Foa_Content_of_HHS-2021-ACL-AOD-DNCE-0098.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Disabilities

Projects of National Significance: Community Collaborations for Employment Program

HHS-2021-ACL-AOD-DNCE-0098

09/02/2021

Table of Contents Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Project Narrative

Summary/Abstract

Statement of Need

Goals and Objectives

Proposed Approach

Special Target Populations

Outcomes

Project Management

Evaluation

Dissemination

Organizational Capability

BUDGET NARRATIVE / JUSTIFICATION

WORK PLAN

LETTERS OF COMMITMENT

3. Submission Dates and Times

4. Intergovernmental Review

5. Funding Restrictions

6. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Date

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

4. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13)

Appendix

Instructions for Completing Required Forms

Budget Narrative/Justification- Sample Format

Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/ Abstract

ACL Center:

Administration on Disabilities Funding Opportunity Title:

Projects of National Significance: Community Collaborations for Employment Program Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2021-ACL-AOD-DNCE-0098

Primary CFDA Number:

93.631 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

Date will be generated on synopsis publication Due Date for Applications:

09/02/2021 Date for Informational Conference Call:

06/29/2021 Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with https://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary A broad coalition of community stakeholders working together can provide seamless services for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) and their families that optimize their opportunities for competitive integrated employment (CIE), successful postsecondary education without remediation, and independent living that are consistent with their unique https://www.grants.gov/ strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice.

Effective transition services and activities are a vital component to improving outcomes related to CIE for people with ID/DD. The Community Collaborations for Employment Program can help build community capacity to address these barriers and take full advantage of the resources available.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Purpose / Statement of Need

The purpose of the Community Collaborations for Employment Program is to increase and enhance collaborations across existing local systems to maximize a seamless experience and outcome of youth with ID/DD as they transition between school and work in the community.

Since a transition period for youth with ID/DD is a multifaceted process, ACL recognizes that no one person, institution, or organization acting alone can provide all the supports and services needed.

The Administration for Community Living, Administration on Disabilities (AoD) seeks to fund approximately eight (8) community-based collaboration models in select communities as demonstration projects that will design and test effective transition services and activities to increase the number of youth with ID/DD:

Finding and keeping long-term, career-focused competitive integrated employment (CIE) Graduating from post-secondary education programs Living and participating fully in their communities

Many students and youth with disabilities do not have the same opportunities as their peers without disabilities to pursue higher education, training, and careers. Multiple complex systems each play a role at the community level in ensuring that youth with disabilities have the supports, services, and resources they need to successfully transition into their post-secondary life. Yet, despite the various federal programs available, CIE rates for individuals with ID/DD are alarmingly low. In response to this challenge, additional investments are being made to accelerate change to enhance local level community solutions for the targeted population of youth with ID/DD.

This project supports the four AoD priorities of:

Promoting health equity, Achieving economic security and mobility, Protecting rights and preventing abuse, and Empowering individuals, communities, families.

This project joins other existing AoD initiatives, including:

The Partnerships in Employment (PIE) Systems Change grants (ending in August 2021)

The AoD Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center The Alternatives to Guardianship Youth Resource Center The Center on Youth Health Care Transitions (new in 2021) UCEDD Community-Based Partnership Training grants focused on transition to employment The ACL employment longitudinal study

The projects will also support the Administration’s priorities to address the COVID-19 pandemic, racial inequities, and the American economy. ACL recognizes that strengthening the transition process for youth with ID/DD is a critical component to addressing multiple inequities and creating better opportunities for individuals with ID/DD living well within the community.

This project is funded under the Projects of National Significance (PNS) within the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, which defines the purpose of PNS as a program to "create opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities to directly and fully contribute to, and participate in, all facets of community life; and support the development of national and State policies that reinforce and promote, with the support of families, guardians, advocates, and communities, of individuals with developmental disabilities, the self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in all facets of community life of such individuals."[1]

B. Project History / Background

Most students and youth with ID/DD do not have equitable opportunities as their peers without disabilities to pursue higher education, training, and careers. This has been an on-going, persistent issue. For example, a 2013 report found that only 44 percent of adults with intellectual disabilities aged 21-64 were in the labor force, compared to 83 percent of working-age adults without disabilities.[2] More recent data shows that 19 percent of people with ID/DD worked in integrated employment in 2018. Of that percentage, 14 percent have an individual job with 27.6 hours (mean) worked every two weeks and $8.94 hourly wage (mean). The remaining balance of five percent of people with ID/DD work in a small group job with 24.5 hours (mean) worked every two weeks and $8.18 hourly wage (mean).[3]

