Application; selection criteria

(a) Application An eligible entity desiring to receive a grant under this Act shall submit an application to the Secretary not later than 45 days after the publication of a Notice of Funding Availability. The Secretary shall publish a Notice of Funding Availability not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and, to the extent practicable, not earlier than 60 days after such date, and shall award grants not later than 120 days after the close of the application period. Applications shall contain such information as the Secretary may require, including, at a minimum, each of the following: (1) Abstract. (2) Proposal Narrative. (3) Organizational Capacity. (4) Work Plan. (5) Budget and Budget Justification. (6) Letters of Commitment and Support. (7) Staffing Plan. (b) Selection In selecting eligible entities to receive an implementation grant or planning grant, the Secretary shall consider the following, with the following percentages of weighted consideration: (1) Need (20 percent). (2) Family engagement and governance (10 percent). (3) Integrated service plan (15 percent). (4) Workforce and partner capacity (10 percent). (5) Prior experience and evidence of capability (25 percent). (6) Evidence use and literacy alignment (10 percent). (7) Sustainability and match strategy (10 percent). (c) Priority In selecting eligible entities to receive a grant under this Act, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that— (1) are located in counties with a population of less than 50,000 people; or (2) serve communities that are classified as distressed by the Economic Innovation Group, as of the date of enactment of this Act, or as subsequently updated by the Economic Innovation Group’s Distressed Communities Index.