Foa_Content_of_CDC-RFA-CE-24-0068.pdf

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) Division of Violence Prevention (DVP)

Rape Prevention and Education: Enhancing Capacity for Sexual Violence Prevention Across State and Territory Sexual Assault Coalitions Opportunity number: CDC-RFA-CE-24-0068

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due April 16, 2024 - 11:59 p.m. ET

Contents Before you begin 3

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 8

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 39

Get registered 40

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 41

Application contents & format 42

Step 4: Learn About Review & Award 47

Application review 48

Award notices 52

Step 5: Submit Your Application 53

Application submission & deadlines 54

Application checklist 55

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 57

Post-award requirements & administration 58

Contacts & Support 62

Appendix 64

Contents 2

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registration is active and up-to-date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks) You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days) You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Apply by April 16, 2024 Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 16, 2024.

Before you begin 3 https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

Jump to a step

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 8

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)

Division of Violence Prevention (DVP)

Decrease sexual violence and reduce disparities by addressing inequities.

Summary Purpose The purpose of the Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) program is to prevent sexual violence (SV) perpetration and victimization by increasing protective factors and decreasing risk factors. This can be achieved through a public health approach that implements and evaluates comprehensive strategies based on the best available evidence.

Have questions? See Contacts & Support.

Key facts

Opportunity Name: Rape Prevention and Education:

Enhancing Capacity for Sexual Violence Prevention Across State and Territory Sexual Assault Coalitions

Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-CE-24-0068

Federal Assistance Listing: 93.136

Key dates

Informational webinar: February 29, 2024, 2:00 p.m. ET

Application deadline: April 16, 2024

Expected award date: May 30, 2024

Expected start date: June 30, 2024

Requirements for State and Territory Sexual Assault (SA) Coalitions The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2022 authorizes CDC to fund SA Coalitions to coordinate and provide prevention activities and assist with prevention programs. We require you to collaborate with State Health Departments (SHDs) and other applicable federal, state, tribal, and local entities engaged in SV prevention to address social and structural determinants of health at the community and societal levels of the social-ecological model

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5 https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ103/PLAW-117publ103.pdf https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ103/PLAW-117publ103.pdf

(SEM). This NOFO supports sexual violence prevention efforts by addressing social and structural determinants of health (SDOH) to achieve health equity.

Our goal is to foster meaningful involvement and coordination among you, your State or Territory Health Department, and Tribal SA Coalitions.

This four-year funding opportunity requires you to:

• Build infrastructure to support SV prevention activities

• Work with the SHDs to develop or enhance a State or Territory Action Plan

• Use data to inform prevention action

• Implement evidence-based community and societal level SV prevention strategies that advance health equity

Intended outcomes The goal is for communities to increase their use of SV prevention strategies and programs that focus on populations and communities with a high burden of SV. The actions outlined in this NOFO will help you:

• Decrease SV perpetration and victimization rates at the state or territory level

• Reduce disparities in SV by addressing associated inequities in social and structural determinants of health

Funding details Type: Grant

Expected total program funding over the performance period:

$26,676,000

Expected total program funding per budget period:

$6,669,000

Expected awards: Up to 56 State and Territory Sexual Assault Coalitions

Maximum funding per applicant per budget period: $135,000

We plan to award projects for four 12-month budget periods for a four-year period of performance.

The number of awards is subject to available funds and program priorities.

Funding strategy As outlined in the 2022 Violence Against Women Act, all designated State and Territory Sexual Assault Coalitions will receive the same funding amount based on the allotment provided in the legislation ($135,000).

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow on your keyboard.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility Who can apply

Eligible applicants The only type of organization that can apply is a designated State and Territory Sexual Assault Coalition, as authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (2022), 42 U.S.C. 280b-1b and 34 U.S.C. 12291.

Other required qualifying factors We will not review your application if it doesn’t meet the following criteria:

• State Sexual Assault Coalition applicants: Your organization must be named on the CDC approved State Sexual Assault Coalition list available at CDC’s Rape Prevention and Education webpage. Include your State Sexual Assault Coalition’s name in the project abstract.

• Territory Sexual Assault Coalition applicants: You must state that you are a Territory Sexual Assault Coalition. Include your coalition’s name in the project abstract.

Cost sharing and matching funds This program has no cost-sharing requirement or matching funds requirement. If you choose to include cost-sharing funds as a contribution to the award, we won’t consider it when we review your application. If you receive an award, voluntary cost-sharing funds will be a requirement of your award and you will need to report on them.

