Foa_Content_of_HHS-2022-ACL-AOA-EJIG-0055.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging

Elder Justice Innovation Grants - Improving Results for APS Clients FY2022

HHS-2022-ACL-AOA-EJIG-0055

05/06/2022

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

Project Abstract

Project Relevance and Current Need

Approach

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes

Evaluation

Organizational Capacity

Project Deliverables and Dissemination

Bibliography/Works Cited

Budget Narrative/Justification

Project Work Plan

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. 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 Aging Funding Opportunity Title:

Elder Justice Innovation Grants - Improving Results for APS Clients FY2022 Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACL-AOA-EJIG-0055

Primary CFDA Number:

93.747 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

04/06/2022 Due Date for Applications:

05/06/2022 Date for Informational Conference Call:

03/30/2022 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 The Elder Justice Innovation Grants program is intended to support foundational work to create credible innovations, with benchmarks for adult maltreatment prevention, and for program development and evaluation. The Elder Justice Innovation Grants program supports the development and advancement of knowledge and approaches in new and emerging issues related https://www.grants.gov/ to elder justice. Funded projects will contribute to the improvement of the field of adult maltreatment prevention and intervention at large by undertaking initiatives such as developing programs, interventions, materials, etc., or by establishing and/or contributing to the evidence-base of knowledge. Through this program announcement, ACL plans to award up to twenty (20) cooperative agreements, ranging from $300,000 - $1,000,000 per year for a 24-month project period, to assess and understand the various community services that produce better outcomes for persons transitioning from APS interventions which are emergent and short-term to the broader community-based programs that remediate and prevent recurrence of abuse over the longer term.

I. Funding Opportunity Description Background

Abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and self-neglect of older adults and adults with disabilities is a significant public health and human rights problem (hereinafter this funding opportunity will use the term “adult maltreatment” and should be understood to include physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; financial exploitation; neglect; and self-neglect of older adults and adults with disabilities). The most recent data available on the prevalence of adult maltreatment suggests that at least 10 percent of older Americans – approximately 5 million persons— experienced emotional, physical, or sexual abuse and neglect each year, and many of them experience it in multiple forms. [1] Adults with disabilities are 4 to 10 times more likely to become a victim of maltreatment than persons without disabilities.[2] In 2010, the age-adjusted serious violent crime (e.g. rape, robbery, assault) victimization rate for persons with disabilities was three times the rate of adults without disabilities.[3] In addition, data from state Adult Protective Services (APS) agencies show an increasing trend in reports of adult maltreatment.[4] During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, research suggests rates of maltreatment have nearly doubled, with one study identifying an increase of 83.6 percent [5]. These increases are concerning as other research estimates that as few as 1 in 23 cases of elder abuse,[6] and 1 in 44 cases of financial exploitation,[7] ever come to the attention of authorities.

It is widely documented that, despite recent investments, research in the area of maltreatment of older adults and adults with disabilities remains in its early stages, especially related to effective and evidence-based prevention, intervention, and remediation practices. Understanding of the phenomena of adult maltreatment is decades behind our understanding of either child maltreatment or intimate partner violence. Services for victims of adult maltreatment also lag far behind the system of services available to victims of other forms of family violence.

Victims of adult maltreatment may require various services and supports, including help applying for victim assistance counseling, transportation to and from court, coordination of care with medical providers and long-term care facility staff, and referral to a whole network of programs available to older adults through the Older Americans Act (OAA), along with other home and community based services, including those covered by Medicaid and Medicaid waiver home and community-based services and services covered by other funding sources. It is also known that provision of these services, such as receiving home-based care, services to keep homes safe, and home-delivered meals can remediate social isolation and other conditions that are risk factors for adult maltreatment. Specific services or supports, such as social support and participation in supportive community social outlets, may be effective for mitigating negative outcomes of elder mistreatment, such as depression, generalized anxiety, and poor health [8] as well as future risk of mistreatment [9]. Further study is required to establish the research literature in how provision of Older Americans Act funded and other essential community-based service programs can remediate and prevent adult maltreatment.