The Community Collaborations for Employment (CCE) project seeks to reverse these trend lines to help build community capacity to improve access to integrated employment community resources to support individuals with ID/DD and their families. Effective transition services and activities are a vital component to improving CIE outcomes for people with ID/DD. These outcomes are even greater when the transition process starts early. With as many as forty states adopting legislation and/or an official state policy supporting employment first for people with disabilities, there are many opportunities to support provider transformation and other strategies that will strengthen transition to CIE[4].

The CCE project will build upon previous investments to improve CIE outcomes for people with ID/DD. Since 2011, ACL has invested in Partnerships in Employment (PIE) project grants in a total of 14 states. PIE project states created a consortium of state agencies and other stakeholders to support systems change surrounding the transition from school to employment or post-secondary education for individuals with ID/DD. As it relates to the scope of this funding opportunity, below are some key lessons learned from the PIE grants:

Increasing capacity in the community to encourage, engage in, and facilitate transition activities. A major component to improving CIE outcomes is effective transition services and activities. Transition-related programming in schools may take the form of webinars, trainings, curricula, or other tools, including, for example, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Furthermore, a lack of standardization across transition programming impacts employment outcomes; without successful engagement of students, families, teachers, employers, and providers, transitions are more difficult to execute. As a whole, there may be an opportunity to increase access, coordination, and involvement in transition-specific initiatives in the following areas:

o Engage employers: Engaging employers directly with students and youth with ID/DD in transition (e.g., integrating and identifying employment opportunities by engaging employers through school systems and other community organizations to implement employer-specific trainings, career fairs, career skill-building courses) can yield positive results.

o Create and implement IEP development trainings: By serving as partners with the community, schools can create strong IEPs by providing trainings for teachers, employment providers, and others that align academic goals with transition goals.

o Develop and implement a common framework: Developing a common framework in school districts to facilitate a team approach can help ensure schools and other community partners are more aware of the available pathways and options for students with disabilities. This could include trainings and other events that can bring together employment providers, families, and teachers, and students and youth with ID/DD.

The CCE project is designed to build on the work of the PIE projects as well as many other relevant initiatives to strengthen transition services at the local community level.

C. Project Goals (Outcomes and Performance Measures)

The CCE project will fund broad stakeholder collaborations in select communities that will work to increase the capacity of those communities to provide transition services and facilitate improved transition activities between schools and the communities for individuals with ID/DD.

Because CCE is a demonstration program, ACL seeks to award grants to organizations representing a variety of different types of communities. In your application, you should describe the unique characteristics of your community, including the scope, size, character, and what makes it a good candidate to test this demonstration project.

The community collaboration will work together to:

Conduct an environmental scan of all types of services available to support the transition process, Reduce the complexity of existing transition services, Increase the smooth exchange among the various supportive programs, Eliminate unnecessary duplication, Create tools to increase consistency across service agencies, and Ultimately expand and strengthen the services available to students and youth with

ID/DD and their families.

Grantees for this funding opportunity will work toward the following outcomes:

Initial outcomes o Program participants report less complexity and an improved experience overall with the available transition services o Participants experience an increasingly smooth exchange among the various programs o There is a reduction in unnecessary duplication among transition services and other barriers to students’ success o Increasing number of people with ID/DD and their families are in new or increased leadership roles*

Intermediate outcomes o Expansion and strengthening of local services available to youth with ID/DD and their families o Increased opportunities for competitive integrated employment (CIE), successful postsecondary education without remediation, and independent living o Greater percent of people with ID/DD and their families have increased knowledge of supports needed to help them achieve the life they want* o More youth with ID/DD transitioning smoothly to post-secondary education

Long-term outcomes o More youth with ID/DD finding and keeping long-term, career-focused CIE o More youth with ID/DD graduating from post-secondary education programs o More youth with ID/DD living and participating fully in their communities o More policies are changed to improve the experience of people with ID/DD and their families*

* Tracks with the approved performance measures for the Projects of National Significance program

D. Activities

As an applicant, you should respond to this funding announcement by submitting a proposal that describes the approach you will take, if funded, to build and strengthen the capacity in your community to provide consistent and seamless services for youth with ID/DD and their families that optimize their opportunities for CIE, successful postsecondary education without remediation, and independent living that are consistent with their unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. You should explain in your application how you plan to implement the required activities outlined in this subsection along with any other activities you deem necessary to achieve the outcomes listed in Subsection C above. In addition to the narrative description of your approach, you should include in your application a logic model that provides an overall conceptual framework for achieving the project’s goals and outcomes.

