HHS_2021_ACL_AOA_LRLI_0045.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging

Lifespan Respite Care Program: State Program Enhancement Grants

HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-LRLI-0045

05/21/2021

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

Summary/Abstract

Problem Statement

Goals and Objectives

Proposed Intervention

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes

Project Management

Evaluation

Dissemination

Organizational Capability

Budget Narrative/Justification

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:

Lifespan Respite Care Program: State Program Enhancement Grants Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-LRLI-0045

Primary CFDA Number:

93.072 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

04/19/2021 Due Date for Applications:

05/21/2021 Date for Informational Conference Call:

04/16/2021 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 Date for Informational Conference Call: FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 @ 2PM ET Conference Call Phone Number: 888-469-0989 Participant Pass Code: 8200188#

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) is providing this new competitive funding opportunity to all states that have either previously received and completed a full three-year initial Lifespan Respite Grant , or who will be completing the third year of a three-year initial, Lifespan Respite Grant to new States grant program in August 2021.

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

ACL expects to fund up to eight (8) cooperative agreements, with a federal funding level of up to $275,000 each year for 5-years, for a potential maximum funding of $1,375,000 over the course of the 5-year project period. PLEASE NOTE: this funding structure differs from previous years in that the project period is being increased to 5-years, rather than 3-years.

Eligible state applicants will use grant funds to enhance the provision of direct services, as described in the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006, as amended (The Act) – (P.L. 190-442 and P.L. 116-324). Eligible state applicants funded under this funding opportunity shall also use grant funds to provide respite services through their statewide Lifespan Respite Care system. Additionally, funded applicants will continue to build collaborations and partnerships across the state; expand options for volunteers; ensure adequate respite provider training is offered; identify gaps in current services and conduct outreach to reduce those gaps; and continue to, or increase efforts to, target underserved populations across the lifespan.

Grantees will be expected to build on advancements made under previous Lifespan Respite Care Program grants and focus on enhancing and strengthening the components of their Lifespan Respite Care System to improve equitable access, consistency, quality, sustainability; and reducing duplication in respite service delivery. Grantees will also be expected to describe the progress that has been made to date, and then identify opportunities to enhance their lifespan respite system of care, within the construct of The Act, to enhance and expand the continued provision of respite and related supports to family caregivers across the lifespan. Applicants are expected to propose systems-level, programmatic-level AND consumer-level outcomes and describe how these outcomes will be measured and tracked.

This is expected to be a highly competitive opportunity. Only those applicants demonstrating the greatest likelihood of making measurable advances in enhancing and/or expanding a statewide system of respite care that builds the capacity of their long-term care system to respond to the comprehensive needs of their residents will be selected for funding.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose

The U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) is providing this new competitive funding announcement opportunity to assist eligible state agencies in further implementing requirements of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006, as amended (The Act) – (P.L.109-442 and P.L. 116-324). The Act requires grantees to focus on expanding and enhancing respite care services to family caregivers across the lifespan; improving the statewide dissemination and coordination of respite care, and providing, supplementing, or improving access and quality of respite care services to family caregivers, thereby reducing family caregiver strain.

The Act defines respite care as, “…planned or emergency care provided to a child or adult with a special need in order to provide temporary relief to the family caregiver of that child or adult.” In The Act, Lifespan Respite Care is defined as “a coordinated system of accessible, community-based respite care services for family caregivers of children or adults with special needs.” Such a system brings together Federal, state and local resources and funding streams to help support, expand and streamline the delivery of planned and emergency respite services, while also providing for the recruitment and training of respite workers and caregiver training and empowerment.

Successful applicants will be required to enhance or expand state and local coordinated Lifespan Respite Care systems to serve family caregivers regardless of the age, disability or chronic condition of the care recipient. Grantees will also be required to develop and provide new and emergency respite services; train and recruit respite workers, including volunteers; and assist caregivers in gaining access to respite care services that meet the needs of both the caregiver and care recipient.

Eligible respite recipients include adult family members (including grandparents, of any age, and other relatives who are primary caretakers of children or adults with special needs), foster parents, or others providing care to children who require assistance beyond that required to meet the basic needs of the child and unpaid care to adults who require care to meet basic needs or prevent injury. Further, all programs must, from the outset, address the respite needs of all populations regardless of the age and/or disability/special needs of the care recipient population.

