Foa_Content_of_CDC-RFA-EH-23-0005.pdf

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Supporting Communities to Reduce Lead Poisoning Help families stay safe from the dangers of lead poisoning.

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Table of Contents

Before You Begin 3

1 Opportunities Overview 4

Program Summary 5

Need for This Program 6

2 Eligibility Information 7

Eligibile Applicants 8

Eligibility Conditions 8

3 Application and Submission 9

Required Registrations 10

Submission Instructions 10

4 Developing Your Application 11

Step 1: Project Narrative 12

Step 2: Project Abstract 21

Step 3: Budget Narrative 22

Step 4: Attachments 24

Step 5: Forms 26

5 Application Review Information 27

Step 1: Initial Review 28

Step 2: Merit Review 29

Step 3: Selection Process 31

Step 4: Risk Review 32

6 Federal Award Notices and Contacts 33

Federal Award Notices 34

Federal Awarding Agency Contacts 34

7 Supporting Information 35

Exemptions for Paper Submissions 36

Setting Measurable Objectives 36

Letter of Support Template 36

National Priorities and Related Programs 39

Definitions 39

8 Post-Award Requirements 40

CDC Monitoring and Accountability Approach 41

Financial Management 41

Sustainability 41

Administrative and National Policy Requirements 42

Reporting 43

Closing 45

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this grant, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now.

Sam.gov Registration

• To register go to SAM.gov Entity Registration (SAM.gov | Entity Registrations) and click Get Started.

• See a checklist for what you will need to register in SAM.

• The Entity Registration page also includes a video that walks you through the registration process. If you need help, you can call 866- 606-8220 or live chat with the Federal Service Desk.

Grants.gov Registration

Register in Grants.gov. See Registering with Grants.gov. Make sure to allow a few days to complete.

Photo of a person’s right hand holding a pen over a docuent on a desk.

https://sam.gov/content/home https://iae-prd-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/entity-checklist.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20230524T183442Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=86399&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAY3LPYEEX3RP4EDU2%2F20230524%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=2a1954132de915f9f0981c600f1ddbc081a095f130316119c48911153f390998 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://www.grants.gov/register.html

Opportunity Overview1 In this section

Program Summary

Need For This Program

Section 1: Opportunity Overview 5

Program Summary This program is intended to help families avoid the dangers of lead in their homes. Applicants will need a strong history of trusted ties with both community members and the programs that serve them.

The focus is on communities with higher chances that lead remains in their homes Funded projects are expected to find and work with community partners, improve access to resources and services, and teach about the dangers of lead poisoning and how to avoid it.

Learn more on the Info Call. Check the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program website for date and time.

CDC will award projects for the first 12 months. CDC expects to award 2 more separate 12-month budget periods after that. Those separate budget period awards depend on whether:

• Funds are available.

• There is satisfactory progress by the recipient.

• There is a decision that making the award is in the best interest of the federal government and the people they serve.

Key Activities

• Community engagement

• Prevention education

• Family support

Opportunity Snapshot

Eligible applicants: Unrestricted

Type: Grant

Expected funding: $6M total over 3 years

Expected awards: 10

Match or cost share: None

Funding range: Up to $200K per budget period

Average award: $125,000 per budget period

Period of performance: 36 months

Budget period: 12 months

Estimated award date: 9/30/2023

Deadline for Applications: July 31, 2023

Have questions?

404-639-0618 or LPPS@cdc.gov https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm

6Section 1: Opportunity Overview

Program Need The United States has removed lead from gasoline, residential paint, and consumer products.

Even so, lead exposure continues to harm many children each year. We need to do better at testing for high-blood lead levels and following up with treatment, especially for children who are at high risk of exposure. Lead exposure in young children can cause problems with their learning, development, and behavior.

Children from low-income families and certain racial and ethnic groups are more likely to be exposed to lead.

We need to eliminate these disparities and protect all children from lead poisoning. The best way to protect children is to remove lead from the environment before they get exposed to it. But it’s also important to test their blood for lead and provide treatment if needed.

Organizations located in communities are trusted partners because they have built strong relationships and understand the needs of their communities.

By working with others, the organizations can create a tailored approach to reducing lead exposure based on communities’ unique circumstances, including factors like race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography.

This funding opportunity supports organizations to:

• work with partners from different sectors,

• provide better access to resources and services for families and children,

• increase knowledge and skills related to lead poisoning, and

• educate the community about the risk of lead exposure and disparities in blood lead levels based on factors like race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography.

