Foa_Content_of_HHS-2024-ACL-AOA-EJIG-0038 (2).pdf

Signature Date

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging

FY2024 Elder Justice Innovations Grant - Option 2

HHS-2024-ACL-AOA-EJIG-0038

06/18/2024

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/Proposed Activities

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes & Evaluation

Organizational Capability and Capacity

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:

FY2024 Elder Justice Innovations Grant - Option 2 Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2024-ACL-AOA-EJIG-0038

Primary CFDA Number:

93.747 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

04/17/2024 Due Date for Applications:

06/18/2024 Date for Informational Conference Call:

05/02/2024 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 supports the development and advancement of knowledge and approaches in new and emerging issues related to elder justice. Funded projects contribute to the improvement of the field of adult maltreatment prevention and intervention at https://www.grants.gov/ large by undertaking initiatives such as developing programs, interventions, and materials, or by establishing and/or contributing to the evidence base of knowledge. Through this program announcement, ACL plans to award one (1) cooperative agreement, ranging from $750,000 - $1,200,000 - per year for a three (3) year (36-month) project period, to support the replication and further validation of evidence-informed elder abuse intervention strategies that promote goal attainment scaling, restorative justice, and person-centeredness, specifically the Repair harm;

Inspire change; Support connection; Empower choice (RISE) model.

I. Funding Opportunity Description Background

The maltreatment of older adults and adults with disabilities is a complex and pervasive problem in the United States with over 1.3 million referrals of alleged maltreatment made to Adult Protective Services (APS) agencies across the country annually.[i] Allegations of maltreatment may include physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological abuse; neglect; abandonment; and financial exploitation (hereafter referred to as “abuse, neglect, or exploitation” or “ANE”). It is well known that individuals experiencing ANE have serious physical and psychological health consequences and, although many related risk factors and indicators have been identified, ANE frequently goes undetected. Moreover, when ANE is disclosed, intervention and prevention options are limited.

APS is the most widely used intervention to address adult maltreatment and trends suggest that reports and caseloads are increasing. However, efforts to determine the efficacy of these interventions on client outcomes have been limited.[ii] Research to develop, test, and evaluate effective prevention and intervention practices are ongoing, however the science behind how and the extent to which these practices address adult maltreatment is in its early stages.[iii] This is due to several factors that complicate adult maltreatment prevention and intervention research.

First, interventions lack clear or common definitions and measures of success, specifically from the perspective of the older adult.[iv] Second, many existing adult maltreatment interventions focus on the alleged victims which do not consider the context of complex familial relationships that are usually involved.[v] Moreover, existing intervention efforts are designed to address the emergent needs of the individual and do not follow through to ensure services, support, and resources that are offered are utilized. And, finally, social services agencies (such as APS) may lack the infrastructure or resources to conduct research and evaluation to conduct research that may contribute to evidence-based knowledge.

Given that one in six people aged 60 or older living in community settings experience at least one form of maltreatment annually [vi] and that APS workers play a critical role in the intervention and the provision of services to address ANE, embedding evidence-based practices to compliment the APS intervention model shows promise to improve the outcomes of vulnerable adults.

In 2018, ACL provided funding to Maine’s Adult Protective Services Program through the Elder Justice State Grants program (Grant No. 90EJSG0031) to implement and evaluate an evidence-based APS service-planning and intervention model that utilizes practices including motivational interviewing, supported decision making, teaming, restorative justice, and goal attainment scaling. The project, later termed RISE (Repair harm; Inspire change; Support connection;

Empower choice), is a conceptually based, advocacy-framed, community-based intervention that addresses the spectrum of clients' needs and wishes and existing systems’ limitations. The RISE model project funded by ACL demonstrated success in multiple areas:

• Feasibility: RISE was initially piloted in two (2) counties, and then successfully expanded to the entire state of Maine (16 county APS programs).

• Acceptability: Over the course of the implementation phase, 96% of APS clients referred to the program accepted service, and only 4.5% dropped out.

• Client Outcomes: Participants reported positive outcomes, including 68.9% reporting improved quality of life and 72.9% reporting improved self-efficacy to cope with challenges and make safe decisions.