No phase-in or preference for specific age groups or disability categories will be permitted.

State agencies eligible to receive funding under The Act must have the ability to work with State and community-based organizations; understand respite care and family caregiver issues across all age groups, disabilities, and chronic conditions; and have the capacity to ensure meaningful involvement of family members, family caregivers, and care recipients.

Background - The Lifespan Respite Care Act – Overview

The Act is intended to accomplish several objectives, as follows:

1. Respite is often in short supply or inaccessible to people of all ages and disabilities, the Act seeks to expand and enhance equitable respite services within each state;

2. Multiple respite programs are often funded through a variety of sources within each state. The Act is designed to improve coordination and dissemination of service delivery between the various programs, thereby minimizing duplicative programs and services;

3. Consumers often have trouble navigating the multiple respite programs that might exist in a state or community. A Lifespan Respite Program is intended to reduce the difficulties consumers experience with accessing and navigating respite programs and services; and

4. By expanding and enhancing respite services, and improving coordination and access, the Act is designed to improve the overall quality of the respite services currently available.

Rather than supplant, replace, or duplicate Federal, state, local and private respite care development and funding activities, the Act is intended to facilitate coordination between programs, reduce duplication of effort, and assist in the development of respite care infrastructure at the state and local levels. The implementation of the Act should improve the delivery and quality of respite services available to families across age and disability spectrums, by establishing coordinated lifespan respite systems.

A state lifespan respite care system brings together an array of public or private nonprofit statewide respite care coalitions or organizations, which includes aging and disability resource centers. With this in mind, grantees will be required to enhance existing lifespan respite care programs and partnerships by furthering their efforts to sustain a statewide systemic level of respite care.

The Evolving Respite Environment Lifespan Respite Programs have been in existence in states since the 1990’s. Several state lifespan respite care programs came into existence through state legislation while others relied on the commitments and activities of a dedicated group of volunteers to implement a program without authorizing legislation. The early efforts by states helped to create community-based networks of local partnerships, including family caregivers, providers, state and federally funded programs, area agencies on aging, non-profit organizations, health services, local businesses and faith-based organizations all working to ensure capacity of available respite and related services.

These programs were the precursors to the Federal program created in 2006 with the passage of the Lifespan Respite Care Act.

Since the passage of the 2006 Act, states have made considerable progress towards building sustainable programs capable of meeting the respite care needs of families and family caregivers across the lifespan. As evidenced by the coronavirus pandemic, respite programs must continue to evolve to changing needs and circumstances of caregivers and care recipients. The impact of the COVID-19 virus on all communities, across all age groups, affected every state’s delivery of respite services. Due to the pandemic, states coalitions had to look to other forms, or means, of service delivery, such as allowing the reimbursement of family or friends for respite services or the provision of virtual support groups, outreach, and even, respite care.

With the passage of the “Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act of 2017 (RAISE Family Caregivers Act) and the formation of the Family Caregiving Advisory Council, which first convened in August 2019, focus on respite has grown. Based on the work of the Family Caregiving Advisory Council (FCAC) to date, there is an emerging opportunity for states to re-think their respite systems. The FCAC will develop a National Family Caregiving

Strategy that will, among other things, focus on respite. It is anticipated that the National Strategy will afford states and communities ample opportunities to re-envision their respite programs and services.

Finally, over time, more has been learned about providing services that meet the cultural needs of caregivers and care recipients. Applicants should discuss how they will promote equity through service access and provision of culturally competent services.

Applicants to this funding opportunity are encouraged to read the text of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 and the Lifespan Respite Reauthorization Act of 2020 in its entirety, including the committee report accompanying the legislation. Full text of the 2006 Act may be found at: https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/109th- congress/house-report/716/1?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Lifespan+Respite+Act+of +2006%22%5D%7D. Full text of the Lifespan Respite Reauthorization Act of 2020, which was signed into law on January 5, 2021, may be found at https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr8906/BILLS-116hr8906enr.pdf.

Applicants should be aware that this is a highly competitive funding opportunity. Only those applications deemed to show the greatest likelihood of building upon previous advancements made toward sustainable lifespan respite care programs that focus on a sustained systemic approach will be selected for funding.