For more background see:

American Healthy Homes Survey II Lead Findings FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan | The White House

The main way children get exposed to lead is in their homes.

Around 24 million homes in the U.S. have dangerous lead-based paint.

Up to 10 million homes have pipes that can contaminate drinking water.

Lead can come from other sources like some traditional remedies and cosmetics used in cultural practices, hobbies that use lead, and certain foods and products.

https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/HH/documents/AHHS_II_Lead_Findings_Report_Final_29oct21.pdf https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/HH/documents/AHHS_II_Lead_Findings_Report_Final_29oct21.pdf

Eligibility Information2 In this section

Eligible Applicants

Eligibility Conditions

Section 2: Eligibility Information 8

Eligible Applicants These types of entities can apply:

• State, county, city, township, and special district governments

• Independent school districts

• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education

• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

• Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities

• Native American tribal organizations, other than federally recognized tribal governments

• Nonprofits with or without a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS

Cost Sharing or Matching This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) does not have a cost sharing or matching requirement. CDC does encourage leveraging other resources to promote sustainability.

Eligibility Conditions While all applicants listed can apply, to be eligible for this opportunity they must also:

• Receive less than $2 million per year in federal funds within the last five years, directly or indirectly.

• Demonstrate a record of successful work in underserved communities.

This work must include promoting environmental justice, building coalitions to advance health equity, and conducting grassroot community education.

• Be physically located in the community they plan to serve at the time of application.

To meet these requirements, you must:

• Attach a letter from your authorizing business official attesting that the organization receives less than $2 million per year in federal funds within the last five years, directly or indirectly and provides a physical address of the organization. Depending on the system, your business official may also be called the authorized organization representative (AOR). See Attachments.

• Attach three letters of support that describe successful work in underserved communities. Include information to support requirement 2 above. See Attachments.

• Provide a physical address that is clearly within the community you plan to serve.

Application and Submission3 In this section

Required Registrations

Submission Instructions

Section 3: Application and Submission 10

Required Registrations

❏ Register in Grants.gov. See Registering with Grants.gov. Make sure to allow a few days.

Submission Instructions and Tips Grants.gov has information about the online application process. See How to Apply for Grants at Grants.gov for electronic submission instructions.

• Consider how you will collaborate with your team. You can use your own software to prepare your application or can use Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where your team can edit at the same time. For instructions, go to Get Started on Your Workspace Application.

• For more help go to Training Resources and Videos for Grants.gov.

• Make sure that your version of Adobe will work with Grants.gov. See Adobe Software Compatibility.

• Allow enough time to prepare and submit the application before the closing date and time. If you have a slow internet connection, be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Grants.gov will send an error or success email to the business official (AOR).

Application Deadline The application deadline is July 31, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET. If you submit your application after the deadline, CDC will not process it.

Address to Request Application Package You can find the application package online.

Go to Grants.gov FIND and search for opportunity number CDC-RFA-EH-23-0005.

Submission Methods Electronic Submission. You must submit your application through Grants.gov unless CDC has given you an exemption for a paper submission. See Exemptions for Paper Submissions. Everything you upload in Grants.

gov must be in a PDF format.

Submission Dates and Times Information Conference Call will be June 14, 2023. Check the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program | CDC Website for the time and number for the informational conference call.

Intergovernmental Review This program is not subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. No action is needed.

Need help?

For SAM: Call 866-606-8220 or go to the Federal Service Desk.

For Grants.gov: Call 1-800-518-4726 or email support@grants.gov.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei https://www.grants.gov/register.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm mailto:support%40grants.gov?subject=

Developing Your Application4 In this section

Step 1: Project Narrative

Step 2: Project Abstract

Step 3: Budget Narrative

Step 4: Attachments

Step 5: Forms, Certifications, and Assurances

Section 4: Developing Your Application 12

Step 1: Project Narrative Use the Project Narrative Attachment form.

What You Need to Know There are four sections to your project narrative:

1. Community of Focus (20 points): Who are you going to serve?

2. Capabilities (40 points): Why are you right to serve the community of focus?

3. Activities (25 points): What are you going to do?

4. Measuring Performance (15 points): How will you know if you’ve helped?

See Merit Review Criteria for more details on scoring criteria.

Required Format

Page limit: 10 pages

File Name: “Project Narrative”

File Format: PDF

Font size: 12-point

Spacing: Single space

Margins: 1-inch

Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches

Language: English

Include page numbers

Upload in the Project Narrative Attachment Form

Section 4: Developing Your Application 13

1. Community of Focus: Who are you going to serve?

What You Need to Know Projects must focus on children who are:

• Under six years old with a specific focus on children under three years old.

