HHS-2019-ACL-AOA-EJSG-0350.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging

Grants to Enhance State Adult Protective Services FY2019

HHS-2019-ACL-AOA-EJSG-0350

Application Due Date: 06/24/2019

Grants to Enhance State Adult Protective Services FY2019

HHS-2019-ACL-AOA-EJSG-0350

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: Administration on Aging Funding Opportunity Title: Grants to Enhance State Adult

Protective Services FY2019 Announcement Type: Initial Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2019-ACL-AOA-EJSG-0350 Primary CFDA Number: 93.747 Due Date for Letter of Intent: 04/29/2019 Due Date for Applications: 06/24/2019 Date for Informational Conference Call: 04/24/2018

Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3- 5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with https://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary This funding opportunity is designed to assist in strengthening state adult protective services (APS) systems statewide, to include innovations and improvements in practice, services, and data collection and reporting. ACL invites applications that seek to achieve: (1) improvements in the state’s infrastructure for providing APS services, and improvements in the APS intake, investigation, post-investigation, and quality assurance processes, and (2) improvements in the state's ability to document and report APS case, client, and perpetrator characteristics and services in a manner that is consistent with the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS). Applications are sought from the state government offices that administer the state's adult protective services and/or elder protective services program. Available funding for this opportunity ranges from a minimum of $150,000 to a maximum of $350,000 per year, per grant, for up to 3 years depending on the availability of funding.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Background It is well-established that abuse, neglect, and exploitation, referred to as adult maltreatment in this funding opportunity announcement (FOA), can have grave consequences, including increased mortality, increases in occurrence and severity of chronic diseases, and the loss of savings and even homes. Responding to adult maltreatment generally falls under the purview of Adult Protective Services (APS) programs. These programs are state-established and administered, authorized by state law, and primarily state-funded. As authorized by state statutes and regulations, state and local APS agency programs receive and respond to reports of adult maltreatment.

The Elder Justice Act (EJA) was first introduced in 2002 and enacted into law in 2010 as part of the Social Security Act. Within the EJA are a number of grant programs to protect older people, including a grant program to support states by bolstering the activities of state Adult Protective Services programs. These grants are authorized by Section 2042(c)(1) and (3) of Title XX of the Social Security Act, Subtitle B, the Elder Justice Act of 2009 (EJA):

‘‘(c) STATE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS.— ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall award grants to States for the purposes of conducting demonstration programs in accordance with paragraph (2).”

‘‘(3) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, a State shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.”

Along with the enactment of the EJA, ACL has implemented a number of efforts to meet the goals and objectives of the EJA. In FY 2013, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) began efforts to address the challenges related to APS data collection. In partnership with the HHS Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, ACL developed a pilot system to demonstrate the data standards and technology infrastructure required to support a voluntary, national APS data collection system, the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS). In FY 2015, ACL launched the implementation phase for NAMRS.

NAMRS is designed as a voluntary data collection tool that enables states to report data gathered through APS investigations. The goal of NAMRS is to provide consistent, accurate national data on adult maltreatment, as reported to state APS agencies. The design of NAMRS has been informed by multiple stakeholder focus-groups and several meetings with state representatives. In 2017, the first year of operation, 54 of 56 states and territories contributed data to NAMRS. This high level of voluntary participation reflects the value that leaders in the field of adult protective services see in this data. In 2018, all 56 states and territories contributed data to NAMRS. Full implementation of NAMRS will include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico reporting on all data elements on an annual basis to ACL. For more information about NAMRS, please visit the NAMRS webpage on ACL’s website.

FY 2015 marked the first year ACL received a dedicated appropriation to support states in enhancing their APS systems statewide, and awarded grants under Section 2042 for the EJA.

Through FY 2018, ACL continued to receive appropriations for states and make such grants to improve APS practice, services, data collection, and reporting; and to support states’ participation in NAMRS. Previous state grantees’ activities have focused on building the necessary inputs and resources to conduct the work of their APS state systems, including:

Developing and implementing training curricula for APS staff, Building community partnerships, Engaging consultative experts, Creating new, or enhancing existing, operational supports such as electronic case management systems, Creating and validating risk and safety assessment tools, and Increasing the quality and quantity of data reported to NAMRS.

