FAQ Behavioral Health NOFO_5.24.2024.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions 2024 Expanding Outreach and Professional Training to Engage Older Adults with

Behavioral Health Conditions in Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs

HHS-2024-ACL-AOA-CSSG-0018

Questions Related to Applicant Eligibility

1. Question: Who is eligible to apply for this funding opportunity?

Answer: Only these types of organizations may apply: Public, state-controlled, and private institutions of higher education; Independent school districts; Community-based organizations; Faith-based organizations; State, county, city, township, and special district governments; Nonprofits with a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations; and/or, Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities. See page 6 of the funding opportunity for this information.

2. Question: Are for-profit companies or individuals eligible to apply?

Answer: No.

Questions Related to Letters of Intent

3. Question: Are potential applicants required to submit a Letter of Intent?

Answer: Applicants are requested, but not required, to submit a letter of intent to apply for this funding opportunity to assist ACL in planning for the application independent review process. The purpose of the letter of intent is to allow our staff to estimate the number of independent reviewers needed and to avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review.

Questions Related to Proposal Format

4. Question: Is it acceptable to include other attachments, such as screenshots, other than the ones referenced in the Notice of Funding Opportunity?

Answer: For information about attachments, please reference the “Attachments” section beginning on page 28 of the of the funding opportunity instructions.

5. Question: Is there a maximum page limit for the Project Narrative?

Answer: The Project Narrative must not exceed 20 pages. NOTE: The following items do not count as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20- page limit as long as they are clearly labeled as Appendices or Attachments: budget narrative, project work plan, indirect cost agreement, commitment letters, proof of nonprofit status, resumes and job descriptions, and references

6. Question: Should applicants submit one comprehensive work plan that includes goals for the three years, or should proposals include a separate work plan for each of the three years?

Answer: Applicants must provide a work plan for each of the three years of the project.

The work plan should be consistent with your project narrative and your budget. To complete your work plan, see the Project Work Plan Sample Template on ACL’s website at:

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Facl.gov%2Fsites%2 Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fgrants%2Fwork%2520plan%2520template.doc&wdOrigin=BROWS

ELINK.

7. Question: How should we list/cite references?

Answer: There is not a particular citation style that you are required to use with respect to references. You may include your references as footnotes, endnotes, or a separate appendix.

References may be single-spaced and 10 point. Note: If you choose to include your references as a separate appendix, please be sure to clearly label it (see question on project narrative for more information)

8. Question: Can we include hyperlinks within the Project Narrative to certain reports, publications, or products?

Answer: Information you want the Merit Panel Reviewers to take into consideration must be clearly identified and presented in-text in the Project Narrative. Reviewers must evaluate and score an application based on the documents that are presented in the application and must not refer to, or access, external links during the merit review. For more information about the merit review criteria, please see the “Merit review” section beginning on page 32 of the funding opportunity instructions.

Questions Related to Grant Administration

9. Question: What is a “Cooperative Agreement”?

Answer: In the United States, Federal grants are financial assistance issued by the U.S.

Government. A Cooperative Agreement is a variation of a grant, which is awarded when a grant provider anticipates having substantial involvement with the grantee during the performance of a funded project. This grant will be issued as a Cooperative Agreement because it is a significant and multifaceted endeavor in which the Administration on Aging (AoA) anticipates having substantial involvement with the recipient during performance of funded activities. Therefore, throughout the project period of the grant award, AoA will https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Facl.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fgrants%2Fwork%2520plan%2520template.doc&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Facl.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fgrants%2Fwork%2520plan%2520template.doc&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Facl.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fgrants%2Fwork%2520plan%2520template.doc&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK furnish technical assistance, oversight, and support to the grantee to help ensure program success. The Cooperative Agreement structure will allow AoA to provide a higher level of technical assistance, oversight and support than a grant relationship offers. For more information, see the HHS Grants Policy Statement at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf.

10. Question: What are fully funded cooperative agreements?

Answer: This Cooperative Agreement is fully funded upfront for the three-year project and budget period. The grantee will not have to compete for subsequent years of funding during the project award period.

11. Question: How are grantees able to access grant funds? Is payment based on cost reimbursement?

Answer: Grantees will draw down funds using the Payment Management System (PMS).

Costs are not reimbursed, but rather requests are made through PMS for the release of funds.

12. What are the reporting requirements associated with this cooperative agreement?

Answer: Awardees are responsible submitting programmatic progress reports and financial reports. Applicant Notice of Awards will provide more detailed information.

Questions Related to the Budget Narrative/Justification

13. Question: How much federal funding can we request for our project?

Answer: Applicants may request a total budget of $3,260,699 in federal funds for the three-year project (fully funded). All awards are subject to the availability of federal funds.

