My understanding is that last year's competition resulted in a number of applications with very similar scores.  However, the Department was not able to fund all of these applications, despite the fact that the scores were very, very close.  As a result, for this year, the Department will award grants to those applications that scored high, but were not funded last year, rather than asking these applicants to resubmit the same or similar proposals and hope for the same readers.  This should not have any impact on currently funded grantees or on future competitions, (although I suspect that ED will make some changes to the scoring process or provide enhanced training to readers.)

Laurie McQuay-Peninger
Title V Coordinator/Grant Specialist  (I was a Title III Coordinator as of 9/30/2004 when our grant ended--Title V started 10/01/04)
Columbia Basin College
2600 N. 20th Ave.
Pasco, WA  99301
(509) 547-0511, ext. 2795
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>>> [log in to unmask] 12/13/04 11:13AM >>>
According to the Title III web-site, a competition will not be held for
Title III Part A Strengthening during FY 2005.  It goes on to read, "as
a result of so many excellent applications, we plan to "fund down" the
FY 2004 slate."  Three questions:     1)  Will this have any affect on
institutions (like ours) who are in the middle of a 5-year funding
cycle?,      2)  What do they mean when they say "fund down"?, and
finally   3)  What does this mean for future grant opportunities under
Title III?
 
Jody Presley
NEMCC
Title III Director
662-720-7202