BHW HRSA-23-003 (D18) HCOP_3-24-23.pdf

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Fiscal Year 2023 Bureau of Health Workforce

Division of Health Careers and Financial Support

Health Careers Opportunity Program: The National HCOP Academies Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-23-003

Funding Opportunity Type(s): New, Competing Continuation

Assistance Listings Number: 93.822

Application Due Date: May 24, 2023 Ensure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and passwords are current immediately!

HRSA will not approve deadline extensions for lack of registration.

Registration in all systems may take up to 1 month to complete.

Issuance Date: March 24, 2023

Audrey Adade Public Health Analyst, Health Careers Pipeline Branch Telephone: (301) 594-4479 Email: HCOPProgram@hrsa.gov

See Section VII for a complete list of agency contacts.

Authority: Section 739 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 293c) mailto:HCOPProgram@hrsa.gov

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508 Compliance Disclaimer Note: Persons using assistive technology may not be able to fully access information in this file. For assistance, please email or call one of the HRSA staff above in Section VII.

Agency Contacts.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is accepting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP): National HCOP Academies. The purpose of the National HCOP Academies is to assist individuals from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to enter and graduate from a health professions program. The National HCOP Academies funds programs that work to improve recruitment, matriculation, retention, and graduation rates by implementing tailored enrichment programs that address the academic and social needs of trainees from disadvantaged backgrounds. HCOP Academies also provide opportunities for community-based experiential health professions training, emphasizing experiences in underserved communities. A funding preference is available to applicants who partner with several public or private health or educational entities to establish, enhance, and expand educational programs that produce a competitive applicant pool of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Funding Opportunity Title: Health Careers Opportunity Program:

National HCOP Academies

Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-23-003

Due Date for Applications: May 24, 2023

FY 2023 Anticipated Annual Available Funding:

$13,500,000

Estimated Number and Type of Award(s): Up to 21 grants

Estimated Annual Award Amount:

Up to $650,000 per award subject to the availability of appropriated funds

Cost Sharing/Match Required: No

Period of Performance: September 1, 2023, through August 31, 2028 (5 years)

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Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are accredited schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, public health, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, pharmacy, allied health, chiropractic, podiatric medicine, public and nonprofit private schools that offer graduate programs in behavioral and mental health, programs for the training of physician assistants, and other public or private nonprofit health or educational entities including community colleges, technical colleges, and tribal colleges.

See Section III.1 of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for complete eligibility information.

Application Guide

You (the applicant organization/agency) are responsible for reading and complying with the instructions included in this NOFO and in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide.

Visit HRSA’s How to Prepare Your Application page for more information.

Technical Assistance

HRSA will hold a pre-application technical assistance (TA) webinar for applicants seeking funding through this opportunity. The webinar will provide an overview of pertinent information in the NOFO and an opportunity for applicants to ask questions.

Visit the HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce’s open opportunities website to learn more about the resources available for this funding opportunity.

http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply-for-a-grant/prepare-your-application https://bhw.hrsa.gov/fundingopportunities/default.aspx

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Table of Contents

I. PROGRAM FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

1. PURPOSE

2. BACKGROUND

II. AWARD INFORMATION

1. TYPE OF APPLICATION AND AWARD

2. SUMMARY OF FUNDING

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. ELIGIBLE GRANT APPLICANTS

2. COST SHARING/MATCHING

3. OTHER

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

2. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

i. Project Abstract

ii. Project Narrative

iii. Budget

iv. Budget Justification Narrative

v. Standardized Work Plan (SWP) Form

vi. Program-Specific Forms

vii. Attachments

3. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM)

4. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

5. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

6. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. REVIEW CRITERIA

2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. AWARD NOTICES

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

3. REPORTING

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

APPENDIX A: PAGE LIMIT WORKSHEET

APPENDIX B – INSTRUCTIONS TO COMPLETE BHW PROGRAM SPECIFIC DATA FORM

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I. Program Funding Opportunity Description

1. Purpose

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP): National HCOP Academies authorized by Section 739 of the Public Health Service Act. The purpose of this grant program is to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter and successfully complete health profession schools. The National HCOP Academies will prepare students to meet the admissions requirements for the next level of their education and receive a health professions degree or certificate. National HCOP Academies’ goals are to:

• Improve recruitment, matriculation, retention, and graduation rates by implementing tailored enrichment programs designed to address the academic and social needs of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Provide opportunities for community-based experiential health professions training, emphasizing experiences in underserved communities.

