HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLI-0230.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Center for Integrated Programs

FY2017 Lifespan Respite Care Program: Advancing State Lifespan Respite Systems

HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLI-0230

Application Due Date: 07/18/2017

FY2017 Lifespan Respite Care Program: Advancing State Lifespan Respite Systems

HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLI-0230

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

3. Submission Dates and Times

4. Intergovernmental Review

5. Funding Restrictions

6. 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

Department of Health & Human Services

ACL Center: Center for Integrated Programs Funding Opportunity Title: FY2017 Lifespan Respite Care Program:

Advancing State Lifespan Respite Systems

Announcement Type: Modification Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLI-0230 Primary CFDA Number: 93.072 Due Date For Letter of Intent: 06/16/2017 Due Date for Applications: 07/18/2017 Date for Informational Conference Call: 06/06/2017

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 http://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary The U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) is providing this new competitive grants opportunity to all states that have either previously received and completed a full three-year initial Lifespan Respite Grant, or who will have completed two years of a three-year initial Lifespan Respite Grant by the award date of this funding opportunity. Eligible states include:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Based on an estimated FY2017 appropriation of $3.36 million, two funding opportunities totaling approximately $3,000,000 are being issued. Approximately $400,000 is being made available under the funding opportunity: FY2017 Lifespan Respite Care Program: Grant to New States (HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLR-0209). Approximately $2,600,000 is available for this funding opportunities. Any remaining balance in the FY2017 Lifespan Respite Care Program:

Grant to New States funding opportunity (HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLR-0209) may also be available for this funding opportunity.

The primary focus of this new three-year grant opportunity is to enable successful applicants to more fully bring to scale the provision of respite services to eligible populations through the establishment or strengthening of a statewide Lifespan Respite Care System and corresponding policy framework necessary to support and sustain the system. Grantees will be expected to focus on advancing their existing respite care initiatives into a sustainable statewide system, and simultaneously concentrate on developing a policy framework that expands and strengthens https://www.grants.gov continued provision of respite and related supports to family caregivers across the lifespan.

Grantees will be expected to build on advancements made under previous Lifespan Respite Care Program grants and focus on developing and strengthening the components of a Lifespan Respite Care System deemed necessary for improving access, consistency, quality, sustainability; and reducing duplication in respite service delivery. Grantees must assure that their Lifespan Respite Care System supports ongoing provision of all required services (and the optional services as deemed appropriate by the state) as outlined in the Lifespan Respite Care Act, doing so in ways that will ensure greater capacity to meet the objectives of the Act by the end of the grant. Applicants are expected to propose systems-level, programmatic-level AND consumer-level outcomes and describe how these outcomes will be measured and tracked.

This is expected to be a highly competitive opportunity. Only those applicants demonstrating the greatest likelihood of making measurable advances in developing and/or expanding a statewide Lifespan Respite Care System will be selected for funding.

I. Funding Opportunity Description Purpose The U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) is providing this new competitive grant opportunity to assist states in further implementing the requirements of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 (The Act - P.L.109-442), with a specific focus on the advancement of statewide systemic approaches and an associated policy framework for delivering gap-filling respite services to family caregivers across the age and disability spectrum.

The Act defines Lifespan Respite Care as “a coordinated system of accessible, community-based respite care services for family caregivers of children or adults with special needs.” A state lifespan respite care system brings together an array of public and privately funded respite programs, funding streams, and related services; and in collaboration with a state Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC)/No Wrong Door (NWD) Systems helps caregivers access these services. With this definition in mind, grantees will be required to expand existing lifespan respite care programs and partnerships by taking them to a statewide systemic level, with a continued focus on addressing identified gaps in respite care service delivery and unmet respite needs of family caregivers across the lifespan. These efforts must be coordinated with the ADRC/NWD system and carried out in collaboration with the statewide respite coalition or other state respite organizations to enhance and expand the availability of lifespan respite care services in the state. A focus on developing the policy framework necessary to assure sustained long-term support for the provision of lifespan respite care services is also strongly encouraged.

