Foa_Content_of_HHS-2022-ACL-AOD-NCDE-0083.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Disabilities

National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality

HHS-2022-ACL-AOD-NCDE-0083

06/27/2022

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

Summary/Abstract

Statement of Need

Goals and Objectives

Proposed Approach

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes

Project Management

Evaluation

Dissemination

Organizational Capability

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 Disabilities Funding Opportunity Title:

National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACL-AOD-NCDE-0083

Primary CFDA Number:

93.631,93.432 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

05/23/2022 Due Date for Applications:

06/27/2022 Date for Informational Conference Call:

05/16/2022 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 Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) mission is to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older adults, individuals with disabilities across the lifespan, their families, and their support networks. ACL was created around the fundamental principle that older adults and individuals with disabilities of all ages should be able to live where they choose, with the people they choose, and with the ability to participate fully in their communities. By https://www.grants.gov/ funding services and supports provided by networks of community-based organizations and with investments in research, education, and innovation, ACL helps make this principle a reality for millions of Americans.

ACL issues this Funding Opportunity Announcement for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 for a cooperative agreement authorized under Subtitle E of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, Projects of National Significance (PNS), and Section 21 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Funds will be awarded for one (1) five-year grant to create, maintain, and sustain a national resource center on disability, equity, and intersectionality to build the capacity of our communities across the nation to be more inclusive and culturally competent towards individuals with disabilities. The center will increase knowledge and awareness of systemic ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination experienced by individuals with disabilities, including those with multiply marginalized [note: the term marginalized is used interchangeably with underrepresented as defined by EO 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government] identities, from an intersectional lens. The center’s primary focus will be addressing systemic ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination with a concentrated effort around health equity and other topics identified by the grantee. The center will focus on resources to increase equitable access for people with marginalized identities by: Supporting forums for cross-cultural and cross-disability exchanges that will advance a culturally competent disability framework;

translating research into action and disseminating information using multiple methods;

developing tools, such as an organizational self-assessment tool, and supporting communities of practices for transforming systems and organizations; and building the next generation and future leaders of this work through engagement with youth with disabilities. The audience for the center will include individuals with disabilities, including those who have marginalized identities, their families, others in their support system, the developmental disabilities network, independent living programs, youth with disabilities, providers, and systems of services and supports.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. PURPOSE/STATEMENT OF NEED

The Administration on Disabilities (AoD) seeks to fund one (1) five-year cooperative agreement to create, maintain, and sustain a national resource center on disability, equity, and intersectionality to build the capacity of our communities across the nation to be more inclusive and culturally competent towards individuals with disabilities. The center will increase knowledge, awareness, and strategies to address systemic ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination experienced by individuals with disabilities, including those with marginalized identities. The center’s primary focus will be addressing systemic ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination with a concentrated effort around health equity and other topics identified by the grantee. The center will focus on resources to increase equitable access for people with marginalized identities by: supporting forums for cross-cultural and cross-disability exchanges that will advance a culturally competent disability framework; translating research into action and disseminating information using multiple methods; developing tools, such as an organizational self-assessment tool, and supporting communities of practices for transforming systems and organizations; and building the next generation and future leaders of this work through engagement with youth with disabilities. The audience for the center will include individuals with disabilities, their families, others in their support system, the developmental disabilities network, independent living programs, youth with disabilities, providers, and systems of services and supports.

The overall goal for this project is to create greater equities for individuals with disabilities by addressing systemic ableism and racism from an intersectional lens. Therefore, the resource center will be guided by principles of equity and intersectionality. The resource center will provide the forum for identifying how best to translate the principles of independent living and self-determination into different cultural contexts. Partnerships with entities supporting historically excluded groups/people within the disability community, including but not limited to those who are: Deaf and hard of hearing, blind and low vision, Deaf-blind, LGBTQ+, people of color, immigrants, incarcerated/formerly incarcerated people, indigenous people, and/or community and faith-based groups are critical to the success of this project. The grant under this opportunity will have a 60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods.