You should also describe in your application how you will use consensus-based, participatory processes in carrying out the activities of the project and other methods to ensure active and meaningful engagement of a broad range of community members, including students with ID/DD, in all aspects of your project. Also, grantees will pay special attention to and will target underserved populations, including people who are racial or ethnic minorities, have limited- English proficiency, and/or those of the greatest economic and social need. You should describe in your applications how you will include such a focus throughout each stage of your project.

This grant project timeline has four key stages:

1. Establishing and Maintaining a Community Collaboration Pilot

2. Conducting a Community Landscape Analysis

3. Developing a Community Collaboration Employment Transition Plan

4. Implementing the Community Collaboration Employment Transition Plan

ACL expects the grantee to include evaluation components in each of these stages of the project to ensure progress is being made and to understand the project’s overall impact.

1. Establishing and Maintaining a Community Collaboration Pilot This project will require a broad range of diverse community partners that will be integrally involved in all aspects of the grant – beginning with the design planning and continuing through the implementation phase – to accomplish the goals and outcomes listed above.

You should describe in your application how you will engage a wide variety of partners in your community who are, or could be, important players in the community collaboration. Your application must designate one partner who will submit the application as the lead applicant and who will serve as the fiscal agent and the programmatic lead for the grant (i.e., the grantee). The grantee will be legally responsible for the use of all grant funds, overall fiscal and programmatic oversight of the project, and for ensuring that the project is carried out in accordance with federal requirements.

Your community collaboration must include representation from each of the following:

One or more community DD provider organizations / agencies One or more Centers for Independent Living (CILs) The local office of the state VR agency One or more University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDDS)[5] One or more local education agencies (LEAs) Students with ID/DD

If there is a Protection and Advocacy (P&A) or State DD Council in your local community, they must also be represented in the community collaboration.

You should describe in your application how these required collaboration members participated in the development of the application and, more importantly, how the collaboration members will work together over the course of the project to meet the goals and objectives of this funding announcement. You should also include letters of commitment from each of the above required collaboration members that demonstrate their clear commitment to the project and reference their areas of responsibility.

Because of the complex myriad of issues surrounding transition services, community collaborations that are inclusive of diverse voices from a wide variety of partners are often stronger and more effective. While not required, you should consider including as many of the following organizations/agencies (as well as any others) that you determine could bring value to your project.

Families of students with ID/DD Local businesses Self-advocacy organizations Organizations representing multiply marginalized groups Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

(TPSIDs) Institutions of higher education Local organizations providing home and community-based services Government agencies (e.g., Medicaid offices)

2. Conducting a Community Landscape Analysis The grantee will work with the community collaboration group to conduct a community landscape analysis. This assessment will detail and analyze the resources, strengths, needs, and gaps that exist with respect to the community’s capacity to provide consistent and seamless services for youth with ID/DD and their families that optimize their opportunities for CIE, successful postsecondary education without remediation, and independent living. You should describe in your application how you will conduct this community landscape analysis, which at a minimum should include:

The assessment of the systemic interactions and exchanges between different systems that may result in duplication or contradiction, including the movement between and receipt of services from multiple providers;

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/tpsid/index.html

Consideration of state or local policy on the administration of the school to work transition process;

Specific needs and gaps for youth with ID/DD from multiply marginalized populations;

and

An assessment of what and where resources are in the community (e.g., employment networks, service providers, job coaches, data infrastructure that tracks student outcomes).

