HHS_2021_ACL_AOA_EJRC_0101.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging

National Adult Protective Services Training Center

HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-EJRC-0101

06/01/2021

Table of Contents Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary

I. Funding Opportunity Description

BACKGROUND

PROJECT PURPOSE

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Project Narrative

Project Abstract

Project Relevance and Current Need

Approach

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes and Evaluation

Organizational Capacity

Budget Narrative/Justification

Bibliography/Works Cited

Project Work Plan

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

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

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13)

Appendix

Instructions for Completing Required Forms

Budget Narrative/Justification- Sample Format

Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/ Abstract

ACL Center:

Administration on Aging Funding Opportunity Title:

National Adult Protective Services Training Center Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-EJRC-0101

Primary CFDA Number:

93.747 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

The LOI date will generate once the Synopsis is published if Days or a Date are entered.

Due Date for Applications:

06/01/2021 Date for Informational Conference Call:

04/21/2021 Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with https://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary This funding opportunity will establish, by awarding one cooperative agreement, a National APS Training Center (NATC) to advance federal priorities to improve safety and well-being of those experiencing adult maltreatment by building the capacity of adult protective services professionals and improving the organizations that recruit, train, supervise, manage, and retain https://www.grants.gov/ them. The NATC will complete a broad range of activities that promote promising and evidence-informed practice, support leadership development, improve agency culture and climate, and design and implement organizational interventions that address issues of worker recruitment, retention, and agency culture and climate. Through this initial opportunity, ACL plans to award one (1) cooperative agreement at approximately $1,500,000 per year, for up to two (2) years.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

BACKGROUND

AOA and The Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services All people have the right to live their lives with dignity and respect, free from abuse of any kind.

Unfortunately, far too many older adults and people with disabilities are abused, neglected or exploited. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is committed to developing systems and programs that prevent abuse from happening, protecting people from abusive situations, and supporting people who have experienced abuse to help them recover. Within ACL and the Administration on Aging (AoA), the Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services (OEJAPS) plans, manages, coordinates, and supports programs that encourage justice, prevent abuse, and provide protection and support to those in need. ACL has committed resources to several important projects designed to meet the goals of coordinating federal elder justice efforts, exploring new prevention and intervention models, and providing up-to-date research and information to professionals and the public. ACL and OEJAPS serve as the federal home for adult protective services, a social services program provided by state and local governments serving older adults and adults with disabilities who need assistance because of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation (adult maltreatment). In all states, APS is charged with receiving and responding to reports of adult maltreatment and working closely with clients and a wide variety of allied professionals to maximize client safety and independence. Additionally, ACL-funded programs in every state provide civil legal counsel and representation to older people with economic or social need in order to preserve their independence, choice, and financial security. These programs are designed to help older people understand their rights, exercise informed decision-making, and benefit from the support and opportunities promised by law.

The Role of APS Workforce Development Initiatives Workforce development initiatives in the field of adult protective services are critical. A lack of adequate training resources and investment was identified as early as 2002.[1] A March 2011 GAO Report observed that caseloads of adult maltreatment continue to grow, and to grow in complexity, and that program officials have stated it is difficult to maintain adequate staffing levels and training. The GAO Report also noted that APS program funding has not kept pace with program needs, and when overall state funding decreases, training is often the first area to be reduced or eliminated. The National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) received seed funding from AOA in FFY 2005 (under Grant No. 90-AM-2792) to begin development of a “train the trainer” model for APS programs and two initial content modules. NAPSA later worked with additional funders to develop a full complement of 23 “Core Competency” modules that identify a minimum set of knowledge and skills for APS workers. However, the consensus opinion of APS workers, administrators, and researchers, as reported to ACL in 2016 and 2020, was that the investment and availability of training for APS https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-11-208 https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-11-208 https://www.napsa-now.org/the-napsa-certificate-program/aps-core-curriculum/ https://www.napsa-now.org/the-napsa-certificate-program/aps-core-curriculum/ programs remained at insufficient levels notwithstanding prior efforts[2], and a 2021 study by Liu & Ross[3] concluded that states should consider how they can increase their ability to provide training to their APS staff.