For more details, see Program Requirements and Expectations.

2. Background

Expanding the number of students interested in pursuing a health professions career and providing them support to complete rigorous academic programs is integral to expanding the workforce. Health workforce pipeline programs can help address or remove barriers in the academic pipeline.1 Research demonstrates that first-generation, underrepresented minority students, and students from disadvantaged backgrounds face several barriers to entering and completing higher education, such as low socioeconomic status, lack of mentorship, high tuition costs, standardized tests, and a limited social support network.2 For example, while medical school enrollment increased by 33 percent in 2021, admission of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities remained flat.3 This trend is particularly notable among African American male students. In Academic Year 2021-2022, Black/African American males made up

1 Baugh, A. D., Vanderbilt, A. A., & Baugh, R. F. (2019). The dynamics of poverty, educational attainment, and the children of the disadvantaged entering medical school. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 10, 667–676.

2 Haeger H & Fresquez C. (2016). Mentoring for Inclusion: The Impact of Mentoring on Undergraduate Researchers in the Sciences. CBE Life Sci Educ, 15(3):ar36. doi: 10.1187/cbe.16-01-0016. PMID:

27543635; PMCID: PMC5008883..

3 Boyle, P. (2020, September 3). Medical school enrollments grow, but residency slots haven’t kept pace.

Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). https://www.aamc.FTEorg/news-insights/medical-school-enrollments-grow-residency-slots-haven-t-kept-pace.

https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/medical-school-enrollments-grow-residency-slots-haven-t-kept-pace https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/medical-school-enrollments-grow-residency-slots-haven-t-kept-pace

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approximately 3 percent of total medical school enrollment4 compared with 6 percent of the U.S. population. population.5

Racial and geographical diversity in the health workforce can facilitate access to health care for underserved populations and meet the health needs of an increasingly diverse population.6 Addressing health disparities and thereby improving patient care requires addressing the barriers to education caused by poverty, both intergenerational and multidimensional. Research shows that medical students raised in underserved areas are more likely to practice in an underserved area upon completion of their training.7

The National HCOP Academies strengthens the health workforce pipeline in medically underserved and rural areas across the United States by providing both academic and social supports to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The National HCOP Academies is a longitudinal program leading to matriculation into the applicant or partner organization’s 2- or 4-year college/university, health professions school or employment in rural and underserved communities. The program is further designed to eliminate disparities in educational attainment between high- and low-income populations, increase job opportunities within the health professions, and increase cultural competency within health care settings by integrating clinical and didactic training in health disparities, social determinants of health, and health equity into the curriculum.

Program Definitions

A glossary containing general definitions for terms used throughout the Bureau of Health Workforce NOFOs is located at the HRSA Health Workforce Glossary.

4 AAMC. (2021, November 18). “Table B-3: Total U.S. MD-Granting Medical School Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity (Alone) and Sex, 2017-2018 through 2021-2022 [Chart].”

https://www.aamc.org/media/6116/download.

5 United States Census Bureau (2020). “Decennial Census P1 Race [Table].”

https://data.census.gov/table?t=Black+or+African+American&g=010XX00US

6 Snyder, C. R., Frogner, B. K., & Skillman, S. M. (2018). Facilitating racial and ethnic diversity in the health workforce. Journal of Allied Health, 47(1), 58–65.

7 Baugh, A. D., Vanderbilt, A. A., & Baugh, R. F. (2019). The dynamics of poverty, educational attainment, and the children of the disadvantaged entering medical school. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 10, 667–676.

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/resourcecenter/glossary https://www.aamc.org/media/6116/download https://data.census.gov/table?t=Black+or+African+American&g=010XX00US

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II. Award Information

1. Type of Application and Award

Type(s) of applications sought: New, Competing Continuation HRSA will provide funding in the form of a grant.

2. Summary of Funding

HRSA estimates approximately $13,500,000 to be available annually to fund approximately 21 recipients. You may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $650,000 per year (including direct and indirect costs). The amount requested in budget years 2-5 cannot be more than the amount you request in your first budget year, The period of performance is September 1, 2023, through August 31, 2028 (5 years).

Funding beyond the first year is dependent on availability of appropriated funds for the National HCOP Academies in subsequent fiscal years, satisfactory awardee performance, and a decision that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

All HRSA awards are subject to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 45 CFR part 75.