Program Priority Areas

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

To be competitive, applicants should fully describe their proposed approaches for advancing their State Lifespan Respite Systems, with particular attention to the following Program Priority Areas:

1. Direct service provision, incorporating the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic where appropriate;

2. Continued systems development;

3. Strengthened collaborations and partnerships ;

4. Paid and volunteer respite provider training;

5. Identification and reduction of gaps in current services; and

6. Targeting underserved populations, across the lifespan, with particular emphasis on addressing those most impacted by COVID-19.

1. Direct service provision, incorporating the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic where appropriate

The Lifespan Respite Care Act stipulates the provision of five required and three optional services. Application narratives should clearly and completely describe the State agency’s plan for further developing and delivering each of the required and, where appropriate, optional services in a way that considers the available evidence, emerging strategies, and promising practices in the field of respite to expand capacities and deliver direct services. For more information on emerging, model, or promising practices in the field of respite and family caregiver support, applicants should review information available on the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center website at https://archrespite.org/ta-center-for-respite/

Based on the knowledge and understanding of the state's current respite environment, applicants are required to provide detailed plans for how respite services funded under this opportunity will be delivered over the entire length of the project. Proposals must provide sufficient detail so as to describe how funds will be allocated across all eligible population groups; how funds will flow to service recipients; the service delivery model and/or payment mechanism(s) that will be used;

and how the investment in respite services will inform policy development and strategies to increase access to respite services beyond the life of the grant.

States should determine the proportion of their requested funds that will be used for developing a Lifespan Respite System and the proportion of requested funds that will be used for direct service provision over the entire 5-year project period. Applicants should propose to both further develop their Lifespan Respite Care System and fill gaps in respite service provision.

Because of the ongoing and anticipated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, applicants should view this as an opportunity to modify and further adapt their respite programs to be responsive to, or test new means of, providing services in multiple environments, based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, applicants are encouraged, but not required, to consider other forms, or means, of service delivery, such as allowing the reimbursement of family or friends for respite services or the provision of virtual support groups, outreach, and even, respite care to meet current needs as well as prepare for the ongoing provision of respite services in case of future emergencies or disaster situations. Applicants are encouraged to review and consider the recommendations in the resource developed by ACL’s Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance and Resource Center titled, “Providing and Receiving Respite Care Safely During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Voluntary National Guidelines for Respite Care Agencies, Providers, Family Caregivers, and Respite Care Recipients

2. Continued systems development

Applicants should describe in detail their objectives for systemically advancing existing lifespan respite care services statewide, with a focus on the following areas:

a. Capacity building of respite care providers (both paid and unpaid);

b. Leveraging of resources across various funding streams and partners to sustain and expand available respite care services;

c. Implementation of key administrative functions (including logistical, information technology, communications, operational, and service coordination activities); and

d. Ongoing monitoring and quality assurance of respite care service provision.

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

Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider including any objectives related to policy development that would support or sustain the continuation of lifespan respite care services beyond the project period. Furthermore, applicants should be mindful of the emerging opportunity to re-think their respite systems, based on the work of the Family Caregiving Advisory Council (FCAC) to date. Once the FCAC develops the National Family Caregiving Strategy that will, among other things, focus on respite, grantees will be afforded opportunities to re-envision their respite programs and services.

3. Strengthened collaborations and partnerships

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

Applicants funded under this funding opportunity must propose approaches for expanding collaboration and partnerships with relevant stakeholders to ensure the program reaches the broadest population of eligible services recipients possible. Potential stakeholders include:

a. Entities of state and local government that administer and deliver human services programs designed to meet the respite care needs of family caregivers;

b. State and local chapters of organizations and entities representing individuals with special needs from across the disease and disability spectrum and for whom respite is an essential component of their ongoing support in a community setting;

c. Any other public, private, or not-for-profit entities that are providing respite care services or other supports to caregivers focused on special or targeted populations that may not be otherwise captured in or involved with the state’s existing respite care coalition; and

d. Any additional federally funded, local, or state program that may provide supports or resources that can be leveraged to further support the expansion of lifespan respite care services.

Applications will be scored, in part, on the extent to which the proposed use of funds will advance the State’s capacity to leverage public and private partnerships to deliver and increase access to respite services and achieve desired outcomes. This may also include investing in the training and ongoing development of both new and existing respite care professionals (paid and unpaid).