A goal of ACL and OEJAPS throughout its history of working to advance elder justice and elder rights has been to ensure that the workforce responding to adult maltreatment within both states and tribes has access to evidence-based information to improve performance of the difficult task of working with individuals who have been abuse, neglected, or exploited. While there has been positive movement in understanding how best to meet the needs of those experiencing adult maltreatment, the long-standing issue of recruiting, preparing, and retaining adequate numbers of staff continues to be a problem for APS agencies. ACL and OEJAPS has deployed a multi-pronged approach to building the capacity of the APS workforce, among these are:

State Grants to Enhance Adult Protective Services, demonstration grants to help address gaps and challenges in state APS systems;

Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State APS Systems, informed by research and input from stakeholders to provide APS administrators information about effective APS practices and policies;

National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS), a data system that collects annually both summary and de-identified case-level data on APS investigations submitted by states;

National APS Technical Assistance Resource Center, which serves as the focal point for ACL’s overall approach to providing technical assistance and guidance to ACL grantees and state APS programs to improve state APS administration and practices;

Research Agenda for Adult Protective Services, providing guidance to researchers, APS programs, and funders on the gaps in knowledge related the practices, efficacy, and outcomes of APS.

PROJECT PURPOSE

In June 2020, ACL’s National APS Technical Assistance Resource Center conducted a study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on APS programs.[1] Among the program and administration challenges identified by APS programs were:

APS worker physical, health, and mental health safety and well-being Observation and assessment of clients without being able to make face-to-face visits Lack of plans and training for responding to a public health emergency (versus natural disaster) How to efficiently work remotely, often without equipment, infrastructure, or management practices to support remote work Supporting and interfacing with other community-based organizations in serving APS clients when their resources and capacity were equally hindered.

The Coronavirus Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 include a total of $376 million to support APS clients impacted by the COVID- 19 pandemic. ACL is required to distribute at least $200 million of those funds to state APS programs through formula grants.

Among all 56 state-level APS programs (50 states, DC, and 5 territories), the most identified https://acl.gov/programs/elder-justice/state-grants-enhance-adult-protective-services https://acl.gov/programs/elder-justice/final-voluntary-consensus-guidelines-state-aps-systems https://acl.gov/programs/elder-justice/national-adult-maltreatment-reporting-system-namrs https://apstarc.acl.gov/ https://acl.gov/programs/elder-justice/research-agenda-adult-protective-service-aps needed activity is training for APS staff related to improving how they serve APS clients impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this universally identified training need, ACL has designated funding to collect, develop, curate, and make widely available e-training for APS workers and administrators to improve and enhance their capacity to serve clients impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This activity will be carried out through the establishment of the National APS Training Center (NATC). This funding opportunity is initially for two (2) years.

[1] Teaster, P.B., Roberto, K.A., Hoyt, E., Savla, J., Fua, I., & Kebede, B. (2020). Adult Protective Services Study on the Impact of COVID-19: Findings from State Administrator Survey and Interviews with Local APS Staff. Submitted to the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and carried out under contract No.

HHSP 233201500042I.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

1. Target Audience There are two (2) target audiences for this opportunity. The first audience is direct APS caseworkers who conduct intakes, investigations, and provide limited or on-going case management services to clients. The second audience is state and local APS supervisors responsible for the oversight, management, and support of local APS workers. The primary target audience of the NATC is APS, and future opportunities may target additional sub-sectors under the APS umbrella.

In order to successfully reach its target audiences and achieve its goals for participation and use of NATC tools and resources, the grantee must engage its intended consumers in the development and refinement of its training activities and products. The project will seek feedback from members of its target audience(s) throughout the project period to better understand workforce development needs, inform project activities, review curricula and product-related content, and proposed dissemination strategies. A component of this engagement is to understand the issues around equity, racial justice, and equal opportunity, impacting the people served by APS who are from underrepresented and underserved communities, and ensuring that those experiences inform the training and workforce initiatives carried out under this grant.