B. PROGRAM HISTORY/BACKGROUND

Individuals with disabilities confront multiple inequities daily – whether they be societal, attitudinal, physical, and/or systemic barriers. These inequities are compounded for individuals with multiple identities, which cause further marginalization when accessing service delivery systems.

The societal and/or attitudinal barriers are rooted in systemic ableism and racism which is related to structural inequality. Structural inequities that occur in legal, health, political, administrative, and cultural systems perpetuate inequities on the basis of race, disability, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, class, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and other identities. An intersectional framework recognizes that these multiple identities face myriad forms of discrimination and marginalization within systems. Intersectionality is a lens to explore the interconnectedness of different statuses in relation to embedded systems of power, privilege, and oppression. [1] Intersectionality research acknowledges complexities in the social construction of identities and lived experiences as situated in interlocking systems of inequality.

[2] [1] Intersectionality is more than a sum of multiple identities. These inequities cause systematic disadvantages which lead to inequitable experiences in healthcare, human services, and other systems. [3] Furthermore, discrimination can occur within social groups based on characteristics such as a range in ability, color, gender, and other aspects that cause a hierarchy within a specific group (e.g., disability).

The definitions of ableism and racism vary depending on the context of how and where the terms are being used. Ableism can be defined as prejudice and discrimination against individuals with disabilities by believing them to be inferior to the non-disabled. Ableism is “a system that places value on people’s bodies and minds based on societally constructed ideas of normality, intelligence, excellence, desirability, and productivity.” [4] This leads to systemic or institutional ableism which includes the physical barriers, policies, laws, regulations, and practices that exclude individuals with disabilities and other marginalized identities from fully participating in economic, political, societal, and educational opportunities.

Racism can be defined as the belief that different races contain characteristics, abilities or qualities that make them inherently inferior based on the superiority of one race over another. Systemic or institutional racism refers to complex interactions of societal systems, practices, ideologies, and programs that continue inequities for racial groups that are marginalized. [5] Furthermore, policies, laws, regulations, and practices create systemic racism that entitles one racial group certain rights and privileges, while denying the same rights and privileges to other groups in the same society because of long-established cultural prejudices.

While both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Civil Rights Act provide important protections for individuals with disabilities, including those with other identities, civil rights protections are not enough to shift the attitudes that contribute to systemic ableism and racism. This project will utilize a variety of strategies and approaches to shifting attitudes that will help in creating more equitable systems.

This project will be a part of ACL’s consortium of equity projects and will build off and complement several ACL initiatives aimed at cultural competency and equity:

Leadership Institute for Cultural Diversity and Cultural and Linguistic Competence at Georgetown University, Washington, DC;

Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities at the University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities;

Partnering to Transform Health Outcomes With Persons With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at Rush University, Chicago, IL;

Diversity Community of Practice at Georgetown University, Washington, DC;

Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Implementation Grants as part of the National

Training Initiative (NTI) awarded five grants to have UCEDDs partner with Minority Serving Institutions;

Diversity Fellowship Grants as part of NTI to UCEDDs;

Native American Independent Living Demonstration Projects; and Research and training activities funded by the National Institute on Disability

Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at Minority Serving Institutions.

As such, this project will be a critical activity as part of AoD’s strategic priority to promote equity, including health equity of individuals with disabilities. Specifically, this funding will extend the work of the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities by continuing to invest in work to promote greater health equity as well as integrating it into broader work on equity. Additionally, this project will be a part of an ACL equity consortium comprised of this Center and the NIDILRR Equity Center(s) to ensure the activities and message are coordinated for the target audiences. Finally, this investment will support Executive Order 13985, which directed the Federal Government to develop 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.” [6] It will also support the Administration’s priorities to address the COVID-19 pandemic, racial inequities, and the American economy. ACL recognizes that a leading contributor to racial, health, and economic inequities for individuals with disabilities is a lack of access to the community living opportunities and barriers they confront due to systemic ableism and racism.

