HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-FPSG-0019.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging

ACL National Falls Prevention Resource Center

HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-FPSG-0019

04/29/2021

Table of Contents Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary

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

Letter of Intent

Project Narrative

Project Abstract

Project Relevance and Current Need

Approach

Outcomes and Evaluation

Organizational Capacity

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:

ACL National Falls Prevention Resource Center Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-FPSG-0019

Primary CFDA Number:

93.761 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

03/23/2021 Due Date for Applications:

04/29/2021 Date for Informational Conference Call:

03/16/2021 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 Through this funding opportunity, the Administration on Aging (AoA), part of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), plans to award one cooperative agreement to support a National Falls Prevention Resource Center (the “Center”). This funding, from the 2021 Prevention and Public Health Fund, will support $1,000,000 each year of a five-year project period, contingent upon the continued availability of federal funds.

The Center will provide technical assistance, education, and resources to: increase public awareness about the risk of falls and how to prevent them; increase the number of older adults and adults with disabilities who participate in evidence-based community falls prevention programs; and support the integration and sustainability of evidence-based falls prevention programs within community integrated health networks.

Applicants should have significant experience with the aging and disability network, including https://www.grants.gov/ https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/common/BA_roundtable_workgroup_paper_2020-03-01-v3.pdf being a well-established, recognized and trusted leader in health promotion and disease prevention efforts. Applicants should also have:

Expert knowledge of falls prevention programs, as well as experience serving as a national clearinghouse and providing technical assistance for these interventions via resource development, individual support, and other targeted methods of technical assistance.

Demonstrated experience in providing national leadership to the aging and disability network to foster the implementation and financial sustainability of evidence-based falls prevention programs through non-federal funding sources (i.e., from foundations, health plans, and/or other private sector sources).

Demonstrated experience addressing the social and behavioral determinants of health that contribute to falls prevention and increasing public awareness about how to prevent falls.

Demonstrated experience working with ACL, CDC or other federal agencies, evidence-based program developers, academia and other partners on aging-related projects and initiatives.

This award will be made in the form of a cooperative agreement because AoA will be substantially involved. This cooperative agreement has an anticipated start date of August 1, 2021.

An informational conference call will be held on March 16, 2021 at 1 p.m. EST

The dial-in information is below:

Toll Free Number: 800-779-5371 Passcode: 8127529

A recording will be available approximately one hour after the call concludes at the following number: Toll Free Playback Number: 203-369-3346

I. Funding Opportunity Description Background The mission of the Administration of Community Living (ACL) is to maximize the independence, well-being and health of older adults, people with disabilities across the lifespan, and their families and caregivers. ACL's programs provide individualized, person-centered home and community-based services and supports, as well as invest in research and best practices, to make community living a reality for millions of people.[1] Delivered through the national aging and disability network and their partners, ACL supports effective and efficient programs and services that address the social and behavioral determinants of health for millions of older adults and persons with disabilities each year. [2][3] The aging and disabilities networks reach into every community across the nation and function as the trusted "eyes and ears" of a person's home and community environment. When essential social and behavioral determinants of health, i.e., adequate nutrition, safe housing, and access to health care services go unmet we know this puts older adults and adults with disabilities at greater risk for falls and other threats to their health and independence. [4]

Falls can have a widespread and significant impact on health, can be deadly, and often result in high costs. One out of four older adults fall each year [5]. In 2014, 2.8 million older adults were treated in emergency departments for falls injuries and more than 800,000 of these patients were hospitalized [6]. From 2007-2016, fall death rates in the U.S. increased by 30% [7]. In 2015, the medical costs for falls totaled more than $50 billion [8].

Fortunately, research has shown that falls and fall risks can be addressed through systematic risk identification and targeted intervention, including a combination of clinical intervention and community-based programs [9]. When implemented as a part of a results-based, comprehensive strategy, community-based programs have a critical role to play in reducing falls and falls risk among older adults and adults with disabilities across the nation. These programs have been shown, though rigorous research, to reduce falls and/or falls risk factors [10][11][12], as well as provide a positive return on investment [13].