In September of 2016, ACL also published the National Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State Adult Protective Services Systems (Guidelines). The purpose of the Guidelines is to promote an effective APS response across the country so that older adults and adults with disabilities, regardless of the state or jurisdiction in which they live, have similar protections and service delivery from APS systems. The Guidelines are intended to assist states in developing efficient and effective APS systems. Overall, the Guidelines are designed to provide APS Administrators with recommendations from the field about quality practice. There are several ways that states may choose to utilize the Guidelines, including as a model of comparison to existing APS systems offered, to identify new areas of interest, or to identify areas for improvement in current state statutes or policies.

Funding Description The purpose of ACL’s “Grants to Enhance State Adult Protective Services ” is to strengthen and enhance state APS systems. This funding opportunity promotes innovations and improvements in state APS practices, services, and data collection that are consistent with ACL’s mission and incorporate a consumer-directed approach. That is, APS practice holds autonomy, self-determination, and self-direction as fundamental values, and APS interventions are rooted in people’s strengths, assets, goals, culture, wishes, and expectations. With this funding, states are expected to review the capacity of their current state APS information systems and determine how they can improve the quality and quantity of data reported to NAMRS.

Applications are sought from the state government offices that administer the state’s adult protective services and/or elder protective services program. Former and current APS Enhancement grantees may apply if their project terminated before, or is scheduled to terminate during, 2019. Please note that funds awarded under this opportunity cannot be used to continue or carry out the same activities as under previous grants. Former and current grantees who apply must propose new activities consistent with the guidelines provided in this funding opportunity. In an effort to expand the reach of these grants, applications from states who have not received a grant under this opportunity in previous years will receive an additional 10 points on their review score.

For this opportunity, ACL invites applications that seek to achieve:

1. Improvements in the state’s infrastructure for providing APS services, and improvements in the APS intake, investigation, post-investigation, and quality assurance processes, and

2. Improvements in the state's ability to document and report APS case, client, and perpetrator characteristics and services in a manner that is consistent with the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS).

Below are the areas of activities applicants should consider to undertake with this funding.

Within these areas, ACL encourages states to think creatively about how they would strengthen their systems to meet the goals of this funding opportunity:

1. Efforts to use technology and data to:

Expand the state APS program’s participation in NAMRS data collection Improve the quality of data collection by local APS agencies and their ability to report reliable and valid data to the state APS office Improve the state APS program’s ability to track APS reports, investigations, services, resolution, and outcomes of adult maltreatment reports and cases Use data for state and local APS program quality assurance

2. Efforts to improve the state’s APS intake, assessment, screening, and investigation of reports of adult maltreatment, such as to:

Implement existing valid and reliable tools for client assessment (e.g., risk, safety, decisional ability), Improve rates of consistency in APS practice across the state

3. While protecting individual privacy, autonomy, and self-determination, efforts to increase multidisciplinary collaboration between the state’s adult protective system and other systems with key roles in preventing and addressing adult maltreatment to:

Enhance investigations of and responses to adult maltreatment Develop, support, or strengthen interagency collaboration and communication Map available services for victims, identify service gaps and needs, and develop protocols for coordination of services

4. Efforts to implement and test new client interventions or services (offered by APS alone, or in partnership with others), such as:

Family systems interventions, such as restorative justice models and other non-criminal interventions

New services for clients such as emergency housing, psychotherapy for victims, hotlines, etc.

5. Creating new, or improve upon existing, state and local APS policies and protocols to:

Respond to community or public health emergencies, such as natural disasters Ensure APS worker safety Improve public education relating to the role and responsibilities of the adult protective services program Move the state's APS system to more congruence with the National Voluntary

Consensus Guidelines for APS Systems

6. Efforts to increase intra- and inter-state sharing of information on APS cases to:

Facilitate and improve inter- and intrastate information exchange about adult maltreatment with other state APS programs and/or with law enforcement

Implement agreements between states and tribal government entities to improve APS intake, assessment, screening, and investigation of reports of adult maltreatment in those states serving tribes