Limited funds are available to support state systems-level efforts, and not all states that apply will be funded. Only those applications deemed to show the greatest likelihood of building upon advancements previously made toward lifespan respite care program development and scaling up to a sustained systemic approach will be selected for funding.

Program Priority Areas The overarching goal of this funding opportunity is to advance state systems and capacities to deliver respite care and related services to family caregivers of adults or children with disabilities. With this in mind, applicants should describe their current capacity and outline a strategy for building or strengthening the systemic infrastructure necessary to address gaps in, and assure consistent provision of, respite care services statewide. Applicants are also encouraged to discuss any objectives related to the development or strengthening of a policy framework aimed at furthering the long-term continuation and support of statewide respite care service provision. Applicants will also be expected to propose consumer, programmatic and systems level outcomes and describe how these outcomes will be measured and tracked for the people they will serve.

To be competitive, applicants should fully describe their proposed approaches for advancing their State Lifespan Respite Systems, with particular attention to the following three key Program Priority Areas: Systems Advancement, Partnership Development/Stakeholder Engagement, and Service Provision.

Systems Advancement Applicants should describe in detail their objectives for systemically advancing existing lifespan respite care services statewide, with a focus on the following areas: data collection and sharing;

capacity building of respite care providers (both paid and unpaid); leveraging of resources across various funding streams and partners to sustain and expand available respite care services; implementation of key administrative functions (including logistical, information technology, communications, operational, and service coordination activities); and ongoing monitoring and quality assurance of respite care service provision. Applicants are strongly encouraged to also consider including any objectives related to policy development that would support or sustain the continuation of lifespan respite care services in the future.

Partnership Development/Stakeholder Engagement Among those states eligible to apply for funding, there exists a great deal of variability with respect to stakeholder capacities, engagement, and active collaboration. Partnership, collaboration and stakeholder involvement are critical underpinnings of successful statewide Lifespan Respite Care Programs. Whether these partnerships are facilitated by the state agency, the statewide respite coalition/organization, the state ADRC/NWD System, or through collaborative efforts of multiple stakeholders, having the broadest possible array of stakeholders involved is essential for ensuring the needs of family caregivers.

In addition to the core partnership between the applicant, the ADRC/NWD system, and the statewide respite coalition, applicants funded under this announcement must propose approaches for expanding collaboration and partnerships with relevant stakeholders to ensure the program reaches the broadest population of eligible services recipients possible. Potential stakeholders include (a) entities of state and local government that administer and deliver human services programs designed to meet the respite care needs of family caregivers; (b) state and local chapters of organizations and entities representing individuals with special needs from across the disease and disability spectrum and for whom respite is an essential component of their ongoing support in a community setting; (c) any other public, private, or not-for-profit entities that are providing respite care services or other supports to caregivers focused on special or targeted populations that may not be otherwise captured in or involved with the state’s existing respite care coalition; and (d) any additional federally-funded, local, or state program that may provide supports or resources that can be leveraged to further support the expansion of lifespan respite care services (including but not limited to the State Assistive Technology Act programs, traumatic brain injury programs, paralysis resource centers, etc.).

Applications should clearly demonstrate the enhanced and expanded involvement of key state and local level organizations and stakeholders from across the age and disability spectrum as full partners in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Lifespan Respite Program. To that end, applicants should carefully describe their approaches for further developing and expanding the partnerships and stakeholder involvement in the design and implementation of their projects. This can include, but is not limited to, growing the reach and involvement of the statewide respite coalition/organization and its involvement in the implementation of program requirements; the increased role of the ADRC/NWD System in the administration of the state’s Lifespan Respite Program; and/or the increased participation of a range of state and local-level agencies in the development of new respite programs and related services.

