Stand Down Grant Appication Guide 2020.pdf

U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

Stand Down Grant

Application Guide

Released 12/23/2020

U.S. Department of Labor Application Stand Down Grant Guide

Title: Stand Down Grant Application Guide Location: Grants.Gov Update Schedule: Annual review or as needed To Report Updates: Competitive Grants Lead

Revisions

12-29-2017 Initial release via Veterans’ Program Letter 02-18 12-23-2020 Updated

U.S. Department of Labor Application

Table of Contents

I. PURPOSE

II. BACKGROUND

III. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

IV. APPLICATION PREPARATION AND FORMS

V. TIMELINE FOR SUBMISSION

VI. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

VII. EVENT BUDGET

VIII. PROGRAM NARRATIVE

IX. APPLICATION SUBMISSION

X. APPLICATION REVIEW

XI. AGENCY CONTACTS

XII. APPLICATION AWARD

XIII. REQUIRED REPORTING

XIV. REQUIRED POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES

XV. RESOURCES

U.S. Department of Labor Application

I. PURPOSE

To establish procedures for applying for a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) Stand Down grant.

II. BACKGROUND

Stand Down (SD) is a military term referring to an opportunity to achieve a brief respite from combat. Troops assemble in a base camp to receive new clothing, hot food, support services, and a relative degree of safety before returning to combat action. A DOL VETS funded SD event serves a similar purpose, however, it is for homeless veterans.

Stand Down grantees partner with federal, state, tribal, and local entities; local businesses; and veteran, community, social, and faith-based organizations to hold events for homeless veterans. The critical services provided at a SD event are often the catalysts that enable homeless veterans to reenter the workforce.

III. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

DOL VETS supports local SD events that assist homeless veterans by providing a wide variety of employment, social, and health services. A homeless veteran is a veteran, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(2), who is “homeless” as defined at 42 U.S.C.11302(a)-(b), as amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-22).

A homeless veteran is defined as:

• An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;

• An individual or family with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;

• An individual or family living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including hotels and motels paid for by Federal, State, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, congregate shelters, and transitional housing);

• An individual who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided;

• An individual or family who— o will imminently lose their housing, including housing they own, rent, or live in without paying rent, are sharing with others, and rooms in hotels or motels not paid for by Federal, State, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, as evidenced by— a court order resulting from an eviction action that notifies the individual or family that they must leave within 14 days;

the individual or family having a primary nighttime residence that is a room in a hotel or motel and where they lack the resources necessary to reside there for more than 14 days; or

U.S. Department of Labor Application credible evidence indicating that the owner or renter of the housing will not allow the individual or family to stay for more than 14 days, and any oral statement from an individual or family seeking homeless assistance that is found to be credible shall be considered credible evidence for purposes of this clause;

o has no subsequent residence identified; and o lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing;

• Unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other Federal statutes who— o have experienced a long term period without living independently in permanent housing, o have experienced persistent instability as measured by frequent moves over such period, and o can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment; or

Any individual or family who is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions in the individual’s or family’s current housing situation, including where the health and safety of children are jeopardized, and who have no other residence and lack the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

A Stand Down is a non-competitive grant that is awarded to organizations to provide basic services to homeless veterans such as showers, haircuts, attention to health concerns, and other collaborative services to give participants a greater sense of self and an opportunity to improve their chances of securing and maintaining employment.

Veterans experiencing homelessness do not always have access to basic hygiene supplies that are necessary to maintain their health and appearance. Also, the lack of shelter limits their ability to prepare for and present themselves at job interviews or be contacted for follow-up. These grants funds must be used to enhance employment and training opportunities or to promote the self-sufficiency of homeless veterans through paid work.

Each year, VETS sets funds aside from the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) budget to fund SD grants. Grant are awarded until all funding has been exhausted. VETS will continue to accept and process applications when additional funds become available.

The maximum amount awarded per applicant, in a fiscal year (October 1 – September

30) is $7,000 for a one-day event and $10,000 for a multi-day event. An organization may apply for multiple grant awards as long as the organization is conducting SD events in different geographic areas. Grants may be awarded to multiple organizations that conduct SD events in the same general area as long as there is no commingling of

U.S. Department of Labor Application federal funds.