IMPORTANT! A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) regarding the joint responsibility for the development of the state’s lifespan respite program between the eligible State agency and the public or private nonprofit statewide respite coalition or organization must be in place at the time of application and submitted with the application. Applicants are encouraged to embed flexibility within the MOA so that all parties to the Agreement can modify scope, tasks or partnerships as the need arises. A copy of such memorandum must be included as part of ALL application packages.

4. Paid and volunteer respite provider training

Applicants should describe the extent to which their proposed projects will work to expand or strengthen the respite care workforce, whether paid or volunteer, including recruitment, training, and oversight with particular emphasis on cultural competence and quality in service delivery. In this regard, applicants should describe how the quality and safety of any respite care services provided will be monitored, including methods to ensure that respite care workers and volunteers are appropriately screened and possess the necessary skills to care for the needs of the care recipient in the absence of the family caregiver.

5. Identification and reduction of gaps in current services

Applicants are expected to demonstrate knowledge in their current system of respite services and provide details that inform how the current system of respite services forms the foundation for their statewide systems of lifespan respite care services, including how such services are targeted and delivered. Based on the applicant’s description of the current statewide respite care system, applicants should then identify and explain known gaps in the provision of respite services and propose how those gaps in respite services will be addressed should the applicant receive federal funding as a result of their application to this funding announcement.

6. Targeting underserved populations, across the lifespan, with particular emphasis on addressing those most impacted by COVID-19

Applicants should continue to address equity among populations across the lifespan, particularly given what we know about the disproportionate impact the coronavirus had on many traditionally underserved populations. Underserved populations is defined as those in greatest economic and social need, who are further isolated from services and supports by their race, ethnicity, cultural background, sexual orientation/gender identity, geographic location, and/or limited English speaking proficiency. Applicants are expected to explain current efforts, and results, under their current lifespan respite system of care to serve underserved populations across the lifespan. Based on this description, applicants should then explain how they propose to target and increase services to traditionally underserved populations that have been identified in their state and local communities.

Additional Application Elements

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

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

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

Awardees under this funding opportunity will work with ACL to implement the data collection and reporting requirements, under Section 2904 of the Lifespan Respite Reauthorization Act of 2020. As such, grantees under this program should expect reporting requirements to change over the course of the project and will be expected to comply with those changes when they are implemented.

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

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

Products Grantees will be doing much to advance Lifespan Respite Care Programs at the state and local level. As such, grantees’ experiences during the course of the project will be looked at with interest by other states seeking guidance and direction as they embark on the development of similar programs into the foreseeable future. To more easily facilitate replication of programs and approaches by other states and to eliminate the need to “reinvent the wheel,” grantees will be asked to submit to ACL and the ACL Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance Center, key products that can serve as resource guides for future Lifespan Respite Care Program development, enhancement, and expansion.

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

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

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

Applicants under this funding announcement should clearly describe, if necessary, their processes for sub-granting or sub-contracting specific activities under this funding announcement. Additionally, applicants should clearly describe the role of the project director along with the stakeholder group that will guide the design and implementation of the statewide lifespan respite care system.

Statutory Authority In 2020, Congress reauthorized the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-442), through FY 2024. Signed into law on January 5, 2021 (Public Law 116-324), the reauthorization amended Sections 2904 and 2905 of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006, under Title XXIX of the Public Health Service Act.

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$ 1,983,273 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$ 275,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$ 100,000 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' ACL recognizes the considerable need for respite services across the country. In an effort to ensure robust, expanding lifespan respite programs, ACL expects applicants to request a minimum of $100,000 in federal funding to ensure projects of sufficient scope and viability to further bridge gaps in existing services.

The amount of Federal funds available for this funding opportunity and the total number of awards issued will depend on the amount of Lifespan Respite Care Program funds remaining after awards are made thru the new FY 2021 Lifespan Respite Care Program: Grants to New States and States Re-Establishing Their Core Respite Infrastructures (HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-

LRLR-0046).

ACL plans to fund approximately eight (8) grants under this funding announcement, with a federal funding level of approximately $100,000 to $275,000 per award for a 60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods, pending availability of federal funds. Not all states who apply for funding will receive grants. Actual award amounts will vary based on the availability of federal funds.