Limitations on Indirect Cost Rates

Indirect costs under training awards to organizations other than state or local governments or federally recognized Indian tribes, will be budgeted, and reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement, and are not subject to upward or downward adjustment. Direct cost amounts for equipment, tuition, and fees, as otherwise allowable, and subawards and subcontracts in excess of $25,000 are excluded from the direct cost base for purposes of this calculation.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Grant Applicants

Eligible applicants include accredited schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, public health, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, pharmacy, allied health, chiropractic, podiatric medicine, public and nonprofit private schools that offer graduate programs in behavioral and mental health, programs for the training of physician assistants, and other public or private nonprofit health or educational entities able to carry out the activities of the program, including community colleges, technical colleges, and tribal http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=1&SID=4d52364ec83fab994c665943dadf9cf7&ty=HTML&h=L&r=PART&n=pt45.1.75

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colleges. Pursuant to the statutory authority, nursing schools and programs are not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity.

Eligible entities must be located within the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

Eligible Participants within National HCOP Academies

To identify participants for the National HCOP Academies, grantees must first determine each student’s eligibility which includes verifying the following:

• Meeting the economically or educationally disadvantaged background criteria, and,

• Must be a citizen, non-citizen national of the United States, an individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States, or any other “qualified alien” under section 431(b) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-193, as amended. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible to receive HCOP financial support through the program.

Please note that the criteria listed above must be met for all participants in the National HCOP Academies.

Individuals are considered from an “economically disadvantaged” background if they come from a family with an annual income below a level based on low-income thresholds, according to family size established by the U.S. Census Bureau, adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index, and adjusted by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary updates these income levels in the Federal Register annually.

The Secretary defines a ‘‘low-income family/household’’ for various health professions programs included in Titles III, VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act, as having an annual income that does not exceed 200 percent of the Department’s poverty guidelines. A family is a group of two or more individuals related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together. A household may be only one person. Applicants are required to utilize the 2023 Poverty Guideline table below, published by HHS, to determine an individual’s disadvantage status.

Low Income Levels Based on the 2023 Poverty Guidelines

Persons in family/ household* Income Level**

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48 Contiguous States and D.C.

Alaska Hawaii

1 $29,160 $36,420 $33,540

2 39,440 49,280 45,360

3 49,720 62,140 57,180

4 60,000 75,000 69,000

5 70,280 87,860 80,820

6 80,560 100,720 92,640

7 90,840 113,580 104,460

8 101,120 126,440 116,280

For families with more than 8 persons, add these dollar amounts for each additional person:

$10,280 $12,860 $11,820

*Includes only dependents listed on federal income tax forms.

** Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2022.

SOURCE: Federal Register, Vol. 88, No. 22, Thursday, January 19, 2023, pp. 3424- 3425. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-01-19/pdf/2023-00885.pdf

If an individual does not qualify as “economically disadvantaged,” applicants must indicate that they qualify as “educationally disadvantaged.”

Individuals are considered from an “educationally disadvantaged” background if they come from a social, cultural, or educational environment that has demonstrably and directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a health professions education or training program. Applicants must use the criteria below to classify student participants as coming from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. The National HCOP Academies’ participants must meet one or more of the following criteria to qualify under the educationally disadvantaged background status:

• Is first-generation in their family to attend college.

Please note, the most recent annual data available for the following criteria is found on the state Department of Education website where the student last attended or graduated from high school. The threshold for “Low” is determined by each individual state.

• Graduated from (or attended) a high school, based on the most recent annual data available, which either had a:

o Low percentage of seniors receiving a high school diploma; or o Low percentage of high school graduates who attend college the following year after graduation.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-01-19/pdf/2023-00885.pdf

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• Graduated from (or attended) a high school with low per capita funding.

• Graduated from (or attended) a high school where — based on the most recent annual data available — many of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.

2. Cost Sharing/Matching

Cost sharing/matching is not required for this program.

3. Other

HRSA may not consider an application for funding if it contains any of the non-responsive criteria below:

1) Exceeds the funding ceiling amount

2) Fails to satisfy the deadline requirements referenced in Section IV.4

Maintenance of Effort

The recipient must agree to maintain non-federal funding for award activities at a level that is not less than expenditures for such activities maintained by the entity for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the entity receives the award, as required by 42 U.S.C. § 295n-2(b) (section 797(b) of the Public Health Service Act). Such federal funds are intended to supplement, not supplant, existing non-federal expenditures for such activities. Complete the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) information and submit as Attachment 5.