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7 https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/rpe/states.html https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/rpe/states.html

Program description Background Overview Sexual violence (SV) is a complex public health problem that affects people across their lifespan. SV often begins early and can lead to adverse short and long-term health outcomes, contributing to a substantial public health burden. Certain communities face a higher burden of SV due to systemic inequities, which worsen these adverse outcomes.

These health inequities, discussed further in this document, highlight the need to address social and structural determinants of health which is necessary for prevention of SV. SV is linked with various mental and physical health issues that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

Preventing it is a crucial way of addressing these issues.

Achieving health equity requires ongoing societal efforts to:

• Address environmental and systematic (social/structural) injustices

• Overcome economic, social, and other obstacles to health and health care

• Eliminate preventable health disparities

Achieving health equity also requires addressing root causes that disproportionately disadvantage people and communities based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, and ability. These causes can include racism and biases in societal values and public policy.

According to recent NISVS data:

• 67% of non-Hispanic multiracial women in the U.S.

reported experiencing some form of contact SV during their lifetime compared to 35% of Hispanic women

• 72% of bisexual women reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact compared to 47% of heterosexual women

Disparities persist even when accounting for other demographic and socioeconomic factors, such as age or income.

Community and societal level prevention approaches, including achieving health equity and reducing disparities, are important to reduce SV and create lasting change. These strategies focus on settings that buffer against the risk for violence as shown in the outer levels of the SEM. The SEM provides a basis for understanding the way risk and protective factors at one level interact with those at another level.

We require SA Coalitions to collaborate with SHDs and other partners to address social and structural determinants of health at the community and societal levels of the SEM. This can be achieved by increasing capacity across statewide organizations and partners to adapt, implement, and evaluate state and community level strategies to prevent SV, and using data for program planning and improvement. These efforts will increase the reach and impact of prevention strategies and advance health equity by reducing disparities and

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8 https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/social-ecologicalmodel.html increasing the use of data-driven decision making to reduce inequities impacting populations and communities with disproportionately high rates of SV.

Related work This NOFO builds on previous accomplishments and lessons learned from the Rape Prevention and Education program, as well as other funding opportunities and guidance documents:

• CDC-RFA-CE-23-0006 Rape Prevention and Education:

Assessing Coalition Capacity to Advance Primary Prevention

• CDC-RFA-CE19-1902 Rape Prevention and Education:

Using the Best Available Evidence for Sexual Violence Prevention

• Social Determinants of Health at CDC

• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

• Violence Prevention in Practice - VetoViolence - CDC

• Connecting the Dots: An Overview of the Links Among Multiple Forms of Violence

• What is Health Equity? | Health Equity | CDC

For more information, visit Violence Prevention on CDC’s website.

Purpose

• This NOFO will fund State and Territory Sexual Assault

Coalitions to build infrastructure to implement and evaluate programs, practices, and policies aimed at preventing sexual violence and promoting health equity in communities and populations of focus.

• This funding supports you in fostering meaningful involvement and coordination among partners to build sustainable infrastructure for sexual violence prevention.

Approach Overview The logic model in the next section includes the strategies and activities required under this NOFO. It also includes the program’s expected outcomes. The asterisked outcomes are those we expect you to achieve during the 4-year period of performance.

Outcomes are the results that you intend to achieve and usually show the intended direction of change, such as increase or decrease.

Not all outcomes apply to all strategies. The table in the following section shows how they apply. You will use these outcomes as a guide for developing performance measures.

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/342736 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/342736 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/342736 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/306812 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/306812 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/306812 https://www.cdc.gov/about/sdoh/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/#!/ https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/connecting_the_dots-a.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/connecting_the_dots-a.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/whatis/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/index.html

Program logic model The logic model shows the strategies and activities of the program along with the outcomes we expect over time. We will require you to report on the asterisked (*) outcomes.