The center will promote community living, stressing the importance of empowering individuals with disabilities to exercise full choice and control over their lives and to live independently in their communities with the appropriate services and supports. It is expected that the successful applicant(s) will demonstrate how these aims will be advanced particularly through active, meaningful collaborations with a diverse array of stakeholders vested in community living, self-advocacy, health, and wellness. Successful applicant(s) will provide evidence that individuals with disabilities, including those from culturally, linguistically diverse backgrounds, and non-traditional groups will be actively and meaningfully engaged throughout all funded activities, including staffing, administration, and governance.

This project is funded under the Projects of National Significance (PNS) within the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (PL 106-406), 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."[7] This project is also funded under Section 21 program, mandated by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, which requires ACL to set aside one percent of its annual appropriations to address traditionally underserved populations. AoD uses the funding to support several projects, including the Native American Independent Living Demonstration Projects and the Independent Living Transition Services for Youth and Young Adults with Significant Disabilities from Minority Backgrounds research project. NIDILRR uses Section 21 funds to focus on research capacity building for minority entities, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities and institutions, serving primarily Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native students, and non-minority entities with an interest in improving understanding about the needs and outcomes of individuals with disabilities from minority populations. [8] Applicant(s) must include a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from one of the following: Minority entities and Indian tribes to carry out activities under the programs authorized under titles II, III, VI, and VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, minority entities and Indian tribes to conduct research, training, technical assistance, or a related activity, to improve services provided under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, especially services provided to individuals from minority backgrounds.

C. PROGRAM GOALS

The national resource center on disability, equity, and intersectionality funded under this announcement will work towards building the capacity of our communities across the nation to be more inclusive and culturally competent towards individuals with disabilities, including those with marginalized identities. Through this initiative, there are immediate and longer-term outcomes. Immediate outcomes for the center are:

Increased access to culturally competent research, resources, and legal materials on ableism, racism, and intersectionality, and increased knowledge of the end user;*

Increased knowledge of health providers and others on how ableism, racism and other forms of discrimination towards individuals with marginalized identities impact equity, including health equity;

Increased engagement of communities on issues related to disability, equity, and intersectionality;.

Organizational policy change and new practices that reduce health and other disparities in the system and organizations;

Youth applying knowledge about ableism, racism, and discrimination towards individuals with marginalized identities in their community; and

Youth serving as community liaisons and increasing awareness with other youth of issues related to disability, equity, and intersectionality in their community.

Sustainability of a national resource center on disability, equity, and intersectionality. Ultimately, as a result of this project, ACL envisions:

Increased self-determination, independence, and quality of life for multiply marginalized individuals with disabilities;

Increased access to culturally competent, person-centered systems and services for multiply marginalized individuals with disabilities;*

Decreased incidences of ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination;

Youth leaders who are more self-determined; and Increased positive media on ableism and discrimination.

*Tracking with performance measures for the Projects of National Significance program.

D. MAJOR ACTIVITES

Applicant(s) should respond to this funding announcement by submitting a proposal that describes a well-designed, strategic approach that, if funded, would create, maintain, and sustain a national resource center that builds the capacity of our communities across the nation to be more equitable, inclusive, and culturally competent towards multiply marginalized individuals with disabilities. Applicant(s) should explain how they plan to implement the required activities outlined in this subsection below along with any other activities they deem necessary to achieve the outcomes listed in Subsection C above.

Project Management and Advisory Committee The applicant(s) should describe how they will develop and implement a multi-year strategic plan and workplan, utilizing a self-monitoring process for assessing progress on outcomes, and conducting annual reviews of their progress. Applicant(s) should describe the equity experience of the project team. This may include, but is not limited to, project team’s individual identities, past work with underserved/under resourced communities, outside consultants or advisory board members who will inform the project team on equity-related outreach and/or concerns. The applicant(s) should explain how they will use an advisory committee of individuals representing a range of intersectional experiences, e.g., Deaf and hard of hearing, blind and low vision, Deaf-blind, faith-based, LGBTQ+, race, ethnicity, immigrants, incarcerated/formerly incarcerated people, and/or indigenous people, and at least one representative with media outlet experience, that guides the Center. Applicant(s) must develop a plan to convene an advisory committee made up of at least 70% individuals with multiply marginalized identities. The advisory committee will meet regularly, at least twice annually, to inform the project’s workplan and activities.