Successful applicants may be asked to revise their proposals based on smaller-than-requested awards. Eligible state agencies funded under this announcement shall use grant funds solely on lifespan respite care service provision and systemic advancement as outlined in The Act. Funds made available under this announcement shall be used to supplement and must not supplant other Federal, State, and local funds available for respite care services.

This is a new Cooperative 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.

When an award is issued the Cooperative Agreement terms and conditions from the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are incorporated by reference 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.

States not currently receiving grant funding will be given priority consideration when funding decisions are made. The Administrator, ACL, will make final award decisions. In making these decisions, the Administrator will take into consideration: recommendations of the review panel;

reviews for programmatic and grants management compliance; the reasonableness of the estimated cost to the government considering the available funding and anticipated results; and the likelihood that the proposed project will result in the benefits expected.

The terms and conditions of this Cooperative Agreement includes the following terms:

The ACL Project Officer shall carry out the following activities for the Cooperative Agreement:

Collaborate with the grantee in the finalization, execution and modification of the work plan;

Perform the day-to-day federal responsibilities of managing grants and will work with the grantee to ensure that the minimum requirements of 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 the grantee to achieve a mutually agreed upon solution to any needs identified by the grantee or ACL.

Assist the grantee project leadership in understanding the policy concerns and/or priorities of ACL, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the federal government by conducing periodic briefings and carrying out ongoing consultations. ACL will also share information with the grantee about other federally sponsored projects and activities that are relevant to the interest of the grantee and grantee activities.

The grantee shall execute the activities as noted above and the responsibilities of the Cooperative Agreement listed below:

Collaborate with ACL in the finalization, execution and modification of the work plan;

Fulfill all of the requirements of the grant initiative as outlined in this funding opportunity, as well as carry out project activities as reviewed, approved, and awarded;

Communicate with the ACL Project Officer regularly to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement;

Meet with the ACL Project Officer, at least semi-annually, or at such other times as are agreed upon by either party to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement;

Participate in technical assistance efforts as provided by the Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance and Resource Center (TARC); and

Include the following disclaimer on all products produced using ACL/AoA grant funding:

"This project was supported, in part by grant number 90LRLI####, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy."

III. Eligibility Information

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

This grant competition is further limited as follows:

Eligible state agencies receiving funding under this funding announcement will be required to have developed a Lifespan Respite Care System and build upon the foundation they established by completing an initial Lifespan Respite Grant to new states.

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

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.

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

Under this ACL program, ACL will fund no more than 75% of the project's total cost, which means the applicant must cover at least 25% of the project’s total cost with non-federal resources. In other words, for every three (3) dollars received in federal funding, the applicant must contribute at least one (1) dollar in non-federal resources toward the project's total cost.

This three-to-one ratio is reflected in the formula included under Item 18 in the instructions for Completing Requested Forms. You can use this formula to calculate your minimum required match. A common error applicants make is to match 25% of the Federal share, rather than 25% of the project’s total cost.

There are two types of match: 1) non-federal cash and 2) non-federal in-kind. In general, costs borne by the applicant and cash contributions of any and all third parties involved in the project, including sub-grantees, contractors and consultants, are considered matching funds. Volunteered time and use of facilities to hold meetings or conduct project activities may be considered in-kind (third-party) donations.

Budgetary funds provided from the applicant agency’s budget for costs associated with the project are an example of a non-federal cash match. ACL discourages you from exceeding the minimum match requirement. Applications with a match greater than the minimum required will not receive additional consideration under the review. Match is one of the responsiveness criteria as noted in Section III, 3 Application Disqualification Factors.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications will be reviewed to establish responsiveness to the following criteria:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 30 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 30 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 30 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 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.

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 – 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

Lori Stalbaum Administration on Aging Email: lori.stalbaum@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Letter of Intent Number Of Days from Publication 28

04/19/2021 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:

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 Lori StalbaumInsert Administration on Aging

Email: lori.stalbaum@acl.hhs.gov

Project Narrative The Project Narrative must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11-point, preferably Times New Roman or Arial. You can use smaller font sizes to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats. The suggested length for the Project Narrative 20 to 30 pages; 30 pages is the maximum length allowed. Project Narratives that exceed 30 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 10 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 30-page limit, but all of the other sections noted below are included in the limit.

The Project Narrative should describe the status of the state’s Lifespan Respite Care programs and systems to date, outline the vision for transforming or strengthening the state’s current Lifespan Respite Care investments into a…