Table: Program logic model

Strategies and activities Short-term outcomes Intermediate outcomes Long-term outcomes

Strategy 1: Build infrastructure for SV Prevention

• Activity 1.1: Build internal program capacity to facilitate and monitor the implementation of SV prevention efforts

• Activity 1.2: Conduct or leverage an existing SV primary prevention capacity assessment with a focus on health equity

Strategy 2: Collaborate with the SHD to enhance State Action Plan

(SAP)

• Activity 2.1: Collaborate with the SHD to enhance an existing State/ Territory Action Plan to support State and community level implementation of SV prevention

• Activity 2.2: Leverage and meaningfully engage multi-sector partners, resources, and representatives from underserved

• 1.1 Increased recipient capacity to implement and evaluate primary prevention of SV at the community and societal levels*

• 1.2 Increased capacity to promote and incorporate health equity program activities relevant to SV prevention among partner organizations*

• 2.1 Increased partner and community awareness of effective primary prevention strategies to prevent SV*

• 2.2 Increased partner and community awareness of the disparate burden of SV*

• 2.3 Increased coordination and collaboration among partners and between State Health Departments (SHDs), Tribal SA Coalitions, representatives from underserved communities and other sectors to prevent SV*

• 1.3 Sustained capacity for program implementation and SV prevention across the state or territory*

• 2.4 Increased partner support to implement, evaluate, and adapt state and community level strategies to prevent SV*

• 3.4 Increased reach of prevention strategies that impact communities and populations with disproportionately high rates of SV*

• 3.5 Increased efforts to align selected strategies with the needs of populations disproportionally impacted by high rates of SV to promote health equity and reduce inequities in SDOH*

• Decrease in rates of SV, particularly in communities disproportionately burdened with high rates of SV

• Decrease in rates of SV perpetration and victimization at the state or territory level

• Reduce inequities in SDOH that impact disparities in SV rates

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10

Strategies and activities Short-term outcomes Intermediate outcomes Long-term outcomes communities toward SV prevention

Strategy 3: Implement SV prevention approaches

• Activity 3.1: Identify, implement, and adapt SV prevention approaches that promote health equity and reduce disparities in specific SDOH

Strategy 4: Use data to inform action

• Activity 4.1: Gather and synthesize publicly available state and community level data to inform SV prevention

• Activity 4.2: Utilize program evaluation and other available data to select and improve SV prevention strategies

• Activity 4.3: Develop and implement an evaluation plan

• 3.1 Increased community and societal level implementation of SV prevention strategies*

• 3.2 Increased implementation of prevention strategies among communities and populations with disproportionately high rates of

SV*

• 3.3 Increased implementation of prevention strategies that seek to prevent SV by addressing social and structural determinants of health*

• 4.1 Increased access to data that describes inequities within populations and communities with disproportionately high rates of

SV*

• 4.2 Increased monitoring and evaluation activities and sharing of data related to SV prevention*

• 3.6 Increase in protective factors and decrease in risk factors associated with SV*

• 4.3 Increased use of data for decision making to reduce inequities impacting populations and communities with disproportionately high rates of SV*

• 4.4 Increased state and community level monitoring of trends in SV outcomes and SDOH*

* Indicates outcomes you are required to report on.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11

Strategies & activities This section describes the strategies and activities in detail.

We designed them to increase the sustainability of the program beyond the performance period and selected them for their potential to advance health equity.

We expect you to use — and ensure your sub-recipients use

— the public health approach to implement violence prevention programs, practices, or policies.

Required strategies and activities You must implement all strategies and activities in the following sections. At the time of application, you must submit one work plan. Include:

• Your plan to implement each of your strategies and activities in year 1

• A high-level overview for implementing activities in the subsequent 3 years of funding

We provide more details on the work plan requirements in the work plan section.

Strategy 1: Build infrastructure for SV prevention Application requirements

In the approach section of your project narrative, you must clearly describe how you will:

• Build internal capacity through staffing, partnerships, and training to run and monitor prevention programming

• Conduct a primary prevention capacity assessment — or use an existing one — with a focus on addressing health equity to prevent SV

Activity 1.1: Build internal program capacity to facilitate and monitor the implementation of prevention programs, practices, and/or policies

Post-award requirements

You must continually build your internal capacity to facilitate and monitor SV prevention efforts at the community and societal levels and to achieve the strategies and activities of this NOFO. Work with your RPE-funded State or Territory Health Department, Tribal SA Coalition (if applicable), and other local, state, and national SV partners to achieve this.

