HHS_2021_ACL_AOA_PPNU_0090.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging

National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging

HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-PPNU-0090

05/24/2021

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

Work Plan

Budget

Letters of Commitment

3. Submission Dates and Times

4. Intergovernmental Review

5. Funding Restrictions

6. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Date

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

4. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

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

Appendix

Instructions for Completing Required Forms

Budget Narrative/Justification- Sample Format

Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/ Abstract

ACL Center:

Administration on Aging Funding Opportunity Title:

National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-PPNU-0090

Primary CFDA Number:

93.045 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

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

Due Date for Applications:

05/24/2021 Date for Informational Conference Call:

04/22/2021 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 grant to a domestic public or private non-profit to support a National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging (NRCNA). The funding shall consist of no more than $1,000,000 each year for a five-year project period, contingent upon the continued availability of federal funds. This funding opportunity is designed to support the national aging network, former and future Innovation in Nutrition (INNU) grantees, and other Older Americans Act stakeholder organizations in the development and expansion of nutrition programs in their states and communities. In this capacity, the NRCNA shall help states, tribes and communities transform their services so that the nutrition services network remains prepared, relevant and sustainable during normal operations as well as https://www.grants.gov/ emergencies.

The NRCNA assists and collaborates with AoA to meet the Older Americans Act Section 205 (provide technical assistance and instruction, training and publications; disseminate information about healthful diets, food safety, the connection between nutrition and regular physical activity, etc); Section 214 (Nutrition Education); Section 301(develop the capacity and foster the development and implementation of comprehensive and coordinated systems to serve older individuals); Section 311 (Nutrition Services Incentive Program) and Section 330 (Nutrition Services authorized).

The NRCNA will provide training, technical assistance and support to the State Units on Aging (SUA), Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) and Local Nutrition Program (LSP) providers in every state, territory and the District of Columbia. The 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 September 1, 2021.

Applicants should have significant experience with the aging network and extensive knowledge of the Older Americans Act nutrition program. Specifically, the applicant must have demonstrated experience supporting a wide range of LSPs, SUAs, AAAs, and other aging service provider organizations.

Applicants should have:

Ability, capability, and capacity to provide training, information sessions, and technical assistance to the aging network and partner organizations via conferences, webinars, issue briefs, blogs, and other effective delivery methods, as appropriate.

Ability, capability, and capacity to assist AoA in developing guidance for states to meet expectations of the nutrition portions of the Older Americans Act, with particular reference to Sections 205, 214, 311 and 330.

Ability, capability, and capacity to provide expert input on nutrition programs policies and issues, in consultation with AoA.

Ability, capability, and capacity to support AoA in assessing quality, impact and reach of its program efforts related to Older Americans Act nutrition programs, including the Innovations in Nutrition Services and Programs (INNU) grants.

Ability, capability, and capacity to innovate the provision of Older Americans Act nutrition services by providing tools and resources that promote program excellence, service quality, business acumen and models for social entrepreneurship.

An informational conference call will be held on 4/22/2021 at 1pm ET The dial-in information is below:

Toll Free Number: 800-369-3357; Passcode: 8427255 A recording will be available approximately one hour after the call concludes at the following number:

Toll Free Playback Number: 800-839-4229

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Background Overview of the Senior Nutrition Program (SNP) The Older Americans Act (OAA), administered by the Administration for Community Living, (ACL) provides funding to support a wide array of home and community-based services (HCBS) within a long-term services and support system. The purpose of these services is to maximize the independence, well-being and health of older adults and allow them to live at home for as long as possible. The OAA Title IIIC Senior Nutrition Program (SNP) helps older Americans remain healthy and independent in their communities by providing meals and related services in a variety of community settings (including congregate facilities, such as senior centers) and via home-delivery to older adults. ACL funds services in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories through a network of 622 area agencies on aging and more than 7,000 local nutrition service providers through Title IIIC [1].

Services are provided to adults age 60 and older and spouses of any age in Title III programs.

The OAA creates an option for programs to offer meals to limited, additional populations;

further eligibility criteria are determined by states and local entities. [1]

The purposes of the SNP are to: a) reduce hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, b) promote socialization, and c) promote health and well-being by delaying the onset of adverse health conditions and assisting individuals in gaining access to nutrition and other disease prevention and health promotion services that delay the onset of health conditions resulting from poor nutritional health or sedentary behavior. Services target older adults who are low-income, minority, rural, those with limited English proficiency and those at risk for institutionalization.