In the event of a significant natural or man-made disaster, VETS may elect to accept and award grants for SD events in excess of the $10,000 limit. These significant or man-made disasters include:

• Emergencies or major disasters, as defined in the Stafford Act, which have been declared eligible for public assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and

• Emergencies or disaster situations of national significance, natural or man-made, that could result in a potentially large loss of employment, as declared or otherwise recognized in writing by the chief official of the Federal Agency with jurisdiction over the Federal response to the emergency or disaster.

If the VETS Assistant Secretary determines it is appropriate to award increased grants for SD events due to a disaster, the VETS Assistant Secretary will announce such a determination in writing. The intent of this announcement is to provide notice to entities proposing to conduct SD events in those geographic areas where a disaster has been declared or to which a substantial number of veterans have relocated or been relocated. The announcement will include the maximum amount that may be awarded based on the identified disaster.

Acceptable uses of Stand Down grant funds do not change in such circumstances.

IV. APPLICATION PREPARATION AND FORMS

In order to receive funding, applicants must provide all of the items listed in this section.

Failure to provide all of the required information and documents will result in the application being found non-responsive.

1. SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance You must complete the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance form:

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/StandDown.

a. Requirement for DUNS Number All applicants for Federal funding are required to include a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) with their application. Applicants can obtain a DUNS number through the following website:

https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do.

b. Requirement for Registration with SAM All applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM).A copy of the organization’s SAM registration must be provided and the SAM registration must be active through the end date of the event. You can file for a new SAM registration, or renew a SAM registration at the following website: www.sam.gov.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/StandDown https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do http://www.sam.gov/

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A recipient must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or application under consideration.

To remain registered in the SAM database after the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and update its information in the SAM database on an annual basis from the date of initial registration, or subsequent updates to ensure it is current, accurate, and complete. If an applicant has not fully complied with these requirements by the time the Grant Officer is ready to make a federal award, the Grant Officer may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

2. Project Budget You must complete the SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs form https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/StandDown and the Budget Narrative as described in Section VII below.

3. Program Narrative

You must complete the program narrative as described in Section VIII below.

4. Letter of Support from Local Workforce Agency All applicants must submit a letter of support from the local workforce agency. This letter may be authored by:

• The chair of the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB);

• An American Job Center operator within the local area(s) to be served by the Stand

Down event; or

• A Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) specialist assigned to provide services at an American Job Center within the local area(s). The letter must state that a workforce employment specialist, preferably the DVOP specialist, when available, will actively participate and provide employment services at the Stand Down event.

To locate the available workforce agency in your area, visit www.careeronestop.org. Other letters of support are strongly encouraged but are not required to receive an award. These letters may be from the local Continuum of Care coalitions, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), or public or private organizations or agencies to secure housing.

5. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Documentation Applicants applying with a non-profit status must provide IRS documentation.

V. TIMELINE FOR SUBMISSION

Applications will be accepted at any time, but review and award is contingent upon availability of funds. All applications for Stand Down grant funding must be submitted to the appropriate State Director for Veterans’ Employment and Training (DVET) no less than 90 days prior to the event. DVET contact information can be https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/StandDown http://www.careeronestop.org/

U.S. Department of Labor Application found on the VETS website at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/about/regionaloffices.

VI. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The following organizations and entities may apply for SD grant funding:

• State and Local Workforce Development Boards

• Veteran Service Organizations

• Local public agencies, tribal governments, and non-profit organizations including community and faith-based organizations.

Note: Organizations registered with the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)(4) entities are not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity.

VII. EVENT BUDGET

All project cost must be necessary and reasonable and in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) codified at 2 CFR Part 200 and 2 CFR Part 2900 (Uniform Guidance – DOL specific).

A Budget Narrative is required and must describe how grant funding will only be used for serving homeless veterans and their associated costs. The Budget Narrative is limited to 5 pages with 1-inch margins. The fair share calculation must be applied for expenditures shared among homeless veteran and non-homeless veteran participants.

DOL SD funds may only be used for homeless veterans.

The fair share calculation (referred to as cost sharing) is based on the number of expected homeless veterans to be served using VETS’ SD funds compared to the overall number of participants expected to be served. Table 1 below provides an example of cost sharing of a $3,400 SD grant award.