These gaps in knowledge and practice have been noted consistently across multiple efforts, including:

The Elder Justice Coordinating Council[10] has issued a set of recommendations for federal action that include enhancing response and outreach to individuals who experience abuse and developing a core set of service provision standards and best practices for APS.

In 2014, the Department of Justice, in partnership with HHS, released the results of a stakeholder engagement process whose purpose was to find consensus around the most important issues for the elder justice field. The report, titled the “Elder Justice Roadmap,”[11] identified priority action items on which the federal government -as well as others- should focus. Among the priority actions recommended were the need to evaluate the availability of emergency/transitional housing and other service options for older victims; evaluate the efficacy of programs designed to address adult maltreatment; and develop national APS standards on topics such as feasible caseloads, collaborations, training requirements, and data collection.

The 2015 White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA) selected Elder Justice as one of its five focus areas. The Final Report of the WHCOA identified public comments collected during the Conference’s stakeholder engagement process. These comments stressed the lack of research focusing on elder abuse as a significant barrier to addressing the problem, and that very little is understood about the extent of the problem.[12]

In 2020, the Administration for Community Living published a Research Agenda for Adult Protective Services. Stakeholders identified multiple questions related to service provision, including what best practices exist around service planning, and what types of services are most effective for different maltreatment types [13].

Description

In response to these calls for attention in the areas described above, in FY 2022 ACL is awarding new cooperative agreements under the “Elder Justice Innovation Grants” program. The Elder Justice Innovation Grants program is intended to support foundational work to create credible benchmarks for adult maltreatment prevention, and for program development and evaluation. The Elder Justice Innovation Grants program supports the development and advancement of knowledge and approaches about new and emerging issues related to elder justice. Funded projects will contribute to the improvement of the field of adult maltreatment prevention and intervention at large, by undertaking initiatives such as developing programs, interventions, materials, etc., or by establishing and/or contributing to the evidence-base of knowledge.

http://www.acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2016-09/Eight_Recommendations_for_Increased_Federal_Involvement.pdf http://www.acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2016-09/Eight_Recommendations_for_Increased_Federal_Involvement.pdf

Adult Protective Services (APS) is a social services program provided by state and local governments serving older adults and adults with disabilities who need assistance because of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation (adult maltreatment). In all states, APS is charged with receiving and responding to reports of adult maltreatment and working closely with clients and a wide variety of allied professionals to maximize client safety and independence.

Most APS programs serve both older and younger adults subject to state-designated criteria.

Congress enacted the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1965 in response to concern by policymakers about a lack of community social services for older persons. The original legislation established authority for grants to states for community planning and social services, research and development projects, and personnel training in the field of aging. The law also established the Administration on Aging (AoA) to administer the newly created grant programs and to serve as the federal focal point on matters concerning older persons.

In addition to Older Americans Act-funded services, older adults receive services under many other federal programs, including but not limited to Medicare and Medicaid, SNAP, VOCA, housing supports, and the broad array of federally funded home and community-based services.

In FY 2022, ACL seeks to understand more about the various community services that produce better outcomes for persons transitioning from APS interventions, which are emergent and short-term, to the OAA and community-based programs that remediate and prevent recurrence of abuse over the longer term. At a minimum, ACL expects that the information gathered through this project will result in suggestions for priority actions in each of three areas (research, practice, and policy) related to this topic. ACL is interested in supporting projects aimed at addressing the following objectives:

1. Identify, assess, and understand the connections/relationships between APS and community-based programs, and

2. Identify, assess, and understand how the transition of APS clients to community-based programs can remediate and prevent future abuse.

In pursuit of these objectives, ACL seeks applications that addresses at least one of these questions. Responses to these questions should be addressed in the application narrative, as described in detail in Section IV.2.

1. Which community services (human, social, and civil legal) produce better outcomes for persons transitioning from APS interventions, efficiently and effectively restoring them after experiencing abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation?

2. Which services or combinations or services produce better outcomes for specific forms of maltreatment?

3. Which services or combinations of services best respond longitudinally to the needs of those of have experienced maltreatment?