3. Developing a Community Collaboration Employment Transition Plan Each project will develop a culturally competent community collaboration employment transition plan that will guide the project for the remainder of the grant period. You should describe in your application how you will develop your plan within the framework of your community collaboration. Your application should demonstrate how you will ensure that your plan is culturally competent, takes into account the perspective of multiply marginalized populations, created with input from a broad range of stakeholders and consumers (i.e., youth with ID/DD; multiply marginalized populations), and informed by the results of the community landscape analysis. The community collaboration employment transition plan will contain the elements below. Since you have not yet created your plan, your application should describe your preliminary ideas for how the collaboration will:

Manage the community collaboration – Details on how the community collaboration will be managed to ensure the goals and objectives for the project are achieved, including how the collaboration will use consensus-based, participatory processes in carrying out the activities of the project. For example:

o How you will conduct regular meetings, collaborative trainings, joint site visits, and other activities that will strengthen the community collaboration, and o How you will continually work to strengthen and expand the community collaboration over the 5-year project period.

Address the needs of youth with ID/DD, including youth from multiply marginalized populations – Innovative strategies to address the needs of youth (including youth with ID/DD from multiply marginalized populations) prior to, during, and after transition that make use of available community resources, are trackable, and have key indicators to measure successful outcomes. Culturally competent strategies for actively mitigating barriers to youth’s success, continuously improving their experience, and tracking their progress as they transition from school to work or postsecondary education.

Build relationships with employers – Strategies for how the community collaboration will develop strong relationships through employer engagement with local businesses that will support and/or lead to competitive integrated employment, including supported and customized employment.

Gather feedback – Plans for gathering feedback (e.g., surveys) at least annually from individuals with ID/DD (including those who have completed their transitions and those from multiply marginalized populations), their families, and others in their support networks on their experiences, needs, and outcomes.

Develop a common framework – A sound approach to the development of a common framework among all members of the collaboration, including school districts, to facilitate a team approach and raise awareness of the available pathways and options for youth with ID/DD.

4. Implementing the Community Collaboration Employment Transition Plan After the community collaboration has developed its plan, the grantee will ensure that the proposed plan is implemented effectively and in a culturally competent manner over the period of the grant. You should describe in your application how you, as the grantee, will ensure that:

The community collaboration – both as a whole and as individual members – remains consistently engaged in the plan’s implementation;

There is continued, active, and meaningful engagement from a broad range of community members (including those representing traditionally unserved, underserved, and multiply marginalized populations) in all aspects of the project, including the use of consensus-based, participatory processes in carrying out the activities of the project;

The plan is regularly updated and remains relevant and impactful over the entire period of the grant; and

Promising practices and other learnings are disseminated appropriately and broadly throughout the community and beyond.

5. Evaluating the Project You should describe in your application how you will use process evaluation techniques to analyze delivery of project activities to determine, among other things: (a) the extent to which the project is implemented as planned, (b) how the project activities are being received by the collaborative partners and other stakeholders (particularly those from multiply marginalized populations), (c) the barriers to implementation, and (d) areas for project improvements / refinements. You should describe how you could use periodic rapid cycle evaluation to allow for impactful adjustments as the project unfolds.

You should also describe in your application how you will use summative evaluation techniques to determine project success in meeting the intended outcomes of the project in terms of increasing:

The satisfaction of youth with ID/DD with the transition experience overall and with the available services;

The number, size, and strength of local services available to youth with ID/DD and their families;

The number of youth with ID/DD who find and keep long-term, career-focused CIE;

The number of youth with ID/DD completing or graduating from post-secondary education programs; and The number of youth with ID/DD living and participating fully in their communities;

E. Definitions

Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE): Competitive integrated employment means work

(i) In the competitive labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis in an integrated setting; and (ii) For which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not disabled. Competitive employment may include self-employment.

Culturally Competent: The term ‘‘culturally competent’’, used with respect to services, supports, or other assistance, means services, supports, or other assistance that is conducted or provided in a manner that is responsive to the beliefs, interpersonal styles, attitudes, language, and behaviors of individuals who are receiving the services, supports, or other assistance, and in a manner that has the greatest likelihood of ensuring their maximum participation in the program involved.[6]

Integrated Setting: Consistent with 34 CFR 361.5(b)(33), with respect to an employment outcome, the term "integrated setting" means a setting typically found in the community in which individuals with disabilities interact with non-disabled individuals, other than non-disabled individuals who are providing services to such individuals, to the same extent that non-disabled individuals in comparable positions interact with other persons.