• Client-Service Relationships: 88.4% of APS clients believed that advocates respected their choices “much” or “all of the time”.[vii]

The framework for the RISE model was developed and guided by the needs and wants of those it aims to serve. RISE has demonstrated the flexibility to work with both the victim of ANE and the accused harmer to strengthen the support surrounding them as individuals and as a dyad. The mechanisms of the approach have demonstrated success in short-term outcomes. However, less is known about the success of the approach in longer intervention phases. In addition, additional research is needed to test the feasibility and implementation of the RISE model in different APS programs, in different communities, serving a diverse population, as well as whether it can be adapted successfully across various socio-cultural contexts. More information about RISE can be found here: https://risecollaborative.org/.

Funding Opportunity Description

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the continued development of evidence-based practices on elder abuse intervention and response. Specifically, ACL’s objective is to further validate the evidence-informed elder abuse intervention strategy: the RISE -APS model.

This funding opportunity will support one (1) grantee to replicate the RISE -APS model in at least three (3) different APS programs/communities, to provide on-going technical assistance to the programs implementing the RISE model, and to evaluate/measure the outcomes of the effort.

The successful applicant will demonstrate how they will carry out this project in a manner that meets ACL’s criteria for an evidence-based program as described below.

In carrying out this project, the grantee must provide at least $600,000 each budget year in subawards to at least three (3) different sites. Applicants can propose to provide more than $600,000 each year and can propose to support more than the minimum three (3) sites.

However, applicants should only propose the number of sites that they can sufficiently support and evaluate. Applications do not receive additional points automatically if they propose more than the minimum.

https://risecollaborative.org/.

The strongest application will demonstrate rigorous methodology to implement and evaluate the RISE - APS model, following evidence-based programming strategies. Evidence-based programs are essential tools for helping older adults maintain their independence in the community. Since 2003, ACL/AOA has been steadily moving towards wider implementation of programs that are based on scientific evidence and demonstrated to improve the health and well-being of older adults. The FY 2012 Congressional appropriations law included, for the first time, an evidence-based requirement related to Older Americans Act (OAA) Title III-D funds. In response to the new requirement, ACL developed an evidence-based definition to assist states in developing their own guidance. ACL defines Evidence-Based Programs as:

1. Demonstrated through evaluation to be effective for improving health and well-being or reducing disease, disability, and/or injury among older adults; and

2. Proven effective with older adult population, using Experimental or Quasi-Experimental Design; and

3. Research results published in a peer-review journal; and

4. Fully translated in one or more community site(s); and

5. Includes developed dissemination products that are available to the public.

(For more discussion on this definition and the terms used, please visit https://acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/disease-prevention.)

A. Application Components:

The full list of requirements for an application’s project narrative can be found at Section IV.2 below. At a minimum, in the project narrative applicants must describe:

1. The methodology proposed to replicate the RISE -APS model;

2. How subaward sites will be determined, including:

a. the proposed number of subawards and funding amounts,

b. how sites/applications will be solicited,

c. how sites/applications will be reviewed, and

d. the proposed selection process;

3. The types, form, and frequency of technical assistance that the grantee will provide to the subaward recipients;

4. The proposed measures of success and the evaluation methodology for individual sites and the overall initiative; and

5. The deliverables that will be produced, including submission of articles to a peer-reviewed journal.

B. Final Report

HHS grants policy requires all recipients of grant funding to submit a final project report. In addition to this report, grantee must submit to ACL a final report, article, or document that discusses the funded project, its results, and implications and suggestions for meeting ACL’s https://acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/disease-prevention criteria for an evidence-based program. The final written product is expected to be of professional and publishable quality, that is: free of grammatical and spelling errors, written clearly and succinctly, accurate, and appropriately cited.

C. Rights in Data

Applicants should be aware 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 and 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, also defined in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

REFERENCES:

i. McGee, L. & Urban, K. (2022). Adult Maltreatment Data Report 2021. Submitted to the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service.

Retrieved from:

https://pstrapiubntstorage.blob.core.windows.net/strapib/assets/2021_NAMRS_Report_2 024_Final.pdf

ii. National Center on Elder Abuse (n.d.) Research brief: intervention in elder mistreatment.