4. What APS service planning practices have demonstrated success?

5. What practices have demonstrated success developing and promoting durable, sustainable, and effective systemic relationships that better address the needs of people in the short- and long-term who have experienced abuse, that preserve their autonomy, and that mitigate risks of recurrence?

Rights in Data

ACL understands that the outcomes and results from these demonstration grants may be such that the awardee would like to publish an article or report on the project’s results, or disseminate the outcomes and results in some other public way. Per the HHS Grants Policy Statement (January 1, 2007), page II-69: “In general, [grant] recipients own the rights in data resulting from a grant-supported project or program….[A]ny publications, data, or other copyrightable works developed under an HHS grant may be copyrighted without OPDIV prior approval.” That is, grantees under this funding opportunity do not need to seek approval from ACL to publish reports, articles, or other material about their projects.

However, applicants should also note that Under 45 CFR Section 75.322(b), ACL reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use copyrightable works developed (or for which ownership was purchased) under this cooperative agreement for Federal purposes, and to authorize others to do so, including to disseminate the works and findings. The federal government right to such copyrightable works and data are explained further in the HHS Grants Policy Statement. For this funding opportunity, this means that grantees may not withhold from ACL data or information produced from or by this project, except as protected by privacy laws/regulations, including but not limited to outcome and evaluation data. At the conclusion of the grant period, the grantee must provide a final report that includes the data and materials produced by the grant.

Please Note: The HHS Grants Policy Statement defines “data” as “recorded information, regardless of the form or media on which it may be recorded, and includes writings, films, sound recordings, pictorial reproductions, drawings, designs or other graphic representations, procedural manuals, forms, diagrams, work flow charts, equipment descriptions, data files, data processing or computer programs (software), statistical records, and other research data.”

Additional Information - Grantee Meetings Please note that ACL plans to convene grantee meetings during the first six months of each budget period, in-person or virtual as public-health circumstances permit. Grantees are required to attend these meetings, absent extenuating circumstances, and grant funds may be used to cover this grant-related expense if a meeting is held in-person. If applicants intend to use grant funds to attend this meeting, they should include this expense in the application budget.

References

1. Acierno, R., Hernandez-Tejada, M. A., Anetzberger, G. J., Loew, D., & Muzzy, W. (2017). The National Elder Mistreatment Study: An 8-year longitudinal study of outcomes. Journal of elder abuse & neglect, 29(4), 254–269. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.201

2. Petersilia, J. (2001). Crime victims with developmental disabilities: A Review Essay. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 28(6), 655–694.

https://doi/

3. Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2017). Crime Against Persons with Disabilities, 2008- 2010 Statistical tables. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/capd0915st_sum.pdf

4. Teaster, P. B., Dugar, T., Mendiondo, M., Abner, E. L., Cecil, K. A., & Otto, J.

M. (2004). The 2004 Survey of Adult Protective Services: Abuse of Vulnerable Adults 18 Years of Age and Older. Washington, D.C.: National Center on Elder Abuse, U.S. Administration for Community Living.

5. Chang ES, Levy BR. High Prevalence of Elder Abuse During the COVID-19 Pandemic:

Risk and Resilience Factors. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2021 Nov;29(11):1152-1159.

Retrieved January 19, 2022 from doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2021.01.007.

6. Multiple studies to measure the incidence and prevalence of adult maltreatment have been undertaken in recent years. Including:

National Research Council. (2003). Elder Mistreatment: Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in an Aging America. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press.

New York City Dept for the Aging; Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc., & Weill Cornell Medical Ctr of Cornell University. (2011). Under the Radar: New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study. Rochester: Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc.

Acierno, R., Hernandez, M. A., Amstadter, A. B., Resnick, H. S., Steve, K., Muzzy, W., & Kilpatrick, D. G. (2010). Prevalence and Correlates of Emotional, Physical, Sexual, and Financial Abuse and Potential Neglect in the United States: The National Elder Mistreatment Study. Am J Public Health, 100(2), 292–297.