Applicant(s) should ensure they budget appropriately for every member to fully participate in the meetings, including the cost of reasonable accommodations, virtual meeting platforms, and potential stipends for the member’s time. Applicant(s) should describe how they will recruit, support, and engage with the advisory committee.

Culturally Competent Disability Framework Applicant(s) should describe how they will support cross cultural exchanges to create a new or expand an existing culturally competent disability framework that incorporates through an intersectional lens key disability values and philosophies such as self-determination, independent living, and self-advocacy and how they intersect with marginalized identities. Applicant(s) should describe how they will conduct an environmental scan of existing frameworks and engage with a national community of practice (CoP) that includes stakeholders from marginalized communities to understand how these disability values and philosophies are interpreted in different cultural contexts and offer recommendations on how to make them more accessible to marginalized groups. Applicant(s) must incorporate ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination towards marginalized identities into the environmental scan and the overall framework should be applicable to multiple systems and organizations, including those in the health sector.

Knowledge Translation and Dissemination Applicant(s) should describe a knowledge translation and dissemination plan for utilizing existing knowledge and materials, developing new materials, and coordinating with the NIDILRR funded Equity Research Center(s) on knowledge translation and dissemination activities. Applicant(s) should create where needed more comprehensive, accessible, culturally competent, and user-friendly materials to disseminate information using multiple outreach strategies on how to address ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination towards marginalized identities. The applicant(s) should describe how they plan to increase visibility of the issues of systemic ableism, intersectionality and how to address discrimination for multiply marginalized individuals with disabilities. In addition, applicant(s) should describe the plan to translate legal and civil rights information into plain language materials that is more easily understood and adopted by non-traditional groups and audiences. Lastly, the applicant(s) should explain how they will develop resources on how ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination towards marginalized identities impacts individual’s interaction within specific systems, including the healthcare system and other systems (e.g., transportation, housing, home and community-based services, vocational rehabilitation, criminal and juvenile justice systems) as prioritized by the center.

Self-assessment Tool and Communities of Practice Applicant(s) should describe how they plan to develop a disability, equity, and intersectionality self-assessment tool based on the culturally competent disability framework that is inclusive of multiply marginalized identities. The tool should support evaluation of ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination in their organization and at an individual level. In developing the tool, the applicant(s) should use a consensus-based, participatory process by forming a national community of practice (CoP) that includes stakeholders from marginalized communities. The application should describe the plan for engaging with the CoP to conduct background research to determine the reason why individuals do not use services, e.g., ACL and/or disability services and to identify core competencies or standards for the tool. There may be additional engagement though focus groups, listening sessions, community conversations or other innovative methods where meaningful engagement can occur in the community. The self-assessment tool should be piloted to ensure the tool can be used in a variety of organizations.

The applicant(s) should also describe how they will develop state/territory communities of practice (CoPs) comprised of ACL network organizations (e.g., Centers for Independent Living, State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Protection and Advocacy agencies), state agencies, healthcare professionals, organizations that serve specific marginalized identities, and any self-advocacy and youth-led organizations within the state. Applicant(s) should describe how they will develop the CoP and provide targeted technical assistance to the CoPs in applying the self-assessment tool and using other resources to create more culturally competent systems and organizations.

The applicant(s) should support the COPs through an accessible virtual platform not less than quarterly. Applicant(s) should describe how they will ensure this group is diverse with regard to race, religion, ethnicity, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, location, and other factors not listed. Applicant(s) should describe how they will recruit, structure, and engage with the CoP to implement the self-assessment tool, to develop a plan of action based on the results of the self-assessment, and receive TA to address areas in the action plan identifying areas needing improvement. Each CoP will be required to 1) Convene a State or local team to identify a program or system to address systemic ableism and/or racism and other forms of discrimination by using the self-assessment tool; 2) Include as members at least three of the following disability partners (CILs, DD Council, P&A, UCEDDs); a representative from a State agency, individuals with disabilities representing intersectional experiences; and 3) provide each state or local team technical assistance including but not limited to using the self-assessment tool, strategies for addressing systemic ableism and racism, information sharing, public awareness campaigns, lessons learned, etc.

