fy2012 ross sc nofa final.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5600-N-30]

Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for HUD’s Fiscal Year 2012

Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) – Service Coordinators Program

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability for HUD’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Resident

Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) Service Coordinators Program.

SUMMARY: Today’s posting provides information and instructions for the FY2012

ROSS-Service Coordinators program. This Notice is comprised of both the Notice of

HUD’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), Policy

Requirements and General Section (2012 General Section) to HUD’s FY2012 NOFAs for Discretionary Programs, posted on www.Grants.gov on September 19, 2011, and this program section to the NOFA. HUD's ROSS-Service Coordinators Program is authorized by Section 34 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, and the Tenant Opportunity

Program regulations at 24 CFR Part 964. HUD’s FY2012 Notice of Funding Availability

Policy Requirements and General Section published on Grants.gov on September 19, 2011, establish threshold and other critical application submission requirements that affect this NOFA. Applicants for this assistance therefore, should review the FY2012

General Section as well as this program section NOFA for critical information prior to submitting an application.

DATES: The application deadline is 11:59:59 p.m. eastern time on March 27, 2012.

Applications must be received by Grants.gov no later than 11:59:59 p.m. eastern time on the application deadline date. Applications submitted to Grants.gov go through a validation process before they are accepted by the Grants.gov system. Please allow time for this process to ensure that you meet the timely receipt requirements. Please see the FY2012 General Section for instructions for timely receipt, including actions to take if the application is rejected. Applicants should carefully read the section titled “APPLICATION and SUBMISSION INFORMATION” in the FY2012 General Section for electronic application submission and receipt requirements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding specific program requirements should be directed to the agency contact identified in Section VII of this program

NOFA. Prior to the application deadline, program staff will be available to provide general guidance, but not guidance with actually preparing the application. Questions regarding the

FY2012 General Section should be directed to the Grants Management Office at 202-708-0667.

Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number via TTY by calling the

Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

http://www.grants.gov/

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

A. Federal Agency Name: Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Public and Indian Housing.

B. Funding Opportunity Title: Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) Service

Coordinators program.

C. Announcement Type: Initial announcement.

D. Funding Opportunity Number: FR-5600-N-30; OMB Approval Number 2577-0229.

E. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): Resident Opportunity and

Self Sufficiency, 14.870.

F. Dates: The application deadline is 11:59:59 p.m. eastern time on March 27, 2012.

Applications must be received by Grants.gov no later than 11:59:59 p.m. eastern time on the application deadline date. Please carefully read the Notice of HUD’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2012

Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Policy Requirements and General Section to HUD’s

FY2012 NOFAs for Discretionary Programs, posted on Grants.gov on September 19, 2011.

Applicants are advised that following receipt, applications go through a validation process in which the application may be accepted or rejected. Please allow time for this process to ensure that you meet the timely receipt requirements.

NOTE: The validation system does not check to see that all attachments required by the NOFA are in the submission, or that the applicant has submitted all the required elements of the application.

Applicants have the ability to check the status of the application on line immediately following submission. Click on Applicant Log In, enter your password and ID. You will see a list of all applications submitted and view the list of forms and files received. The link is available for each application under Submission Files/Names in Check Application Status.

G. Additional Overview Content Information:

1. Purpose of Program. The purpose of the Public and Indian Housing Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Service Coordinators (ROSS-SC) program is to provide grants to public housing agencies (PHAs), tribes/tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs), Resident

Associations (RAs), and tax-exempt nonprofit organizations (including grassroots, faith-based and other community-based organizations) for the provision of a Service Coordinator to coordinate supportive services and other activities designed to help Public and Indian housing residents attain economic and housing self-sufficiency. This program works to promote the development of local strategies to coordinate the use of assistance under the Public Housing program with public and private resources, for supportive services and resident empowerment activities. These services should enable participating families to increase earned income, reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance, make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency or, in the case of elderly or disabled residents, help improve living conditions and enable residents to age in-place. A Service Coordinator ensures that program participants are linked to the supportive services they need to achieve self-sufficiency or remain independent. Funds in this program are not allowed to be used for the direct provision of these services. This program is similar to the Public Housing Family Self-

Sufficiency program (PH FSS), however, the PH FSS program is open only to PHAs and tribes/TDHEs, has a requirement of an escrow account for its participants and provides one-year funding. The ROSS SC program is open to nonprofit and Resident Association applicants, provides three-year funding, includes administrative expenses and training as eligible uses of the funds and requires a 25% match by statute. A PHA or tribe may receive grants in both programs.

2. Funding Available. A total of approximately $35 million is available for the ROSS-SC program in Fiscal Year 2012 plus any carryover or recaptured funds from prior ROSS appropriations that may become available. The authority for the program is the Consolidated and

Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (Pub. L. 112-65, approved November 18, 2011).