Unserved and Underserved: The term includes populations such as individuals from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds, disadvantaged individuals, individuals with limited English proficiency, individuals from underserved geographic areas (rural or urban), and specific groups of individuals within the population of individuals with developmental disabilities, including individuals who require assistive technology in order to participate in and contribute to community life.[7]

[1] An Act to Improve Service Systems for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, and for Other Purposes. (PL 106-442) U.S. G.P.O., 2000.

[2] Siperstein, Parker & Drascher, 2013, National snapshot of adults with intellectual disabilities in the labor force, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 39, pp. 160-161: “The labor force is comprised of those who are currently employed or unemployed (out of work but looking for employment); the labor force participation rate is the proportion of working-age people who are currently in the labor force. The labor force participation rate of adults with ID aged 21–64 in the present sample was 44% (see Table 2). In comparison, in 2011 it was estimated that the majority of working-age adults without disabilities (83%) were in the labor force.”

[3] Infographic titled Employment Snapshot, Employment of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2018); ACL Grantee Product of StateData, a project of ThinkWork!

at the Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston [4] Taken from https://apse.org/employment-first/ [5] You can find a list of the 67 UCEDDS at https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/national-network-university [6] United States, Congress, The Developmental Disabilities and Bill of Rights Act of 2000. Sec.

[7] Ibid.

https://apse.org/employment-first/ https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/national-network-university https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/national-network-university

Statutory Authority The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act of 2000), Section 161(2) (D) (v) (42U.S.C. 15081)

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$ 1,600,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$ 225,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$ 175,000 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' Once a cooperative agreement is in place, requests to modify or amend it or the work plan may be made by ACL or the awardee at any time as long as it stays within the original confines of the proposed project description. Major changes may affect the integrity of the competitive review process. Modifications and/or amendments of the Cooperative Agreement or work plan shall be effective upon the execution of an award notice. When an award is issued the cooperative agreement terms and conditions from the program announcement are incorporated by reference unless ACL is authorized under the Terms and Conditions of award, 45 CFR Part 75, or other applicable regulation or statute to make unilateral amendments.

The ACL project officer agrees to execute the responsibilities of the cooperative agreement outlined below:

Perform the day-to-day federal responsibilities of managing a grant initiative and work with the grantee to ensure that the minimum requirements for the grant are met. Conduct monthly conference calls to ensure goals and objectives are being met.

Work cooperatively with the grantee to clarify the programmatic and budgetary issues to be addressed by the grantee project, and, as necessary, collaborate with grantee to achieve a mutually agreed upon solution to any needs identified by the grantee or ACL.

Share information with the grantee about other federally sponsored projects or activities relevant to the interests of the grantee and their activities.

Work with the grantee on the development and implementation of performance measures and quality assurance systems to ensure that performance is measured and continuous improvement occurs.

Provide technical advice on grantee work products to ensure they are accurate, objective, unbiased, and of high professional quality, and they do not violate federal, departmental, or agency grant rules.

Attend and participate in major project events as appropriate.

Provide guidance and technical assistance on required performance measurement

The grantee will agree to execute the responsibilities of the cooperative agreement outlined below:

Collaborate with ACL on any in-scope modifications and commencement of the work plan within 45 days of the award.

Implement the proposed grant activities.

Evaluate the impact of overall project activities and ensure quality assurance systems are in place.

Share information with ACL; the TBI State grantees; national, state, and local partner organizations; and other entities as appropriate.

Work with the ACL TBI State Partnerships Program project officer to evaluate performance results reported semiannually and jointly develop strategies to address those areas requiring improvement.

Submit resumes of potential key staff hires as detailed under HHS grants prior approval requirements

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants Domestic public or private non-profit entities including state and local governments, Indian tribal governments and organizations (American Indian/Alaskan Native/Native American), faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, hospitals, and institutions of higher education.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No For awards that require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources (at or above the statutory requirement) in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to provide the statutorily required matching or cost sharing amount (and any voluntary committed amount in excess) may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients are not expected to provide cost sharing or matching. However, recipients are allowed to voluntarily propose a commitment of non-federal resources. If an applicant decides to voluntarily contribute non-federal resources towards project costs and the costs are accepted by ACL, the non-federal resources will be included in the approved project budget. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to meet the voluntary amount of non-federal resources that was accepted by ACL as part of the approved project costs and that was identified in the approved budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria Application Responsiveness Criteria N/A

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicants. Applications that fail to meet the four screening criteria described below will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration.