7. New York City Dept for the Aging; Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc., & Weill Cornell Medical Ctr of Cornell University. (2011). Under the Radar: New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study. Rochester: Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc.

8. , D., & Muzzy, W. (2017). The National Elder Mistreatment Study: An 8-year longitudinal study of outcomes. Journal of elder abuse & neglect, 29(4), 254–269.

Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.201

9. Burnes, D. P., Rizzo, V. M., & Courtney, E. (2014). Elder Abuse and Neglect Risk Alleviation in Protective Services. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29(11), 2091– 2113. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260513516387

10. Elder Justice Coordinating Council. (2014, May). Eight Recommendations from the Elder Justice Coordinating Council for Increased Federal Involvement in Addressing Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation . Retrieved January 26, 2021, from U.S. Administration for Community Living Website: https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2016- 09/Eight_Recommendations_for_Increased_Federal_Involvement.pdf

11. Connolly, M., Brandl, B., & Breckman, R. (2014). The Elder Justice Roadmap. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://www.justice.gov/file/852856/download http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/capd0915st_sum.pdf https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260513516387 https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2016-09/Eight_Recommendations_for_Increased_Federal_Involvement.pdf https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2016-09/Eight_Recommendations_for_Increased_Federal_Involvement.pdf http://www.justice.gov/file/852856/download

12. White House Conference on Aging. (2015). The White House Conference on Aging, Final Report. Washington, D.C. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://whitehouseconferenceonaging.gov/2015-WHCOA-Final-Report.pdf

13. New Editions Consulting, Inc. (2020). Building the Evidence Base for Adult Protective S ervices - APS Research Agenda. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Administration for Community Living. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2020- 10/APS%20Research%20Agenda.pdf

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for grants under this Program Announcement is contained in Sections 20 1(e)(2) and 411 of the Older Americans Act, as amended, and Title XX of the Social Security Ac t, Subtitle B, the Elder Justice Act of 2009, Section 2042(a)(1).

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$6,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$1,000,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$300,000 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

24-month project period with two 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' Under this competition, ACL will award approximately twenty (20) new, cooperative agreements ranging from $300,000 - $1,000,000 each. The project period for all awards will be for 24-months (or, 2 years), and the budget periods will be two (2), 12-month periods. Applications for continuation funding beyond the initial year will be reviewed on a non-competitive basis, subject to the availability of funds, contingent on satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination by ACL that continued funding will be in the best interest of the government.

Final award decisions will be made by the ACL Administrator and will be based on recommendations of the review panel (See Section V), reviews for programmatic and grants management compliance, geographic distribution, and the reasonableness of the estimated cost considering the available funding and anticipated results.

This funding opportunity announcement is for a new cooperative agreement. As provided by https://whitehouseconferenceonaging.gov/2015-WHCOA-Final-Report.pdf the terms of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-224), this Cooperative Agreement provides for the substantial involvement and collaboration of ACL in activities that the recipient organization will carry out in accordance with the provisions of the approved grant award.

By accepting an award under this funding opportunity announcement, the grantee agrees to execute the responsibilities outlined below:

1. Fulfill all of the requirements of the grant initiative as outlined in this program announcement, as well as carry out project activities as reviewed, approved, and awarded.

2. Collaborate with the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in the execution of the work plan, and collaborate with ACL in understanding the programmatic and budgetary issues of the project. Based on these negotiations and emerging issues in the field, if necessary, the grantee will revise the project work plan and/or budget detailing expectations for major activities and products during the grant period.

3. Evaluate the impact of project activities, and provide recommendations to ACL on ways to enhance the program. Include progress and information/data on the project’s outcomes and the evaluation in semi-annual reports, and at other times as agreed upon by the grantee and ACL.

4. Meet with the ACL project officer at least once each month, or at such other times as are agreed upon, to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement.

5. Create products and/or materials under this award that are accurate, objective, unbiased, and of high professional quality, and that do not violate federal, departmental, or agency grant rules. Before publicly disseminating materials developed under this grant, grantee will provide the ACL project officer a copy of the final product in order for the ACL project officer to have at least 15 business days to ensure the product meets the requirements set forth in the program announcement and cooperative agreement.