3. Award Amounts. Awards will pay for the annual salary and fringe benefits of Service

Coordinators. Awards may be for up to three coordinators, depending on size and type of applicant. Each coordinator position salary must not exceed $69,000. Awards will also include funds for training and for administrative expenses. Total awards for a 3-year grant term will range from approximately $243,000 to $729,000. Please see the program description for more specific information about funding amounts.

4. Eligible Applicants. Eligible applicants are PHAs; tribes/TDHEs; tax-exempt nonprofit organizations including grassroots faith-based and other community-based organizations that have resident support, PHA support or the support of tribes; Resident Associations (RAs);

resident councils (RCs); resident organizations (ROs); City-Wide Resident Organizations

(CWROs); Intermediary Resident Organizations (IROs); Jurisdiction-Wide Resident

Organizations; Regional Resident Organizations; Resident Management Corporations (RMCs);

Site-Based Resident Organizations; Statewide Resident Organizations (SROs); and Tribal/TDHE resident groups. The term “Resident Association” or “RA” will be generally used to refer to all types of eligible resident organizations. Please see the section on “Definition of Terms” for a complete definition of each type of eligible resident organization.

In general, prior ROSS-SC Grantees are eligible to apply for 2012 funding. However, new

(not renewal) applicants to serve PHAs that are currently being served by a ROSS-SC grantee will receive lower status in the lottery than new applicants to serve PHAs that are not being served by any prior ROSS-SC funding. New funding will not be granted to serve projects that are served with funding from prior ROSS-SC grants. Site-Based Resident Associations that received funding from prior ROSS-SC grants will not be eligible for new funding under this

NOFA. A maximum of three site-based Resident Associations serving any one PHA will be funded through this NOFA.

5. Cost Sharing/Match Requirement. At least 25 percent of the requested grant amount is required as a match. The match may be in cash and/or in-kind donations. Match may also be made up of self-sufficiency and supportive services/programs provided to participants in the

ROSS-SC program. The match is a threshold requirement.

6. Grant term. The grant term for each funding category is 3 years from the execution date of the grant agreement.

7. Coordination Between Programs with Services or Service Coordination. In any jurisdiction or neighborhood that receives funding, for either the same geographic area or the same population, for ROSS Service Coordinators, Public Housing Family Self-Sufficiency, Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency, HOPE VI Revitalization, Choice

Neighborhoods, Elderly/Disabled Service Coordinators, HUD-VASH, Family Unification

Vouchers, Multi-Family Service Coordinators, HOPWA, Continuum of Care programs and/or other special use housing assistance with services or service coordination, HUD encourages coordination among the programs, where appropriate, so as to leverage shared resources, avoid duplication of services, and improve access and service delivery for participating families.

FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Purpose. The purpose of the ROSS-SC program is to provide funding to hire and maintain

Service Coordinators (SC) who will assess the needs of residents of conventional Public Housing or Indian housing and coordinate available resources in the community to meet those needs. The ultimate goal of a ROSS-Family Service Coordinator is to assist families to increase earned income and move towards economic and housing self-sufficiency. The ultimate goal of a ROSS-

Elderly/Disabled Service Coordinator is to ensure that residents can maintain independent living and age in-place in their units and avoid placement in a full-care facility to the greatest extent possible. Applicants will indicate if their SCs will serve families, elderly/disabled residents, or a mix of the three.

B. Number of Positions for Which Eligible Applicants May Apply

1. For PHA and Tribe/TDHE applicants, the number of positions is determined by the number of ACC units under contract. PHAs must use the number of occupied conventional public housing units as of September 30, 2011. Tribes/TDHEs should use the number of units counted as Formula Current Assisted Stock for FY2011 as defined in 24 CFR 1000.316 and

1000.314. Tribes that have not previously received funds from the Department under the U.S.

Housing Act of 1937 should count housing units under management that are owned and operated by the tribe and that are identified in their housing inventory as of September 30, 2011.

Applicants may apply for up to 3 SCs depending on the size and type of the applicant. The program ratio for the number of eligible SCs is in the table provided.

The SC does not have to serve all residents in a particular PHA or Project. However, each

SC must serve a minimum of 50 units. Additionally, only one application per Project will be granted. SCs generally serve an average of between 50 - 400 residents. Part of the SC’s role is to convene a Program Coordinating Committee, similar to that required in the Family Self-

Sufficiency program, to coordinate services for families and/or elderly/disabled residents. HUD expects that all entities wishing to serve residents at a particular PHA or Tribe will have coordinated their grant-seeking efforts. However, if more than one application proposing to serve the same Project is received, they will both be reviewed and if both are deemed to enter the lottery, the first chosen will be funded.