• At high risk of lead exposure and lead poisoning. To assess the risk to children consider whether they are:

J Living in homes built before 1978 or low-income or subsidized housing with suspected or known lead hazards.

J In areas with hazardous waste sites or industrial lead emissions.

J Members of families who are Medicaid-eligible or receive Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

Resources

• To help you identify communities with the most need and how to describe them, please go to the Justice40 Initiative.

• See also Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.

This section is worth 20 out of 100 total points.

See Merit Review Criteria for more details on scoring criteria.

What You Need to Write

• Say what community you plan to serve.

Tell us where it is.

• Say why you chose that community. Tell us about the people who live there. Give at least three facts that support why the people in the community are in need and underserved.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/M-21-28.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/

Section 4: Developing Your Application 14

2. Capabilities: Why are you right to serve the community of focus?

What You Need to Know Your organization must:

• Have a history of trusted connection to the community of focus.

• Currently be physically located in the community you plan to serve.

• Demonstrate the past results of your work in the community, including how you approached the issue or problem and how you included community members in the process.

Your senior project team must:

• Have direct experience working in the community. May include lived experience.

• Have had a management role in a project in the past.

• Have the ability to manage or find resources to help:

J collect and use performance data to improve and report results.

J manage and report financial information.

This section is worth 40 out of 100 total points.

See Merit Review Criteria for more details on scoring criteria.

What You Need to Write

• Describe your organization’s capabilities to carry out your planned activities, serve your target community, and achieve the relevant outcomes in Program Outcomes.

Briefly describe the roles of one or more senior team members including their qualifications.

• Describe your prior experience and accomplishments working in the target community. Include how you have previously included community members in a project. Explain your relationship to the target community. Provide examples that show a trusted relationship.

• Describe any planned partnerships.

Explain why you plan to partner with them and what capabilities they bring to support the work.

• Document the permanent, physical address where you will carry out the activities in your proposal. It must be in the community you propose to serve

Attachments Resumes or position descriptions.

Section 4: Developing Your Application 15

3. Activities: What are you going to do?

What You Need to Know You willl need to:

• Use one or more of the strategies outlined below or design your own. The strategies

• Work towards the outcomes outlined in the logic model in the Measuring Performance section.

This section is worth 25 out of a 100 total points.

See Merit Review Criteria for more details on scoring criteria.

What You Need to Write If you are using the strategies listed below, say which ones you plan to use. If not, briefly summarize your own strategies.

• Explain the activities that you will use to carry out the strategies and why you chose them. Describe how your methods are culturally appropriate for the members of the community.

• Describe how you will collaborate with other programs and organizations to carry out your strategies and activities.

Pick 1, 2, or all 3

Strategy A:

Activate the Community

Strategy B:

Improve Access to Services

Strategy C:

Educate the Community

Section 4: Developing Your Application 16

Strategy A:

Activate the Community

Activate community members and create community coalitions.

This strategy creates opportunities for community members and different types of partners to:

• Engage in addressing the causes of lead exposure.

• Be active and help others get information on lead poisoning prevention.

• Support fellow community members to get the resources they need.

Activities can include:

• Recruit, hire, and train community members from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Roles might include community champions, block captains, trusted ambassadors, trusted messengers, etc.

• Bring together and mobilize a coalition of community members and organizations. Include multiple sectors, like businesses, funding agencies, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, parents, youth organizations, child advocacy organizations, early childhood development partners, and others that serve your community.

• Meet regularly and actively make decisions together. The goal is to change factors that contribute to childhood lead poisoning in the community.

• Create groups where people can learn together and share knowledge with each other. These groups could include mentors and coaches who can offer guidance and support to others. By doing this, partners can regularly exchange information and help each other.

J Gain knowledge to understand barriers and access necessary resources and services to increase blood lead testing in children and reduce the effects of lead in children already exposed.

J Get the skills and resources to investigate and improve the health of their community related to elevated blood lead levels. Then plan and implement, to change the environment and improve health.

J Share information about financial risks and burdens associated with lead poisoning in underserved communities.

Section 4: Developing Your Application 17

Strategy B:

Improve Access to Services

Work with referral networks of national, state, or local systems to help connect families with the resources and services to identify lead poisoning and reduce its effects through improved nutrition, education, and help with behavior issues.