TABLE 1

Example of fair share calculations Item Full Cost 70 (23.33%) Homeless

Veterans Expected 300 (100%)Total Participants Expected

Tent $1000 $233.30 $766.70 Chairs $200 $46.66 $153.34 Food $500 $116.65 $383.35 Sleeping Bags $300 $69.99 $230.01 Over-the-counter Reading Glasses

$200 $46.66 $153.34

Fliers $200 $46.66 $153.34 Bottled Water $200 $46.66 $153.34 Backpacks $300 $69.99 $230.01 https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/about/regionaloffices

U.S. Department of Labor Application

Hygiene Kits $300 $69.99 $230.01 Advertisement* $200 $46.66 $153.34 Total $3400 $793.22

Balance of VETS Funds Available

$2,606.78 VETS SD Funds

* In order to maximize available funding to purchase items or provide services that immediately and positively impact the veterans in need, care should be taken to minimize advertisement costs. Applicants that request funding for advertisement expenses that appear to be unreasonable (i.e. over 20 percent of the total grant award) will be asked to reevaluate and reallocate those funds to ensure homeless veteran participants directly benefit from the funding.

The Budget Narrative should include a detailed description of all planned expenditures listed on the SF 424A. The description must explain:

1. The methodology used to determine the cost estimates such as price per quantity;

2. If the item will be purchased or rented; and

3. Whether the items will be utilized by the participants or assist the volunteer(s) at the event.

Allowable Costs Grant funds may only be used to support allowable SD costs such as:

1. The purchase of food, bottled water, clothing, sleeping bags, one-person tents, backpacks filled with non-perishable foods, hygiene care kits, and over-the-counter reading glasses;

2. Vouchers may be purchased for minor, time-limited, legal services, consumer credit counseling services, food, phone cards, and gasoline gift cards for homeless veteran participants. The purchase of gift cards for food and/or gas must be restricted to cards that can only be used to purchase food or gas. All grantees purchasing gift cards with grant funds will be required to state the measures they will use to comply with this requirement;

3. The purchase of job search media such as employment guides or literature in hard copy or on portable storage media, etc.;

4. Special one-time costs for the duration of the SD event such as rental facilities and/or tents, electricity, equipment, portable toilets, and communications or internet access;

5. The purchase of janitorial supplies, kitchen supplies, and advertising materials such as event posters;

6. The hiring of security personnel;

7. The rental of transportation equipment (bus, van, car, taxi, etc.) and/or purchase of gasoline to provide transportation of homeless veterans to and from the SD event; and

U.S. Department of Labor Application

8. The purchase or rental of other pertinent items and services for homeless veteran participants deemed appropriate by VETS must be itemized separately.

Expenses must be incurred during the time frame listed on the Notice of Award to be approved as allowable expenses. Any expenses incurred after the time frame listed on the Notice of Award will be disapproved; VETS may, at its sole discretion under 2 CFR 200.458, grant written approval to allow certain pre-award costs. Grantees that incur pre-award costs do so at their own risk. Grantees should communicate with their GOTR if they intend to submit SD event expenses incurred prior to award.

Unallowable Costs Grant funds may not be use d for the following:

1. The payment for medical examinations to include dental and optometry examinations (Note: All medical examinations, including dental and optometry examinations, should be provided by the VA or a community provider);

2. The purchase of prescription eyewear;

3. The payment of administrative costs and administrative and/or programmatic staff;

4. The purchase of alcohol or tobacco products; and

5. The purchase of t-shirts, hats, or other clothing items for volunteers, pen sets, military and veteran type patches/medals, memento gifts for staff members, visitors, or volunteers, or any other supplementary/replacement item(s) not approved by the DVET.

VETS reserves the right to disapprove any proposed cost not consistent with the funding restrictions in the current years HVRP Funding Opportunity Announcement.

If VETS disallows any expenditure, and the funds were already drawn down, the grantee will be notified in writing. Instructions to return funds will be found in the Terms and Conditions of the Grant Award.

VIII. PROGRAM NARRATIVE

The Program Narrative must demonstrate the capability to implement the SD grant in accordance with the provisions of this Guide. The Program Narrative can be up to 5-pages with 1-inch margins.