6. Submit to the ACL project officer a final, clean copy of all data developed or supported with these grant funds, in the format in which it was developed or produced, as provided for in the HHS Grants Policy Statement and referenced in the Notice of Award.

The HHS Grants Policy Statement defines “data” as: “recorded information, regardless of the form or media on which it may be recorded, and includes writings, films, sound recordings, pictorial reproductions, drawings, designs or other graphic representations, procedural manuals, forms, diagrams, work flow charts, equipment descriptions, data files, data processing or computer programs (software), statistical records, and other research data” (HHS Grants Policy Statement, Part II, “Rights in Data”, page II-69).

7. Include the following disclaimer on all products produced using grant funding, including those produced by sub-awards: "This [project/publication/program/website, etc.] [is/was] supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $XX with XX percentage funded by ACL/HHS and $XX amount and XX percentage funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.”

The ACL project officer will execute the responsibilities outlined below:

1. Perform the day-to-day federal responsibilities of managing a grant initiative and will work with the grantee to ensure that the minimum requirements for the grant are met.

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

3. Assist the grantee project leadership in understanding the policy concerns and/or priorities of ACL, and the Department of Health and Human Services by conducting periodic briefings and by carrying out ongoing consultations. ACL will also share information with the grantee about other federally spo nsored projects and activities relevant to the interests of the grantee and their activities.

4. Provide technical assistance to grantee with the refinement and carrying out of the project’s evaluation plan via regular conference calls and email correspondence.

5. Provide technical advice on grantee work products to ensure they are accurate, objective, unbiased, and of high professional quality, and that they do not violate federal, departmental, or agency grant rules. Before publicly disseminating materials developed under this grant, grantee will provide the ACL project officer a copy of the final product, and within 15 business days, the ACL project officer will provide guidance and feedback on whether the product meets the requirements set forth in the program announcement and this cooperative agreement.

6. Provide consultation to the grantee in identifying emerging issues and modifying work pl an as necessary.

7. Meet with the grantee project director at least once each month, or at such other times as are agreed upon, to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement.

Upon execution of this cooperative agreement, requests to modify or amend it or the work plan may be made by ACL or the awardee at any time. Modifications and/or amendments of the Cooperative Agreement or work plan shall be effective upon the mutual agreement of both parties, except where ACL is authorized under the Terms and Conditions of award, 45 CFR Part 75, or other applicable regulation or statute to make unilateral amendments. When an award is issued the cooperative agreement terms and conditions from the program announcement are incorporated by reference.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants For FY 2022 the below guidance is provided to advance the Administration’s policy, as stated in E.O. 13985, to “pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.” This guidance is intended to begin to address inequities in

HHS programs, processes, and policies that may serve as barriers to equal opportunity. By advancing equity in our NOFOs, we can “create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone.”

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.

Foreign entities are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement. Individuals are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.

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

Yes 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.

Under this ACL program, ACL will fund no more than 75% of the project’s total cost, which means the applicant must cover at least 25% of the project’s total cost with non-federal resources. In other words, for every three (3) dollars received in federal funding, the applicant must contribute at least one (1) dollar in non-federal resources toward the project’s total cost. This “three-to-one” ratio is reflected in the formula included under Item 18 in the “Instructions for Completing Requested Forms.” You can use this formula to calculate your minimum required match. A common error applicants make is to match 25% of the federal share, rather than 25% of the project’s total cost. The statutory authority to require a match can be found in Section 431(a) of the Older Americans Act.

There are two types of match: 1) non-federal cash and 2) non-federal in-kind. In general, costs borne by the applicant and cash contributions of any and all third parties involved in the project, including sub-grantees, contractors and consultants, are considered matching funds. Volunteered time and use of facilities to hold meetings or conduct project activities may be considered in-kind (third party) donations. Examples of non-federal cash match includes budgetary funds provided from the applicant agency’s budget for costs associated with the project. ACL encourages you to not exceed the minimum match requirement. Applications with a match greater than the minimum required will not receive additional consideration under the review.