Retrieved April 15, 2024 from:

/https://pstrapiubntstorage.blob.core.windows.net/strapib/assets/NCEA_RB_Intervention _a50c3d5602.pdf

iii. Bolkan, C., Teaster, P. B., & Ramsey-Klawsnik, H. (2023). The context of elder maltreatment: an opportunity for prevention science. Prevention science, 24(5), 911-925.

iv. Burnes, D., Connolly, M. T., Hamilton, R., & Lachs, M. S. (2018). The feasibility of goal attainment scaling to measure case resolution in elder abuse and neglect adult protective services intervention. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 30(3), 209–222.

v. Burnes, D., Elman, A., Feir, B. M., Rizzo, V., Chalfy, A., Courtney, E., Breckman, R., Lachs, M. S., & Rosen, T. (2021). Exploring risk of elder abuse revictimization:

Development of a model to inform community response interventions. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 40(10), 1226–1230. doi:10.1177/07334648209334321226-1230

vi. World Health Organization. (2021). Elder abuse. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/elder-abuse

vii. Maine Adult Protective Services. (2023). Final progress report Appendix F submitted to ACL for Grant No. 90EJSG0031: Development of evidenced-based APS practice:

Implementation of a service planning/intervention-phase model and complete NAMRS reporting.

http://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for grants under this Program Announcement is contained in Sections 411 of the Older Americans Act, as amended, and Title XX of the Social Security Act, Subtitle B, the Elder Justice Act of 2009, Section 2042(a)(1) and (c)(2)-(3)

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$5,825,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$1,200,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$750,000 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other'

This funding opportunity is one of three under ACL's Elder Justice Innovation Grants (EJIG) program. The total funding available for the EJIG program is $5,825,000. Under this competition, ACL will award one (1) new, cooperative agreement ranging from $750,000 - $1,200,000. The project period for the awards will be for 36-months (or, 3 years), and the budget period will be three (3), 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.

Cooperative Agreement Terms This funding opportunity announcement is for a new cooperative agreement. As provided by the terms of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-224), this Cooperative Agreement require collaboration with and substantial involvement by ACL. Both you and ACL will have a role in the project. Throughout the life of your project, ACL staff will be there to help and work with you. The following cooperative agreement terms and conditions apply:

Grantee Role

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, 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 include progress and information/data on the project’s measurable outcomes 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 (report/document/etc.) was supported, in part, by a grant (No. XXX) from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Grantees carrying out projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions.

Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official ACL or DHHS policy."

ACL Role:

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 sponsored projects and activities relevant to the interests of the grantee and their activities.

4. 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.

5. Provide consultation to the grantee in identifying emerging issues and modifying work plan as necessary.

6. 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 74 or 92, 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 2024 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.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

Yes 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.

Recipients will match 20% of the project’s total cost with non-federal resources. ACL must hold recipients of federal funds accountable for their projected commitments of non-federal resources.

This includes those at or above the statutory requirement. ACL places match commitments in the Notice of Award (NOA). Not meeting the committed match amount may result in the disallowance of federal funds. You will need to report matching funds in Federal Financial Reports.

Under this ACL program, ACL will fund no more than 80% of the project’s total cost, which means the applicant must cover at least 20% of the project’s total cost. In other words, for every four (4) 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 “four-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 applicant error is to match 20% of the federal share, rather than 20% of the project’s total cost. The statutory authority to require a match can be found in Section 431(a) of the Older American’s 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 requirements. 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 below – Application Responsiveness and Screening Criteria.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications that fail to meet the responsiveness criteria described below will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration.

The successful applicant under this opportunity will be an organization that meets the following five (5) responsiveness criteria:

1. Applicant demonstrates knowledge of APS systems.

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

3. Demonstrated capacity and experience to design, plan, execute, and evaluate projects of similar scope and magnitude.

4. Application includes a budget covering all 3 years (36 months) of the project.

5. Application includes a work plan covering all 3 years (36 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 four (4) 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. Letters of Commitment are included for agencies/organizations specifically named to carry out any aspect of the project, other than the applicant. The letters of commitment are on the letterhead of the committing agency, details the specific role and resources/activities that will be provided in support of the applicant’s project, and are signed. General expressions of support for an applicant are insufficient to meet the criterion of Letters of Commitment.

4. The Project Narrative must not exceed 20 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration. NOTE: The Project Abstract, Project Work Plan, Bibliography/Works Cited, Letters of Commitment, Vitae of Key Project Personnel, and Budget are NOT counted for purposes of the 20-page limit.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from http://www.grants.govindicating 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.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

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. As of April of 2022, the federal government stopped 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 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 acknowledgment from https://www.grants.gov that contains https://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form from https://www.grants.gov.

