2010 PEP Grant Awads Competition Opens June 18…Closes July 18

SILVER SPRING, MD – June 18, 2010 — The U.S. Department of Education is now accepting Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant applications for the upcoming school year. The grant application process starts today — Friday, June 18. The application period is very short – just 30 days. The deadline to submit PEP grant submissions is July 18. It is estimated that nearly $40 million will be available for new PEP Grants for the 2010-2011 school year. The PEP Grants are estimated to range from $100,000 to $750,000 with the average grant being $427,000. The remainder of the $79 million appropriated for PEP Grants will be distributed to existing PEP Grant recipients. 

The Department of Education proposed revisions to the grant application earlier this year. Then, SGMA and other interested parties submitted comments to the Department of Education on the recommended change. The ‘Final Notice’ on 2010 PEP applications took all comments into consideration and includes several significant changes.

SGMA has previewed the ‘Notice’ and identified several areas applicants should be aware of when completing applications for 2010-2011.

The Education Department will officially issue its ‘Notice of Final Priorities’ and ‘Notice Inviting (PEP) Applicants’ today. The Department of Education has included several key changes to PEP related to:

Nutrition Education

Health Coordination

A Community Liaison

Applicants which participate in the Department of Agriculture’s Healthier US School Challenge (HUSSC) initiative will be given preference on PEP grant awards. Additional information on HUSSC can be found at http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthierus/index.html

Additional consideration will be given to PEP applications that include a collection of Body Mass Index information and those that partner with supporting community entities. Applicants who align project goals with needs identified by the school health index will receive preference and applicants must coordinate their program with local, state and federal initiatives.

Entities using grant–related funds, including federal and non-federal matching funds, to improve existing physical education curricula must use the Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT), submit their overall PECAT scorecard and the curriculum improvement plan from PECAT. Applicants enhancing their nutritional curricula are required to complete the healthy eating module of the Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT).

Any equipment purchases using PEP funds must be aligned with the curricular components of the grant’s physical education and nutrition programs. Equipment must be aligned with student- use based on PEP elements applicable to project and curricula. Applicants will be required to sign and submit a Program-Specific Assurance regarding equipment use. Grant applications that do not include signed Program-Specific Assurance document will not be considered. 

Grant winners are required to measure student progress on key program indicators identified in the application notice. Information gathered must be protected as appropriate with all federal, state and local confidentiality laws. Additionally, any information collected must be easily available via the PE provider’s or partner’s website.

Grantees must assess and report on physical activity, cardiovascular health, and nutrition. Physical activity will be based on 60 minutes of daily physical activity; cardiovascular fitness must be based on the percentage of students who meet age-appropriate levels using the 20- meter shuttle run; and nutrition is measured by the percentage of students that consume fruit at least two times daily and vegetables three or more times daily. 

The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products industry. SGMA helps lead the sports and fitness industries by fostering participation through research, thought leadership, product promotion, and public policy. More information about SGMA membership and SGMA’s National Health Through Fitness Day can be found at www.SGMA.com

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