HRSA will enforce statutory MOE requirements through all available mechanisms.

Multiple Applications

Multiple applications from an organization with the same Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) are not allowable. HRSA will only accept and review your last validated electronic submission before the Grants.gov application due date. Failure to include all required documents as part of the application may result in an application being considered incomplete or non-responsive.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

HRSA requires you to apply electronically. HRSA encourages you to apply through Grants.gov using the SF-424 Research and Related (R&R) workspace application package associated with this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) following the directions provided at Grants.gov: HOW TO APPLY FOR GRANTS. If you use an https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

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alternative electronic submission, see Grants.gov: APPLICANT SYSTEM-TO-SYSTEM.

Form Alert: For the Project Abstract Summary, applicants using the SF-424 R&R Application Package are encountering a “Cross-Form Error” associated with the Project Summary/Abstract field in the “Research and Related Other Project Information” form, Box 7. To avoid the “Cross-Form Error,” you must attach a blank document in Box 7 of the “Research and Related Other Project Information” form and use the Project Abstract Summary Form in workspace to complete the Project Abstract Summary. See Section IV.2.i Project Abstract for content information.

The NOFO is also known as “Instructions” on Grants.gov. You must select “Subscribe” and provide your email address for HRSA-23-003 in order to receive notifications including modifications, clarifications, and/or republications of the NOFO on Grants.gov.

You will also receive notifications of documents placed in the RELATED DOCUMENTS tab on Grants.gov that may affect the NOFO and your application. You are ultimately responsible for reviewing the For Applicants page for all information relevant to this

NOFO.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Application Format Requirements

Section 4 of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide provides general instructions for the budget, budget justification, staffing plan and personnel requirements, assurances, and certifications. You must submit the information outlined in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide in addition to the program-specific information below. You are responsible for reading and complying with the instructions included in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide except where instructed in this NOFO to do otherwise. You must submit the application in the English language and budget figures expressed in U.S.

dollars (45 CFR § 75.111(a)).

See Section 8.5 of the HRSA SF-424 R&R Application Guide for the Application Completeness Checklist to assist you in completing your application.

Application Page Limit The total number of pages that count toward the page limit shall be no more than 60 pages when we print them. HRSA will not review any pages that exceed the page limit.

Using the pages within the page limit, HRSA will determine eligibility using Section III.

Eligibility Information of the NOFO.

These items don’t count toward the page limit:

• Standard OMB-approved forms you find in the NOFO’s workspace application package

• Abstract (standard form (SF) "Project_Abstract Summary”)

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreement https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/s2s/applicant-system-to-system.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf

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• Proof of non-profit status (if it applies)

If there are other items that don’t count toward the page limit, we’ll make this clear in Section IV.2.vii Attachments.

If you use an OMB-approved form that isn’t in the HRSA-23-003 workspace application package, it may count toward the page limit. We recommend you only use Grants.gov workspace forms related with this NOFO to avoid going over the page limit.

Applications must be complete, within the maximum specified page limit, and validated by Grants.gov under HRSA-23-003 before the deadline.

Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary Exclusion Certification

1) You certify on behalf of the applicant organization, by submission of your proposal, that neither you nor your principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal department or agency.

2) Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 45 CFR § 75.371, including suspension or debarment. (See also 2 CFR parts 180 and 376, and 31 U.S.C. § 3354).

3) If you are unable to attest to the statements in this certification, you must include an explanation in Attachment #8-13: Other Relevant Documents.

See Section 4.1 viii of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide for additional information on all certifications.

Program Requirements and Expectations Your proposal must include structured programs and may include unstructured activities under certain constraints. A Structured Program is defined as a formal student enhancement program of a specified length with a specially designed curriculum or set of activities in which students participate to enhance their academic performance. All structured programs must include:

• Stipend payments

• Curricula that include, but are not limited to:

o Preliminary education and health research trainings, such as standardized test preparatory training, study skills trainings, math, and science enrichment courses; and o Health research training on current and emerging public health issues, including as applicable, health equity, health disparities, social determinants of health, and behavioral health.

• Specialized health care training in:

o Primary care, community-based settings; and o Rural and medically underserved communities.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=1&SID=4d52364ec83fab994c665943dadf9cf7&ty=HTML&h=L&r=PART&n=pt45.1.75#se45.1.75_1371

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An Unstructured Activity is defined as a generally a stand‐alone, single training activity that is not part of a designed curriculum or set of activities. HRSA strongly encourages applicants to use only up to 15 percent of their total budget toward unstructured activities and/or health care exposure activities.