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

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent 04/17/2024 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 Eden Ruiz-Lopez https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov

Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services E-mail: Eden.Ruiz-Lopez@acl.hhs.gov

Project Narrative The Project Narrative must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, preferably Times New Roman or Arial. You can use smaller fonts to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats. The suggested length for the Project Narrative is 12 to 15 pages; 20 pages is the maximum length allowed. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

The Project Narrative is the most important part of the application since it will be used as the primary basis to determine whether your project meets the minimum requirements for this funding opportunity. The Project Narrative should provide a clear and concise description of our project. Your Project Narrative will be reviewed and scored based on the components below.

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

• Project Relevance and Current Need

• Approach/Proposed Activities

• Special Target Populations

• Measurable Outcomes, Impact, and Evaluation

• Organizational Capability

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

• Project Abstract

• Bibliography/Works Cited

• Budget Narrative & Justification

• Project Work Plan

• Vitae of Key Personnel

• Letters of Commitment

Project Abstract This section will not count toward 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. Detained instructions for completing the summary/abstract are included in the “Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/Abstract.”

mailto:Eden.Ruiz-Lopez@acl.hhs.gov

Project Relevance and Current Need This section should describe how the proposed project’s approach is justified in terms of the most recent, relevant, and available information on creating, replicating, and/or establishing evidence-based practices. Strong applications will identify the challenges of the state's current APS system as it relates to serving clients impacted by elder maltreatment, and the rationale for the selected approach. 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, rather than providing a broad or sweeping historical overview that is not directly related to the proposed interventions and activities.

Approach/Proposed Activities This section should include the following types of information:

Goals & Objectives Applications should describe their proposed project’s goal(s) and major objectives, particularly in relation to the overarching goal and objective described in the Funding Opportunity Description in Section I. Goals include the project’s overall purpose, like a mission statement that says what you want to do and where you want to be after the project. Objectives are narrow, specific, and clear steps towards your goals. Applications are free to propose more than the goals and objectives listed by ACL, and to propose more than one (1). However, application scores will not be based on, nor correspond to, the number of proposed goals or objectives.

Proposed Activities

Applications must propose an experimental or quasi-experimental design, and 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 and to present a clear connection between identified system gaps/needs 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. At a minimum, applicants should describe:

1. The methodology proposed to replicate the RISE -APS model;

2. How subaward sites will be determined, including:

a. the proposed number of subawards and funding amounts,

b. how sites/applications will be solicited,

c. how sites/applications will be reviewed, and

d. the proposed selection process;

3. The types, form, and frequency of technical assistance that the grantee will provide to the subaward recipients.

Project Deliverables and Dissemination

Applicants should describe what deliverables and products they expect to produce through, and as a result of, this grant. ACL expects that nationwide dissemination of products and knowledge will occur, and ACL will facilitate dissemination of information by posting to ACL-hosted websites.

*Please Note: In addition to any grantee-proposed deliverables, all grantees under the Elder Justice Innovation Grants program must submit to ACL a final report, document, or briefing paper for dissemination and sharing that discusses the funded project, its results, and implications for meeting ACL’s criteria for an evidence-based program. The final written product is expected to be of professional and publishable quality, that is: free of grammatical and spelling errors, written clearly and succinctly, accurate, and appropriately cited. This deliverable does not replace, but is in addition to, the final project report required by HHS grants policy for all recipients of grant funding.

Special Target Populations and Organizations This section should describe how the proposed intervention will target disadvantaged populations, including people of color and others such as with limited-English proficiency, those residing in rural areas and individuals with low-income who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. Please describe how you plan to reach underserved/under-resourced communities including but not limited to individuals who are Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; members of religious minorities;

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; and persons who live in rural areas.

Outcomes & Evaluation In this section, applications must describe the proposed measures of success and the evaluation methodology for individual sites and the overall initiative, and should include specific information about how data will be collected, managed, monitored, and analyzed.

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.

Specifically, the proposal must identify the measure(s) to determine the effectiveness of the project in improving health and well-being or reducing disease, disability, and/or injury among persons served by APS. This section also should describe how the project’s findings and results will assist other state and/or local APS and elder justice programs throughout the nation address 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 also be included in the work plan grid (“Project Work Plan – Sample Template”).

You should keep the focus of this section on describing what outcomes will be produced by the project. You should use the Evaluation section below to describe how the outcomes will be measured and reported.

Evaluation

This section should describe the method(s), techniques, and tools that will be used to: 1) determine whether the proposed interventions achieved the anticipated outcomes, 2) identify which services or combinations of services yielded improved outcomes and 3) document the “lessons learned” – both positive and negative - from the project.