Activities can include:

• Make sure that existing programs to prevent lead poisoning in children are being used and promoted. See the CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for many of these programs. These programs should focus on removing lead sources, making sure children get tested for lead in their blood, and helping families affected by lead get the services they need.

• Find liaisons to serve as a resource and partner with them to increase awareness, identify children at risk for lead poisoning, and make referrals. Look for liaisons in schools, healthcare, community groups,

• Create, share, and promote an inventory of available services, supports and resources.

• Connect and make referrals for families with children living in the community to home lead assessments, blood lead testing, and transportation services.

Strategy C:

Educate the Community

Grow the skills and knowledge to identify the causes of lead poisoning and address its consequences through targeted outreach, marketing, or education to underserved communities.

Activities can include:

• Organize workshops and training sessions for parents who have children between 0 to 3 years old and live in the focus areas. These workshops will focus on educating parents about preventing lead poisoning in young children.

• Teach at least five people in the community how to train others. This group of trainers will then give educational talks to organizations like Head Start programs, daycares, preschools, schools, parent-teacher groups, and child advocacy organizations.

• Reach out to community members in a way that respects their culture and uses their languages. Teach them about how to prevent lead poisoning. This could involve going door-to-door and using social media to spread the word.

• Create communication materials like newsletters, brochures, web communications, story sharing, and more.

• Explain to the community the importance of educating local and state policy makers so that they can make informed decisions.

• Organize meetings like workshops, town halls, and forums. Use trusted people to get more community members involved.

Section 4: Developing Your Application 18

4. Measuring Performance: How will you know if you’ve helped?

What You Need to Know Our Program Outcomes Table on the next page (pg. 19) includes the program’s expected outcomes. The Short-Term and Intermediate Outcomes are those we expect you to achieve during the three-year period of performance. Not all outcomes apply to all strategies.

You will use these objectives as a guide for setting your measurable objectives.

This section is worth 15 points.

See Merit Review Criteria for more details on scoring criteria.

Objectives Template with Example

Strategy and Outcome

Strategy 2.

Improve access to services.

Increased number of families and children referred and connected to services.

Objective

Increase the number of children receiving blood lead testing by 15% within the first 12 months of the project.

Activities

• Community champion outreach

• Transportation services.

• Referral follow up.

Responsible Person’s Title

Project director

What You Need to Write

• Identify the outcomes you expect to achieve by the end of the period of performance.

• Include specific objectives and tie them to the activities that support meeting the objective.

• Explain the data you will use to measure your objectives and how you will collect

it. What information and data sources will you use?

• Describe how you will measure them.

You can use the template on the left (Objectives Template with Example) if you like.

Resources

• For information and assistance on developing an evaluation plan, see the CDC Framework for Program Evaluation in https://www.cdc.gov/evaluation/framework/index.htm

Section 4: Developing Your Application 19

Program Outcomes Logic Model

Strategies and Activities

Strategy 1:

Activate the Community

Bring together the community and create coalitions.

Strategy 2:

Improve Access to Services

Connect and make referrals of families and children to resources and services.

Strategy 3:

Educate the Community

Conduct focused outreach, marketing, or education to underserved communities by organizing and engaging with policy makers.

Short-Term Outcomes

Increased lead poisoning prevention capacity in underserved communities.

(All strategies)

Improved engagement between Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPPs), service providers, and local community partnership groups. (All strategies)

Increased number of families and children referred and connected to services. (All strategies)

Increased community awareness and knowledge of lead exposure risks and potential mitigation strategies.

(Strategies 1 & 3)

Intermediate Outcomes

Improved coordination of lead poisoning prevention programming, education, and training at the community level. (All strategies)

Increased availability and accessibility to lead hazard control assessments and blood lead screening and testing services. (All strategies)

Increased crossed-sector partnerships. (All strategies)

Increased promotion of factors that minimize and mitigate the risk of lead exposure and poisoning in communities. (All strategies)

Long-Term Outcomes

Reduced risk of lead exposure in underserved communities.

(Strategies 1 & 3)

Reduced disparities in blood lead levels by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geography, or other factors. (All strategies)

Reduced adverse consequences of lead exposure for children less than 6 years of age. (All strategies)

Section 4: Developing Your Application 20

Performance Measures Performance measures are tools to help demonstrate achievement of program outcomes and drive improvement.

To measure performance, you will need to set measurable objectives for

• The strategy or strategies it applies to.

• What you want to change such as an increase or decrease something.

• How much you want to change it and by when.

• The activity you will use to drive the change.