Service Provision The Lifespan Respite Care Act stipulates the provision of five required and three optional services. Application narratives should clearly and completely describe the State agency’s plan for further developing and delivering each of the required and, where appropriate, optional services in a way that considers the available evidence, emerging strategies, and promising practices in the field of respite to expand capacities and deliver direct services. For more information on emerging, model, or promising practices in the field of respite and family caregiver support, applicants should review information available on the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center website at https://archrespite.org/ta-center-for-respite/ Applicants will be evaluated, in part, on the extent to which the proposed use of funds will advance the State’s capacity to leverage public and private partnerships to deliver and increase access to respite services and achieve desired outcomes. This may also include investing in the training and ongoing development of both new and existing respite care professionals (paid and unpaid). Based on the knowledge and understanding of the state's current respite environment, applicants are required to provide detailed plans for how respite services funded under this opportunity will be delivered. Proposals must provide sufficient detail so as to describe how funds will be allocated across programs and population groups; how funds will flow to service recipients; the service delivery model and/or payment mechanism(s) that will be used; and how the investment in respite services will inform policy development and strategies to increase access to respite services beyond the life of the grant.

States should determine the proportion of their requested funds that will be used for developing a Lifespan Respite System and the proportion of requested funds that will be used for direct service provision. Applicants should propose to both further develop their Lifespan Respite Care System and fill gaps in respite service provision.

Additional Application Elements In addition to the priority areas described above, as well as the required narrative elements described in “Section IV. Project Narrative” section of this program announcement, applicants should clearly demonstrate/address the following in their applications:

Knowledge of existing systems and service gaps and unmet consumer needs Applicants are expected to demonstrate this knowledge in their applications and detail the https://archrespite.org/ta-center-for-respite/ manner in which this information will be used as a foundation for advancing their statewide systems of lifespan respite care services, including how such services are targeted and delivered, as well as how known gaps in respite services are addressed.

System & Programmatic Performance and Outcomes Measurement Performance is an important component of a fully functioning Lifespan Respite Care System.

This includes system and programmatic performance outcomes (including associated cost/benefits) with particular attention to consumer level information regarding service delivery and impact on consumers. Applicant goals should identify relevant consumer-based, programmatic and systems-level outcomes the state would like to measure and proposed approaches.

Applicants should describe how they plan to count and record the experiences of the people being served with these funds as well as the impact of a statewide lifespan respite care system on consumers, their families, and employers. Successful applicants will describe how such data would be collected and presented and do so in concert with current efforts across existing respite programs/funding streams. Applicants may identify a consumer level outcome measure (or measures) of their choosing or draw upon the "Measuring Systems Change and Consumer Outcomes: Recommendations for Developing Performance Metrics for State Lifespan Respite Programs" document to assist in the conceptualization, development and implementation of useful performance metrics. This resource can be accessed at: https://archrespite.org/images /docs/2014_Guidebooks/PerformanceMeasurmentGuide_web.pdf. Applicants are encouraged to review the document and consider this information when designing their application for this announcement.

Program Sustainability Through this funding opportunity, ACL expects to realize tangible, measurable and sustainable advancements in state capacities to provide respite and related services to family caregivers across the age and disability spectrum. Applications will be evaluated, in part, on the extent to which a plan for the project’s sustainability beyond the period of Federal funding is articulated and appears feasible. Applicants are encouraged to consider and propose a range of potential approaches for ensuring sustainability of project efforts once Federal funding has ended. Tools and resources for the sustainability of Lifespan Respite Programs are available on the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Centers’ web site, https://lifespanrespite.wildapricot .org/Sustainability_Tools.

Grants/Subcontracts Successful applicants to this Announcement may carry out the required activities described above directly or by sub-grant to, or contract with, public or private entities. Due to the nature of this program, the State Project Director must maintain an active role in the management of this project. Applicants who propose conduit or pass-through funding for another agency to lead the project will not be considered for funding.