Required Structured Programs are listed in 1 and 2:

1) The HCOP National Ambassadors Program is required for all applicants.

The HCOP National Ambassador Program is a longitudinal, integrated curriculum-based program designed to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds with matriculating through the educational pipeline. The program should prepare students to meet the admissions requirements for the next level of their education and receive a health professions degree from the applicant’s college/university or partnering institutions. The curriculum should integrate activities, such as trainings and research projects, in the clinical and public health areas of behavioral health, health disparities, social determinants of health, and health equity. Stipend support is allowable and encouraged for students participating in this program. Applicants must submit at a minimum:

a. A formal application process with defined eligibility criteria.

b. A cohort that will include at least 25 new students, beginning each new academic year. Each cohort of students must be tracked and monitored throughout the course of study or training, and for at least one-year post completion or graduation from the HCOP National Ambassadors Program.

c. Establishment of strategic partnerships (described below) that will support the successful implementation of the HCOP National Ambassadors Program.

d. Experiential, or clinical training that is community-based, in underserved settings, and includes team-based/interprofessional training.

e. A plan to collect and track individual-level data on participants, including demographic factors, number of training hours in designated settings, and one-year post-completion data on employment and further educational outcomes.

2) Other Structured Programs: At a minimum, all National HCOP Academies must also include at least two of the following structured programs in addition to the HCOP National Ambassadors Program described above:

a. HCOP Summer Program: A designed curriculum or set of activities for a minimum of 25 students from a designated educational level that provides six (6) hours of structured learning activities per day for a minimum of six weeks.

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b. HCOP Saturday Academy: A designed curriculum or set of activities for a minimum of 25 students that provides six (6) hours of structured learning activities per day for a minimum of 20 weeks.

c. HCOP Pre-matriculation Program: A designed curriculum or set of activities for a minimum of 10 students that provides six (6) hours of structured learning activities per day for a minimum of four weeks.

d. HCOP Post-baccalaureate Program: A comprehensive program for a minimum of five (5) students for health professions school and/or allied health programs. The student must have an undergraduate degree with a science focus, and a conditional acceptance to a health or allied health professions school.

e. HCOP Adult/Non-Traditional Students (including Veterans): A comprehensive program for a minimum of 10 students that provides educational opportunities to adults interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

3) Clinical Training Opportunities: Applicants must provide clinical and/or experiential training opportunities to health and allied health students through working at community-based, primary health facilities that are public or private non-profit providers. The training should include interdisciplinary teams and instruction in areas of health equity, social determinants of health, and behavioral health integration.

4) Strategic Partnership Activities: In order to develop a competitive student applicant pool, applicants must establish strategic partnerships with organizations that align with the goals and objectives of the National HCOP Academies. Applicants must have articulation agreements in place within their own institution and/or with partner institutions allowing for students’ matriculation to the next level of the education pipeline (e.g., two or four-year college, university, or a graduate level health or allied health professions program).

Please note that articulation agreements are made among institutions to help students move seamlessly into acceptance from one academic institution into another. Such partnering organizations may include:

a. High Schools – Partnerships with high schools with a high percentage of students from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop a more competitive applicant pool.

b. Post-secondary Institutions – Partnerships with community colleges, technical schools, and four-year colleges and universities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Alaska

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Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions to develop a more competitive applicant pool.

c. State or Community-based Organizations – Partnerships with state and/or community-based social services organizations to assist in providing academic and social supports.

d. State-level Entities – Partnerships with state entities such as State Workforce Agencies, Primary Care Associations, State Offices of Rural Health, State Minority Health Counsels, and State Education Agencies to support health professions training and career counseling.

e. Community-based Health Care Entities – Partnerships with entities such as Health Care Safety Net Sites (e.g., Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and FQHC Look-Alikes) to provide clinical training opportunities in underserved communities

f. Other Institutions of Higher Education Programs – Partnerships with pipeline programs such as Federal TRIO Programs, including Student Support Services, and Educational Opportunity Centers to develop a more competitive applicant pool.

5) Recruitment Outreach Strategies: Applicants must describe how they will recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including adult learners (e.g., veterans) and underrepresented minorities, to matriculate and graduate from a health professions degree or certificate program, including publicizing existing sources of available financial aid.