2. Nonprofit Applicants. Nonprofit applicants may apply with the support of a PHA or Tribe or with the support of one or more RAs. A nonprofit applicant with support from a PHA may apply to serve a PHA/tribe/TDHE using the ratios stated above. A nonprofit applicant applying with the support of an RA(s) may apply for up to one SC per RA (or set of RAs if combining

RAs is required to achieve the minimum number of units to be served) for a total of not more than three SCs per PHA. A nonprofit applicant may apply to serve as many as 3 PHAs or Tribes

(up to 9 SCs), but must submit a separate application for each PHA or Tribe to be served unless they are proposing to split one SC’s time between PHAs or Tribes. In this case, one application may be submitted, but a letter of support from each PHA or Tribe (or RA at each PHA) is required and the PHA or Tribe listed first on the SF424 and HUD52768 will be considered the lead PHA or Tribe.

3. Site-Based Resident Association Applicants. Site-based resident association applicants may apply for one coordinator each, provided that the minimum number of units will be served.

A Site-Based Resident Council that was funded in prior ROSS-SC competitions may apply only for a renewal of the 2009 grant, not for a new grant. A maximum of three site-based Resident

Associations serving any one PHA will be funded through this NOFA. If more than three are deemed eligible for the lottery, the first three chosen will be funded. The remaining applications will NOT be put into the general lotteries. An exception will NOT be made for renewal 2009 grant applications. Therefore, if more than three RAs were granted to serve the same PHA in

FY09, ONLY THREE will be renewed in the 2012 cycle.

4. State-wide, National and other Resident Associations. State-wide, national and other resident associations with tax-exempt nonprofit status should apply using the eligibility guidelines for nonprofit applicants.

5. Joint Applicants. More than one PHA/tribe/TDHE or RA may combine their eligible units and share the number of SCs for which they are eligible together. In this case, a lead applicant must be identified.

6. Renewal Applicants. If the number of SCs for which an applicant is eligible has changed since the original 2009 application, a renewal applicant is eligible to apply for the number of

SCs for which it is NOW eligible (i.e. if the number of units has decreased, the number of SCs may have decreased also and vice versa.)

C. Definition of Terms

1. City-Wide Resident Organization consists of members of Resident Councils, Resident

Management Corporations, and Resident Organizations who reside in public housing projects that are owned and operated by the same PHA within a city.

2. Contract Administrator means an overall grant administrator or a financial management agent (or both) that oversees the implementation of the grant and/or the financial aspects of the grant. See Sections III.C.3.b. , III.C.3.c, and Section III.C.4.a. for more information.

3. Elderly person means a person who is at least 62 years of age.

4. Indian Tribe. The definition of Indian tribe under this NOFA shall be the same definition of

Indian tribe in section 4(13) of NAHASDA which is: a tribe that is a federally recognized tribe or a State recognized tribe.

a. Federally Recognized Tribe. The term “federally recognized tribe” means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska

Native Claims Settlement Act, that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians pursuant to the Indian

Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975.

b. State Recognized Tribe

(1) In General- The term “State recognized tribe” means any tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community--

(a) That has been recognized as an Indian tribe by any State; and

(b) For which an Indian Housing Authority has, before the effective date of NAHASDA entered into a contract with the Secretary pursuant to the United States Housing Act of 1937 for housing for Indian families and has received funding pursuant to such contract within the 5-year period ending upon such effective date.

5. Intermediary Resident Organizations means jurisdiction-wide resident organizations, citywide resident organizations, statewide resident organizations, regional resident organizations, and national resident organizations.

6. Jurisdiction-Wide Resident Organization means a tax-exempt nonprofit organization or an incorporated association that meets the following requirements:

a. Most of its activities are conducted within the jurisdiction of a single housing authority;

b. There are no incorporated resident councils or resident management corporations within the jurisdiction of the single housing authority;

c. It has experience in providing start-up and capacity-building training to residents and resident organizations; and

d. Public housing residents representing unincorporated resident councils within the jurisdiction of the single housing authority must comprise a majority of the board of directors.

7. NAHASDA-assisted resident a NAHASDA-eligible person who has been assisted under

NAHASDA.

8. National Resident Organization (NRO) is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization or an incorporated association for public housing that meets each of the following requirements:

a. It is national (i.e., conducts activities or provides services in at least two HUD areas or two states);

b. It has the capacity to provide start-up and capacity-building training to residents and resident organizations; and

c. Public housing residents representing different geographical locations in the country are members of the board of directors.

9. New Applicant. An applicant that has not been funded in any of the 2009, 2010 or 2011

ROSS-SC competitions.

10. Tax-Exempt Nonprofit Organization. A tax-exempt nonprofit organization is an organization that is exempt from federal taxation. A tax-exempt nonprofit organization is an organization that has been granted tax-exempt status by the IRS pursuant to I.R.C. 501(c)(3) before the deadline for submission of this application. For more information about tax-exempt status, go to www.irs.gov. Applicants who are in the process of applying for tax-exempt status and have not received this designation from the IRS by the deadline for submission will not be eligible. All nonprofit applicants must submit their IRS determination letter to prove their tax-exempt status. Please see the section on Threshold Requirements for more information.