See Setting Measurable Objectives for guidance.

To learn more, see Developing SMART Objectives on the CDC website.

Tools to Help You

To design your measures, you can use the resources below:

• CDC-ATSDR Environmental Justice Index.

• CDC - Environmental Justice Dashboard.

• US Department of Housing and Urban Development – Deteriorated Paint Index by Tract.

• CDC- National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network

• White House Council on Environmental Quality - Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool

We encourage you to also build on previous or existing work, where possible. An excellent example is The Pew Charitable Trusts – 10 Policies to Prevent and Respond to Childhood Lead Exposure. The report looks at the dangers that different communities face and talks about solutions involving nutritional, educational, and behavioral programs.

Resources

For information and assistance on developing an evaluation plan, see the CDC Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health.

https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/phcommunities/resourcekit/evaluate/develop-smart-objectives.html https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/eji/index.html https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/Applications/ejdashboard/ https://hudgis-hud.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/87d27659ef1d4194a4fa706b72eec698/explore?location=16.499245%2C0.315564%2C1.73 https://hudgis-hud.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/87d27659ef1d4194a4fa706b72eec698/explore?location=16.499245%2C0.315564%2C1.73 https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/DataExplorer/?query=376692a3-1cac-46c1-ada0-6e930f666a22 https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#9.7/33.7674/-84.4203 https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#9.7/33.7674/-84.4203 https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2017/08/10-policies-to-prevent-and-respond-to-childhood-lead-exposure https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2017/08/10-policies-to-prevent-and-respond-to-childhood-lead-exposure https://www.cdc.gov/evaluation/framework/index.htm

Section 4: Developing Your Application 21

Step 2: Project Abstract Use the Project Abstract Summary form.

What You Need to Know

Write a summary of the proposed project including the purpose and outcomes. Do not include any proprietary or confidential information. We will use this document for information sharing and public information requests if you get an award.

Instructions

• One-page limit.

• Submit in the “Project Abstract Summary” form.

Section 4: Developing Your Application 22

Step 3: Budget Narrative Use the Budget Narrative Attachment form.

What You Need to Know

Your budget needs to clearly support the activities you propose.

General Guidance

• Your budget is arranged in eight categories: salaries and wages, fringe benefits, consultant costs, equipment, supplies, travel, other.

• Recipients may use funds only for reasonable program purposes consistent with the award and with grant regulations found at 45 CFR 75.

• Generally, recipients may not use funds to purchase furniture or equipment. Clearly identify and justify any such proposed spending in the budget.

Unallowable Costs

You may not use funds for:

• Research.

• Clinical care except as allowed by law.

• Pre-award costs unless the CDC gives you written approval.

• Other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative relationships:

J publicity or propaganda purposes, for the preparation, distribution, or use of any material designed to support or defeat the enactment of legislation before any legislative body

J the salary or expenses of any grant or contract recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity designed to influence the enactment of

What You Need to Write You must submit an itemized budget narrative in addition to the Budget form SF-424A. When developing the budget narrative, you need to consider whether the proposed budget is reasonable and consistent with your project’s purpose, outcomes, and strategy.

How to Create Your Budget Narrative

1. Line Item Budget. Start by creating your Line Item Budget:

• Begin with direct costs. For each budget section, include a line-item budget with detailed calculations. You can do this in a short table for each budget section. Budget calculations include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other detail needed to duplicate the calculation. The direct costs budget sections are: Salaries and wages, Fringe benefits, Consultant costs, Equipment, Supplies, Travel, Other categories, and Contractual costs

• At the bottom of the direct costs section, total up your direct costs in one line.

• Below the direct costs section, include any indirect costs. To do this:

J Insert a short table that shows the method used to calculate indirect costs and the total indirect costs you plan to charge to the grant. See information on indirect costs at the bottom of this section.

Section 4: Developing Your Application 23 legislation, appropriations, regulation, administrative action, or Executive order proposed or pending before any legislative body.

See Additional Requirement (AR) 12 for detailed guidance on this prohibition and additional guidance on lobbying for CDC recipients.

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs are those for a common or joint purpose across more than one project and that cannot be easily separated by project. Learn more at 45 CFR 75.414, Indirect Costs.

To charge indirect costs you can select one of two methods:

• Method 1 – Approved rate. You currently have an indirect cost rate approved by your cognizant federal agency.

Justification: Provide a summary of the rate. Enclose a copy of the current approved rate agreement in the Attachments.