Applicants under this funding announcement should clearly describe, if necessary, their processes for sub-granting or sub-contracting specific activities under this Program Announcement. Additionally, applicants should clearly describe the role of the project director along with the stakeholder group that will guide the design and implementation of the statewide https://archrespite.org/images/docs/2014_Guidebooks/PerformanceMeasurmentGuide_web.pdf https://archrespite.org/images/docs/2014_Guidebooks/PerformanceMeasurmentGuide_web.pdf https://lifespanrespite.wildapricot.org/Sustainability_Tools https://lifespanrespite.wildapricot.org/Sustainability_Tools lifespan respite care system.

Participation in Technical Assistance Efforts Grantees will be expected to participate in technical assistance activities as they pertain to Lifespan Respite Care Program and System development, management, and integration. This includes, but is not limited to, participation in regularly scheduled conference calls, web casts and one-on-one Technical opportunities initiated by the ACL Project Officer, the Lifespan Respite Program Technical Assistance Resource Center, or as requested by the grantee and stakeholder themselves.

Additionally, grantees are strongly encouraged to budget resources for travel to and participation in the National Respite Conference, convened annually by ARCH. This conference provides participants with the opportunity to learn about the latest trends in respite program development and the opportunity to network and share best practices associated with Lifespan Respite Care Program implementation and Lifespan Respite Care System development.

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for grants under this program announcement is contained in Title XXIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C 201 et.seq), as amended by the Public Health Service Act P.L. 109-442.

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement Estimated Total Funding: $2,600,000 Expected Number of Awards: 15 Award Ceiling: $265,000 Per Budget Period Award Floor: $175,000 Per Budget Period Length of Project Period: 36-month project with three 12-month budget periods

The amount of Federal funds available for this funding opportunity will depend on the following factors:

The total FY 2017 Appropriation for the Lifespan Respite Care Program; and

The amount of Lifespan Respite Care Program funds remaining after awards are made thru the new FY2017 Lifespan Respite Care Program: Grant to New States (HHS-2017-

ACL-CIP-LRLR-0209).

ACL plans to fund approximately ten (10) to fifteen (15) grants under this announcement, with a federal funding level of approximately $175,000 to $265,000 per award for a 36-month project period with three 12 month budget periods, pending availability of federal funds. Not all states who apply for funding will receive grants. Actual award amounts will vary based on the availability of federal funds. Successful applicants may be asked to revise their proposals based on smaller-than-requested awards. Eligible state agencies funded under this announcement shall use grant funds solely on lifespan respite care service provision and systemic advancement as outlined in the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006. Funds made available under this announcement shall be used to supplement and must not supplant other Federal, State, and local funds available for respite care services.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants This is a limited grant competition. By statute, awards may only be made to eligible state agencies that administer the State program under the Older Americans Act of 1965; administer the State program under title XIX of the Social Security Act; or are designated by the Governor of that state to administer the program activities described in this Announcement.

This grant competition is further limited as follows: Eligible state agencies receiving funding under this Funding Opportunity Announcement will be required to develop a Lifespan Respite Care System and build upon the foundation they established by completing a full three-year initial Lifespan Respite Grant, or who will have completed a minimum of two years of the three-year initial Lifespan Respite Grant at the time this grant will be awarded. Therefore, eligibility is limited to: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement: Yes Section 2902(f)(3)(A) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.), as amended, requires that grantees provide at least 25% match (cash or in-kind) of total costs. Waivers to these match requirements are not allowed.

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 in-kind (third-party) donations.

Budgetary funds provided from the applicant agency’s budget for costs associated with the project are an example of a non-federal cash match. 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 one of the responsiveness criteria as noted in Section III, 3 Application Disqualification Factors.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications will be reviewed to establish responsiveness to the following criteria:

1. Is an eligible State Agency, as outlined in Section III (1) of this Funding Opportunity Announcement;

2. Has included in the application package an MOU between the Eligible State Agency and the statewide respite coalition/organization;

3. Does not propose conduit or pass-through funding for another agency to lead the project;

and

4. Has included the required match in the budget and a description of the match in the budget narrative.

Applications that fail to meet all four of the above criteria will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration.