Nonprofit applicants must also provide letters of support as described in the Threshold

Requirements section.

11. Past Performance. HUD’s field offices/Area ONAPs will evaluate the applicants’ past performance to determine whether an applicant has the capacity to manage the grant for which it is applying. Field offices/Area ONAPs will also evaluate the past performance of Contract

Administrators for applicants required to have a Contract Administrator. New applicants will be evaluated using their narrative responses to the Past Performance requirements as described in this NOFA, see Sections III.C.3.b.2(a) and (b).

12. Person with Disabilities means a person who:

a. Has a condition defined as a disability in section 223 of the Social Security Act; or

b. Has a developmental disability as defined in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities

Assistance Bill of Rights Act.

The term “person with disabilities” does not exclude persons who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) or any conditions arising from the etiologic agent for

AIDS. In addition, no individual shall be considered a person with disabilities, for purposes of eligibility for low-income housing, solely on the basis of any drug or alcohol dependence. The definition of “person with disabilities” for certain program purposes (e.g., income determination, eligibility) under 24 C.F.R. 5.403 is different from the definition of “individual with handicaps” under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Where Section 504 applies, the definition of “individual with handicaps” under 24 C.F.R. 8.3 will apply.

http://www.irs.gov/

13. PHAS Troubled means an applicant that carries a designation by HUD as “troubled” under the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) on the deadline date of the application. Such applicants will be required to engage the services of a Contract Administrator. See definition above for Contract Administrator as well as Sections III.C.3.b.1, III.C.3.b.2, III.C.3.c., and

Section III.C.4.a. for more information.

14. Project for a PHA means group of properties as defined in PIH Notice 2007-28, "Changes in the Project Numbering System and Process for Requesting Changes in Project Identifications"

“The term „new project number‟ will refer to the new project number that will be assigned to each AMP. Henceforward, the terms „AMP,‟ „project,‟ and „new project number‟ will be synonymous. These projects are identified in PIC with 11-digit codes.

For tribes/TDHEs previously funded through the 1937 Housing Act, a project is identified by the 11-digit project code. For tribes/TDHEs funded by NAHASDA, a project is identified by an official project name. If there is not an official project name in use, please develop a unique project identifier that can be used in this application and future applications.

15. Resident Association (RA) means any or all of the forms of resident organizations as they are defined elsewhere in this definitions section and includes Resident Councils (RC), Resident

Management Corporations (RMC), Regional Resident Organizations (RRO), Statewide Resident

Organizations (SRO), Jurisdiction-Wide Resident Organizations, and National Resident

Organizations (NRO). The NOFA will use “Resident Association” or “RA” to refer to all eligible types of resident organizations. See 24 CFR 964.115 for more information.

16. Regional Resident Organization (RRO) means a tax-exempt nonprofit organization or an incorporated association for public housing that meets each of the following requirements:

a. The RRO is regional (i.e., not limited by HUD Areas);

b. The RRO has experience in providing start-up and capacity-building training to residents and resident organizations; and

c. Public housing residents representing different geographical locations in the region must comprise the majority of the Board of Directors.

17. Renewal Applicant. An applicant that was funded in the FY09 ROSS-SC competition. To view a list of grants funded in the FY09 competition, see the file labeled “FY09 ROSS-SC

Previously Funded Development Report” in the download instructions for this NOFA. A renewal applicant may make changes from their FY09 grant as to budget, projects served, number of SCs, serving family or elderly/disabled, partners, logic model goals, etc., but will be considered a renewal if it is an FY09 grantee applying to serve the same PHA(s) or Tribe(s) for which it was funded in FY09.

A maximum of three site-based Resident Associations serving any one PHA will be funded through this NOFA. If more than three are deemed eligible for the lottery, the first three chosen will be funded. The remaining applications will NOT be put into the general lotteries. An exception will NOT be made for renewal 2009 grant applications. Therefore, if more than three

RAs were granted to serve the same PHA in FY09, ONLY THREE will be renewed in the 2012 cycle.

18. Resident Management Corporation (RMC) means an entity that proposes to enter into, or enters into a contract to conduct one or more management activities of a PHA and meets the requirements of 24 CFR 964.120.

19. Resident Organization (RO) for tribal entities means an incorporated or unincorporated nonprofit tribal organization or association that meets each of the following criteria:

a. It shall consist of residents only, and only residents may vote;

b. If it represents residents in more than one development/project or in all of the developments/projects of the tribal/TDHE community, it shall fairly represent residents from each development/project that it represents;

c. It shall adopt written procedures providing for the election of specific officers on a regular basis; and

d. It shall have an elected governing board.

20. Site-Based Resident Associations (or Local Resident Association) means resident councils or resident management corporations representing a specific public housing development or project.