Over nearly two decades. ACL’s Administration on Aging has built an infrastructure to increase access to, and the sustainability of, evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion programs, including falls prevention programs. Between 2014 and 2020, ACL/AoA awarded 67 discretionary grants to states, community-based organizations, and tribal organizations to implement evidence-based falls prevention programs. Since September 1, 2014, over 126,000 individuals have participated in an AoA-supported evidence-based falls prevention program. For more information about ACL’s Falls Prevention Program, including profiles of current grantees, please visit: https://www.acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/falls-prevention.

Additionally, inclusion of evidence-based falls prevention programs is an important part of any robust community integrated health network. Across the nation, many aging and disability networks are engaged in community integrated health networks in an effort to provide older adults, individuals with disabilities, and other high cost, high need populations with streamlined access to services to help them remain healthy, in ways that respect individual preferences, goals, and interests. These networks are comprised of a group of visible and trusted aging and disability organizations, led by a Network Lead Entity (NLE), who have formal partnerships with health care and other relevant sectors to address health and social needs in a coordinated way. NLEs function as a one-stop-shop for contracting with health care entities, and often deploy a multi-payer strategy (health care, public (federal, state, and local government) and private, i.e., philanthropy, foundations, businesses/employers, etc.) to ensure individuals have access to needed programs and services.

Purpose Through this opportunity, AoA intends to fund a National Falls Prevention Resource Center to leverage and expand upon falls prevention efforts across the nation and to work collaboratively, in partnership with the aging and disability network and other stakeholders, to accomplish the following:

Goal 1: Provide technical assistance, education, and resources for the national falls prevention network of partners to increase the number of older adults and adults with disabilities who participate in evidence-based Falls Prevention programs.

https://www.acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/falls-prevention

Priorities and Objectives:

Under this goal, applicants must provide a detailed plan for addressing each of the priority areas outlined below:

1. Falls Prevention Technical Assistance

Applicants must propose a comprehensive model for providing technical assistance to ACL falls prevention program grant recipients (ACL grantees) and general falls prevention related support to ACL. This includes, but is not limited to:

Providing targeted technical assistance via resource development, webinars, learning collaboratives, in-person/virtual meetings to help ACL grantees develop capacity for, deliver, and sustain evidence-based falls prevention programs.

Providing individual technical assistance, using a tiered approach, to 50 or more grantees over the 5-year period.

Developing formal partnerships, collaborations, and other arrangements with a panel of consultants with varying expertise including healthcare contracting, business acumen, and philanthropy, and outlining how these experts would provide grantees with tailored technical assistance.

Developing and implementing a mechanism for continuous quality improvement for technical assistance, including how grantee needs will be assessed to identify priority topic areas, the level and type of technical assistance to be provided, as well as evaluate how technical assistance being provided is advancing grantee objectives.

Identifying and sharing grantee progress, outcomes and lessons learned through various learning opportunities.

Supporting ACL requests for data, grantee information, presentation tools, and administrative assistance.

2. National Falls Prevention Database

The purpose of the National Falls Prevention database is to track ACL grantee program outcomes as well as inform and enhance falls prevention efforts across the country.

Applicants must describe how they will manage and maintain a web-based National Falls Prevention Database. This includes, but is not limited to:

Creating, communicating, and applying best standards for safeguarding the privacy and security of participant data during data collection, entry and transmission.

Using the data to evaluate ACL grantee performance, analyze trends, inform and develop resources to enhance falls prevention efforts.

Ensuring that the data is accessible to relevant stakeholders, including ACL grantees, ACL staff, researchers, etc., and a process to access and use data is established.

Providing comprehensive database training and resource materials for all users, including training on use of data to help ACL grantees strengthen their value proposition.

Establishing and evaluating data collection tools and processes to ensure collection of accurate and quality data, including transference of data from other databases.

Maintaining the database infrastructure, including necessary updates to enhance grantee reporting and ensure database is meeting grantee needs.

Contributing to the knowledge base nationally by analyzing, collating and publishing the data through various channels.

Supporting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Falls Prevention data collection review process.