6) Program Evaluation: Applicants must include a program evaluation plan to demonstrate the award’s impact. Applicants must include promising interventions for program evaluation under this funding and are expected to have the potential to scale and/or be replicated by others in the health professions training field.

Recipients will be expected to disseminate their evaluation findings and lessons learned through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at professional conferences. Applicants should propose having an approximately

0.5 FTE program evaluator who is considered key personnel.

Recipients must submit evaluation plans as an attachment with the first non-competing continuation (NCC) progress report.

7) Counseling, Mentoring and Other Services: Applicants must provide counseling, mentoring or other services (including preliminary education and health research training as well as retention activities) that are designed to assist individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to successfully complete their education at a health professions school. Applicants must develop evidence-based programming focused on mentorship, social, and academic support for students. Applicants should propose having a dedicated case manager as key personnel to coordinate student support services.

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8) Financial Aid Information Dissemination: Publicize existing sources of financial aid available to students in the education program at such a school or those who are undertaking training necessary to qualify them to enroll in such a program.

9) Stipends: Provide stipends to individuals for general living expenses to help defray students’ cost(s) for any period of health professions education at a health professions school, not to exceed twelve months.

10) Scholarships: Provide scholarship support to individuals to cover tuition, fees, books, and other related educational expenses for any period of health professions education, not to exceed $10,000 in an academic year. A student can receive both a scholarship and a stipend as long as the scholarship award limitation is not exceeded, and the awards do not cover the same expenses.

Applicants are required to select three or more of the following Target Populations of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including underrepresented minorities from disadvantaged backgrounds within these groups.

Target Populations Rising high school juniors/seniors

Identify, recruit, and prepare students from disadvantaged backgrounds to competitively enter and complete a 2- or 4-year accredited college or university.

Adult/non-traditional learners (including veterans)

Provide academic and social support to adult/non-traditional students from disadvantaged backgrounds and provide training to prepare students for competitive entry into and graduation f rom the applicant’s institution or an accredited allied health or health professions school.

Allied health professions degree students

Provide academic and social support to retain and assist students, including first-generation college students from disadvantaged backgrounds, enrolled in 2-year programs (e.g., community college) to graduate with an associate degree and/or transfer to a 4-year institution.

Undergraduate students

Provide academic and social support to students f rom disadvantaged backgrounds and provide training to prepare for competitive entry into the applicant’s institution or an accredited health professions school.

Health professions degree students

Provide academic and social support to health professions students, including f irst-generation college students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and provide training in rural and underserved communities to facilitate timely completion and graduation of a health professions degree.

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Program-Specific Instructions

In addition to application requirements and instructions in Section 4 of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide (including the budget, budget justification, staffing plan and personnel requirements, assurances, certifications, and abstract), include the following:

i. Project Abstract Use the Standard OMB-approved Project Abstract Summary Form that is included in the workspace application package. Do not upload the abstract as an attachment or it may count toward the page limit. See Form Alert in Section IV.1 of this NOFO. For information required in the Project Abstract Summary Form, see Section 4.1.ix of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide. When applicable, identify if a funding priority/ preference is being requested.

NARRATIVE GUIDANCE

To ensure that you fully address the review criteria, the table below provides a crosswalk between the narrative language and where each section falls within the review criteria. Any forms or attachments referenced in a narrative section may be considered during the objective review.

Narrative Section Review Criteria

Purpose and Need (1) Purpose and Need

Response to Program Purpose:

(a) Work Plan

(b) Methodology/Approach

(c) Resolution of Challenges

(2) Response to Program Purpose

(a) Work Plan

(b) Methodology/Approach

(c) Resolution of Challenges

Impact:

(a) Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity

(b) Project Sustainability

(3) Impact:

(a) Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity

(b) Project Sustainability

Organizational Information, Resources, and Capabilities

(4) Organizational Information, Resources, and Capabilities

Budget and Budget Justification Narrative

(5) Support Requested

ii. Project Narrative This section provides a comprehensive description of all aspects of the proposed project. It should be succinct, self-explanatory, consistent with forms and attachments, and organized in alignment with the sections and format below so that reviewers can http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf

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understand the proposed project. Use and cite demographic data whenever possible to support the information provided. Successful applications will contain the information below. Please use the following section headers for the narrative:

PURPOSE AND NEED – Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion(a) 1

In your application:

• Briefly describe the overall goals and objectives of the proposed HCOP Academy.

• Outline the needs of the training program or institution. Describe and document the targeted discipline and its training needs.