Examples of capacity-building activities with your partners include:

• Increasing education, support, and training provided to internal staff related to health equity, data to action, and primary prevention of SV

• Hiring, contracting, or partnering with evaluators to expand capacity for tracking SV indicators and monitoring and evaluation of implementation efforts

• Organizing and participating in a learning collaborative with your RPE-funded State or Territory Health Department and tribal SA Coalitions (if applicable)

• Attending or presenting at conferences related to SV prevention and health equity

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12 https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/sites/vetoviolence.cdc.gov/files/pdf/ViolencePreventionFundamentals.pdf

Additionally, to help build capacity, we expect you to participate in the following training and technical assistance activities:

• Regularly scheduled project officer calls

• Evaluation office hours and trainings

• Routine site visits and reverse site visits

• E-learning collaboratives

• Webinars facilitated by CDC-funded national technical assistance providers

• RPE leadership/regional trainings

• Trainings on SV prevention

Activity 1.2: Conduct, or leverage, an existing primary prevention capacity assessment with a focus on health equity

Post-award requirements for recipients without an existing primary prevention capacity assessment

If you don’t have an existing primary prevention capacity assessment that assesses the capacity of your organization, you must conduct a primary prevention capacity assessment to determine your organization’s current ability to enhance and expand primary prevention and health equity work. The assessment should reflect:

• Current staff expertise and available resources

• Available data resources used to identify population(s) and communities of focus

• Current partnerships and how these partnerships are or are not meeting the current and future primary prevention and health equity work needs

• Current technical assistance provision and how well it incorporates health equity

Post-award, we will provide further guidance for conducting a primary prevention capacity assessment.

Post-award requirements for recipients

You must incorporate your assessment findings into all NOFO activities. You must also use the primary prevention capacity assessment in a few ways. For example, you could use the assessment to:

• Identify where gaps exist in capacity to provide primary prevention and address health equity in the implementation of SV prevention strategies

• Develop recommendations to fill gaps in your capacity that will help improve primary prevention and advance health equity

• Share the findings and recommendations with internal programs or leadership through a presentation or report

• Use the findings, recommendations, and relevant data sources to inform discussions about health equity within organizations and with partners

• Use the findings, recommendations, and relevant data sources to inform decision making related to:

◦ Program priorities

◦ Allocating resources and staffing

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13

◦ Training and professional development needs

◦ Strengthening partnerships

◦ Enhancing evaluation

◦ Integrating health equity into programming

Summary of primary prevention capacity assessment

You must submit a summary of a completed or enhanced primary prevention assessment with the 2nd Annual Performance Report (APR). Post-award, we will provide further guidance for completing and submitting this summary.

Strategy 2: Collaborate with SHD to enhance State Action Plan (SAP) Application requirements

In the Approach section of your Project Narrative, describe how you will:

• Collaborate with RPE-funded SHDs, Tribal SA Coalitions (if applicable), and representatives from underserved communities in your state or territory to develop or enhance a SAP to support state and community level implementation and sustainability of SV prevention

• Engage with key partners working to prevent SV

Activity 2.1: Collaborate with the SHD to enhance an existing State or Territory Action Plan to support state and community-level implementation of SV prevention

This involves working with the partners mentioned previously.

Post-award requirements

Within the first six months of being awarded, you must work with your RPE-funded State or Territory Health Department to enhance the existing SAP to strategically and intentionally plan, prioritize, and establish a portfolio of SV prevention approaches based on the best available evidence.

We understand work on this plan may have begun before the start of the performance period for this grant. However, only one SAP per state or territory is necessary. The SHD and SA Coalition should not work on separate plans. Post-award, we will provide further guidance for completing and submitting your SAP.

Activity 2.2: Leverage and meaningfully engage multi-sector partners, resources, and representatives from underserved communities toward SV prevention

Post-award requirements

You must engage in a systematic process to identify potential public and private partnerships that can help with program implementation and evaluation. Also ensure that your sub-recipients, when applicable, engage systematically in identifying partnerships.

Once you identify potential partners, establish informal and formal partnerships through contracts, consultations, or memorandums of understanding. Your partners can assist by:

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14

• Collaborating on program selection and implementation

• Providing guidance on program evaluation and data use

• Providing population specific support

• Providing technical assistance in building program implementation and evaluation capacity of sub-recipients

We expect you to serve as a leader in the field of SV prevention at both national and state levels. You will do this by sharing resources, lessons learned, participating in relevant conferences and meetings, and collaborating with key partners. Examples of how you can meaningfully engage with SV partners include:

• Providing technical assistance

• Engaging with partners in action planning to align SV work across the state or territory