2. Project Activities and Strategies Knowledge Development and Management Under this funding opportunity, the NATC will, in a systematic way, collect, develop, curate, store, and manage a training library for APS to address the training needs of APS workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Activities for Knowledge Development and Management include:

Assessing the current training needs of all 56 state-level APS programs regarding improving and enhancing their work during the COVID-19 pandemic;

Developing a prioritized list of training topics;

Identifying existing evidence-based/informed trainings either in the field of APS;

Identifying gaps in existing training for the prioritized list of topics and proposing a feasible, sound, and swift approach to filling those gaps with evidence-based information;

Collecting, developing, and curating trainings and maintaining in an organized and cost-effective manner.

Distribution & Dissemination ACL believes the most cost-effective manner to deliver trainings to all 56 state-level APS programs is via an e-learning or learning management platform. In this way, training can be delivered to all staff while minimizing duplication of effort. For this opportunity, the grantee is expected to:

Identify at least three (3) options to acquire a web-based, structured, knowledge-management or e-learning system/platform to store, distribute, and deliver trainings and future workforce development information (if the platform/system does not have existing FedRAMP Authorization to operate, the grantee will work through the process to obtain an Authority to Operate from ACL);

Develop a dissemination strategy and timeline that focuses on key target audiences, for specific purposes, understanding what these target audiences need to know, and effectively getting this information to them;

Produce detailed procedures, materials, and other products about trainings and information available through NATC and how to access;

Ensure all materials and information are compliant with ADA Section 508 standards as published on HHS website to ensure accessibility

Leverage innovative, low-cost, and web-based technologies for storing, disseminating, and delivering APS training and workforce information.

3. Collaboration

As noted above, there have been some efforts already to support APS workforce development. The NATC grantee is expected to collaborate with other federal and non-federal partners, projects, and efforts that support APS workforce development.

4. Rights in Data Applicants should be fully aware that Under 45 CFR Section 75.322(b), ACL reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use copyrightable works developed (or for which ownership was purchased) under this cooperative agreement for Federal purposes, and to authorize others to do so, including to disseminate the works and findings. The federal government right to such copyrightable works and data are explained further in the HHS Grants Policy Statement. For this funding opportunity, this means that grantees may not withhold from ACL data, information, or materials produced or collected from or by this project, except as protected by privacy laws/regulations. In such instance, the grantee must notify ACL immediately upon discovery that something collected or obtained by this project has privacy restrictions that are not consistent with this policy. By the end of the project period, the grantee must be prepared to turn over to ACL the hosting and management of an operational e-platform in its entirety that includes all materials collected, developed, and curated under this grant.

Please Note: The HHS Grants Policy Statement defines “data” as “recorded information, https://marketplace.fedramp.gov/ https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/index.html http://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf 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.”

ACL also understands that the outcomes and results from this opportunity may be such that the grantee would like to publish an article or report on the project’s results, or disseminate the outcomes and results 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 to seek approval from ACL to publish reports, articles, or other material about their projects.

5. Planning, Implementation, and Sustainability Phases As this project is propelled by the needs and challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, ACL expects the successful applicant will be one with the ability to balance thoughtful planning with the capacity to meet aggressive project milestones and targets. While revision of implementation strategies may be appropriate later in the project period, ACL expects the NATC grantee to follow the general timeline outlined below for Year-1:

30 days after Notice of Award (NOA): project is fully functioning;

60 days after NOA: initial planning phase complete;

90 days after NOA: implementation phase begins;

4 months after NOA: first on-line learning/training available to users;

10 months after NOA: year 1 assessment/evaluation conducted;

11 months after NOA: deliver Year-1 assessment/evaluation to federal project officer.

6. Evaluation

Grantee evaluations of their projects facilitate the government in assessing whether programs are effective in producing positive change. ACL is committed to using the most rigorous methods that are appropriate to the evaluation questions and feasible within budget and other constraints.

Under this opportunity, the grantee will design and implement a rigorous evaluation using multiple measures to document and determine the effectiveness of their work carrying out the three (3) program activities and strategies listed above.

Evaluations can produce several types of evidence to demonstrate success. A learning organization with a culture of continual improvement requires many types of evidence, including not only evaluation but also descriptive research studies, performance measures, financial and cost data, survey statistics, and approaches to using information, such as regular data-driven reviews of performance and progress. The NATC grantee is expected to employ both qualitative and quantitative methods in its evaluation of process and outcome measures. The grantee will have considerable flexibility to implement an evaluation plan that will contribute to and promote evidence- based strategies, practices, and programs.