14. Question: Is there a match requirement?

Answer: No, there is not a match requirement. Applicants that do provide match will not be viewed differently or given more points during the independent review process. We encourage applicants to not provide a match because if they choose to do so, then the match amount will become a part of their award notice and the awardee will be held to that match.

15. Question: Does the budget include indirect costs? What indirect rate can we use?

Answer: Any indirect costs charged by the applicant would be included in the amount of the federal award and should be a part of the up to 30% that the applicant can retain for administrative purposes.

Indirect costs must be supported by an approved indirect cost rate agreement, which also defines the direct charges against which the rate applies. Indirect charges may only be https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf https://pms.psc.gov/ requested if: (1) the applicant has a current indirect cost rate agreement approved by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or another Federal agency; or (2) the applicant is a state or local government agency. State governments should enter the amount of indirect costs determined in accordance with DHHS requirements. If indirect costs are to be included in the application, a copy of the approved indirect cost agreement must be included with the application. Further, if any sub-contractors or sub-grantees are requesting indirect costs, a copy of the latest approved indirect cost agreements must also be included with the application, or reference to an approved cost allocation plan.

You should consult your organization’s financial representative to see if you should be charging indirect costs and if so, what the approved rate is. In the event you are looking to make an initial request, please contact the Project Officer and Grants Management Specialist associated with this funding opportunity announcement.

If the budget includes in-direct costs, then one of the following must be submitted: approved current In-Direct Cost Rate, cost allocation plan, or Facilities & Administrative cost to the grant. The applicant may use the De Minimis Rate if one of the aforementioned documents doesn't accompany the application.

16. Question: Regarding the budget template, can you clarify the difference between non-Federal cash versus non-Federal in kind?

Answer: These are both forms of match, and match is not required for this project. Non- Federal cash is any cash from you or your partners; it does not include funds from the Federal government. In kind includes any third-party non-cash items that are program-related such as meeting room space that can be used as match for this program (please note, there is no match requirement in this funding opportunity). Applicants who voluntarily decide to add a match to their application will be held to that match and the match dollar amounts will be in their Notice of Award.

17. Question: Do funds need to be evenly allocated across the three-year project period?

Answer: No. Funds do not need to be evenly allocated across the project period. Please be sure that your budget is aligned with your work plans with respect to project activities, outcomes, and outputs.

Miscellaneous Questions

18. Question: I just tried to access the informational conference call recording from the information session. I got a message saying the recording has expired. Is there another way to access it?

19.

Answer: The conference call occurred on April 17, 2024. The recording was scheduled to expire 30 days from when the conference call occurred. However, on May 22, 2024 around 12:00 p.m. ET we asked the operator service to make the recording available through May 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. You can access the recording by using the following phone number and passcode: Replay phone number: 888-566-0450; Replay passcode: 4321. For more information about the conference call, please see page 22 of the funding opportunity instructions.

20. Question: Is the focus of this project on increasing engagement in behavioral health evidence-based programs (e.g. PEARLS, WRAP, HealthyIDEAS, et. al.), increasing engagement in health promotion evidence-based programs not focused on behavioral health (e.g. EnhanceFitness, Matter of Balance, et al, recognizing that some of these physical health promotion programs also have impacts on social connectedness or depressive symptoms), or all of the above?

Answer: The purpose of this project is to expand outreach and professional training nationally to increase the participation of older adults with behavioral health conditions in community-based, evidence-based programs, according to the Older Americans Act (OAA) Title III-D and/or the ACL definition of evidence-based programs. Please see page 10 of the funding opportunity instructions for this information.

This funding opportunity uses the following definitions (see page 8 of the funding opportunity instructions for this information):

• Behavioral health conditions refer to mental health and substance use disorders, life stressors and crises, and stress-related physical symptoms.

• Evidence-based programs refer to ACL’s definition of this term.

• The aging and disability services network refers to ACL’s definition of this term, with a focus on reaching aging services professionals such as State Units on Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers, and congregate meal sites.

21. Question: What is the make-up of the application review panels?

Answer: We recruit a variety of reviewers to participate in the review. We convene panels comprised of individuals who may be former or current grantees (who are not applying for the current grant), representatives of various partnering agencies, academics, and other people with expertise related to the focus of this funding opportunity.

22. Question: Does the disclaimer noted in the Cooperative Agreement Terms impact grantee intellectual property rights?

Answer: No. The disclaimer noted in the Cooperative Agreement Terms section of the Notice of Funding Opportunity does not relinquish intellectual property of the grantee.

This disclaimer specifically emphasizes that the points of view or opinions of the grantee do not necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living (ACL) policy.

23. Question: Are we required to have an external evaluator for this grant?

Answer: No, you are not required to engage an external evaluator.

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