7. Efforts to improve APS worker and supervisor performance by implementing evidence-based training curricula on specific:

Areas of knowledge needed by APS workers or supervisors Skills needed by APS workers or supervisors Abilities needed by APS workers or supervisors

Proposals should clearly state the change they are seeking through this funding opportunity, the objectives they will strive for to meet those goals, and the activities they will undertake to accomplish their identified objectives. In the project narrative, all applicants should detail how they plan to address the following (complete instructions on writing the project narrative can be found in Section IV.2):

Status of the current state APS system and challenges that need to be addressed Goals for an improved state/local APS system What activities are proposed to reach those goals Justification for the selected activities How the proposed activities will be carried out How the proposed activities improve a state’s current APS practice, and move the state closer to its goals How the applicant will improve the quantity and quality of NAMRS data elements the state reports

How the state will sustain the APS enhancements after grant funding.

Logic Model Applicants may use a logic model in organizing their proposal. A sample logic model is included in Section VIII.1.2. The logic model is not a requirement for application; does not substitute for the required, written application narrative; and no additional points will be awarded based on whether a logic model is included or not. The logic model is provided as a tool to help applicants organize planning. As a condition of award, new grantees will be asked to complete a logic model of their project within the 1st six months of the project. However, the presence or absence of a logic model with or in the application will have no effect on scores.

Project Timeline The project period is three (3) years, depending on satisfactory performance, the availability of funds, and the determination that the program is still in the best interest of the government. Over the three years, ACL anticipates the grantees generally will follow the timeline below. This is only a sample timeline. Actual planning, implementation, and wrap-up activities will vary for each proposal. This sample timeline is provided to help applicants think through the different phases of project planning:

Planning (Months 1-6)

Attend grantee meeting convened by ACL (target 1st week November 2019)(1);

Participate in project officer technical assistance meetings;

Refine and finalize project plan, outcomes, and sustainability goals;

Assess current NAMRS reporting to target for improved quality and quantity(2);

Launch project activities.

Implementation (Months 7-33)

Implement project;

Track performance, outcomes, and sustainability planning;

Submit semi-annual reports;

Participate in project officer technical assistance meetings;

Attend annual grantee meeting convened by ACL (Target: September 2020; September

2021)(1)

Final Phase (Months 34-36)

Enter project final phase;

Transition to sustainability plan;

Participate in project officer technical assistance meetings;

Prepare project data for final reporting.

(1) Grantee Meetings ACL plans to convene an “all grantee meeting” within the 1st quarter of each project year. Grantees are encouraged to attend these meetings, and grant funds may be used to cover this grant-related expense. If applicants intend to use grant funds to attend this meeting, they should include this expense in the application budget.

(2) NAMRS Reporting Currently, all states report some data to NAMRS. All grantees of this funding opportunity will be required to continue participation in NAMRS during the grant period. During the grant, ACL will provide technical assistance to grantee states on NAMRS activities. Proposals should identify either an increase in the quantity or the quality of data elements the state is reporting (or both). Applicants should consider the level of effort they foresee for improving their NAMRS reporting, and include the effort in the project narrative, the work plan, and the budget, and any other application documents as appropriate.

Technical Assistance Technical assistance to the grantees will be provided primarily by ACL program staff via regular conference calls, email correspondence, webinars, and annual grantee meetings, and by ACL’s National APS Technical Assistance Resource Center (operated under a separate contract).

Evaluation Grantee evaluations of their projects facilitate the government in assessing whether programs are effective in producing positive change. Grantees will be asked to include progress and information/data on the project’s outcomes and the evaluation in semi-annual reports and at other times as agreed upon by the grantee and ACL.

For this opportunity, applicants are asked to include a description of the method/s that will be employed to successfully measure whether or not the project has achieved its proposed outcome(s) and the overall goal for this funding opportunity, and who will be responsible for carrying out the evaluation activities. This evaluation plan should be included in the “Evaluation” section of the application narrative.