[1] Otto, J. M. (2002). Program and administrative issues affecting adult protective services. The

Public Policy and Aging Report, 12(2), 3–7.

[2] See: Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State APS Systems (https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2020-05/ACL-Guidelines-2020.pdf) and Research Agenda for Adult Protective Services (https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2020- 10/APS%20Research%20Agenda.pdf).

[3] Pi-Ju Liu & Leslie Ross (2021) Adult Protective Services Training: A Brief Report on the State of the Nation, Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 33:1, 82-

95, DOI: 10.1080/08946566.2020.1845271

[4] Teaster, P.B., Roberto, K.A., Hoyt, E., Savla, J., Fua, I., & Kebede, B. (2020). Adult Protective Services Study on the Impact of COVID-19: Findings from State Administrator Survey and Interviews with Local APS Staff. Submitted to the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and carried out under contract No.

HHSP 233201500042I.

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for grants under this Program Announcement is contained in Sections 411 of the Older Americans Act, as amended; Title XX of the Social Security Act, Subtitle B, the Elder Justice Act of 2009, Section 2042; the Coronavirus Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021; and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. 45 CFR 75: 45 CFR § 75.203; 2 CFR

200: 2 CFR § 200.204

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$ 1,500,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$ 1,500,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$ 1,250,000 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

24-month project period with two 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' Under this competition, ACL will award one (1) new, cooperative agreement ranging from $1,250,000 - $1,500,000 per budget period. The project period will be for 24-months (or, 2 years), and the budget periods will be two (2), 12-month periods. Applications for continuation funding beyond the initial year will be reviewed on a non-competitive basis, subject to the availability of funds, contingent on satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination by ACL that continued funding will be in the best interest of the government.

https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2020-05/ACL-Guidelines-2020.pdf https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2020-10/APS%20Research%20Agenda.pdf https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2020-10/APS%20Research%20Agenda.pdf https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2020.1845271

Final award decisions will be made by the ACL Administrator and will be based on recommendations of the review panel (See Section V), reviews of past programmatic and grants management compliance as found in Grant Solutions, geographic distribution, and the reasonableness of the estimated cost considering the available funding and anticipated results.

This funding opportunity announcement is for a new cooperative agreement. As provided by the terms of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-224), this Cooperative Agreement provides for the substantial involvement and collaboration of ACL in activities that the recipient organization will carry out in accordance with the provisions of the approved grant award.

By accepting an award under this funding opportunity announcement, the grantee agrees to execute the responsibilities outlined below:

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

2. Collaborate with the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in the execution of the work plan, and collaborate with ACL in understanding the programmatic and budgetary issues of the project. Based on negotiations and emerging issues in the field, if necessary, the grantee will revise the project work plan and/or budget detailing expectations for major activities and products during the grant period.

3. Evaluate the impact of project activities, and provide recommendations to ACL on ways to enhance the program.

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

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

6. Submit to the ACL project officer a final, clean copy of all data and materials developed or supported with these grant funds, in the format in which it was developed or produced, as provided for in the HHS Grants Policy Statement and referenced in the Notice of Award. The HHS Grants Policy Statement defines “data” as: “recorded information, regardless of the form or media on which it may be recorded, and includes writings, films, sound recordings, pictorial reproductions, drawings, designs or other graphic representations, procedural manuals, forms, diagrams, work flow charts, equipment descriptions, data files, data processing or computer programs (software), statistical records, and other research data” (HHS Grants Policy Statement, Part II, “Rights in Data”, page II-69).

7. Include the following disclaimer on all products produced using grant funding, including those produced by sub-awards: "This (report/document/etc.) was supported, in part, by a grant (No. XXX) from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S.

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

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

The ACL project officer will execute the responsibilities outlined below:

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

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

3. Assist the grantee project leadership in understanding the policy concerns and/or priorities of ACL, and the Department of Health and Human Services by conducting periodic briefings and by carrying out ongoing consultations. ACL will also share information with the grantee about other federally sponsored projects and activities relevant to the interests of the grantee and their activities.