In order for an application to be reviewed, it must meet the following screening requirements:

1. Applications must be submitted electronically via https://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, by the due date listed in section IV.3 Submission Dates and Times.

2. The Project Narrative section of the Application must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” plain white paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, preferably Calibri or Arial.

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 20 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration. NOTE: The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, Organizational Charts, Logic Models, and Resumes/Vitae of Key Project Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20-page limit.

4. Applications must contain a budget request that is equal to or more than the “Award Floor” amount and not more than the “Award Ceiling” amount as found in Section II of this funding opportunity announcement.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from https://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission.

For example, you will be required to provide an https://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking number in order to substantiate missing the application deadline.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application materials can be obtained from https://www.grants.gov or https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants

Please note, ACL requires applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov in Workspace. Grants.gov Workspace is the standard way for organizations and individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov. An overview and training on Grants.gov Workspace can be found here at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with https://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

At the https://www.grants.gov website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. ACL strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

All applicants must have a DUNS number (https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/) and be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration until the application process is complete, and should a grant be made, throughout the life of the award. Effective June 11, 2018, when registering or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator. Please be sure to read the FAQs located at www.sam.gov to learn more. Applicants should allot sufficient time prior to the application deadline to finalize a new, or renew an existing registration. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award. Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register or renew at least two weeks before the deadline. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at:

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award.

Note: Failure to submit the correct EIN Suffix can lead to delays in identifying your organization and access to funding in the Payment Management System.

Effective October 1, 2010, HHS requires all entities that plan to apply for and ultimately receive federal grant funds from any HHS Operating/Staff Division (OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

1. Register in SAM prior to submitting an application or plan;

2. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by an OPDIV; and

3. Provide its DUNS number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/ https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a DUNS number at the time the subaward is made.

Since October 1, 2003, The Office of Management and Budget has required applicants to provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for federal grants or cooperative agreements. It is entered on the SF-424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities. The DUNS number is free and easy to obtain.

Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 866-705-5711.

You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications. In accordance with the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce reporting burden for recipients of federal financial assistance, the general certification and representation requirements contained in the Standard Form 424B (SF-424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs, and the Standard Form 424D (SF-424D) – Assurances – Construction Programs, have been standardized federal-wide.

Effective January 1, 2020, the updated common certification and representation requirements will be stored and maintained within SAM. Organizations or individuals applying for federal financial assistance as of January 1, 2020, must validate the federally required common certifications and representations annually through SAM located at SAM.gov.

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement from https://www.grants.gov that containshttps://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form fromhttps://www.grants.gov.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living

Thom Campbell thom.campbell@acl.hhs.gov 202-795-7263

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Letter of Intent Due Date for Letter Of Intent 07/14/2021

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

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:thom.campbell@acl.hhs.gov

Project Narrative The Project Narrative must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, preferably Times New Roman or Arial. You can use smaller font sizes to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats. The suggested length for the Project Narrative is 15 to 20 pages; 20 pages is the maximum length allowed. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, Organizational Charts, Logic Models, and Resumes/Vitae of Key Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the NUMBER-page limit, but all of the other sections noted below are included in the limit.

The Project Narrative should provide a clear and concise description of your project. ACL recommends that your project narrative include the following components, which will be counted as part of the 20-page limit:

PROJECT NARRATIVE

Summary/Abstract Statement of Need Goals and Objectives Proposed Approach Special Target Populations Outcomes Project Management Evaluation Dissemination Organizational Capability

Summary/Abstract Include in this section a brief (265 words maximum) description of the proposed project that includes the project’s goals, objectives, outcomes, overall approach (including target population and significant partnerships), anticipated outcomes, and products to be developed.

Statement of Need Use this section to demonstrate the nature and scope of the particular need for assistance, in both quantitative and qualitative terms.

Goals and Objectives Use this section to describe the project’s goals and major objectives.