The qualifications of the evaluator will be reviewed in the section of the project narrative for “key personnel.” Although ACL will provide technical assistance to grantees with the refinement of a project’s evaluation plan, applicants should identify in their applications an individual responsible for the evaluation. If an evaluation will be obtained after the grant is awarded, applications should identify the evaluator skills they will seek out, as well as the method for acquiring the evaluator. Applicants should consider the associated time and costs for evaluation within both the work plan and their application budget.

Rights in Data The following describes the HHS policies around "rights in data." These are included by reference in the conditions of the Notice of Award.

ACL understands that the outcomes and results from these demonstration grants may be such that the awardee would like to publish an article or report on the project’s results, or disseminate information in some other public way. Per the HHS Grants Policy Statement (January 1, 2007), page II-69: “In general, [grant] recipients own the rights in data resulting from a grant-supported project or program….[A]ny publications, data, or other copyrightable works developed under an HHS grant may be copyrighted without OPDIV prior approval.” That is, grantees under this funding opportunity do not need ACL approval to publish reports, articles, or other material about their projects. However, any published reports, articles, or other material must include the following disclaimer:

"This (activity/report/document/etc.) was supported, in part, by a grant (No. XX-xxxx) from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Grantees carrying out projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living or DHHS policy."

Applicants should also note that Under 45 CFR §75, ACL reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use copyrightable works developed (or for which ownership was purchased) under this cooperative agreement for Federal purposes, and to authorize others to do so. The Federal government's right to such copyrightable works and data are explained further in the HHS Grants Policy Statement. For this funding opportunity, this means that grantees may not withhold from ACL data or information produced from or by this project, including, but not limited to, outcome and evaluation data. Per the Terms and Conditions included in the Notice of Award for this funding opportunity, grant recipients must provide a final report at the conclusion of the project that includes the data and materials produced by the grant.

Please Note: The HHS Grants Policy Statement defines “data” as “recorded information, regardless of the form or media on which it may be recorded, and includes writings, films, sound recordings, pictorial reproductions, drawings, designs or other graphic representations, procedural manuals, forms, diagrams, work flow charts, equipment descriptions, data files, data processing or computer programs (software), statistical records, and other research data.”

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for grants under this Program Announcement is contained in Title XX of the Social Security Act, Subtitle B, the Elder Justice Act of 2009, Section 2042, and Sections 411 and 751 of the Older Americans Act, as amended.

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement Estimated Total Funding: $3,000,000 Expected Number of Awards: 10 Award Ceiling: $350,000 Per Budget Period Award Floor: $150,000 Per Budget Period Length of Project Period: 36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods

Under this competition, ACL estimates awarding ten (10) cooperative agreements to states at an average of approximately $300,000 per grant per year. The minimum award amount that ACL will fund is $150,000 per grant, per year. The maximum award amount per grant is $350,000 per year. Applications must clearly state in their budgets the requested amount of federal funding for each budget year.

Final award decisions will be made by the Administrator of ACL. In making these decisions, the Administrator will take into consideration:

Recommendations of the review panel;

Reviews for programmatic and grants management compliance;

Reasonableness of the estimated cost to the government considering the available funding and anticipated results; and Likelihood that the proposed project will result in the benefits expected.

Applications for continuation funding beyond the initial year will be reviewed on a non-competitive basis, subject to the availability of funds, contingent on satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination by ACL that continued funding will be in the best interest of the government.

These awards will be administered as cooperative agreements. That is, ACL will be involved in the Grants to Enhance Adult Protective Services (described in Section I. Funding Opportunity Description) by participating in planning, implementation, and evaluation of grant activities, which will be determined jointly by ACL and the grantee. The cooperative agreement will include the following terms:

As provided by the terms of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (P.L.

95-224), this Cooperative Agreement provides for the involvement and collaboration of ACL in activities that the recipient organization will carry out in accordance with the provisions of the approved grant award.

The grantee agrees to execute the responsibilities outlined below:

1. Fulfill all of the requirements of the grant initiative as outlined in this program announcement, including carrying out project activities as reviewed, approved, and awarded.

2. Collaborate with the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in the execution of the work plan, and collaborate with ACL in understanding the programmatic and budgetary issues of the project.

3. Evaluate the activities of the grants, and provide recommendations to ACL on ways to enhance the demonstration.

4. Meet with the ACL project officer at least once each month, or at such other times as are agreed upon, to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement.