The three minimum services listed below must be made available for homeless veteran participants on the day(s) of the SD event:

1. Medical and mental health services, to be provided by the VA or a community provider;

2. DOL state workforce agency employment and training services, including services provided by a workforce employment specialist, preferably the DVOP specialist, when available, to actively participate and provide employment services at the Stand Down event. (www.servicelocator.org); and

3. Referral services to secure immediate emergency housing.

http://www.servicelocator.org/

U.S. Department of Labor Application

The Program Narrative must also provide a clear and concise description of all the following:

1. Need:

a. Why the SD event is necessary;

b. A description of geographic area to be served;

c. The most recent data for sheltered and unsheltered homeless veterans referenced from a local, state, or national source;

d. The expected number of homeless male and female veterans the event will serve; and

e. The expected number of non-veteran and/or non-homeless participants the event will serve.

2. Services:

a. A description of the services and activities that will be provided to homeless veterans, including the role of the workforce employment or DVOP specialist; and

b. Activities that will take place during the SD event;

3. Accountability and Tracking:

a. How the grantee will track: Participant registration, homeless verification, services utilized, food consumed, voucher issuance, and allowable items of cost distribution;

b. A description of the expected results from the SD event; and

c. How the SD event will enhance employment and training opportunities or promote the self-sufficiency of homeless veterans.

4. Timeline:

a. A timeline that clearly indicates critical dates in the planning, execution, and follow-up process for the SD event.

b. If applicable, the timeline will demonstrate the need to draw down awarded funding in advance of the event date, with the purpose and date of funding need.

c. The timeline must include the date the post-event report is due to the DVET (30 days following the end of the Federal fiscal quarter in which the SD was held). The Federal fiscal quarters end September 30, December 31, March 31, and June 30.

IX. APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Once all required documents have been completed and the application is ready for submission, it should be emailed to the appropriate DVET of the state in which the SD event is planned. Contact information for the DVET can be found at:

https://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/regionaloffices/map.htm.

X. APPLICATION REVIEW

The DVET will review each application for completeness and compliance with requirements outlined in this Guide. If information is missing, the DVET will work directly with the applicant to submit a corrected application. The DVET will process a completed application through their Regional Office. The Regional Office will send https://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/regionaloffices/map.htm

U.S. Department of Labor Application the application to the National Office for submission to the Grant Officer for final approval and award.

XI. AGENCY CONTACTS

Questions regarding a SD grant application should be sent to the DVET in the state in which the event will take place. Contact information for the DVET is available at:

https://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/regionaloffices/map.htm.

XII. APPLICATION AWARD

The authorizing official identified in the application will receive the Notice of Award.

It is important that the grant award and terms and conditions are followed at all times.

Questions regarding the award should be directed to the appropriate DVET.

XIII. REQUIRED REPORTING

A Stand Down grant recipient must report quarterly, from the date of the award, using the SF-425 Federal Financial Report, until the grant is closed. The SF-425 report is due no later than 30 calendar days after the end of each quarter (Due April 30, July 30, October 30, and January 30) for as long as the SD award has not been closed. The instructions for accessing this information is included in the grant terms and conditions.

XIV. REQUIRED POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES

A Stand Down grant recipient must complete the Stand Down After Action Report (SDAAR). The SDAAR summarizes each VETS funded Stand Down event. The SDAAR can be found at: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/StandDown

Each SD grantee must submit the SDAAR to the appropriate DVET by the last business day of the month, after the end of the quarterly reporting period for the event.

For example, if an event occurs August 15, the quarter end date is September 30, and the SDAAR submission date is October 30.

After the period of performance has ended, SD grantees will enter the closeout period.

Grantees will receive a closeout package, which includes required closeout documents.

The grantee has 120 days to complete all required closeout documentation, including the closeout financial report. See 2 CFR § 200.344 for additional guidance on closeout of federal awards.

XV. RESOURCES

a. The DVET is the first point of contact for assistance. Contact information for the DVET can be found at:

https://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/regionaloffices/map.htm.

b. Resources for helping veterans experiencing homelessness find employment are available at www.NVTAC.org.

c. General grant information and resources are available at www.doleta.gov/grants.

https://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/regionaloffices/map.htm https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/StandDown https://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/regionaloffices/map.htm.

http://www.nvtac.org/ http://www.doleta.gov/grants