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicants. Applications that fail to meet the three 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 https://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, by the due date listed in section IV.3 Submission Dates and Times.

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

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 10 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 10 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 10 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration. NOTE: The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Project Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 10-page limit.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from https://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission. For example, you will be required to provide an https://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ number in order to substantiate missing the application deadline.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application materials can be obtained from http://www.grants.gov or https://www.acl.gov/grant s/applying-grants.

Please note, ACL is requiring applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov. The Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with http://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 http://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 DUNS number (http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/) 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. Applicants should finalize a new, or renew an existing, registration at least two weeks before the application deadline. 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/ transcript/ SAM_Quick_ Guide_Grants_ Registrations-v1.6. ;pdf.

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:

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

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a DUNS number at the time http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov?subject=Support mailto:support@grants.gov?subject=Support http://www.grants.gov/ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations-v1.6.pdf https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations-v1.6.pdf the subaward is made.

Since October 1, 2003, The Office of Management and Budget has required applicants to provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for federal grants or cooperative agreements. It is entered on the SF-424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities. The DUNS number is free and easy to obtain.

Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 866-705-5711 or by using this link to access a guide: http ://www. ;whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/omb/grants/duns _num_guide.pdf.

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

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement from http://www.grants.gov that contains http://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form from http://www.grants.gov.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Victoria Wright Center for Integrated Programs Phone Number: (202) 795-7473 E-mail: victoria.wright@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Due Date for Letter of Intent: 06/16/2017 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 Victoria Wright Center for Integrated Programs Email: victoria.wright@acl.hhs.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/grants/duns_num_guide.pdf http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/grants/duns_num_guide.pdf http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:victoria.wright@acl.hhs.gov mailto:victoria.wright@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 font sizes to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats. The suggested length for the Project Narrative 5 to 10 pages; 10 pages is the maximum length allowed. Project Narratives that exceed 10 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 10 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 10-page limit, but all of the other sections noted below are included in the limit.

The Project Narrative should describe the status of the state’s Lifespan Respite Care programs and systems to date, outline the vision for transforming or strengthening the state’s current Lifespan Respite Care investments into a statewide lifespan respite care system, and detail the plan for achieving the vision outlined.

The components of the Project Narrative counted as part of the 10-page limit include:

Summary/Abstract

Problem Statement

Goal(s) and Objective(s)

Proposed Intervention

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes

Project Management

Evaluation

Dissemination

Organizational Capacity

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 grants under the authorizing statutes. The Project Narrative should provide a clear and concise description of your project. ACL recommends that your project narrative include the following components:

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

Problem Statement

This section should describe, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the nature and scope of lifespan respite care services currently available within the state, including increased availability of services as a result of previous grant activities, existing gaps and unmet needs that need to be addressed, anticipated challenges with bringing existing lifespan respite care services to a systems level of scalability, and available partners and resources that are being leveraged to support bringing existing lifespan respite care services to scale. Also discuss the impact of existing lifespan respite care services on older adults and people with disabilities (including specific subgroups within those populations), their families and caregivers.

For purposes of this Funding Opportunity Announcement, applicants are required to include the following descriptive information as it pertains to the caregiving needs and current respite care infrastructure in their state:

The population of family caregivers in the state;

The extent and nature of the respite care needs of that population;

Existing respite care services for that population, including numbers of family caregivers being served and the extent of unmet needs;

Existing methods or systems to coordinate respite care information and services to the population at the State and local level and the extent of unmet need in this area;

A description of respite care services available to family caregivers in the applicant’s state or locality, including unmet needs and how the applicant’s plan for use of funds will improve the coordination and distribution of respite care services for family caregivers of children and adults with special needs; and

The criteria used to identify family caregivers eligible for respite care services.