• BHW Program Specific Data Form: Applicants must complete the BHW Program Specific Data Form located in Appendix B and include it in Attachment 8.

RESPONSE TO PROGRAM PURPOSE – This section includes three sub-sections

— (a) Work Plan; (b) Methodology/Approach; and (c) Resolution of Challenges — all of which correspond to Section V’s Review Criteria 2 (a), (b), and (c).

(a) WORK PLAN – Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion (a) 2 (a)

In your application, provide a detailed work plan of the proposed scope. Your work plan must be submitted through the Standardized Work Plan (SWP) Form located in the Grants.gov workspace. Applicants should include a brief narrative element outlined below, in addition to completing the SWP.

In your work plan:

• Describe the activities or steps you will use to achieve each of the objectives proposed during the entire period of performance identified in the Methodology section.

• Describe the timeframes, deliverables, and strategic partners required during the grant period of performance to address each of the needs described in the Purpose and Need section.

• Explain how the work plan is appropriate for the proposed HCOP Academy and how the targets fit into the overall timeline of grant implementation.

• Identify meaningful support and collaboration with strategic partners and key stakeholders in planning, designing, and implementing all activities, including development of the application and, further, the extent to which these contributors address the diversity of the populations and communities served.

• Describe how the institution will develop and/or strengthen existing collaborations with all partners, including community colleges, colleges and

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universities, school districts, and other community-based entities to enhance pathways for participant matriculation into undergraduate, health or allied health professions programs.

(b) METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion 2 (b)

In your application, and consistent with the Program Requirements and Expectations in this NOFO:

• Concisely describe your objectives and proposed activities and provide evidence for how they link to the project purpose and stated needs.

• Propose methods that you will use to address the stated needs. Include a description of any innovative methods that you will use to address these needs.

• As appropriate, include development of effective tools and strategies for ongoing staff training, outreach, collaborations, clear communication, and information sharing/dissemination with efforts to involve students, families, and communities.

• If applicable, include a plan to disseminate reports, products, and/or project outputs so that key target audiences receive the project information.

(c) RESOLUTION OF CHALLENGES – Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion 2 (c)

In your application, and consistent with the Program Requirements and Expectations in this NOFO:

• Discuss challenges that you are likely to encounter in designing and implementing the HCOP Academy activities described in the work plan, and approaches used to resolve such challenges.

• Describe potential challenges with recruitment of students from the targeted populations and representing diverse backgrounds and approaches used to resolve such challenges.

IMPACT -- This section includes two sub-sections — (a) Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity; and (b) Project Sustainability — both of which correspond to Section V’s Review Criteria 3 (a) and (b).

(a) EVALUATION AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT CAPACITY -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion) 3 (a)

In your application:

• Describe the required program performance evaluation plan that will contribute to continuous quality improvement. The program performance

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evaluation should monitor ongoing processes and the progress towards meeting the goals and objectives of the project. Include descriptions of the inputs (e.g., organizational profile, collaborative partners, key personnel, budget, and other resources), key processes, variables to be measured, and expected outcomes of the funded HCOP Academy activities.

• As appropriate, describe the data collection strategy to accurately collect, analyze and track data to measure process and impact/outcomes, and explain how the data will be used to inform program development and service delivery.

• Describe the process to track trainees after program completion/graduation for up to one year.

• Demonstrate evidence that the evaluative measures selected will be able to assess: 1) the extent to which the program objectives have been met, and

2) the extent to which these can be attributed to the project. The evaluation and reporting plan also should indicate the feasibility and effectiveness of plans for dissemination of project results.

• Describe the applicant’s current experience, skills, and knowledge, including individuals on staff, materials published, and previous work of a similar nature.

• Describe the systems and processes that will enable you to meet HRSA’s performance measurement requirements for the National HCOP Academies. This should include your strategy for collecting, managing, and reporting required performance data in an accurate and timely manner. At the following link, you will find examples of the current reporting forms required for the National HCOP Academies:

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/reporting/index.html. Note: Performance measures and data forms are subject to change each academic year.

• Describe any potential obstacles for implementing the program performance evaluation and meeting HRSA’s performance measurement requirements and your plan to address those obstacles.

(b) PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion 3 (b)

In your application:

• Recipients are expected to sustain key elements of their projects that have been effective in improving practices and that have led to improved outcomes for the target populations. Propose a plan for project sustainability after the period of federal funding ends.

