GEER Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS I) Grant Program

GEER EANS I Application for Funds

Funds were available to non-public schools that meet the following definitions below:

• K-12 Non-profit non-public school. Standalone Pre-K schools are not eligible to apply for funding. 
• School that is accredited, licensed, or otherwise approved to operate in accordance with State law.
• School that existed and operated prior to March 13, 2020.
• Consortium of eligible non-public schools - An organization that represents a group of non-public schools and has governing authority over the schools listed in the application.
• Non-governing Consortium of eligible non-public schools - an organization that is aggregating support for a group of non-public schools. 
• The school requesting services or assistance did not and will not apply for and receive a loan under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) (15 U.S.C. 636(a)(37)) that is made on or after December 27, 2020. 

NOTE: If a non-public school applies for a PPP loan on or after December 27, 2020, but does not receive funds under the PPP, the school may apply for services or assistance under the EANS program, as long as the non-public school meets the requirements and deadlines of this application. If a non-public school applied for or received a PPP loan prior to December 27, 2020, it remains eligible for the EANS program. Similarly, if a non-public school applies for but does not receive services or assistance through EANS, nothing in the Education Stabilization Fund would preclude that non-public school from applying for and receiving a PPP loan on or after December 27, 2020.

Non-Governing Consortia Applicants

Applications were also accepted from non-profit organizations that aggregate support for a group of non-public schools but do not have governing authority over the schools it represents. A non-public school within that consortium must be named as the applicant/fiscal agent, and the consortium lead must collect Consortia Sign-Over agreement from each participating school to work on behalf of the schools included in the application.

The Consortia Sign-Over agreement was required to be submitted to eansapplications@cde.state.co.us by April 12, 2021.

Section 312(d)(3)(C) requires an SEA to prioritize services or assistance to non-public schools that enroll low-income students and are most impacted by COVID-19. 

The CRRSA Act does not prescribe what poverty data a state must request from a non-public school in its application. The statute also does not prescribe the poverty threshold a state  must use. Accordingly, an SEA has flexibility. CDE will allow for the use of existing, generally available poverty data to enable reasonable estimates of a school’s low-income status rather than requiring a new data collection. To the extent a non-public school has these data available, possible data sources might include:

• Free or reduced-price lunch data,
• Scholarship or financial assistance data,
• E-Rate data, 
• American Community Survey (ACS) data,
• U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) program data,
• Proportionality Data (Title I)
• Other relevant data, such as data that the non-public school has provided to the State for purposes of State or local programs

Based on the applications received, CDE calculated a per pupil allocation to determine final award amounts for each school/applicant. For preliminary application and budget purposes, the range suggested for applicants to use is $500-700 per pupil as a base amount, plus an additional $500-700 per student who is from a low-income family as a supplemental amount (so the range per pupil not from a low-income family is $500-700, and the range per pupil from a low-income family is $1,000-1,400). CDE reserved the right to award above or below this range. The per pupil allocation was capped at an amount not to exceed the other supplemental per pupil allocation ranges for the state from similar funding sources.

Funding Options

Eligible non-public schools or a consortium of eligible non-public schools were able to request funding in the following ways:

• REIMBURSEMENT - the grantee will submit proof of payment for materials or activities in the grantee's approved grant application. CDE will then reimburse the grantee for these expenses. Reimbursements may be claimed for any allowable, approved expenditures between March 13, 2020 and September 30, 2023 and or;
• CDE PROCUREMENT - CDE will procure the items or contracts in the grantee's approved grant application. Any activities and materials will be subject to state procurement rules as well as the timelines for obligation that are part of the federal statute. Please note that, in these instances, the department will make every effort to procure goods and services within the timelines specified in the grant but must also follow state procurement protocols--which can be time-consuming.

NOTE: There are certain allowable activities under EANS that are not permitted to use the REIMBURSEMENT option. These are: Improvements to ventilation systems (including windows), except for portable air purification systems, which may be reimbursed; any expenses reimbursed through a loan guaranteed under the PPP (15 U.S.C. 636(a)) prior to December 27, 2020; staff training and professional development on sanitization, the use of PPE, and minimizing the spread of COVID-19; developing instructional plans, including curriculum development, for remote or hybrid learning or to address learning loss.

Allowable Uses Include:   

• Supplies to sanitize, disinfect, and clean school facilities
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Improving ventilation systems, including windows or portable air purification systems
• Training and professional development for staff on sanitization, the use of PPE, and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases
• Physical barriers to facilitate social distancing
• Other materials, supplies or equipment recommended by the CDC for reopening and operation of school facilities to effectively maintain health and safety
• Expanding capacity to administer coronavirus testing to effectively monitor and suppress the virus
• Educational technology
• Redeveloping instructional plans for remote or hybrid learning or to address learning loss
• Leasing sites or spaces to ensure social distancing
• Reasonable transportation costs
• Initiating and maintaining education and support services or assistance for remote or hybrid learning or to address learning loss
• Reimbursement for the expenses of any services or assistance described above that a non-public school incurred on or after March 13, 2020, except for:
  • Improvements to ventilation systems (including windows), except for portable air purification systems, which may be reimbursed.
  • Staff training and professional development on sanitization, the use of PPE, and minimizing the spread of COVID-19.
  • Developing instructional plans, including curriculum development, for remote or hybrid learning or to address learning loss.
  • Initiating and maintaining education and support services or assistance for remote or hybrid learning or to address learning loss.
• Any expenses reimbursed through a loan guaranteed under the PPP (15 U.S.C. 636(a)) prior to December 27, 2020

Review Process and Timeline

Applications were reviewed by CDE staff to ensure they contain all required components. 

Submission Process and Deadline

Applications were completed and submitted through the online application by Monday, April 12, 2021.  A preliminary electronic budget form was also submitted and emailed to eansapplications@cde.state.co.us by April 12, 2021.

Incomplete or late applications were not considered.

EANS Application Training

March 22, 2021

• EANS Application Training PowerPoint
• EANS Application Training Recorded Webinar
• EANS Application Training Questions and Answers (PDF)

EANS Procurement Training

April 15, 2021

• EANS Procurement Training PowerPoint
• EANS Procurement Training Recorded Webinar

EANS Program Support: Hiring Staff Training

September 8, 2021

• EANS Hiring Staff Training PowerPoint
• EANS Hiring Staff Training Recorded Webinar