Goals and Objectives This section should consist of a description of the projects goal(s) and major objectives. Unless the project involves multiple, complex interventions, we recommend you have only one overall goal.

Proposed Intervention This section should provide a clear and concise description of the intervention you are proposing to use to address the problem described in the “Problem Statement.” You should also describe the rationale for using the particular intervention, including factors such as: “lessons learned” for similar projects previously tested in your community, or in other areas of the country; factors in the larger environment that have created the “right conditions” for the intervention (e.g., existing social or economic factors that you’ll be able to take advantage of, etc.). Also note any major barriers you anticipate encountering, and how your project will be able to overcome those barriers. Be sure to describe the role and makeup of any strategic partnerships you plan to involve in implementing the intervention, including other organizations, supporters, and/or consumer groups.

In addition, applicants must describe the following:

How respite care services will be delivered, enhanced, expanded, and brought to a statewide scale using funds provided under this Funding Opportunity Announcement;

A plan for administration, collaboration, and coordination of the proposed respite care activities and programs with other related services or programs offered by public or private nonprofit entities to build a statewide lifespan respite care system;

How the population, including family caregivers, care recipients, and relevant public or private agencies, will participate or have participated in the planning and implementation of the proposed respite care activities;

How the proposed respite care activities will make use, to the maximum extent feasible, of other Federal, State, and local funds, programs, contributions, other forms of reimbursements, personnel, and facilities; and

A description of how the quality and safety of any respite care services provided will be monitored, including methods to ensure that respite care workers and volunteers are appropriately screened and possess the necessary skills to care for the needs of the care recipient in the absence of the family caregiver.

Special Target Populations and Organizations This section should describe how you plan to involve caregivers of older adults and/or children or adults with disabilities who use or are in need of respite care, as well as stakeholder organizations, in a meaningful way in the planning and implementation of a statewide lifespan respite care system. This section should also describe whether and how the proposed strategy targets other populations (which may include limited-English speaking populations, rural populations, veterans, military personnel and family members, and other populations.)

Applicants should be able to clearly describe the populations and organizations targeted including the extent to which the applicant has been successful in responding to the needs of the populations they had targeted. Applicants will also describe how funds from this funding opportunity will be used to address newly identified or existing unmet respite needs that expand, enhance and/or build upon previous efforts.

Outcomes This section of the project narrative must clearly identify the measurable outcome(s) that will result from the project. (NOTE: ACL will not fund any project that does not include measurable outcomes.) This section should also describe how the project’s findings might benefit the field at large, (e.g., how the findings could help other organizations throughout the nation to address the same or similar problems.), List measurable outcomes in the optional work plan grid (“Project Work Plan – Sample Template”) under “Measurable Outcomes,” in addition to any discussion included in the narrative along with a description of how the project might benefit the field at large.

A “measurable outcome” is an observable end-result that describes how a particular intervention benefits consumers. It demonstrates the functional status, mental well-being, knowledge, skill, attitude, awareness, or behavior. It can also describe a change in the degree to which consumers exercise choice over the types of services they receive, or whether they are satisfied with the way a service is delivered. Additional examples include: a change in the responsiveness or cost-effectiveness of a service delivery system; a new model of support or care that can be replicated in the aging network; new knowledge that can contribute to the field of aging; a measurable increase in community awareness; or a measurable increase in persons receiving services. A measurable outcome is not a measurable “output”, such as: the number of clients served;

the number of training sessions held; or the number of service units provided.

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

Your application will be scored on the clarity and nature of your proposed outcomes, not on the number of outcomes cited. It is totally appropriate for a project to have only ONE outcome that it is trying to achieve through the intervention reflected in the project’s design.