Note: Under the direction of ACL, the Center being awarded must collaborate with current Center within 30 days to transfer current data, if applicable. Applicants must clearly state their intention to coordinate the data transfer process.

3. Public Education and Awareness

Applicants must provide information and resources to the general public to increase awareness about falls prevention. All resources created must be accessible, 508 compliant, easy to use and publicly available (where applicable). This includes but is not limited to:

Leading the development of resources that promote community involvement, coalition building, and enhance community reach through various channels.

Facilitating the planning and hosting of yearly health-related observances (e.g. Falls Prevention Awareness Week), in collaboration with ACL and other relevant partners, to highlight the need for falls prevention programs and services across the country.

Working with ACL grantees and the network to disseminate success stories highlighting the impact of falls prevention programs on older adults and adults with disabilities.

Goal 2: Support the development and enhancement of Community Integrated Health Networks within states, regions, and tribes that provide evidence-based Falls Prevention programs, as well as related services that address the social and behavioral determinants of health among older adults and adults with disabilities.

Priorities and Objectives Under this goal, the applicant must provide a detailed plan for addressing the priority area outlined below:

National Leader in Advancing Falls Prevention Programs

The purpose of the Center is to strengthen and act as an advocate for the aging and disability network, serve as a national leader in Falls Prevention for older adults and adults with disabilities and provide tools and best practices to promote and advance the reach, benefits, and sustainability of Falls Prevention programs for older adults and adults with disabilities across the nation. All resources created must be 508 compliant, easy to use and publicly available (where applicable). This includes, but is not limited to:

Strengthening the aging and disability network by broadly supporting the network’s mission and full complement of services/supports.

Collaborating with state and national aging and disability organizations to provide broad leadership in falls prevention that advances efforts to promote healthy behaviors and support healthy lifestyles among older adults and adults with disabilities.

Increasing the scope and benefits of falls prevention evidence-based programs for older adults and adults with disabilities and identifying promising practices to ensure the needs of underserved populations (e.g., tribal, rural, persons of color) are supported.

Developing and implementing a plan to enhance and track progress toward increasing access to evidence-based falls prevention programs and the financial sustainability of these programs using using a multi-payor approach such as healthcare, public (federal, state and local government) and private (philanthropy, foundations, businesses/employers).

Developing formal partnerships, collaborations, coalitions and other arrangements to fully engage the aging and disability network in falls prevention efforts.

Facilitating presentations at national and regional conferences, in conjunction with ACL, as well as maintaining a vault of available resources and toolkits that can be used by the network for presentations, information dissemination or publications.

Developing easily accessible, 508 compliant, resources (e.g., webinars, marketing materials, tip sheets, etc.) for ACL grantees, network professionals and older adult consumers.

Establishing and maintaining a comprehensive and ongoing communication system to foster falls prevention and best practices across the nation.

Facilitating a national conference as a platform to showcase programs and best practices, provide opportunity for professional interaction and offer awareness and education on available resources.

Collaborating with federal entities, other ACL resource centers and state and national aging and disability organizations on special projects and initiatives.

REFERENCES

[1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living.

(2019). FY2016 Report to Congress: Older Americans Act.

[2] World Health Organization (2019). Social Determinants of Health, Accessed October 2, 2019 from https://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/.

[3] ACL Office of Performance and Evaluation (2019). Program Evaluations and Reports.

Accessed October 2, 2019 from https://acl.gov/programs/program-evaluations-and-reports.

[4] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (2019). Healthy People 2020: Social Determinants, Accessed October 2, 2019 from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-of-health https://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/ https://acl.gov/programs/program-evaluations-and-reports https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-of-health

[5] U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Facts About Falls. Accessed November 28, 2016 from http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html.

[6] U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web–based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online], accessed August 5, 2016 at http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/.

[7] U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Important Facts about Falls. Accessed September 20, 2019 from https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html.

[8] Florence CS, Bergen G, Atherly A, Burns ER, Stevens JA, Drake C. Medical Costs of Fatal and Nonfatal Falls in Older Adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2018 March, DOI:10.1111/jgs.15304 [9] U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Compendium of Effective Fall Interventions: What Works for Community-Dwelling Older Adults, available at:

http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/compendium.html [10] Fuzhong L, Harmer P, Fisher JK, Mcauley E. (2004) Tai Chi: Improving Functional Balance and Predicting Subsequent Falls in Older Persons. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 36 (12): 2046- 2052.