• Method 2 – De minimis rate. Per 45 CFR 75.414(f), if you have never received a negotiated indirect cost rate, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate. If you are awaiting approval of an indirect cost proposal you may also use the de minimis rate. If you choose this method, costs included in the indirect cost pool must not be charged as direct costs.

As described in 45 CFR 75.403(d) you must consistently charge items as either indirect or direct costs and may not double charge.

2. Budget Justification. After you create your line-item budget tables for each budget category section, insert a narrative under each one to justify the costs. For each, include a narrative that explains:

• Necessity. Explain why you need these expenses.

• Reasonableness. Explain how you decided that the costs are reasonable.

• Allocability. Explain if these costs are 100% for this project or shared with other activities. Answer any expected questions about whether the costs may be allowable.

Required Format for Budget Narrative Page limit: None File name: “Budget Narrative” File format: PDF Font Size: 12-point Spacing: Single-spaced for narrative portions Margins: 1-inch age Size: 8 ½ x 11 Language: English Include page numbers Upload in the Budget Narrative Attachment Form

Attachments Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, if you are using an approved rate (method 1).

https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-12.html https://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/Anti-Lobbying_Restrictions_for_CDC_Grantees_July_2012.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFR1eff2936a9211f7/section-75.414 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75#p-75.414(f) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75#p-75.2(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75#p-75.403(d)

Section 4: Developing Your Application 24

Step 4: Attachments Insert each in the Other Attachments form.

You will need to prepare separate PDF documents or complete the related webforms for each of the following attachments. Upload them in the Other Attachments Form.

Table of Contents The table of contents must detail the entire submission package.

It must include:

• All documents in the application, including each attachment.

• The headings used in the Project Narrative section.

Name this file: Table of Contents

Eligibility Letter Attach a letter from your authorizing business official (AOR) attesting that the organization receives less than $2 million per year in federal funds, directly or indirectly and provides a physical address of the organization.

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement If you have an approved indirect cost rate (method 1), attach a copy of your current negotiated federal indirect cost rate agreement.

See Budget Narrative, Indirect Costs for context.

Name this file: Indirect Cost Rate

Letters of Support Attach three letters of support that include information to support that your organization has a record of successful work in underserved communities.

This work must include promoting environmental justice, building coalitions to advance health equity, and conducting grassroot community education.

Resumes or Position Descriptions Attach a single PDF document that contains the resumes of key staff.

If positions are vacant, instead use one-page position descriptions. These must include the position’s title, brief description of responsibilities, and one to two sentences on how and when you plan to fill the position.

Section 4: Developing Your Application 25

Step 4: Attachments Risk Questionnaire Complete the Performance Progress and Monitoring Report OFR Risk Questionnaire.

Name this file: Risk Questionnaire

Any information needed to support the contents of the questionnaire must be saved as a separate PDF and uploaded in the Other Attachment Form

If you’ve submitted a questionnaire to CDC for a different project within the last 12 months, you can upload a copy rather than complete the questionnaire again.

Program Budget and Commitment Overlap If you know that the project you are proposing may result in an overlap with another award or application, you must say so. If you have any overlaps, you must write a Report on Programmatic, Budgetary, and Commitment Overlap.

Name this file: Report on Overlap

These include:

• Program overlaps. These happen when:

J substantially the same project is proposed in more than one application or is submitted to two or more funding sources for review and funding consideration; or

J the project design for accomplishing a specific objective is the same or closely related in two or more applications or awards, regardless of the funding source.

J Budgetary overlaps. These happen when duplicate or equivalent budgetary items, like equipment or salaries are requested in an application but already are provided by another source.

• Commitment overlaps. These happen when a person’s time commitment exceeds 100 percent, even if the salary support is not requested in the application.

CDC does not permit overlap. CDC will work with you to resolve it before award.

https://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/PPMR-G-CDC-Risk-Questionnaire.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/PPMR-G-CDC-Risk-Questionnaire.pdf

Section 4: Developing Your Application 26

addition to any guidance in this NOFO.

You can find all the following forms in the NOFO Package in Grants.gov or you can review them at Grants.gov Forms.

Forms / Assurances / Certifications

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Submission Requirement

With application.

With application.

If applicable, with application or before award.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

Application Review Information5 In this section

Step 1: Initial Review

Step 2: Merit Review

Step 3: Selection Process

Step 4: Risk Review

Section 5: Application Review Information 28

Step 1: Initial Review Review the application checklist to make sure that your application is complete. Any application that is not eligible, complete, or responsive will not move forward.

