Frequently Asked Questions PPNU0090 04.22 programmatic.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging

HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-PPNU-0090

Questions Related to Grant Administration

1) Question: Confirm whether all the funds or items that fall under any of the referenced categories must be 1) shown in the budget as a line item, and 2) reported in our federally audited financials.

Answer: The details of costs must be included in the budget in accordance with the Funding opportunity announcement. Any activity and/or cost is subject to audit. All proposed federal and non-federal costs must be included under the applicable category with the details provided beginning at page 38 of 43 of the referenced opportunity announcement.

2) Question: The funding opportunity uses a few different terms to refer to cost share including cost sharing, matching, and in-kind.

Answer: The terms, cost share, match and in-kind are used interchangeably.

3) Question: I see that cost sharing is required, but I have been unable to find any indication of an amount or percentage of cost share required.

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

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 inkind (third party) donations. Examples of non-federal cash match includes budgetary funds provided from the applicant agency’s budget for costs associated with the project. ACL encourages you to not exceed the minimum match requirement. Applications with a match greater than the minimum required will not receive additional consideration under the review. Match is not one of the responsiveness criteria as noted in Section III, 3 Application Screening Criteria.

4) Question: Does the budget range for each funding option include indirect costs? What indirect rate can we use?

Answer: Any indirect costs charged by the applicant would be included in the amount of the federal award. However, many educational institutions and other organizations may have multiple approved indirect rates with HHS. Some of the rates are for “on campus” and some for “off campus” research. Because these grant projects are intended to be implemented in the community the “off campus” indirect rate should be selected for use within the proposed budget.

5) Question: Can funding dollars be spent on the purchase of digital media (to aid in going beyond the use of traditional media channels)?

Answer: Possibly. As with all expenditures the costs must be allowable, reasonable, necessary and allocable (the cost can be measured and tied to a specific activity).

Miscellaneous Questions

6) Question: Have you publicly released the findings from the June 2019 RFI for feedback from Nutrition and Aging Network Providers on nutrition programs and services technical assistance?

Answer: The results of the previous National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging’s Senior Nutrition Program (SNP) network technical assistance needs survey is posted on the ACL website at:

https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/nutrition/ACLSurveyResultsRFI_SNP508April2021.docx

7) Question: Do you have comprehensive email lists of individuals in the SNP (such as State Units of Aging and AAAs) and will you share with grantee?

Answer: ACL does not have a publically distributed email list for SNP contacts, however, the entity awarded the Resource Center grant will have access to Innovation in Nutrition grantee and State Unit on Aging (SUA) Nutrition Administrator contacts.

To identify SUA contacts go to: http://www.advancingstates.org/about-nasuad/about-state-agencies/list-members; and to find AAA and LSP contacts go to https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx

8) Question: Is the seniornutrition.acl.gov collaboration tool the website?

Answer: The collaboration tool is in the development process and is anticipated to be connected to seniornutrition.acl.gov. As the launch of this tool approaches, ACL will inform the Resource Center grantee of the exact location to access the collaboration tool.

Questions Related to Proposed Activities

9) Question: Can you explain expectations for surge capacity?

https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/nutrition/ACLSurveyResultsRFI_SNP508April2021.docx http://www.advancingstates.org/about-nasuad/about-state-agencies/list-members http://www.advancingstates.org/about-nasuad/about-state-agencies/list-members https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx

Answer: The successful Resource Center grantee will fulfill all the requirements of the grant initiative along with mutually agreeable staffing levels as outlined in this program announcement, as well as carry out project activities as reviewed, approved, and awarded.

The Resource Center will provide rapid response technical assistance in times of emergency; in order to provide flexible and responsive assistance the Resource Center should preemptively identify additional staffing or consultants needed to address a variety of anticipated and unanticipated, urgent situations.

The Resource Center will additionally be expected to respond to requests for data, information, presentation tools, and administrative assistance, as needed, and some requests may require very quick turnaround times (see Goal #1), so a similar plan for timely onboarding of appropriate staff and consultants is required.