5. Produce products and/or materials under this award that are accurate, objective, unbiased, and of high professional quality, and that do not violate federal, departmental, or agency grant rules. Before publicly disseminating materials developed under this grant, grantee will provide the ACL project officer a copy of the final product in order for the ACL project officer to have at least 15 business days to ensure the product meets the requirements set forth in the program announcement.

6. Include the following disclaimer on all products produced using grant funding:

"This (activity/report/document/etc.) was supported, in part, by a grant (No. XX-xxxx) from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and

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

Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living or DHHS policy."

The ACL project officer agrees to execute the responsibilities outlined below:

1. Perform the day-to-day federal responsibilities of managing grants and will work with the grantee to ensure that the minimum requirements for the grant are met.

2. Work cooperatively with the grantee to clarify the programmatic and budgetary issues to be addressed by the grantee project, and, as necessary, negotiate with grantee to achieve a mutually agreed upon solution to any needs identified by the grantee or ACL.

3. Assist the grantee project leadership in understanding the policy concerns and/or priorities of ACL, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the federal government by conducting periodic briefings and by carrying out ongoing consultations.

ACL will also share information with the grantee about other federally sponsored projects and activities relevant to the interests of the grantee and grantee activities.

4. Provide technical advice to the grantee related to the fulfillment of the goals and objectives of this grant.

5. Provide technical advice on grantee work products to ensure they are accurate, objective, unbiased, and of high professional quality, and that they do not violate federal, departmental, or agency grant rules.

6. Before publicly disseminating materials developed under this grant, grantee will provide the ACL project officer a copy of the final product, and within 15 business days, the ACL project officer will provide guidance and feedback on whether the product meets the requirements set forth in the program announcement.

Modifications: Once a cooperative agreement is in place, requests to modify or amend it or the work plan may be made by ACL or the awardee at any time. Modifications and/or amendments of the Cooperative Agreement or work plan shall be effective upon the mutual agreement of both parties, except where ACL is authorized under the Terms and Conditions of award, 45 CFR 75, or other applicable regulation or statute to make unilateral amendments. When an award is issued the cooperative agreement terms and conditions from the program announcement are incorporated by reference.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants Domestic public or private non-profit entities including state and local governments, Indian tribal governments and organizations (American Indian/Alaskan Native/Native American), faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, hospitals, and institutions of higher education.

Applications are sought from the state government offices that administer the state's adult protective services and/or elder protective services program. Please see screening information below for additional application criteria.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement: Yes 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. Examples of non-Federal cash match includes budgetary funds provided from the applicant agency’s budget for costs associated with the project. ACL encourages you to not exceed the minimum match requirement. Applications with a match greater than the minimum required will not receive additional consideration under the review. Match is not one of the responsiveness criteria as noted in Section III, 3 Application Screening Criteria.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications that do not meet each of the following seven (7) responsiveness criteria will be administratively eliminated and will not be reviewed:

1. The applicant is authorized in state statute as the entity that has legal authority over the state’s adult protective services, or elder protective services, and cites that legislative authority in the application.

2. The applicant has demonstrated capacity and legal authority to investigate cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

3. The applicant is substantively and meaningfully involved in the activities of the project, and does not appear to be serving as a “conduit” or “pass through” for funding.

4. The application includes a plan to improve the quality and quantity of NAMRS data elements the state reports.

5. Letters of Commitment are included for agencies, organizations, consultants, or entities that are specifically named to carry out any aspect of the project, other than the applicant. The letters of commitment are on the letterhead of the committing entity, details the specific role and resources/activities that will be provided in support of the applicant’s project, and are signed.

6. Application includes three (3), one-year budgets representing each year of the project.

7. Application includes three (3), one-year work plans representing each year of the project.

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicants. Applications that fail to meet the 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 three (3) screening requirements:

1. Applications must be submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, by the due date listed in section IV.3 Submission Dates and Times.

2. The Project Narrative section of the Application must be double-spaced, on 8 ½” x 11” plain white paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of not less than 11, preferably Times New Roman or Arial.