4. Provide technical advice on grantee work products to ensure they are accurate, objective, unbiased, and of high professional quality, and that they do not violate federal, departmental, or agency grant rules. Before publicly disseminating materials developed under this grant, grantee will provide the ACL project officer a copy of the final product, and within 15 business days, the ACL project officer will provide guidance and feedback on whether the product meets the requirements set forth in the program announcement and this cooperative agreement.

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

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

Upon execution of this cooperative agreement, requests to modify or amend it or the work plan may be made by ACL or the awardee at any time. Modifications and/or amendments of the Cooperative Agreement or work plan shall be effective upon the mutual agreement of both parties, except where ACL is authorized under the Terms and Conditions of award, 45 CFR Part 74 or 92, or other applicable regulation or statute to make unilateral amendments. When an award is issued the cooperative agreement terms and conditions from the program announcement are incorporated by reference.

III. Eligibility Information

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

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

Yes For awards that require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources (at or above the statutory requirement) in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to provide the statutorily required matching or cost sharing amount (and any voluntary committed amount in excess) may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients are not expected to provide cost sharing or matching. However, recipients are allowed to voluntarily propose a commitment of non-federal resources. If an applicant decides to voluntarily contribute non-federal resources towards project costs and the costs are accepted by ACL, the non-federal resources will be included in the approved project budget. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to meet the voluntary amount of non-federal resources that was accepted by ACL as part of the approved project costs and that was identified in the approved budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

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 all of the following eight (8) responsiveness criteria will be administratively eliminated and will not be reviewed:

1. The applicant has demonstrated knowledge of APS programs and workforce issues.

2. The applicant has demonstrated expertise in adult learning theory.

3. The applicant has demonstrated success in deploying on-line learning and training platforms.

4. 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 to another organization.

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 by an individual authorized to make such commitments on behalf of their organization. (General expressions of support for an applicant are insufficient to meet the criterion of Letters of Commitment.)

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

7. Application includes a budget covering all 2 years (24 months) of the project.

8. Application includes a work plan covering all 2 years (24 months) of the project.

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicants. Applications that fail to meet the three (3) screening criteria described below will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration.

In order for an application to be reviewed, it must meet the following screening requirements:

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

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

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

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

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants

Please note, ACL requires applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov in Workspace. Grants.gov Workspace is the standard way for organizations and individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov. An overview and training on Grants.gov Workspace can be found here at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with https://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

At the https://www.grants.gov website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. ACL strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

All applicants must have a DUNS number (https://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/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award.

Note: Failure to submit the correct EIN Suffix can lead to delays in identifying your organization and access to funding in the Payment Management System.

Effective October 1, 2010, HHS requires all entities that plan to apply for and ultimately receive federal grant funds from any HHS Operating/Staff Division (OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

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.

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/ https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf

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. In accordance with the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce reporting burden for recipients of federal financial assistance, the general certification and representation requirements contained in the Standard Form 424B (SF-424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs, and the Standard Form 424D (SF-424D) – Assurances – Construction Programs, have been standardized federal-wide.

Effective January 1, 2020, the updated common certification and representation requirements will be stored and maintained within SAM. Organizations or individuals applying for federal financial assistance as of January 1, 2020, must validate the federally required common certifications and representations annually through SAM located at SAM.gov.

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

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

Contact person regarding this Program Announcement:

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

Stephanie Whittier Eliason U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services Phone Number: (202) 795-7467 E-mail: stephanie.whittiereliason@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Letter of Intent Number Of Days from Publication 30 https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:stephanie.whittiereliason@acl.hhs.gov

The LOI date will generate once the Synopsis is published if Days or a Date are entered.

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 Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services Aiesha Gurley Parry E-mail: aiesha.gurley@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 20 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

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

Project Relevance and Current Need Approach Special Target Populations and Organizations Outcomes & Evaluation Organizational Capability

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

Project Abstract Bibliography/Works Cited Budget Narrative/Justification Project Work Plan Letters of Commitment

Project 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.”

mailto:aiesha.gurley@acl.hhs.gov

Project Relevance and Current Need This section should describe, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the nature and scope of the particular problem or issue the proposed intervention is designed to address. Strong applications will demonstrate that the proposed project is justified in terms of the most recent, relevant, and available information, evidence-based practices, and/or new and cutting-edge research.