21. Statewide Resident Organization (SRO) is tax-exempt nonprofit organization or an incorporated association for public housing that meets the following requirements:

a. The SRO has statewide jurisdiction;

b. The SRO has experience in providing start-up and capacity-building training to residents and resident organizations; and

c. Public housing residents representing different geographical locations in the state must comprise the majority of the Board of Directors.

22. Tribally Designated Housing Entity (TDHE) is an entity authorized or established by one or more Indian tribes to act on behalf of each such tribe authorizing or establishing the housing entity as defined by section 4(22) of NAHASDA.

23. Tribal/TDHE Resident Group means tribal/TDHE resident groups that are democratically elected groups such as IHA-wide resident groups, area-wide resident groups, single development/project groups, or resident management corporations (RMCs).

D. Regulations and Funding Authority Governing the ROSS Program. ROSS is governed by 24 CFR Part 964. The funding authority for this program is the Consolidated and Further

Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (Pub. L. 112-65, approved November 18, 2011).

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Performance Period and Award Type

1. Grant Period. The grant period is three years. The grant period shall begin the day the grant agreement and the form HUD1044 (Assistance Award/Amendment) (or successor form as determined by HUD) are signed by both the grantee and HUD.

2. Grant Extensions. Requests to extend the grant term beyond the three-year grant term must be submitted in writing to the local HUD field office or area ONAP at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the grant term. Requests must explain why the extension is necessary, what work remains to be completed, and what work and progress was accomplished to date. Extensions may be granted by the field office or area ONAP with good cause. Denials of extension requests are reserved for HUD Headquarters. Requested extensions may be considered as part of future

Past Performance reviews. Extension requests will be highly scrutinized and are discouraged.

3. Type of Award. Grant agreement.

4. Subcontracting. Subcontracting is permitted. Grantees must follow federal procurement regulations found in HUD regulations at 24 CFR 84.40-84.48 and 24 CFR 85.36.

5. Total Funding. The available funding is approximately $35 million in FY2012 funding plus any carryover or recaptured funds from prior ROSS appropriations that may become available.

6. Award Amount. The chart below identifies the maximum amount of funding available per award taking into the account the number served and the number of service

Coordinators that are available in accordance with the numbers served.

Grant Program Total Funding Number of SCs To Serve

Maximum Grant

Amount

ROSS– Service

Coordinators

$35 million 1 SC 50-1000 units $243,000

2 SCs 1001-2500 units $486,000

3 SCs 2501 + units $729,000

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants.

1. Eligible applicants are PHAs, tribes/TDHEs, RAs, and tax-exempt nonprofit organizations supported by PHAs, tribes/TDHEs or RAs. In general, prior ROSS-SC Grantees are eligible to apply for 2012 funding. However, new (not renewal) applicants to serve PHAs that are currently being served by prior ROSS-SC grantee will receive lower status in the lottery than new applicants to serve PHAs that are not being served by any prior ROSS-SC funding. New funding will not be granted to serve projects that are served with funding from prior ROSS-SC grants.

Site-Based Resident Associations that received funding from prior ROSS-SC grants will only be eligible for renewal funding, they will not be eligible for new funding under this NOFA. A maximum of three site-based Resident Associations serving any one PHA will be funded through this NOFA.

2. EDSC Provision. PHA applicants that are currently eligible to receive annual renewal funding under the Elderly/Disabled Service Coordinator program funded from the Operating

Fund (this is not the ROSS-SC program for which this NOFA is providing funding) for one or more Elderly/Disabled Service Coordinators (EDSC), that apply to serve elderly/disabled residents through this NOFA will forgo all future eligibility for EDSC Renewal Funding through the Operating Subsidy. To confirm if your PHA is affected by this EDSC provision, please see http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/am/of/edscp.cfm. When completing your ROSS-SC application, please pay special attention to the EDSC section on the HUD form 52768 – “ROSS

Service Coordinators Funding Request.”

3. Non-profit Organizations. Nonprofits are eligible applicants if they are representing or acting at the request of an RA or PHA/tribe/TDHE. Accordingly, nonprofit applicants must demonstrate support from one or more RAs or PHAs/tribes/TDHEs. Applicants should see the

FY 2012 General Section for instructions on submitting support letters and other documentation with their electronic application.

4. Renewal Applicants. This is an applicant that was funded in the FY09 ROSS-SC competition. To view a list of eligible 2009 renewal applicants, see the file labeled “FY09

ROSS-SC Previously Funded Development Report” in the download instructions for this NOFA.

A renewal applicant may make changes from their FY09 grant as to budget, projects served, number of SCs, serving family or elderly/disabled, partners, logic model goals, etc., but will be considered a renewal if it is an FY09 grantee applying to serve the same PHA(s) or Tribe(s) for which it was funded in FY09.