[11] Clemson L, Cumming RG, Kendig H, Swann M, Heard R, Taylor K. (2004) The Effectiveness of a Community-Based Program for Reducing the Incidence of Falls in the Elderly: A Randomized Trial. J Am Geriatr Soc., 52 (9): 1487–1494.

[12] Healy, T.C., Peng, C., Haynes, P., McMahon, E., Botler, J., & Gross, L. (2008). The feasibility and effectiveness of translating A Matter of Balance into a volunteer lay leader model.

Journal of Applied Gerontology, 27(1): 34-51.

[13] Carande-Kulisa, V., et al. (2015), A cost–benefit analysis of three older adult fall prevention interventions, Journal of Safety Research, Accessed January 4th, 2016 from:

http://www.scien cedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437514001170.

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for grants under this Funding Opportunity Announcement is contained in the Older Americans Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300u- 11 (Prevention and Public Health Fund).

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$ 1,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$ 1,000,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$ 1,000,000 Per Budget Period http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/ https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/compendium.html

Length of Project Period:

60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' This is a new Cooperative Agreement with 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 substantial involvement and collaboration of AoA 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:

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

Comply with all reporting requirements, as outlined in Section VI of this Funding Opportunity and the Notice of Award.

Clearly delineate the grantee’s approach for maintaining regular contact with ACL, including participation in biweekly meetings and responsiveness to ACL requests and technical support.

Establish plans for documenting key project decisions.

Propose an approach for ensuring adequate ACL feedback on key project deliverables.

Propose a work schedule for the project, including key project milestones, and due dates, and artifacts and deliverables.

Specify grantee responsibilities, including responsibilities for roles and corresponding personnel assignments, and if applicable, subgrantees.

Propose project controls that facilitate project performance measurement, quality assurance, and improvement against the work breakdown or other structure.

Establish performance and service levels and reporting intervals for specific tasks.

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

"This (report/document/etc.) was supported in part by a cooperative agreement (No. XXX) from the Administration on Aging (AoA), 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 AoA, ACL, or DHHS policy."

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

Perform the day-to-day Federal responsibilities of managing a cooperative agreement and work with the grantee to ensure that the minimum requirements for the grant are met.

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 AoA.

Assist the grantee project leadership in understanding the strategic goals and objectives, policy perspectives, and priorities of AoA, ACL, and the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services; and about other federally sponsored projects and activities relevant to activities funded under this announcement.

Provide technical advice to the grantee on the provision of technical support and associated tasks related to the fulfillment of the goals and objectives of this grant.

Attend and participate in major project events, as appropriate.

Communicate with the grantee project director biweekly, or at such other times as are agreed upon, to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement.

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 as long as it stays within the original confines of the proposed project description. Major changes may affect the integrity of the competitive review process. Modifications and/or amendments of the Cooperative Agreement or work plan shall be effective upon the execution of an award notice. Unless ACL is authorized under the Terms and Conditions of award, 45 CFR Part 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.

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

No 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.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria Application Responsiveness Criteria N/A

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

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

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

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

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 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 Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Project Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20-page limit.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from https://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission.

For example, you will be required to provide an https://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking 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.

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.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov

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.

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 – https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf

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

Donna Bethge Donna.Bethge@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Letter of Intent Due Date for Letter Of Intent 03/23/2021

03/23/2021 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 Donna Bethge Administration on Aging Email: Donna.Bethge@acl.hhs.gov

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

You can use smaller font sizes to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats. Twenty pages is the maximum length allowed. 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 Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, Vitae of Key Personnel, and Budget Narrative/Justification are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20-page limit, but all of the other sections noted below are included in the limit.

https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:Donna.Bethge@acl.hhs.gov mailto:Donna.Bethge@acl.hhs.gov

The Project Narrative is the most important part of the application, since it will be used as the primary basis to determine whether or not 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 requires that your project narrative include the following components:

1. Project Abstract

2. Project Relevance and Current Need

3. Approach

4. Outcomes and Evaluation

5. Organizational Capacity

Project Abstract This section should include a brief, no more than 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 and Current Need This section should:

Describe your knowledge of the prevalence and impact of falls prevention across the nation and strategies for increasing public education about the risk of falls and how to prevent them.