As a reminder:

Applicant goals should identify relevant outcomes the state would like to measure and proposed approaches. Applicants should describe how they plan to track the people being served with these funds as well as the impact on consumers of respite services. Successful applicants will describe how such data would be collected and presented and do so in concert with current efforts across existing respite programs/funding streams. Applicants may identify a consumer level outcome measure (or measures) of their choosing or draw upon the "Measuring Systems Change and Consumer Outcomes: Recommendations for Developing Performance Metrics for State Lifespan Respite Programs" document to assist in the conceptualization, development and implementation of useful performance metrics. This resource can be accessed at: https://archr espite.org/images/docs/2014_Guidebooks/PerformanceMeasurmentGuide_web.pdf.

Applicants are encouraged to review the document and consider this information when designing their application for this announcement.

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; and 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.

Evaluation This section should describe the method(s), techniques, and tools that will be used to: 1) determine whether the proposed intervention achieved its anticipated outcome(s), and 2) document the “lessons learned” – both positive and negative - from the project that will be useful to people interested in replicating the intervention, if it proves successful.

Dissemination This section should describe the method that will be used to disseminate the project’s results and findings in a timely manner, and in easily understandable formats, to parties who might be interested in using the results of the project to inform practice, service delivery, program development, and/or policy-making, including and especially those parties who would be interested in replicating the project.

https://archrespite.org/images/docs/2014_Guidebooks/PerformanceMeasurmentGuide_web.pdf https://archrespite.org/images/docs/2014_Guidebooks/PerformanceMeasurmentGuide_web.pdf

Organizational Capacity Statement Each application should include an organizational capability statement and vitae for key project personnel. The organizational capability statement should describe how the applicant agency (or the particular division of a larger agency which will have responsibility for this project) is organized, the nature and scope of its work, and/or the capabilities it possesses. It should also include the organization’s capability to sustain some or all project activities after federal financial assistance has ended.

This description should cover capabilities of the applicant agency not included in the program narrative, such as any current or previous relevant experience and/or the record of the project team in preparing cogent and useful reports, publications, and other products. If appropriate, include an organization chart showing the relationship of the project to the current organization.

Please attach short vitae for key project staff only. Neither vitas nor an organizational chart will count towards the narrative page limit. Also include information about any contractual organization(s) that will have a significant role(s) in implementing project and achieving project goals.

Budget Narrative/Justification The Budget Narrative/Justification can be provided using the format included in the document, “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. A combined multi-year Budget Narrative/Justification, as well as a detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for each year of potential grant funding, is required.

Work Plan

The Project Work Plan should reflect and be consistent with the Project Narrative and Budget and should cover all three (3) years of the project period. It should include a statement of the project’s overall goal, anticipated outcome(s), key objectives, and the major tasks/action steps that will be pursued to achieve the goal and outcome(s). 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

Include confirmation of the commitments to the project (should it be funded) made by key collaborating organizations and agencies in this part of the application. Any organization that is specifically named to have a significant role in carrying out the project should be considered an essential collaborator. For applications submitted electronically via https://www.grants.gov, signed letters of commitment should be scanned and included as attachments.

3. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications: 07/18/2017 Date for Informational Conference Call: 06/06/2017 Date for Informational Conference Call: June 6, 2017 at 3:00pm Eastern Time Conference call-in number: 888-324-9423 Participant Passcode: 3185206 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.

To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov Web page:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates receipt by Grants.gov only.) If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726.

You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.

If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, please contact the people listed under “Agency Contacts” in Section VII of this notice and provide a written explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. ACL will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.

Note: We will not consider your application for further review if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the application deadline or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from https://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission. For example, you will be required to provide an https://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking number in order to substantiate missing the cut off date.

Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov) will automatically send applicants a tracking number and date of receipt verification electronically once the application has been successfully received and validated in https://www.grants.gov.

4. Intergovernmental Review

This funding opportunity announcement is not subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs."

5. Funding Restrictions The following activities are not fundable:

Construction and/or…