5. Maximum Number of Service Coordinators. A maximum of three site-based Resident

Associations serving any one PHA will be funded through this NOFA. If more than three are deemed eligible for the lottery, the first three chosen will be funded. The remaining applications will NOT be put into the general lotteries. An exception will NOT be made for renewal 2009 grant applications. Therefore, if more than three RAs were granted to serve the same PHA in

FY09, ONLY THREE will be renewed in the FY2012 cycle.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/am/of/edscp.cfm

B. Cost Sharing or Matching. The required match is 25 percent of requested funds. Match is a threshold requirement. Therefore, applicants who do not demonstrate the minimum 25 percent match will not receive further consideration for funding. Match may be cash or in-kind and may also be made up of self-sufficiency and supportive services/programs provided to participants in the ROSS-SCs program. Please see the section below on threshold requirements for more information on what is required for the match.

C. Other

1. Eligible Program Activities. Funds awarded to applicants under this NOFA may be used for:

a. Service Coordinator Functions. Although the exact role for the SC shall be designed to meet the needs of the project’s community, below is a listing of recommended functions for an

SC:

(1) Coordinate a Local Program Coordinating Committee (PCC) with local service providers to ensure that program participants are linked to supportive services needed to achieve self-sufficiency. The SC will act as a liaison between the residents/PHA and local service providers.

(2) Market the program to residents, including residents that are single parent heads-of -households.

(3) Provide general case management which includes intake, assessment, education, and referral of residents to service providers in the general community.

(4) Coordinate and oversee the delivery of services, ensuring services are provided on a regular, ongoing, and satisfactory basis.

(5) Coordinate and sponsor educational events, which may include subjects relating to health care, job search seminars, life skills training, etc.

(6) Assist the PHA, tribe/TDHE or RA to create a resident group to promote self-sufficiency efforts and/or encourage residents to build informal support networks with other residents, family, and friends.

(7) Encourage the formation of Civic Engagement and/or Self-Help Groups with residents and faith-based and/or other community-based groups if a particular need is evident. The purpose is to foster a sense of community and encourage residents’ efforts to support and assist each other in their efforts to move toward self-sufficiency or age in-place.

(8) Monitor the ongoing provision of services including supportive services from community agencies and keep the case management and provider agency up-to-date regarding the progress of the individual. Monitor the provision of supportive services where appropriate.

(9) Track and report to HUD on the progress of residents enrolled in the program.

(10) Evaluate the overall success of the program.

b. Salary and Fringe Benefits of One or More SCs. Under this award the maximum amount

HUD will contribute to a SCs salary and fringe benefits must not exceed $69,000 per year.

Fringe benefits may include all extra costs (insurances, taxes, contributions, etc.) associated with employment that are normally covered by your agency.

c. Part-Time Service Coordinators. A part-time SC may be retained where appropriate, however, the minimum units served remains the same. One or more PHAs may share a full-time position if that is deemed most appropriate for the applicant’s program. More than one person may job-share a SC position.

d. Training and Travel Pursuant to Training Related to Professional and/or Program

Development. All training and associated travel must be approved by the HUD Field Office or

Area ONAP. HUD may provide Start-Up training for all new SCs after awards are made.

e. Administrative Costs. Administrative costs may be used for activities including, but not limited to the list contained in Section IV.E of this NOFA.

2. Examples of Services to Be Coordinated. Supportive services to which residents might be connected will vary with need and community resources. However, the spectrum of services offered should be as broad and as responsive to residents’ needs as possible. PLEASE NOTE:

These services cannot be paid for using funds from this grant (except where allowed under

Admin costs.) SCs might connect residents to organizations providing the following types of services. The provision of these and similar services would qualify as match.

a. Life-Skills Training. Life Skills Training includes:

(1) Financial Literacy/Credit Repair/Banking and Money Management.

(2) Real Life Issues. (e.g. Information on tax forms, leases, car insurance, health insurance, long-term care insurance, etc.)

(3) Literacy training and GED preparation/Basic Education/ESOL.

(4) Mentoring.

b. Job Training, Job Search, and Placement Assistance. Job training job search and placement assistance includes:

(1) Skills assessment of participating residents.

(2) Applying for a job. How to complete employment forms; highlighting skills employers are looking for, researching job opportunities in the area, and calculating net wages.

(3) Soft skills training including problem-solving and other cognitive skills, oral and written communication skills, workplace norms (appropriate dress, punctuality, respectful communication, etc.), and interpersonal and teamwork skills.

(4) Resume writing.

(5) Interviewing techniques.

c. Employer Linkage and Job Placement. Working with local employers and job placement providers who design and offer training that addresses local employers’ needs, and offer a job placement program that refers trained residents to participating employers and other local area employers, including:

(1) Facilitating access to skills training and partnerships with community-based organizations to develop pathways to career-ladders.

(2) Providing information and access to green industry jobs.

(3) Providing mechanisms to ensure residents have long-term access to new employment opportunities created in the local community.

d. Provision of Professional Clothing or Uniforms related to new employment.

e. Career Advancement and Planning Programs. Career advancement and planning programs should be designed to:

(1) Set career goals.