Approach This section should include the following types of information:

Goals & Objectives Applications should describe the proposed project’s goal(s) and major objectives, particularly in relation to the goals and objectives identified in Section I.3 (Funding Opportunity Description). Applicants are free to propose objectives in addition to those identified by ACL.

Approach Applications should provide a clear and concise description of the intervention and activities proposed to meet all the goals and objectives of this NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) as stated in Section I and identified above, and to address the problem(s) or gaps described in the above section “Project Relevance and Current Need.” Applications should explain the rationale for using a particular approach/intervention and present a clear connection between identified system gaps/needs and the proposed activities. Further, this section should identify any major barriers that are anticipated, and how the project will be able to overcome those barriers.

Special Target Populations and Organizations Applicants should describe whether, and if so, how, the proposed intervention will target hard-to-reach populations, including limited-English speaking populations and those of greatest economic or social need. Additionally, the application should identify what stakeholder groups will be involved and/or targeted to ensure success of the project. Be sure to describe the role and makeup of any strategic partnerships that will be critical for successfully implementing the intervention, including other organizations, supporters, and/or consumer groups. Applicants should document how they will reflect ACL’s commitment to advancing equity, racial justice, and equal opportunity, including ensuring that the experiences of individuals served by APS who are from underrepresented and underserved communities inform the work in the execution of their grant activities.

Outcomes and Evaluation Outcomes This section of the project narrative must clearly identify the measurable outcomes that will result from the project. ACL will not fund any project that does not include measurable outcomes. This section should also describe how the project’s findings and results will help to improve both the delivery of training and workforce information to APS programs, as well as the skills and capacity of those accessing the training and information. Applications will be scored on the nature of the proposed outcomes, as explained below, and not on the quantity/number of outcomes cited. It is critical to describe the anticipated outcomes in clear and concise terms.

[Measurable outcomes may also be included in the optional work plan grid (“Project Work Plan

– Sample Template”)].

A “measurable outcome” is a change in the responsiveness or cost-effectiveness of a service delivery system; a new model of support or care that can be replicated; new knowledge; a measurable increase in community awareness; or a measurable increase in quality. A measurable outcome could also describe a change in the degree to which consumers exercise autonomous choice over the types of services they receive, or whether they are satisfied with the way a service is delivered. A measurable outcome could also be 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. 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 outcomes will be produced by the project. You should use the “Evaluation” section below to describe how the outcomes will be measured and reported.

Evaluation This section should describe the methods, techniques, and tools – both qualitative and quantitative – that will be used to: 1) determine whether or not the project achieved anticipated outcomes, and 2) document the “lessons learned” – both positive and negative - from the project. A component of the evaluation plan must include a discussion of how success will be measured. Evaluations can produce several types of evidence to demonstrate success, including descriptive research studies, performance measures, financial and cost data, survey statistics, data-driven reviews of performance and progress.

Organizational Capacity In this Section, applicants will describe their overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to carry out the proposed project.

Organizational Capability Each application should include an organizational capability statement. 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 the capabilities it possesses. If appropriate, include an organization chart showing the relationship of the project to the larger organization. An organizational chart can be included as an attachment to the project narrative and will not count towards the narrative page limit.

This section should include a discussion of any current or previous relevant experience and/or the record of the organization in operating projects of similar scale and scope. In this section, applicants should provide a concise description of the level of effort your organization will expend on substantive, programmatic activities. Throughout the entire project period, 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 organization.

Qualifications This description should cover qualifications, current or previous relevant experience/expertise, and/or the record of those identified as “Key Personnel” and should be directly related to the responsiveness criteria in Section III.3. Include information about any sub-recipients, contractual organization, or persons that will have a significant role in implementing the project and achieving project goals. Vitae/Resumes are required for any individual identified as key project staff. Vitae or resumes should be short and included as attachments. Vitae and resumes will not count towards the narrative page limit.

Project Management This section should include a clear delineation of the roles and responsibilities of project staff, sub-recipients, consultants, and partner organizations, and how they will contribute to achieving the project’s objectives and outcomes.