Disqualifying Factors

CDC will not consider an application that:

• Is from an organization that does not meet eligibility conditions.

• Requests funding above the award ceiling shown in the funding range.

• Is not submitted through Grants.gov without an approved exemption. See Exemptions for Paper Submissions.

• Is submitted after the deadline. Each time an application is submitted via Grants.gov, the submission will generate a new date and time-stamp email notification.

Factors That May Limit Competitiveness

CDC will remove pages from your application if it goes over the page limit or if the formatting does not meet application requirements in a way that affects fairness.

Section 5: Application Review Information 29

Step 2: Merit Review A review panel will evaluate all applications that pass the initial review using the criteria below.

Community of Focus Maximum Points: 20

Clearly defines the community they plan to serve. They use clear geographic information to do so. 5 points

Clearly defines why the community is underserved and in need of lead poisoning education and services. They provide facts or data to back up their reasons.

15 points

Capabilities Maximum Points: 40

10 points

Demonstrates the organization’s relevant experience to carry out projects in the community including that the organization is located in the community of focus and has a trusted relationship with community members and organizations.

10 points

Provides letters of support that demonstrate a record of successful work in underserved communities. This work must include promoting environmental justice, building coalitions to advance health equity, and conducting grassroot community education. Letters of support should clearly indicate this or no points will be awarded.

15 points

Describes how the organization will incorporate partnerships to meet needs. 5 points

Need help?

For SAM: Call 866-606-8220 or go to the Federal Service Desk.

For Grants.gov: Call 1-800-518-4726 or email support@grants.gov.

mailto:support%40grants.gov?subject=

Section 5: Application Review Information 30

Activities Maximum Points: 25

Describes the organizations they will partner with. The organizations together can carry out the strategies and activities.

5 points

Identifies strategies and activities that are likely to achieve the proposed outcomes. Includes methods that are culturally appropriate for members of the community.

20 points

Measuring Performance Maximum Points: 15

5 points

Identifies measurable objectives that will meaningfully track both progress and success of the objectives. Each measurable objective includes the strategy it is associated with along with the measure, its intended change, the timeframe for that change, and the activity that will drive the change. The measures seem feasible and will provide actionable information to improve the project and prove success. Includes practical sources for the data needed to report each measurable objective. Demonstrates an ability to collect, manage, and report the data.

10 points

Budget

The budget will be reviewed but not scored. Reviewers may reference it to assess if the funds requested seem reasonable for the activities proposed.

Section 5: Application Review Information 31

Step 3: Selection Process Merit review panels will score the applications. CDC will then rank them by score. The merit review is advisory and a significant factor for making decisions.

Selection recommendations from the review panels will be considered by CDC leaders, who will then make the final selections for award. In addition to the recommendations, CDC may also consider the following factors when deciding among high-ranking applications:

• Lead exposure risk factors as mentioned in the application’s description of community of focus such as:

J higher population of children under 6 years old;

J higher percent of housing built before 1978; and

J higher percent of population living below poverty.

• A preference for populations that are at higher risk or increasing risk.

• Diversity of recipient populations or in the size or type of recipient organizations.

• Avoiding funding more than one organization in the same community.

Section 5: Application Review Information 32

Step 4: Risk Review CDC must conduct pre-award risk assessments to determine the risk an applicant poses to meeting federal requirements.

We consider issues like:

• financial instability,

• insufficient management systems,

• non-compliance with award conditions,

• the charging of unallowable costs, and

• inexperience.

The risk assessment includes an evaluation of your CDC Risk Questionnaire as well as a review of your history in all available systems.

CDC must consider the information in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS). This information is also known as SAM.gov Responsibility/ Qualification.

CDC must do this review for any award expected to be over $250,000 during the period of performance and may do it for any application.

You may review and comment on any information about your organization in FAPIIS.

CDC will consider your comments before making a decision.

For more on risk review, see 45 CFR 75.205.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-information https://sam.gov/content/entity-information https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-C/section-75.205

Federal Notices and Awards Contacts6 In this section

Federal Awarding Agency

Federal Award Notices

Section 6: Federal Notices and Award Contacts 34

Federal Award Notices CDC will notify successful applicants by issuing a Notice of Award (NoA).

The NoA is the only binding document and will set out additional information. Any other communication that an application is selected is not an authorization to begin performance and is not binding.

The NoA will be emailed to your business officer (AOR) and the program director.

CDC will notify unsuccessful applicants through an email.

Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

Questions?