Organizational Capability and 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 organization should demonstrate the capacity and experience to design, plan, execute, and evaluate projects of similar scope and magnitude. The organizational capability statement should describe how the applicant organization or agency is organized, the nature and scope of its work and/or the capabilities it possesses. If appropriate, include an organization chart showing the relationship of the project to the current organization. An organizational chart can be included as an attachment to the project narrative and will not count towards the narrative page limit. In describing organizational capacity, applicants should clearly limit external partner subcontracting to no more than 30% of the level of effort your organization will expend on substantive, programmatic activities.

Qualifications This description should cover qualifications, current or previous relevant experience/expertise, and/or the record of the project team to design, plan, execute, replicate, and evaluate projects with fidelity and that contribute to the evidence-base of knowledge with respect to prevention, intervention, and/or response to adult maltreatment and APS systems. Include information about any persons that will have a significant or key role(s) in implementing the project and achieving project goals. Please attach short vitae for key project staff only. Vitae or resumes can be included as attachments and will not count towards the narrative page limit.

Project Management This section should include a clear delineation of the roles and responsibilities of project staff, consultants and partner organizations, and how they will contribute to achieving the project’s objectives and outcomes. It should specify who would have day-to-day responsibility for key tasks such as leadership of project; monitoring the project’s on-going progress; preparation of reports; communications with other partners and ACL. It should also describe the approach that will be used to monitor and track progress on the project’s tasks and objectives. Throughout the entire grant period, ACL expects the Project Director will have substantial knowledge about and involvement in all aspects of the project.

Bibliography/Works Cited Applicants must document all of their source material. If any text, language and/or materials are from another source, the applicant must make it clear the material is being quoted and where the text comes from. The applicant must also cite any sources when they use numbers, ideas, or other material that is not their own. If the applicant fails to comply with this requirement, regardless of the severity or frequency of the plagiarism, the reviewers shall reduce an application’s score accordingly, even to the degree of issuing no points at all.

Applications may attach a “Bibliography” or “Works Cited” section to the end of the project narrative to cite sources properly. The bibliography must only contain bibliographic information for sources cited in the Project Narrative. This section will not count towards the 20-page limit.

Any entry in the bibliography that is not a source citation, such as an explanatory note, will be removed.

Budget Narrative/Justification The Budget Narrative/Justification may be provided using the format included in this NOFO in the document entitled “Budget Narrative/Justification – Sample Format.” Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to this document, which provides an example of the level of detail sought. Applicants requesting funding for a multi-year grant program are required to provide a detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for each potential year of grant funding requested. Accordingly, applications must include a budget for each of the 3 years of this project.

Because the proposal must demonstrate a clear and strong relationship between the stated objectives, project activities, and the budget, a narrative budget justification should be included that summarizes the cost estimated per proposed project, activity, or product. This budget justification is helpful in assessing the reasonableness of the type and amount of work that is planned and what the applicant expects for the overall cost.

Project Work Plan The Project Work Plan should reflect and be consistent with the Project Narrative and Budget and should cover each of the three (3) sequential years of the project period. It should include a statement of the project’s overall goal(s), anticipated outcome(s), key objectives, and the major tasks/action steps that will be pursued to achieve the goal and outcomes. For each major task/action step, the work plan should identify timeframes involved (including start- and end-dates), and the lead person responsible for completing the task. Please use the “Project Work Plan - Sample Template” format as a reference and resource, if desired.

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies Letters of Commitment must be included for any organization or individual who is identified as a key partner, key personnel, or otherwise named to carry out specific activities in the application.

The Letters of Commitment must specify the partnering organization’s or individual’s role, resources, and activities that will be provided in support of the applicant’s project. The organization’s or individual’s expertise, experience, and access to targeted population(s), if applicable, should also be described in the Letters of Commitment. Letters of Commitment must be on the letterhead of the committing agency or business and must be signed by the person authorized to commit the agency to the activity/partnership. Signed Letters of Commitment should be included as attachments in the application package.

Letters of Commitment are different from “Letters of Support.” Letters of Support are letters that are general in nature that speak to the writer’s belief in the capability of an applicant to accomplish a goal/task. Letters of support might indicate an intent or interest to work together in the future. However, letters of support generally lack the specificity required of Letters of Commitment and generally do not indicate that agreement to partner has been reached.

Moreover, the author of a Letter of Support might not be identified by the work plan as a core/key partner or collaborator. Letters of Support are not required, and they will not be scored.

Signed letters of commitment should be scanned and included as attachments in your application package.

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