Demonstrate your understanding of the types of issues that states/regions/tribal entities are likely to experience as they expand their capacity and build sustainable, community integrated health networks, and the types of leadership, guidance and resources the field is likely to need to address these issues.

Describe the program implementation issues (i.e., the challenges in providing, documenting, and sustaining these programs in the aging and disability network) that the Center’s activities are intended to address.

Approach Goals and Objectives This section should consist of a description of the project's goal(s) and major objectives, including how the project will meet the two goals of this funding opportunity announcement:

Goal 1: Provide technical assistance, education, and resources for the national Falls Prevention network of partners to increase the number of older adults and adults with disabilities who participate in evidence-based falls prevention programs.

Goal 2: Support the development and enhancement of Community Integrated Health Networks within states, regions, and tribes that provide evidence-based Falls Prevention programs, as well as related services that address the social and behavioral determinants of health among older adults and adults with disabilities.

Project Description This section should provide a detailed description of your plans to develop and implement a comprehensive model to provide technical assistance to the ACL grantees, increase the public’s awareness of falls prevention and provide leadership to overcome the challenges being faced by the aging services and disability network (area agencies on aging, aging service provider organizations, state and local departments of public health, disability agencies, tribes/tribal entities, centers for independent living, and other state and community-based organizations), and the communities they serve.

This section must also describe how you will support timely and accurate collection, analysis and reporting of ACL-required falls prevention data through the management and maintenance of a web-based national database, how access will be provided to those who might be interested in using the data to inform practice, service delivery, program development and/or policy making and how you will support the OMB falls prevention data collection review process. Applicants must also clearly state that they will collaborate with the current Center to transfer the data within 30 days of award under the direction of ACL, if applicable.

You should also provide a detailed description of your plans to help states/regions/tribal entities develop and/or enhance community integrated health networks to deliver and sustain evidence-based community falls prevention programs, as well as other services that address social and behavioral determinants of health among older adults and adults with disabilities.

Work Plan This section should provide five project Work Plans that reflect and are consistent with the Project Narrative and Budget (one for each year in the five years of the project period). The Work Plans should include a statement of the project’s overall goals, anticipated outcome(s), key measurable objectives, and the major tasks/action steps that will be pursued to achieve the goals and outcome(s). The Work Plans should also present a detailed timeline of how the priorities and objectives stated in your project description will be achieved (including start- and end-dates and the lead person responsible for completing the task).

The Work Plans should be attached to your application as appendices.

Outcomes and Evaluation Project Outcomes This section must clearly identify the measurable outcome(s) that will result from the project, as well as how the work of the Center will benefit the public and aging field at large. List measurable outcomes in the work plan grid under “Measurable Outcomes” in addition to any discussion included in the narrative. Please reference the Sample Work Plan Template included in the appendix.

The expected results of the Center’s activities should be clear, realistic, and consistent with the priorities and objectives of this funding opportunity announcement.

Any proposed outcomes of the Center should be quantifiable, measurable, and likely to be achieved, and should significantly strengthen the aging and disability network and advance the field of evidence-based falls prevention.

Quality Assurance Activities This section should describe any continuous quality improvement strategies, tools and approaches that will be able to successfully:

Measure whether or not the Center is achieving its proposed objectives(s).

Monitor how well the Center is meeting the needs of its users.

Manage and maintain a web-based database, including how well the data collection, entry and transmission processes are meeting grantee needs.

Dissemination This section should describe how the Center will serve as a national clearinghouse and disseminate technical assistance, best practices, resources and information about scaling up and sustaining evidence-based falls prevention programs. This plan should include strategies for providing public education about the risk of falls and how to prevent them, how the ACL falls prevention data will be collated and shared, as well as the use of multiple communication systems/channels for delivering guidance and resources for community-based organizations and the aging and disability network at large.