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/reporting/index.html

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• Include a description of specific actions you will take to (a) highlight key elements of your grant projects, e.g., training methods or strategies, which have been effective in improving practices; (b) obtain future sources of potential funding; and (c) provide a timetable for becoming self-sufficient.

• Discuss challenges that are likely to be encountered in sustaining the program and approaches that will be used to resolve such challenges.

ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION, RESOURCES, AND

CAPABILITIES -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion(a) 4

In your application:

• Succinctly describe your organization’s current mission, structure, and scope of current activities and how these elements all contribute to the organization’s ability to implement the program requirements and meet program expectations.

• Describe tools and strategies for ongoing staff training, outreach, collaborations, communication, and information sharing/dissemination with efforts to involve communities.

• Include an organizational chart (requested in Section IV.2.v./vi., Attachment 3.) Discuss how the organization will follow the approved plan, as outlined in the application, properly account for the federal funds, and document all costs to avoid audit findings. Describe how you will routinely assess and improve the unique needs of the targeted populations.

• Include the staffing plan and job descriptions for key faculty/staff in Attachment 1.

• Include biographical sketches for key personnel in the SF-424 RESEARCH & RELATED Senior Key Person Profile (Expanded) form that can be accessed in the Application Package under “Mandatory.” Even though the document has an OMB clearance number, it is not a standard form but a format, and so biographical sketches do count against the page limit. (See details below)

• Describe organizations who will partner with yours to fulfill the goals of the program and meet the training objectives.

Biographical Sketches

Provide a biographical sketch for key faculty/staff contributing to the project. The information must be current, indicating the individual’s position and sufficient detail to assess the individual’s qualifications for the position being sought and consistent with the position description. Each biographical sketch should be limited to one page as they count toward the overall page limit. Include all degrees and certificates.

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Biographical sketches should include the following information:

• Senior/key personnel name

• Position Title

• Education/Training - beginning with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, including postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable:

o Institution and location o Degree (if applicable) o Date of degree (MM/YY) o Field of study

• Section A (required) Personal Statement. Briefly describe why the individual’s experience and qualifications make them particularly well-suited for their role (e.g., PD/PI) in the project that is the subject of the award.

• Section B (required) Positions and Honors. List in chronological order previous positions, concluding with the present position. List any honors. Include present membership on any Federal Government public advisory committee.

• Section C (optional) Other Support. List both selected ongoing and completed (during the last 3 years) projects (federal or non-federal support). Begin with any projects relevant to the project proposed in this application. Briefly indicate the overall goals of the projects and responsibilities of the Senior/Key Person identified on the Biographical Sketch.

• When applicable, biographical sketches must include training, language fluency and experience working with populations that are culturally and linguistically different from their own.

iii. Budget The directions offered in the SF-424 R&R Application Guide may differ from those offered by Grants.gov. Follow the instructions in Section 4.1.iv of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide and the additional budget instructions provided below. A budget that follows the R&R Application Guide will ensure that, if HRSA selects your application for funding, you will have a well-organized plan and, by carefully following the approved plan, may avoid audit issues during the implementation phase.

http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf

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Additional Budget Instructions:

Subawards/subcontracts

A detailed line-item budget form is required for each subaward and should be uploaded to the R&R Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form. The R&R Subaward Budget Attachment Form limits the number of attachments for subawards to 10. If you need to include additional line-item budget forms, upload the attachment in R&R Other Project Information Form, block 12 “Other Attachments.” These additional line-item budget forms for subawards will not count against the page limit. Note that any additional budget justifications (i.e., back-up information) are included in the page limit.

Reminder: The Total Project or Program Costs are the total allowable costs (inclusive of direct and indirect costs) you incur to carry out a HRSA-supported project or activity. Total project or program costs include costs charged to the award and costs borne by you to satisfy a matching or cost-sharing requirement, as applicable.

As required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328), Division H, § 202, “None of the funds appropriated in this title shall be used to pay the salary of an individual, through a grant or other extramural mechanism, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II.” See Section 4.1.iv Budget – Salary Rate Limitation of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide for additional information. Note that these or other salary rate limitations may apply in the following fiscal years, as required by law.

Indirect costs under training awards to organizations other than state or local governments, or federally recognized Indian tribes, will be budgeted, and reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement, and are not subject to upward or downward adjustment. Direct cost amounts for equipment, tuition, and fees, and subawards and subcontracts in excess of $25,000 are excluded from the direct cost base for purposes of this calculation.

iv. Budget Justification Narrative See…