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 25 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 25 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 25 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

NOTE: The following are NOT counted for the purposes of the 25 page limit:

Project Abstract Project Work Plan Letters of Commitment Resume/Vitae of Key Project Personnel

Budget Narrative/Justification Logic Model Bibliography/Works Cited

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 requires applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov in Workspace. Grants.gov Workspace is the standard way for organizations and individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov. An overview and training on Grants.gov Workspace can be found here at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants /applicants/workspace-overview.html The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with 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. Effective June 11, 2018, when registering or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator. Please be sure to read the FAQs located at www .sam.gov to learn more. Applicants should allot sufficient time prior to the application deadline to finalize a new, or renew an existing registration. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award. Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register or renew at least two weeks before the deadline. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at: https://www.sam.gov /sam/ 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 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

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

Stephanie Whittier Eliason

AOA/OEJAPS

Phone Number: (202) 795-7467 E-mail: stephanie.whittiereliason@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Due Date for Letter of Intent: 04/29/2019 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 via email to:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Elizabeth Petruy

AOA/OEJAPS

Email: elizabeth.petruy@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 maximum length allowed for the Project Narrative is 25 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 25 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 25 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

The components of the Project Narrative counted as part of the 25 page limit include:

1. Project Relevance & Current Need

2. Approach

3. Project Impact

4. Evaluation

5. Capacity

NOTE: The following elements are required, but are NOT counted for the purposes of the 25 page limit:

o Project Abstract o Project Work Plan o Letters of Commitment o Resume/Vitae of Key Project Personnel o Budget Narrative/Justification o Bibliography/Works Cited

NOTE: A logic model is enouraged but not required, and is NOT counted for the purposes of the 25 page limit

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."

Project Relevance & Current Need This section should describe, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the current challenges that need to be addressed in your state's APS system, program, and data collection abilities, as well as how the current system could better maximize positive outcomes for people served by your state’s program.

In this section, applications should describe the specific project goals for an improved APS system your state, and how they align with the overall goals ACL has identified for this grant program in Section I. Describe the vision for an improved APS system in your state. Please identify the enhancements sought for the state's APS system, practices, and data collection and information systems, and include a concise discussion of the state’s current ability to report to NAMRS, and areas for improvement.

Further, applications should discuss the research, evidence, or body of knowledge selected to frame your project. Strong applications will demonstrate that the proposed project is justified in terms of the most recent, relevant, and available information and knowledge about adult protective services, violence prevention and intervention, and business or social services administration. Applicants may also cite prior experience with other grants or activities that have informed the development of this application.

Approach This section should convey how the applicant proposes to address the issues and achieve the goals identified in the “Project Relevance & Current Need” section.

Applications should provide a clear and concise description of the intervention. Applications should explain the rationale for using a particular approach, and present a clear connection between identified system gaps/needs and the proposed activities. Proposals should detail:

What activities are proposed to achieve the identified goal/s and objective/s, Justification for the selected/proposed activities (why you think these are the best), How the proposed activities will be carried out, How the applicant will increase the quantity or quality, or both, of NAMRS data elements the state reports, Specific partners and stakeholders key to the success and completion of the project, and How the proposed activities will improve a state’s current APS practice/s and data reporting, and move the state closer to its vision.

This section should identify any major barriers that can be foreseen, and/or existing opportunities, and how the project will be able to overcome or leverage them, respectively.

In addition to this narrative, applications are required to include a Project Work Plan covering all three (3) years of the proposed project. Please see the section below on "Work Plan" for guidance on developing the project work plan.

Project Impact This section of the project narrative should discuss the expected impact of your project, and how the proposed activities will improve outcomes for APS practice within your state.

Applications must clearly identify the measurable outcome(s) that will result from the project.

ACL will not fund any project that does not include measurable outcomes.

Applications will be scored on the clarity and nature of the 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. 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.

This section should also describe how the project’s findings and results would help other state and/or local adult protective services programs throughout the nation address the same or similar problems.

In addition, the applicant should describe its plans to sustain the APS system enhancements after Federal financial assistance has ended, especially the state’s ability to continue to collect data in a manner that is consistent with NAMRS.