Match is not one of the responsiveness criteria as noted in Section III, 3 Application Screening Criteria

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications that do not meet the following responsiveness criteria will be administratively eliminated and will not be reviewed. Applications will be deemed to have met the initial responsiveness criteria by demonstrating all of the following:

1. Demonstrated knowledge of APS systems;

2. Demonstrated knowledge of Older Americans Act and other home- and community-based programs for older adults and persons with disabilities;

3. Demonstrated knowledge of outcomes research;

4. Demonstrated capacity and experience to design, plan, and execute projects that contribute to the scientific literature;

5. Identified a project director who has demonstrated expertise in criteria 1-4 above.

6. Letters of Commitment are included, as required per Section IV.2 “Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies”;

7. CVs/Resumes are included for each person identified as "key personnel";

8. Application includes a budget, as required, covering all 2 years (24 months) of the project;

9. Application includes a work plan, as required, covering all 2 years (24 months) of the project.

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicants.

Applications that fail to meet the three (3) 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 http://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 Times New Roman 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.

http://www.grants.gov/

NOTE: The Project Abstract, Project Work Plan, Bibliography/Works Cited, Letters of Commitment, Vitae of Key Project Personnel, Logic Model, and Budget are NOT counted for purposes of the 20- page limit.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from http://www.grants.gov ind icating system problems existed at the time of your submission. For example, you will be required to provide an http://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.

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 UEI 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.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants 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/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf

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 UEI number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.

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

The Federal Government will transition from the DUNS Number to the New Unique Entity Identifier. By April of 2022, the federal government will stop using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities. At that point, entities doing business with the federal government will use a Unique Entity Identifier (SAM) created in SAM.gov. It is entered on the SF-424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities.

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

Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services Elizabeth Petruy https://www.grants.gov/

Phone Number: (202) 260-0868 E-mail: elizabeth.petruy@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Letter of Intent Due Date for Letter Of Intent 04/06/2022

04/06/2022 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:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living c/o Elizabeth Petruy Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services E-mail: elizabeth.petruy@acl.hhs.gov

Project Narrative You can use smaller font sizes to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats. 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 lengt h for the Project Narrative is 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 Abstract, Project Work Plan, Bibliography/Works Cited, Letters of Commitment, Logic Model, Budget and Vitae of Key Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20-page limit, but all of the other sections noted below are included in the limit.

The components of the Project Narrative counted as part of the 20-page limit include:

Project Relevance and Current Need

Approach

Proposed Intervention

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes

Evaluation

Organizational Capability

Project Deliverables & Dissemination mailto:elizabeth.petruy@acl.hhs.gov mailto:elizabeth.petruy@acl.hhs.gov

The components of the Project Narrative that are required but NOT counted as part of the 20-page limit include:

Abstract

Bibliography/Works Cited

Budget Narrative/Justification

Project Work Plan

Logic Model

Vitae of Key Personnel

Letters of Commitment

Project Abstract This section will not count towards the 20-page limit.

This section should include a brief (265 words maximum) description of the proposed project, including: goal(s), objectives, outcomes, and products to be developed. Detailed instructions for completing the summary/abstract are included in the “Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/Abstract.”

Project Relevance and Current Need This section should describe the nature and scope of the particular problem or issue the proposed intervention is designed to address. Strong applications will demonstrate that the proposed project is justified in terms of the most recent, relevant, and available information, evidence-based practices, and/or new and cutting-edge research.

Specifically for this funding opportunity, this section should detail how the project is intended to impact outcomes of persons served by adult protective services. It is recommended that applicants focus their problem statement on the specific aspects of the programmatic and policy considerations bearing on the development of prevention and intervention programs as it pertains to their proposed activities, rather than providing a broad or sweeping historical overview that is not directly related to the proposed interventions and activities.

Approach This section should include the following:

Goals & Objectives

Applications should describe their proposed project’s goal(s) and major objectives, particularly in relation to the overarching goals and objectives ACL has for the Elder Justice Innovation Grants as described in the Funding Opportunity Description above. ACL expects that the information gathered through these projects will result in suggestions for priority actions in research, practice, and policy related to the issues being explored.