Program Contact:

Wilma Jackson, Project Officer 404-639-0618 or LPPS@cdc.gov Please include “Lead Communities NOFO” in the subject line of your email.

Grants Staff Contact:

Rhonda Latimer 770-488-1647 or ito1@cdc.gov mailto:LPPS%40cdc.gov?subject= mailto:ito1%40cdc.gov?subject=

Supporting Information7 In this section

Exemptions for Paper Submissions

Setting Measurable Objectives

Letter of Support Template

National Priorities and Related Programs

Definitions

Section 7: Supporting Information 36

Exemptions for Paper Submission If you are unable to submit your application through Grants.gov, you can request an exemption for paper submission.

First, you must call the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or e-mail them at support@grants.gov for help. Write down your inquiry case number.

Then, if they do not resolve your problem, you must:

• At least three calendar days before the application deadline, email your request to Rhonda Latimer at ito1@cdc.gov or Lakita Reid at wtl9@cdc.

gov.

• Include the Grants.gov case number assigned to the inquiry above.

electronically; and

Make sure that CDC receives via e-mail at least three calendar days before the application deadline. If CDC authorizes a paper application, they will e-mail you with specific instructions for submitting the application

Setting Measurable Objectives Any measurable objectives you set should tie to either your stated outcomes or those in the Program Logic Model and specific activities to meet them.

You should state them as SMART objectives. For example:

Increase the number of community outreach events by [XX%] within the first 12 months of the project by [activity].

To learn more see Developing SMART Objectives on the CDC website.

mailto:support%40grants.gov?subject= mailto:ito1%40cdc.gov?subject= mailto:wtl9%40cdc.gov?subject= mailto:wtl9%40cdc.gov?subject= https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/phcommunities/resourcekit/evaluate/develop-smart-objectives.html

Section 7: Supporting Information 37

Outcome Possible Things to Measure

Community Knowledge

Short-Term: Increased community awareness and knowledge of lead exposure risks and potential mitigation strategies.

Intermediate: Increased awareness of social determinants of health within communities.

• Number of community outreach events Attendance at community outreach events Increased social media engagement like:

J Increased mentions of related topics, your group, or your partners J Changes in sentiment about lead poisoning and related prevention efforts.

Increases in mentions in local tv and print or online media.

Improved survey or focus group responses on knowledge about lead poisoning.

Community Action

Short-Term: Increased lead poisoning prevention capacity in underserved communities.

Short-Term: Increased number of families and children referred and connected to services.

Intermediate: Increased availability and accessibility to lead hazard control assessments and blood lead screening and testing services.

• Number of homes tested for lead

• Number of children screened for lead poisoning

• Number of trained personnel in the community who can educate residents about lead poisoning prevention

• Reduction in lead poisoning rates in children

• Number of homes remediated to reduce lead hazard

• Number of providers testing for lead in homes

• Number of providers testing for lead poisoning in children

Community Network

Short-Term: Improved engagement between Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPPs), service providers, and local community partnership groups.

Intermediate: Improved coordination of lead poisoning prevention programming, education, and training at the community level.

Intermediate: Increased crossed-sector partnerships

• Improvements in survey responses from service providers and community partnerships like:

J Frequency and quality of communication

J Level of collaboration

J Value of collaboration to their work

• Increases in engagement opportunities like:

J Number of joint meetings

J Number of joint projects or initiatives

• Increased understanding of key information in focus groups.

• Number of partners that can contribute to lead poisoning education, but it is not their primary focus.

• Number of partner service providers.

Section 7: Supporting Information 38

Letters of Support Template Letters of support need to cover the:

• Writing organization’s position in the community that makes them qualified to comment on your ties to that community.

• Their understanding of the need for your project and what its impact could be.

• Their belief that you have strong community ties and are well positioned to succeed.

The three letters should not be identical in their content.

Following is a sample template that may be helpful. This format is not required.

[Writing organization’s letterhead] [Date] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

To whom it may concern, I am writing to express my support for [Name of Grant Proposal] proposed by [Name of Applicant Organization and address in the community] to the Supporting Communities to Reduce Lead Poisoning Program (CDC-RFA-EH-23-0005). As [writing organization’s name] [writing organization’s background and explain why you are well-positioned to comment on the proposal including your ties to the community the grant will serve].

[Explain the need for the project]. In particular, I believe that [Name of applicant organization]’s proposal addresses [explain the need for the project, the challenges faced by the community, and how the project will help address those challenges]. [Explain the benefits and potential impact].

[Explain your…