• Collaborating with RPE-funded SHDs and Tribal SA Coalitions

• Sharing and making data available to SHDs and Tribal SA Coalitions

Strategy 3: Implement SV prevention approaches Application requirements

In the approach section of your project narrative, you must clearly describe:

• The focus areas selected (in the next section) and how you used data to inform this decision

• Plans for implementing at least one program, practice, or policy in two of the three focus areas that aligns with your state-level action plan (SAP)

• How you will identify, implement, and adapt SV prevention strategies that advance health equity through reduced disparities in specific SDOH, with a focus on implementation at the community and societal levels

• How the proposed programs, practices, or policies will address inequities in social and structural determinants of health to advance health equity and prevent SV before it starts

• How you will make your programs accessible and available to participants regardless of age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, ability, or socioeconomic status

Activity 3.1: Identify, implement, and adapt SV prevention approaches that advance health equity and reduce disparities in specific SDOH, with a focus on implementation at the community and societal levels

Application requirements

As part of your application, you must propose a plan to implement programs, policies, and practices in at least two of the three following focus areas (see the table for examples and link to CDC’s Sexual Violence Prevention Resources for Action).

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15

Table: Focus Areas

Focus Areas Description Examples of approaches with existing evidence

Focus Area 1:

Strengthen Economic Supports

Employment, stable housing, financial stability, and food security are important protective factors for women’s risk of SV victimization. Policies and programs that work to improve financial stability can also reduce the risk factors associated with SV victimization.

• Strengthen Household Financial Security

• Family-Friendly Workplace Policies

Focus Area 2:

Create Protective Environments

To achieve population level reductions in SV rates, SV prevention should include community and societal level strategies that change community characteristics, so they are safe, healthy, and protective. Community and societal level prevention strategies go beyond changing individual attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, and focus on modifying community structures, social norms, environment, and policies.

• Improve School Climate and Safety

• Improve Organizational Environments

• Reduce Exposure to Community-level Risks

Focus Area 3:

Promote Social Norms that Protect Against Violence

Approaches that focus on changing the social norms (group-level beliefs and expectations of members behavior) related to the acceptance of violence and restrictive gender norms of priority groups have the potential to reduce rates of SV perpetration and victimization.

• Bystander Approaches

• Men and Boys as Allies in Prevention

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16 https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/218#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/218#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/35#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/35#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/211#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/211#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/154#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/154#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/139#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/139#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/212#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/214#!/ https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/node/214#!/

Post-award requirements

Begin implementation of at least one program, practice, or policy in year one of the NOFO. We don’t require you to implement efforts in all focus areas at once.

You must also choose one of the following 2 options:

Option 1: Select program, practice, or policy efforts from the listed focus areas

Option 2: Continue (or propose) a program, practice, or policy area that is not included as an example in the resources in the next section, but meets at least one of the two following criteria:

• Fits within one of the focus areas of this NOFO and has documented evidence of effectiveness

• Includes one or more of the following criteria:

◦ Is grounded in theory of primary prevention of SV

◦ Has evidence of helping prevent SV or lower the risk of SV through a less rigorous evaluation for the population of focus

◦ Has been successfully implemented before you submit your application

◦ Addresses risk and protective factors for SV

◦ Demonstrates a link between the theory of the program or policy effort and specific outcomes addressing SV

◦ Is feasible to implement and evaluate

Post-award, we encourage you to work with your assigned project officer to review any proposed programs or policy areas that are not included in the previous examples or in the resources.

When you submit your 1st APR, make sure to include:

• Details on the planned implementation of these prevention efforts

• Any updates you make to your programs, policies, and practices

Post-award, we will provide further guidance on submitting APRs.

Resources on programs, practices, and policies

Some elements of the approaches in these focus areas include activities at the individual or relationship level.

However, we encourage you to focus most of your implementation efforts at the community and societal levels.

These resources may be helpful.

• We based the specific focus areas for the SV prevention strategies and approaches of interest on guidance from CDC’s VetoViolence Violence Prevention in Practice tool.)

• You can learn more about informing policy with CDC’s POLARIS resources and CDC prohibitions against lobbying in Additional Requirement – 12: Lobbying Restrictions

• You can find more details on selecting, implementing and evaluating strategies, approaches, and programs based

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17 https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/#!/ https://www.cdc.gov/policy/polaris/policyprocess/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/policy/polaris/policyprocess/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-12.html https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-12.html on the best available evidence in the Sexual Violence Prevention Resources for Action

• We encourage you to use CDC’s Connecting the Dots framework and other relevant research to understand the causes and connections between different forms of violence.