Proposed Approach Use this section to provide a clear and concise description of the project you propose to use to address the problem you described in the “Statement of Need.” Also, describe the rationale for using the particular project, including factors such as: “lessons learned” for similar projects previously tested in your community, or in other areas of the country; factors in the larger environment that have created the “right conditions” for the intervention (e.g., existing social or economic factors that you’ll be able to take advantage of, etc.). Also, note the major barriers you anticipate and your strategies to overcome them. Be sure to describe the makeup of any strategic partnerships and the role they will play in your project.

Special Target Populations In this section, describe how your project will target disadvantaged populations, including racially marginalized communities, limited-English speaking populations, and/or those of greatest economic and social need.

Outcomes In this section, clearly identify the measurable outcome(s) that will result from your project. If you use the optional work plan grid found in the Appendix section at the end of this funding announcement, list your measurable outcomes in the grid in addition to including them in the narrative. Also, describe how the project’s findings might benefit the field at large, (e.g., how the findings could help other organizations address the same or similar problems in their communities.) Please keep the focus of this section on describing what outcome(s) will be produced by the project and use the “Evaluation” section below to describe how the outcome(s) will be measured and reported.

Project Management Use this section to delineate the roles and responsibilities of project staff, consultants, and partner organizations. Describe how they will contribute to achieving the project’s objectives and outcomes. Clearly specify who will have day-to-day responsibility for key tasks such as:

leadership of project; monitoring the project’s on-going progress (i.e., measure of performance towards the goals); preparation of reports; and communications with partners and ACL. Also, describe the approach you will use to monitor and track progress on the project’s tasks and objectives.

Evaluation Use this section to describe the specific outcomes (e.g., changes in clients, organizations, and/or communities) you expect as a result of your proposed project. Describe the method(s), techniques, and tools you will use to: 1) determine whether the project achieved its anticipated outcome(s), and 2) document the “lessons learned” – both positive and negative – from the project that will be useful to people interested in replicating your project, if it proves successful.

Dissemination Use this section to describe how you will disseminate the project’s results and findings to others who might be interested, particularly those who are interested in replicating the project in whole or in part. Include details in how you will do this in a timely manner and in easily understandable formats.

Organizational Capability Use this section of your application to describe the capability and capacity of the applicant and any partner organizations that will have a significant role in implementing the project and/or achieving the project goals. Include resumes/vitae for key project personnel. Describe the organization of the applicant agency (or the particular division of a larger agency that will have responsibility for this project), the nature and scope of its work, and its capacity. Also, include a description of the organization’s capability to sustain some or all project activities after federal financial assistance has ended.

NOTE: Resumes/vitae for project staff along with any organizational charts and logic models do not count toward the Project Narrative page limit.

BUDGET NARRATIVE / JUSTIFICATION

For the Budget Narrative/Justification, you may use the “Budget Narrative/Justification – Sample Format” found in the Appendix section at the end of this funding announcement. Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to this format, which provides an example of the level of detail ACL is looking for. ACL requires that you submit a combined multi-year Budget Narrative/Justification covering the life of the grant as well as a detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for each year of potential grant funding.

WORK PLAN

Your Project Work Plan should reflect and be consistent with the Project Narrative and Budget Narrative/Justification. In your Project Work Plan, include a statement of the project’s overall goal, the anticipated outcome(s), the key objectives, and the major tasks / action steps that you will undertake to achieve the goal and outcome(s). For each major task / action step in the Project Work Plan, identify timeframes involved (including start- and end-dates) and the lead person responsible. You may use the “Project Work Plan - Sample Template” format found in the Appendix section at the end of this funding announcement as a reference and resource.

LETTERS OF COMMITMENT

In this part of your application, include confirmation of the commitments to the project (should it be funded) made by key collaborating organizations and agencies. Any organization you name in your application as having a significant role in carrying out the project should be considered an essential collaborator. For applications submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov, scan and include signed letters of commitment as attachments. If you are unable to scan the signed letters of commitment, you may fax them to the ACL Office of Grants Management at 202-357- 3467 by the application submission deadline. In your fax, be sure to include the funding opportunity number and your agency/organization name.

NOTE: Letters of commitment do not count toward the Project Narrative page limit.

3. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications 09/02/2021

09/02/2021 Date for Informational Conference Call:

06/29/2021 Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with http://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and (2) register yourself with Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov web page: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

After you…