Applicants should also describe any relevant experience with nationwide falls prevention dissemination efforts and clearly state their commitment to cooperating with any broader dissemination falls prevention related efforts led by ACL and its partners.

Organizational Capacity Structure and Capacity This section should:

Describe how the applicant agency (or the particular division of a larger agency which will have responsibility for this project) is organized, the nature and scope of its work and/or the capabilities it possesses. It may be helpful to include an organizational chart as an Appendix to your application.

Describe years of experience, national recognition and commitment to providing technical assistance to the aging and disability network to advance falls prevention programs targeted to older adults and adults with disabilities, managing a national web-based database, and leading public health education awareness efforts. Include efforts to integrate evidence-based community falls prevention programs offered by state and community programs into community integrated health networks and similar arrangements.

Detail any current or previous relevant experience and/or record of the project team in supporting the development of business acumen, health care integration, philanthropy and financial sustainability of evidence-based falls prevention programs through a multi-payor approach.

Describe any current or previous relevant experience and/or the record of the project team in preparing cogent and useful reports, publications, and other products relevant to the goals of this funding opportunity, such as resources for the network (i.e., infographics, videos, factsheets, journal articles, etc.) and reports of national significance addressing falls prevention.

Also, in this section, describe the roles and makeup of your strategic national (federal and non-federal) partners and any other major collaborators involved in implementing your proposed Center activities, including:

Information about any key formal agreements in your proposal (attach as an Appendix), including any partnerships with developers of evidence-based falls prevention program(s) or groups of program developers.

Information about any contractual organization(s) that will have a significant role(s) in implementing the project and achieving project goals.

A description about how your proposed Center activities will improve collaboration among health care and the aging and disability network.

How you will coordinate with and leverage other complementary initiatives to promote evidence-based falls prevention programs.

You should provide evidence of the capability, experience, and commitment of any proposed consultants and a description of your previous collaborative work with these consultants.

Relevant products, if applicable, should be clearly labeled and included as an appendix.

You must also explain how you intend to sustain some or all of your proposed Center activities beyond the five-year grant period. Describe any support you expect from other key public and private partners and any other existing funding sources you intend to use to expand or enhance your proposed activities.

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

It should:

Provide a description of the qualifications and experience of the Center’s key personnel, including for the Project Director. Please include resumes or CVs.

Specify who would have day-to-day responsibility for key tasks such as: leadership of project; monitoring the project’s on-going progress, preparation of reports; and communications with other partners and ACL.

Detail the approach that will be used to monitor and track progress on the project’s tasks and objectives.

Letters of Commitment You should include confirmation of the commitments to the project (should it be funded) made by key collaborating organizations, consultants and agencies in this part of the application. Any organization or consultant that is specifically named to have a significant role in carrying out the project should be considered an essential collaborator.

Signed letters of commitment should be scanned and included as an appendix. Letters of commitment must be uploaded as part of the applicant package via Grants.gov. Letters of commitment sent by any other means (e.g., postal mail) will not be accepted.

Budget Narrative/Justification Applicants requesting funding for a multi-year grant program are required to provide a detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for each potential year of grant funding requested that aligns with the proposed activities in the Project Narrative and Work Plan.

The Budget Narrative/Justification can be provided using the format included in the document, “Budget Narrative/Justification – Sample Format.” Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to this document, which provides an example of the level of detail sought.

Applicants must submit the following, separate budgets:

Year 1 for $1,000,000 Year 2 for $1,000,000 Year 3 for $1,000,000 Year 4 for $1,000,000 Year 5 for $1,000,000 and a total, combined 5-year budget.

3. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications 04/29/2021

04/29/2021 Date for Informational Conference Call:

03/16/2021 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 http://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and (2) register yourself with Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov web page: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates receipt by Grants.gov only)

If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.

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

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

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

If for any reason (including submitting to the wrong funding opportunity number or making corrections/updates) an application is submitted more than once prior to the application due date, ACL will only accept your last validated electronic submission, under the correct funding opportunity number, prior to the Grants.gov application due date as the final and only acceptable application

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 cut off date.

Grants.gov…