The SNP includes congregate and home-delivered meals, nutrition screening, assessment, counseling and education, as well as opportunities to increase human connection. Meals are required to meet the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as well as the Dietary Reference Intakes. OAA programming is person-centered and provides a mix of services to meet the widely differing needs of a diverse population of older adults.[2] These services help older adults maintain their physical, mental and social health and manage nutrition-related diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.[3] SNP participants benefit from information on healthy aging and access to additional HCBS services such as transportation, benefits counseling, physical activity programs, and evidence-based workshops (eg, chronic disease self-management, falls prevention, etc).

Additional purposes of OAA services, including nutrition services, focus on addressing the social determinants of health, which are defined in Healthy People 2030 as "the conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks." Social determinants of health include access to healthy food, food security, social connectedness and availability of community-based nutrition programs. [4]

OAA Title IIIC SNP stakeholders and partner organizations (“network”) include, but are in no way limited to: AoA grantees, sub-grantees and contractors including SUAs, AAAs and LSPs;

aging and disability network organization and advocacy groups; academic institutions, non-profits, faith-based organizations, business partners; ACL national resource centers, and professional membership organizations. AoA stakeholder grantees include Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services awardees. [5]

Coronavirus Impacts Due to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the SNP has experienced significant transformations in service types and delivery methods as well as surge in numbers of persons served by the program. Stay-at-home orders, illness and heightened vulnerability of older adults to the virus– along with the closing of many workplaces, senior centers and meal sites – has and continues to greatly impact the SNP eligible population as well as the SNP workforce (including volunteers), resources (food, protective equipment, etc), services (groceries, grab-and-go meals, etc) and operations (delivery frequency, virtual programming, data collection, etc). Guidelines and information regarding these changes, as well as funding and financial requirements, are fully detailed at the ACL website. [6,7]

Resource Center Designated Website In January 2021, AoA launched seniornutrition.acl.gov which shall continue to be the NRCNA website. The website supports OAA nutrition program stakeholders and also has consumer-facing content. AoA funded a NRCNA through a competitively awarded cooperative agreement that ended in December 2020. Resources developed under that cooperative agreement have been partially integrated into the current website, and additional historical artifacts may continue to be added to the new NRCNA website, as determined by AoA.

The current funding opportunity is designed to build upon these NRCNA and AoA accomplishments and make further progress to support the SNP network so it will remain prepared, relevant and sustainable.

Purpose Through this opportunity, AoA intends to fund a National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging (NRCNA) to leverage and strengthen Title IIIC SNP efforts across the nation, and to work collaboratively with the SNP network to accomplish the following:

Goal 1: Provide technical assistance, education, and resources for the national SNP network to develop impactful, cost-effective and person-centered services that align with the purposes of the OAA Title IIIC.

Priorities and Objectives: Applicants should provide a detailed plan for addressing each objective outlined below:

Training, Technical assistance and Educational Materials – o Provide training and educational opportunities based on network needs, which include providing written short briefs (tip sheets) and webinars (500+ attendance) on nutrition program organizational topics such as: hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, food equity and equality, culturally diverse menu planning, culinary/kitchen skills, effectively working with a food vendor, calculating the total cost of a meal, site management, development of a diversified funding stream, and/or programmatic marketing.

o Provide tools and resources that develop program excellence, service quality, business acumen and models for social entrepreneurship.

o Provide rapid response technical assistance in times of emergency.

o Promote best practices, innovations, and science-informed programming that the SNP network offers, to include but not limited to, practices during the pandemic.

o Assess the needs of the various target audiences and their respective, preferred method/s for obtaining technical assistance and guidance. (Design and layout of resources are recommended to be consistent with the best practices for Health and Nutrition Literacy Clear Communication Index (https://health.gov/healthliteracyonline/) and sufficiently field tested to assure easy access and comprehension by all users.)