Adaptations to programs, practices, and policies

Plan ahead for changes to your program, practices, and policies when possible. Adaptations may include additions, deletions, or modifications to content or delivery methods, and changes to sequence. These changes have the potential to affect the fidelity of your program. We expect you to use the Essential Elements Framework to assess whether those adaptations may affect a strategy’s effectiveness and whether the adaptations being you consider align with the underlying theory and intent of the strategy.

See Select, Adapt, Evaluate | VetoViolence for more information about how to adapt programs while retaining their essential elements. You may determine that you need one or more adaptations to:

• Increase implementation feasibility given limited time and resources

• Improve the community’s ability to understand and engage with the program content

• Increase the relevance of the program given cultural characteristics of the population and delivery setting

Tracking and evaluating adaptations

You must indicate and track any planned adaptations in your implementation and evaluation plan for each impacted program or policy. You must also track any additional adaptations made during implementation, such as field adaptations, and document the rationale to support the need for these changes.

Consider the impact on evaluation when adapting your implementation approach. Adaptations that change the essential elements of a program or policy may require a more rigorous evaluation. We will provide guidance and tools for tracking and planning adaptations after award.

Strategy 4: Use data to inform action Application requirements

In the Approach Section of your project narrative, you must clearly describe:

• How you will collaborate with the RPE-funded State or Territory Health Department to gather and synthesize key data

• Your plans to identify priority populations and communities, including relevant data sources you will use

• How you will use data to select complementary programs and policies that influence the conditions that contribute to health inequities and impact SDOH associated with SV risk

• How you will use data to address inequities based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation,

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 18 https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/SV-Prevention-Resource_508.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/SV-Prevention-Resource_508.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/connectingthedots.html https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/connectingthedots.html https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/adaptationguidance.pdf https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/adaptation-guidance/ geography, socioeconomic status, disability status, primary language, and health literacy in your selected population and communities of focus

• How you will use data to address issues of health equity facing your selected population and communities of focus

Activity 4.1: Collaborate with SHDs to gather and synthesize publicly available state and community level data to inform SV prevention and track disparities in specific SDOH and rates of SV in populations selected for intervention

Post-award requirements

We expect you to collaborate with your RPE-funded State or Territory Health Departments to identify, track, and report on state level or community level SV indicators of this NOFO.

We define indicators as measures or other factors with empirical or theoretical links to SV. These should include SV outcomes, risk and protective factors, SDOH, or conditions that can serve as proxies for SV and are periodically available to track over time.

Selected indicators must link back to the outcome evaluation component of the RPE evaluation plan. See evaluation and performance measurement for more information about specific measurement requirements.

We expect you to:

• Collaborate with the RPE-funded State or Territory Health Department to select SV indicators to track and include them in the RPE evaluation plan. We encourage you to select indicators from publicly accessible state level and local level data sources that can measure:

◦ SV outcomes, such as SV perpetration or victimization

◦ Risk and protective factors related to SV, such as proxies for gender norms

◦ SDOH, such as income inequality and policies

• Collaborate with the state or territory RPE recipients to select indicators that may help identify how social and structural determinants of health inequities link with disproportionate risk of violence within your state and intended communities.

• Collaborate with the RPE-funded State or Territory Health Department to develop a data dissemination plan for the monitoring and tracking of selected indicators. Include actions you will take to use and disseminate this information to partners and communities.

• Some examples of data dissemination activities include:

◦ Developing a data dashboard or community-level report that highlights populations with the highest burden of SV to identify priority areas and intervention needs

◦ Sharing data with partners and other organizations doing SV prevention work

◦ Using data to inform prevention activities, such as education and social marketing campaigns

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 19

◦ Tracking and reporting the selected SV indicators each year using CDC’s DVP Partners Portal

• We recommend that you support your evaluation activities by:

◦ Using CDC guidance

◦ Collaborating with your assigned evaluation officer and CDC-funded technical assistance providers

◦ Using existing guidance about selecting indicators from the VetoViolence Violence Indicators Guide & Database

Activity 4.2: Use program evaluation and other available data to select and improve SV prevention strategies for populations and communities with disproportionately high SV rates

Post-award requirements

To address root causes of violence, we expect you to use publicly available and relevant data to consider how SDOH have contributed to SV-related risk and protective factors in your state or communities. Sources might include YRBSS, County Health Rankings, or BRFSS.