Applicants should provide a detailed plan for meeting these requirements.

10) Question: What does ‘Advocacy’ mean to ACL? What does ACL aim to see happen because of successful advocacy via the NRCNA?

Answer: The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) indicates on page 7 that Advocacy includes strengthening the diverse aging network by broadly supporting AoA/ACL’s mission and full complement of services/supports. Applicants are advised to review the components of Goal #3, which outlines the components of national leadership and advocacy. Additionally, applicants may wish to review ACL’s webpage entitled, Empowering Advocacy at https://acl.gov/programs/empowering-advocacy .

11) Question: Can ACL clarify what is understood when the RFA refers to ‘policymakers’ – does this include both federal and state legislatures? Or just one or the other?

Answer: Within Goal #3 (Provide national leadership by acting as an advocate for the SNP, to ensure the network’s continued strength and sustainability) the Resource Center will “develop and deploy a communications strategy to inform, on a regular basis, professionals, policymakers, and the public of key events and emerging, state-of-the art developments, information, and opportunities.” The level(s) of policymaker is not delineated by the NOFO; the applicant should provide a detailed plan for addressing this requirement, which will be scored by the reviewer panel for appropriateness and adequacy.

12) Question: Is ACL seeking advocacy support for the entire OAA or just the nutrition portions of the Act?

Answer: The NOFO indicates on page 7 that Advocacy includes strengthening the diverse aging network by broadly supporting AoA/ACL’s mission and full complement of services/supports.

https://acl.gov/programs/empowering-advocacy

13) Question: When the RFA refers to ‘dispelling misinformation’, can ACL clarify what misinformation is being referenced?

Answer: Specific mis-information topics were not delineated in the NOFO. Applicants may wish to review guidance and technical assistance documents located at acl.gov and seniornutrition.acl.gov.

Transition of the network and aging professionals and changes in regulation, making sure network has correct information.

14) Question: Can ACL clarify what webinar platform will be used to support the provision of virtual training? I am asking if ACL expects the applicant to provide the platform, or will the applicant be using ACL’s webinar platform.

Answer: Applicants should plan on using their own webinar platform. In addition, there may be opportunities for use of other webinar platforms if webinars/trainings are performed in conjunction with ACL and other stakeholders.

15) Question: Can ACL clarify what the ‘seniornutrition.acl.gov collaboration tool’ is?

Answer: The collaboration tool is in the development process and is anticipated to be connected to seniornutrition.acl.gov. As the launch of this tool approaches, ACL will inform the Resource Center grantee of the exact location and capabilities of the collaboration tool.

16) Question: Can ACL clarify what it understands to be ‘tiered technical assistance’?

Answer: Technical assistance which “assess[es] the needs of the various target audiences and their respective, preferred method(s) for obtaining technical assistance and guidance.” (see Goal #1)

17) Question: Can ACL clarify what it means by ‘engaging the network to diversify resources’ – in this context, does resources include both programmatic and/or financial resources, donors, etc.?

Answer: The phrase cited is listed on page 7 of the NOFO under Partnerships, “Maintain and develop critical partnerships, collaborations, and coalitions with other national organizations, including those representing culturally diverse populations, as well as ACL Resource Centers, to fully engage the network, diversify resources and dispel misinformation.”

In addition to receiving AoA funds, the SNP receives financial support from state and local government, in-kind contributions, private donations, and voluntary contributions from participants. The SNP is not an entitlement program, so funding is derived from many sources and services are targeted at older persons with the greatest economic or social need (Process Evaluation of Older Americans Act Title III-C Nutrition Services Program at https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2016-11/NSP-Process-Evaluation- Report_0.pdf ).

There are numerous possibilities for enhanced funding including public/private partnerships, social entrepreneurship, healthcare contracts, resource development, etc for which SNP organizations should receive training and information, in order to expand their business skills and to sustain resilient and diverse funding to meet the growing older population’s health and nutritional needs.

https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2016-11/NSP-Process-Evaluation-Report_0.pdf https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2016-11/NSP-Process-Evaluation-Report_0.pdf