Future Leaders Applicant(s) will show how they will build the future leaders that will carry forward and champion issues of equity and intersectionality, inclusive of individuals with multiply marginalized identities, by supporting youth and young adults (ages 13 – 26 years) in developing and driving the message around these issues and creating innovative awareness activities as well as outreach and community-building strategies. Applicant(s) will describe how they will use innovative proactive outreach strategies to directly engage with diverse range of youth and young adults with and without disabilities using popular and emerging platforms for connecting across groups and communities. Applicant(s) must describe how they will work with local self-advocacy organizations, youth leadership forums, and CILs to identify and engage with youth and young adults.

Required Partnerships and Collaborations ACL expects that no single organization will be able to completely fulfill the activities of this project and the center will require a broad range of diverse 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. Because of the complex myriad of issues surrounding equity, collaborations that are inclusive of diverse voices from a wide variety of partners are often stronger and more effective. While the applicant(s) organization must be the fiscal and programmatic lead, applicant(s) should clearly define their key partners’ roles throughout the application materials (e.g., work plan, budget, project narrative). The applications should describe how a wide variety of partners will be engaged in the center who are, or could be, important players in the center to facilitate coordination of ACL equity initiatives and awareness of ableism, racism and other forms of oppression for individuals with disabilities and multiply marginalized identities. These partnerships are in addition to the engagement with the advisory committee described above. The application should describe how these 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. Applicant(s) should also include letters of commitment from each of the collaboration members that demonstrate their clear commitment to the project and reference their areas of responsibility.

Applicant(s) should plan for regularly engaging and coordinating with related groups, organizations and coalitions, including, but not limited to those representing the needs of traditionally unserved and underserved individuals with disabilities, including those from racially and ethnically diverse populations, intersectional identities from marginalized groups, who use augmentative and alternative communication, and who are not connected from ongoing supports and systems (such as youth transitioning out of the juvenile justice or foster care systems). While not required, applicant(s) should consider including as many of the following organizations/agencies as possible: 1) National Council on Independent Living (NCIL); 2) Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD); 3) National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACCD); 4) National Disability Rights Network (NDRN); 5) National disability-led and minority-led, including Native American-led, organizations (i.e. Self- Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE), Autistic Self-Advocate Network (ASAN)); 6) nontraditional organizations, including non-disability groups, civil rights groups as well as local media and radio as part of the public awareness campaign; 7) individuals with lived experience of ID/DD; 8) ACL Aging and Disability networks; 9) State agencies and 10) other partnerships that will enhance the work of the National Center.

In addition, the center will be expected to coordinate and participate with ACL’s consortium of equity centers funded through AoD and NIDILRR to ensure resources are shared, clear messaging, and other collaborative efforts.

Evaluation Applicant(s) should describe how they will use evidence-based methods for evaluation and how well they are achieving the project outcomes. Applicant(s) should describe their approach to evaluation that will be able to successfully measure whether or not the project has achieved its proposed outcomes. Applicant(s) should include qualitative and quantitative methods in their approach. Applicant(s) are strongly encouraged to utilize participatory action research to include individuals with intersectional identities in their overall evaluation plan. Applicant(s) should link the evaluation activities to the intended outcomes in Section C Program Goals above.

Sustainability Through this funding opportunity, AoD expects to realize tangible, measurable, and sustainable advancements for equity of individuals with disabilities. An expected outcome of this project will be sustainability of a national resource center on disability, equity, and intersectionality.

During the course of the project, efforts should be made to generate sufficient resources and strategies for organizational, financial, and/or community sustainability to continue and to refine the work of the center. Applicant(s) should propose a range of potential approaches for ensuring the sustainability of project efforts after federal funding has ended.

F. DEFINITIONS

Ableism “a system that places value on people’s bodies and minds based on societally constructed ideas of normality, intelligence, excellence, desirability, and productivity…”.