We also expect you to address the identified SDOH and risk and protective factors by selecting and implementing appropriate program or policy efforts that include disproportionately impacted populations and communities.

Post-award, we expect you to:

• Develop a plan for how you will use evaluation findings and data for continuous program improvement and include this information in your RPE evaluation plan

• Engage and promote continuous program improvement practice among sub-recipients, if applicable

• Share lessons learned with any sub-recipients, other partners within the state or territory, and other RPE-funded recipients

Activity 4.3: Develop and implement an evaluation plan in collaboration with RPE-funded State Health Departments & tribal SA Coalitions

Post-award requirements

You must develop and implement an RPE evaluation plan that includes process and outcome evaluation. An evaluation plan should not only look at population-level improvements in health, but also the effects of your prevention efforts on addressing health disparities and inequities.

See evaluation and performance measurement for specific evaluation plan expectations.

We expect you to:

• Submit a logic model with your evaluation plan

• Develop and submit an evaluation plan, due at the end of the first fiscal year of this NOFO

• Implement the evaluation plan and report annually on measures and indicators

• Use CDC’s DVP Partners Portal to report progress on program evaluation activities, any findings to date, and

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 20 https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-indicators-guide-database/home https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-indicators-guide-database/home any updates you made to the evaluation plan as part of annual reporting

• Support sub-recipients to track implementation measures and outcomes, if applicable

• Ensure that sub-recipients’ implementation and evaluation activities align with and contribute to SAP and evaluation plan efforts, if applicable

We encourage you to include your state’s RPE-funded SHDs and Tribal SA Coalitions in the development of this evaluation plan. This will help you coordinate SV evaluation efforts across the state or territory.

We also recommend that you support your evaluation by:

• Using guidance provided by CDC

• Collaborating with your assigned evaluation officer and CDC-funded technical assistance providers

• Using existing guidance about evaluation from the VetoViolence EvaluACTION tool

Post-award, we will provide specific guidance for finalizing your logic model and RPE evaluation plan. We will provide feedback on your application materials to facilitate completion of these deliverables.

Outcomes You will determine how effective your implemented approaches and activities are by using measurable outcomes.

Outcomes are results that the program intends to achieve and usually indicate the intended direction of change. This section includes outcomes we expect you to report progress on and achieve within the period of performance.

We expect you to achieve the asterisked outcomes in the logic model. You must meet:

• Short-term outcomes within the first two years

• Intermediate outcomes within three to four years

Post-award requirements We expect you to implement your planned activities using a public health approach that aligns with the short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes in the NOFO logic model.

You must submit a state level logic model with your first APR along with your evaluation plan. You do not need to submit it with your application. We will provide specific guidance after award.

You should:

• Use the NOFO logic model outcomes as a guide to align your activities

• Add details to these outcomes and additional outcomes specific to your activities and state or community context

• Include connections and relationships among SHDs, SA Coalitions, and Tribal Coalitions as well as risk and protective factors

• Illustrate links across implemented activities, short-term outcomes, intermediate outcomes, and long-term outcomes to paint a cohesive understanding of your program

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 21 https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/evaluaction/home

Example risk factors:

• Violent programming

• Harmful norms around masculinity and femininity

• Cultural norms that support aggression toward others

• Diminished economic opportunities or high unemployment rates

• Poor neighborhood support and cohesion

• High number of places selling alcohol (high alcohol outlet density)

Example protective factors:

• Community support

• Connections and commitment to school

• Connections to family

With technical guidance and support from us, you will identify, measure, and monitor indicators that align with the outcomes related to the activities and strategies in your logic model.

We only expect you to achieve the short-term and intermediate outcomes during the period of performance.

However, we will also work with you to identify and develop strategies for measuring outcomes that track long term impact on SV and health equity.

We require that you report your progress and accomplishments using the DVP Partners Portal. The evaluation and performance measurement section describes the methods for evaluation and performance monitoring.

