email once it is available. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Once you receive the email, click on the link in the text of the message and enter your username and password in the new window. This will open the PDF file from which you can view/print the entire package.

To print a complete package of blank forms in PDF , click the PDF icon next to the application link on your start page. A second window will open from which you can view/print the entire package of blank forms.

My Profile and Logout

How do I log out?
To log out, click the Logout link, located in the blue bar underneath the e-Application tab.
How do I change my contact information, Username or password?
To change your contact information, click the My Profile link, located in the blue bar underneath the e-Application tab of any e-Application page. You can then change the appropriate information and click the "Submit" button.

Additional Help

Where can I get additional help?

Question	Information	Contact
Application content or program specific support	Application package instructions Program Office Representative
Department of Education Regulations	Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR).
e-Application Technical Support	Helpdesk	edcaps.user@ed.gov 1-888-336-8930 TTY: 1-866-697-2696 Local: 1-202-401-8363 Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm Washington DC time

There is an additional help document for e-Application, 9 Steps to Prepare an e-Application.

Where do I find the applicable Statutes and Regulations and the Federal Register notice?
In e-Application, you will find links on the Links Page to the applicable Statutes and Regulations as well as the Education Federal Register Documents for notices about application packages on e-Application. Within an application, you will find the specific application link to the Federal Register. For additional information on the Department’s regulations, please see the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR).
Where do I find Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Listing?
The Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Listing link is found on the Links Page.
Where do I find the State Single Points of Contact (SPOC) Listing?
The SPOC link is found on the Links Page.