[4]

Equity is defined as the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American, Asian American and Pacific Islander persons, and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality [6].

Historically Black college or university: a part B institution, as defined in section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)).

Intersectionality is an analytical framework that describes how individual characteristics like race, class, gender identity, disability, sexual preference, and socioeconomic status intersect to have a compounded impact on the individual. [1]

Marginalized identity/multiply marginalized identity: groups excluded or discriminated against due to race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, language, immigration status, or other identity(ies).

Minority entity: an entity that is a historically Black college or university, a Hispanic-serving institution of higher education, an American Indian tribal college or university, or another institution of higher education whose minority student enrollment is at least 50 percent.

Racism can be defined as the belief that different races contain characteristics, abilities or qualities that make them inherently inferior based on the superiority of one race over another. [5]

Notes:

[1] Kimberlé Crenshaw, "Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics," University of Chicago Legal Forum 1989, Article 8 (Spring, 1989): 139-167.

https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/uclf/vol1989/iss1/8 [2] Lisa Bowleg, “When Black + Lesbian + Woman ≠ Black Lesbian Woman: The Methodological Challenges of Qualitative and Quantitative Intersectionality Research,” Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, (Spring, 2008): 312–325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-008- 9400-z [3] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Communities in Action:

Pathways to Health Equity (Washington: The National Academies Press, 2017) https://doi.org/10.17226/24624.

[4] Talila A. Lewis, “Working Definition of Ableism,” Talila A. Lewis Blog, last modified January 1, 2022, https://tinyurl.com/mr4c7tk5.

[5] Gilbert C Gee and Chandra L Ford, Structural Racism and Health Inequities: Old Issues, New Directions,” Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race 8, no. 1 (Spring 2011):

115–132, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742058X11000130 [6] Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government directed the Federal Government. https://tinyurl.com/5n8pnr2x [7] An Act to Improve Service Systems for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, and for Other Purposes. (PL 106-402) U.S. G.P.O., 2000. https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/about-acl/2016-12/dd_act_2000.pdf [8] Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. (PL 93-112) U.S. G.P.O., 2014.

Statutory Authority Subtitle E, Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, Projects of National Significance (PNS) Section 21, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$500,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$500,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$500,000 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.

Assist the grantee project leadership in understanding the policy concerns and/or priorities of ACL by conducting periodic briefings and by carrying out ongoing consultations.

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.

Review and 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 to the grantee, as necessary, in making sub-awards (i.e., sub-grants/contracts) as permitted in this funding opportunity announcement.

Provide guidance to the grantee on the provision of technical support and associated tasks related to the fulfillment of the goals and objectives of this grant.

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.

Participate in monthly check-in calls with the ACL Program Officer.

Provide preliminary and other working drafts of agreed upon products and social media strategies to the ACL Program Officer for review.

Ensure that all materials and products as well as all aspects of any project supported social media and web site are fully accessible and developed in accordance with 508 compliance standards.

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

Share information with ACL; grantee personnel; national, state, and local partner organizations; and other entities as appropriate.

Work with the National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality 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.

Coordinate with the NIDILRR - funded equity projects.

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.”

Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) County governments Independent school districts Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Private institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Special district governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments

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.

The Secretary shall award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to public or private nonprofit entities for projects of national significance relating to individuals with developmental disabilities to carry out activities described in section 161(2).

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 Applicant(s) that fail to submit a signed MOU that includes minority entities and Indian tribes to carry out activities under the programs authorized under titles II, III, VI, and VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, minority entities and Indian tribes to conduct research, training, technical assistance, or a related activity, to improve services provided under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, especially services provided to individuals from minority backgrounds will not be considered for competitive review or funding under this announcement.

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicant(s). Applications that fail to meet the four screening criteria described below will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. For an application to be reviewed, it must meet the following screening requirements:

Application must be submitted electronically via https://www.grants.gov by May 31, 2022 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, by the due date listed in section IV.3 Submission Dates and Times.

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

The Project Narrative must not exceed 40 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 40 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 40 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, and Résumés/Vitae of Key Project Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 40-page limit.

Application 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 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.

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:

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

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.

You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and…