Focus populations To lower SV perpetration and victimization rates significantly, it’s important to address social and structural determinants of health that influence SV. In collaboration with CDC and key partners, you should work to reduce disparities and inequities to advance health equity among populations and communities disproportionately affected by SV. This includes:

• Racial/ethnic minorities

• People with disabilities

• Non-English-speaking populations

• Tribal populations

• Rural communities

• People in other geographically underserved areas

• People otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality

• Sexual and gender minorities

• People with limited health literacy

In this NOFO, we don’t define specific priority populations or communities of focus. However, we expect you to use data to identify priority populations, communities, and environments that experience inequities and are at risk for SV due to disproportionate lack of access to conditions for health and safety, such as Social and Structural Determinants of Health.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 22

Application requirements In your application:

• Identify your focus population

• Provide a detailed description of how you intend to identify priority populations and communities, including how you will use data to prioritize and select priority populations and communities

• Describe relevant data sources that you will use for this process; we encourage you to collaborate with your SHD to identify available data sources

• Describe the elevated risk in selected populations or communities of focus and track other data describing them, such as socioeconomic status, health literacy, geography, and other relevant indicators

• Demonstrate the populations or communities of focus at the highest risk for SV, describe the sources of data cited in your application narrative

Sources for this data can include:

• National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey

(NISVS)

• Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)

• County Health Rankings and road maps

• Law enforcement data

• Interactive state, county, and city level data dashboards

• Socioeconomic indicators like poverty rates, population change, unemployment rates, and education levels

Include a description of how you:

• Will address inequities based on factors like race, ethnicity, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, geography, socioeconomic status, disability status, primary language, and health literacy

• Plan to address issues of health equity facing your selected population and communities of focus

Post-award requirements You must describe populations and communities disproportionately burdened by SV, and populations at the highest risk for SV using available resources. These resources may include:

• A map of the community data, such as census tract, zip code, and neighborhoods, relevant to your selected population

• Demographic composition of the selected areas or communities of focus

• The percent of population in the area with income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level

• SV prevalence, risk, and protective factor data for selected populations demonstrating disproportionate risk for SV

Health disparities The goal of health equity is for everyone to have a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Health disparities are often caused by social determinants that

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 23 influence which populations are most disproportionately affected by health conditions.

A health disparity is a difference in health burdens between groups of people with differing social determinants of health.

Social determinants of health are conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age. These determinants affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.

Application requirements

You must describe in your application how your proposed activities and strategies will address inequities in social and structural determinants of health to advance health equity.

Post-award requirements

You should work to reduce SV perpetration and victimization risk factors across the entire population of focus. Place special emphasis on eliminating the health inequities that contribute to higher rates of violence victimization and perpetration. You are expected to use data to identify populations at risk for SV due to inequitable access to the conditions needed for health and safety. By eliminating inequities in SDOH, you can reduce risk factors or increase protective factors for SV victimization and perpetration.

Promoting Health Equity: A Resource to Help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health is an additional resource to help communities address social determinants of health.

Equal opportunities This NOFO, including funding and eligibility, is not limited based on, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy) or other constitutionally protected statuses.

Organizational capacity Application requirements In your application, you must describe your vision and approach for effectively implementing all of this NOFO’s requirements. You must provide details about your capacity to implement the NOFO activities within the following areas:

• General capacity: You must demonstrate an adequate and appropriate capacity to lead RPE efforts and support the requirements of this grant. You must describe your:

◦ Expertise in SV prevention, health equity, and partnership development

◦ Capacity in program planning, program evaluation, performance monitoring, budget management, financial reporting, personnel management

◦ Ability to develop, award, and manage required procurement efforts

◦ Capacity to initiate the activities required under this grant

◦ Capacity to successfully implement and evaluate programming at the community and societal levels

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 24 https://www.cdc.gov/about/sdoh/index.html https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/11130/cdc_11130_DS1.pdf https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/11130/cdc_11130_DS1.pdf

• Organizational capacity: You must also show your organizational infrastructure and capacity by attaching:

◦ An organizational chart, including charts for significant partners and contractors

◦ A staffing plan describing key staff who will have a critical role in the RPE program and information about the role of contractors, consultants, and partners who will implement the strategies and activities

◦ Resumes for staff who will have a substantial role in the leadership of this project

• Capacity for partnership and collaboration: You must describe your:

◦ Experience developing and maintaining multi-sectoral partnerships, including approaches for engagement

◦ Experience implementing SV prevention strategies and activities in collaboration with multi-sectoral partners

◦ Plan to develop partnerships as part of the NOFO activities if they don’t exist

◦ Plan for collaborating with RPE-funded State or Territory Health…