(2) Provide strategies such as finding a strong professional mentor within an organization for which residents may be working, and focusing on the organization’s priorities.

(3) Reinforce welfare-to-work programs and focus efforts on increasing residents’ earning capacity. Activities can include job counseling, helping residents secure better paying jobs or jobs in better work environments, preparing for work in a new job category, obtaining additional job skills, and other job-related or educational training.

(4) Working with local employers to create opportunities that combine education and skills training with jobs. Strategies that promote work-based learning can offer the most effective method for giving new workers the tools they need to move onto a career ladder and achieve upward mobility.

f. Support for Career Advancement and Long-term Economic Self-Sufficiency. Post-employment follow-up and activities to support career advancement and long-term economic self-sufficiency;

(1) Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs).

(2) Housing Counseling and Homeownership readiness programs. This can include information to help residents move to market-rate rental housing and/or “pre-purchase” homeownership counseling and training. Applicants are strongly encouraged to refer residents to

HUD-approved housing counseling agencies. For a list of HUD- approved housing counseling agencies, go to: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hccprof14.cfm.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hccprof14.cfm

(3) Information on the Earned Income Tax Credit Program, Food Stamps, Child Tax Credit

Program, Medicaid, the State Child Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP), Student Loan Interest

Deduction, tribal welfare programs, and other benefit programs that can help individuals and families make a successful transition to housing and economic self-sufficiency.

(4) Computer Skills.

g. After School or Summer Programs. After-school and/or summer programs for school-age children that include tutoring, remedial training, and using computers.

h. Transportation. Transportation to enable residents to participate in program activities, find and maintain employment, maintain independent living, etc.

i. Child Care. Child care to enable residents to work or participate in program activities.

j. Early Childhood Education. Early childhood education programs.

k. Parenting. Parenting Courses.

l. Nutrition. Nutrition Courses.

m. Health Care Coordination. Coordination of health care information and services including referrals to mental health providers and alcohol and other drug abuse treatment programs and

HIV/AIDS education, testing and treatment programs, where appropriate.

n. Resident Business Development.

o. Good Neighbor Programs.

p. Coordinating Services necessary for elderly or disabled residents to age-in-place.

(1) Assistance with activities of daily living for elderly/disabled residents.

(2) Meal services to meet nutritional need for elderly/disabled residents.

(3) Personal emergency response resources.

q. Disability Services Counseling.

r. Wellness Programs for Families and Seniors.

s. Resident Organization Empowerment and Capacity-building resources and training.

t. Community Safety.

u. Civic Engagement resources and training.

v. Linkages to Other Social Service Agencies. SCs may also create and maintain linkages to other local social service agencies such as employment agencies, health departments, transportation agencies, economic/community development agencies, community colleges, recreational and cultural services, and other community organizations such as Boys & Girls

Clubs, 4H Clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.

3. Threshold Requirements. Applicants must respond to each threshold requirement clearly and thoroughly by following the instructions below. If your application fails one threshold requirement (regardless of the type of threshold) it will be considered a failed application and will not receive consideration for funding. HUD will not consider an application from an ineligible applicant. Also, applications that are submitted with ONLY the electronic forms and none of the other required attachments will be deemed “ineligible.”

a. Match. All applicants are required to have in place a firmly committed 25 percent of the total grant amount in match of cash or in-kind donations as defined in this NOFA. Applicants must show a match of at least 25% of the grant amount requested in order to be considered for funding. This match percentage is to be shown on the HUD52769. All providers listed are not required to provide a letter attesting to match. However, if applicants list match, be it in-kind or cash, on the HUD52769, a letter attesting to that match commitment must be on file with the applicant and available for review upon request. Match does not have to be for only the eligible activities under this grant (e.g. salary, fringe, admin and training). The intention is that the match will be either cash or, if in-kind, made up of needed services provided to participants in the ROSS-SC program. Activities eligible to be counted for match may be both the activities eligible for federal funding under this program as well as self-sufficiency and supportive services/programs provided to participants in the ROSS-SC program. Space provided for these activities and administrative assistance, including salaries and supplies may be used as well.

The match certification on the HUD52769 Needs/Partners Form must be signed by the applicant’s Executive Director, Resident Association Board President, Tribal Chairman or other person authorized to make the stated commitment, attesting to at least 25% match for activities pursuant to this grant. Please note that all forms with signatures must be scanned and attached to your application or submitted by fax, using the facsimile cover sheet provided with this application on Grants.gov.

Joint applicants must together have at least a 25 percent match. Applicants who do not demonstrate the minimum 25 percent match will fail this threshold requirement and will not receive further consideration for funding.

Please note that if you are using federal funds as a source of match, this use must be allowed by the originating statute of the funds used.