Proposed projects must have at least one (1) project objective. In Section I.3 (Funding Opportunity Description), ACL identifies a minimum of one (1) objective for this funding opportunity:

1. People who have experienced abuse will have measurable improvements in health, social, and functional status over the long term, their autonomy and independence will be preserved, and risk of recurrent abuse will be mitigated.

Applications are free to propose more than the one (1) objective listed by ACL; however, application scores will not be based on, nor correspond to, the number of objectives proposed.

Proposed Intervention

Applications should provide a clear and concise description of the activities proposed to meet the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity (i.e., how they will be achieved). Applications should explain the rationale for using a particular approach or intervention (i.e., why they were chosen). There should be a clear connection between identified system gaps/needs in “Project Relevance and Current Need” and the proposed activities. Further, this section should identify any major barriers that are anticipated, and how the project will be able to overcome those barriers.

Special Target Populations and Organizations Applicants should describe whether, and if so, how, the proposed intervention will target hard-to-reach populations, including limited-English speaking populations, those of greatest economic need, and/or those of greatest social need. Additionally, the application should identify what stakeholder groups will be involved and/or targeted to ensure success of the project. Be sure to describe the role and makeup of any strategic partnerships that will be critical for successfully implementing the intervention, including other organizations, supporters, and/or consumer groups. Applicants should document how they will reflect ACL’s commitment to advancing equity, racial justice, and equal opportunity, including ensuring that people from underrepresented and underserved communities are at the table to inform the work in the execution of their grant activities.

Outcomes Applications will be scored on the nature of the proposed outcomes and the clarity with which the applicant describes how the outcomes will be measured/evaluated, as explained below, and not on the quantity/number of outcomes cited.

Outcomes

This section of the project narrative must identify the measurable outcomes that will result from the project. ACL will not fund any project that does not include measurable outcomes. This section should also describe how the project’s findings and results will help/impact other state and/or local elder justice programs throughout the nation address the same or similar problems. Outcomes and project impact should be described in clear and realistic terms, and should be consistent with the objectives and purpose of the project and funding opportunity. Measurable outcomes may als o be included in the optional work plan grid (“Project Work Plan – Sample Template”).

A “measurable outcome” is a change in the responsiveness or cost-effectiveness of a service delivery system; a new model of support or care that can be replicated; new knowledge;

a measurable increase in community awareness; or a measurable increase in quality. A measurable outcome could also describe a change in the degree to which consumers exercise autonomous choice over the types of services they receive, or whether they are satisfied with the way a service is delivered. A measurable outcome could also be an observable end-result that describes how a particular intervention benefits consumers. It demonstrates the functional status, mental well-being, knowledge, skill, attitude, awareness or behavior. A measurable outcome is not a measurable “output”, such as: the number of clients served; the number of training sessions held; or the number of service units provided.

*Please Note: You should keep the focus of this section on describing what outcomes and what impact will be produced by the project. You should use the “Evaluation” section below to describe how the outcomes will be measured and reported.

Logic Model

In addition to the discussion in the narrative, this section must reference the application’s logic model that illustrates/shows the activities the applicant proposes to accomplish the project’s goals and objectives, and the outcomes and measures of success of the overall project (a sample logic model is included in "Section VIII. Other Information."). The Logic Model will not count towards the 20-page limit.

Evaluation Applications must include a description of the quantitative and/or qualitative method/s that will be employed to successfully measure whether and to what extent the project has achieved its proposed outcome(s), as well as the overall goal for this funding opportunity. This section should describe the method(s), techniques, and tools that will be used to:

1) determine whether or not the proposed interventions achieved anticipated outcomes, and

2) document the “lessons learned” – both positive and negative - from the project.

A component of the evaluation plan should include a discussion of how “success” will be defined and measured.

Organizational Capacity In this Section, applicants will describe their overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to carry out the proposed project.

Organizational Capacity

Each application should include an organizational capability statement. The organizational capability statement should describe how the applicant agency (or the particular division of a larger…