Evaluation This section should describe how the project plans to evaluate the approach, impact, and outcomes of the proposed activities and the overall success of the project. This section should describe the method(s), techniques, and tools proposed to: (1) determine whether the intervention achieved its anticipated outcome(s), and (2) document the “lessons learned” from the project. This should include both the positive and negative lessons learned with a focus on how these will be useful to people interested in replicating the intervention, if it proves successful.

Please note: as stated in Section I, ACL is seeking applications that are able to document outcomes accurately and in a manner that is consistent with NAMRS. A component of the evaluation plan should include a discussion of how success with this will be measured.

Capacity Each application should clearly identify their capacity and overall ability to execute the requirements of the proposed project and evaluation successfully. This section should address/identify:

a) The entity’s statutory and/or regulatory authority to operate the state’s adult protective services and/or elder protective services program;

b) The organization, nature and scope of the entity’s work, and the capabilities of the applicant entity that will have responsibility for this project;

c) Qualifications, capabilities, and relevant experience off all key project personnel identified as part of the project team (short Resumes/Vitae MUST be included for all key project staff);

and

d) The organization’s capability to sustain some or all project activities after Federal financial assistance has ended.

This section should include a clear delineation of the roles and responsibilities of all individuals identified who will specifically contribute to achieving the project’s objectives and outcomes.

This discussion should include information about any contractual or consultant organization(s) or persons identified as having a significant role(s) in implementing, achieving, and evaluating the project and its goals. It should identify who will 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.

ACL expects that, throughout the grant period, the Project Director will have involvement in, and substantial knowledge about, all aspects of the project. In addition, ACL expects the applicant organization to be meaningfully and substantively involved in the project, and that this funding opportunity does not serve as a "conduit" or "pass through" for funding to another entity.

Organizational charts and Resumes/Vitae should be submitted as an attachment to the project narrative. They will NOT count towards the narrative page limit.

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

Applications may attach a “Bibliography” or "Works Cited" section to the end of the project narrative to cite sources properly. The bibliography must only contain bibliographic information for sources cited in the Project Narrative. This section will not count towards the 25-page. Any entry in the bibliography that is not a source citation, such as an explanatory note, will be removed.

Budget Narrative/Justification Applicants requesting funding for a multi-year grant program are REQUIRED to provide a detailed budget for EACH year of potential grant funding requested. For this funding opportunity, applicants must submit a budget for all three (3) years of potential funding. The Budget Narrative/Justification can be provided using the format included in the document, “Budget Narrative/Justification – Sample Format.” Applicants may also provide a budget narrative.

Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to the sample format which provides an example of the level of detail sought. When developing the Budget Narrative/Justification, applicants should be sure to include sufficient detail in their budgets so that reviewers can assess the reasonableness of the budget for the activities being proposed and the amount of work planned for a particular activity. Applications should demonstrate a clear and strong relationship between the project’s objectives, activities, and budget.

Work Plan

Although the Project Work Plan does not count towards the 25 page limit, a comprehensive and clear work plan is required for all applicants. The Project Work Plan should align directly with the Project Narrative and the Budget, and should cover all three (3) years of the project period.

You may use the attached “Project Work Plan - Sample Template” format as a reference and resource, if desired.

The Work Plan should include:

a) The project’s overall goal(s), anticipated outcome(s), key objectives, and the major tasks/action steps planned to achieve the goal and outcome(s)

b) Timeframes for each objective, task, and action step (including start- and end-dates),

c) The lead person(s) responsible for completing the task.

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

Letters of Commitment are ONLY required IF an organization, consultant, or entity has been specifically named to carry out any aspect of the project. The letters of commitment must be on the letterhead of the committing agency/entity, must specify the role and resources/activities that will be provided in support of the applicant’s project, and must be signed.

For applications submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov, signed letters of commitment should be scanned and included as attachments.

3. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications: 06/24/2019 Date for Informational Conference Call: 04/24/2018

All interested parties may join an informational conference call held by ACL on April 24, 2018 at 1 p.m. ET:

Conference Line: 202-774-2300 Participant Code: 998 130 286

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.