Match donations must be firmly committed, which means that the amount of match resources and their dedication to ROSS-funded activities must be explicit, in writing, and signed by a person authorized to make the commitment. The letters of commitment/MOUs/tribal resolutions must indicate the total dollar value of the commitment; be dated between the publication date of this NOFA and the application deadline for this NOFA; and indicate how the commitment will relate to the proposed program. If the commitment is in-kind, the letters should explain exactly what services or material will be provided. The commitment must be available at time of award. Applicants proposing to use their own, non-ROSS grant funds to meet the match requirement, in whole or in part, must also have a letter of commitment indicating the type of match (cash or in-kind), the source of the match and how the match will be used.

(1) The value of volunteer time and services shall be computed by using the normal professional rate for the local area or the national minimum wage rate per hour.

(2) The value of any donated material, equipment, staff time, building, or lease, shall be provided in a letter from the organization making the donation stating the value of the contribution. Resources/in-kind services that can be committed include: in-kind services provided to the applicant; funds from federal sources (not including ROSS funds) that by statute allow those funds to be used for matching purposes, including, for example, Community

Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) funds, funds from any state or local government sources, and funds from private contributions. Applicants may also partner with other program funding recipients to coordinate the use of resources in the target area.

b. Past Performance Related to Capacity. As part of the HUD evaluation of capacity all applicants will undergo a Past Performance review by their local Field Office or Area ONAP during the competition processing. This is a threshold requirement. All applicants are also subject to the Threshold Requirements of the FY 2012 General Section.

(1) Renewal Applicants. For renewal applicants, this past performance review will include a review of the materials submitted with this application as well as prior eLogic Model and budgetary reporting received by the Field Office/Area ONAP.

Performance deficiencies of concern to HUD are: A renewal applicant that (1) is not serving the minimum number of units; (2) is not near to meeting the goals stated in the eLogic Model submissions, or has not provided an explanation for the deviations in the Logic Model projections and actual results, (3) has not consistently expended or reported in a timely manner;

or (4) is not actively working with the Field Office to address noted deficiencies. NOTE:

Renewal applicants that have been notified of deficiencies in reporting and/or performance in their ROSS program by the Field Office/Area ONAP and have failed to address these deficiencies in the timeframe established in the notification by the Field Office/Area ONAP must submit a Contract Administrator Partnership Agreement with their application (see HUD sample form HUD-52755). Similarly, applicants classified as “troubled” must also submit a Contract

Administrator Partnership Agreement with their application.

Applicants failing to provide a Contract Administrator Partnership Agreement with their application will have the opportunity to submit one during the cure period.

The Past Performance Review will be conducted on a Pass/Fail Basis. Renewal applicants need not submit anything extra (no past performance narratives) pertaining to their past performance in this application.

(2) New Applicants. HUD’s field offices/Area ONAPs will evaluate data provided by applicants as well as an applicant’s past performance on other HUD awards to determine whether the applicant has the organizational capacity and resources necessary to successfully implement the proposed activities within the grant period. Field offices/Area ONAPs will evaluate the

Contract Administrators’ past performance for troubled applicants. If a new applicant has had previous Public & Indian Housing awards with HUD, the review will also take into account information in HUD’s records regarding adherence to reporting requirements. HUD may also take into account the applicant’s past history in providing timely responses to HUD inquiries and meeting program requirements under past awards for which it has been funded. The Past

Performance Review will be conducted on a Pass/Fail Basis.

NOTE: New applicants ONLY - please include with your application a narrative statement of no more than ten pages (12 point, Times New Roman, double spaced, 1” margins) addressing the factors below. In assessing Past Performance of new applicants, the Field Office or Area ONAP will evaluate the Past Performance and Capacity to do future work based upon the following elements:

a. Capacity of Applicant/Contract Administrator and Proposed Staff.

HUD will evaluate the past performance of a new applicant’s (or Contract Administrator’s) ability to successfully implement past grant programs designed to promote resident self-sufficiency or assist elderly or disabled residents to remain independent and age-in-place.

Applicants must include in their application a narrative statement demonstrating the recent, relevant and successful knowledge and experience of the applicant, proposed Service

Coordinator(s) and/or partners in planning and managing SC or similar programs. You may provide resumes or position descriptions (where staff is not yet hired) for SCs that will be on applicant staff or contracted. (Resumes, position descriptions, and other HUD forms do not count toward the page limit. Please do not include any Social Security numbers.)

The narrative or other documentation should show that the applicant and/or the SC(s) on staff or proposed to be hired have (or will have):

(1) Recent experience (within the last 5 years);

(2) Relevant experience (pertaining to having provided or coordinated supportive services);

(3) Successful experience (attracted a significant number of residents, kept them involved and produced specific results) in conducting and completing similar activities.

b. Program Administration and Fiscal Management

In describing past experience the applicant must include (for itself or its Contract

Administrator):

(1) A list of self-sufficiency grants received in the last five years, the grant amounts, and grant terms (years) of the grants, and the source of the funding;

(2) A description of timely expenditure of program funding throughout the term of…