Web-Based Clearinghouse – Assist AoA to ensure seniornutrition.acl.gov is a comprehensive web-based clearinghouse of SNP network resources and high quality training for the SNP network as well as advocacy and informational materials for consumers. The grantee will assist with creating materials and content for the NRCNA website. Resources must meet 508-complaince standards. (note: NRCNA content will be reviewed by AoA/ACL prior to posting to seniornutrition.acl.gov.)

Subject Matter Expertise – Designate staff and develop formal partnerships, collaborations, and other arrangements in order to provide grantees with subject matter experts with varying expertise including (at minimum): older adult nutrition, SNP policy and procedures, foodservice, healthcare contracting, business skills.

Peer Exchange & Learning Collaboratives – Facilitate peer exchange dialogue and information sharing among aging network organizations in a variety of formats, corresponding to different levels and types specific needs of peer program applicant organizations (e.g. round tables, site visits, webinars). Build the business capacity of SNPs through learning collaborative cohorts.

Quality Improvement - Develop and implement a mechanism for continuous quality improvement for technical assistance that evaluates impact on advancing SNP network which includes needs assessments to identify priority topic areas and the level and type of technical assistance to be provided. The NRCNA should identify gaps in the available support and resources while building upon previous worthwhile initiatives. The NRCNA should coordinate with, and not duplicate, the efforts of others stakeholder organizations.

Support ACL – o Respond to requests for data, information, presentation tools, and administrative assistance, as needed. This includes but is not limited to assistance with gathering, summarizing and analyzing information, data and other relevant resources to support congressional inquiries, including by the Government Accounting Office, and the Office of Management and Budget. Requests as such may require very quick turnaround times.

o Provide expert input on OAA nutrition program policies, implementation practices, guidance documents and issues relevant to program success, in consultation with AoA.

Goal 2: Provide high quality, tiered and responsive technical assistance to ACL grantees.

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

Tiered Technical Assistance - Provide assistance using a tiered approach, to approximately 50 Innovation in Nutrition Services and Programs (INNU) grantees via:

o Managing administrative aspects of monthly grantee meetings and grant management activities. Develop and deploy a system to track and respond to technical assistance requests.

o Developing resources, webinars, in-person and virtual training and break-out sessions at national educational meetings to help ACL grantees develop capacity for, deliver, and sustain their projects.

Subject Matter Expertise – Designate staff and develop formal partnerships, collaborations, and other arrangements in order to provide grantees with subject matter experts with varying expertise including (at minimum): older adult nutrition, SNP policy and procedures, foodservice, healthcare contracting, business skills.

Grantee Outcomes – Identify, maintain and publish INNU grantee progress, outcomes and lessons learned through various learning opportunities. Create analysis and summarizing documents that evaluate grantee progress, major achievements and summarize impact.

Replication products - Direct and manage Capstone projects completed by each grantee, which is housed on the ACL website.

Goal 3: Provide national leadership by acting as an advocate for the SNP, to ensure the network’s continued strength and sustainability.

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

Partnerships – Maintain and develop critical partnerships, collaborations, and coalitions with other national organizations, including those representing culturally diverse populations, as well as ACL Resource Centers, to fully engage the network, diversify resources and dispel misinformation.

Advocacy - Strengthen the network by broadly supporting AoA/ACL’s mission and full complement of services/supports.

OAA intents - Provide broad leadership in all areas of the OAA Title IIIC SNP.

Equity and Equality - Identify promising practices to ensure equity, equality and the needs of underserved populations are supported. (The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines health equity as attainment of the highest level of health for all people. Achieving health equity requires valuing everyone equally with focused and ongoing societal efforts to address avoidable inequalities, historical and contemporary injustices, and the elimination of health and healthcare disparities.)[9]

Interpret Data - Translate data, literature (including grey literature) and government reports into easily understandable and actionable information with the goal of demonstrating AoA and the SNP network’s alignment with the OAA Title IIIC intents.

National Conferences – Collaborate with existing conferences to attend, conduct sessions for grantees/network, showcase programs and best practices, highlight AoA grantees, provide opportunity for professional interaction and offer awareness and education on available resources.

Communications – o Draft social media and other communications for AoA/ACL review and posting via seniornutrition.acl.gov or other AoA/ACL communication channels.

o Develop blogs, articles, podcasts, videos, newsletters and other content on a periodic basis on issues salient to nutrition services for multiple distribution channels, including for submission for publication in peer-reviewed journals. All content must achieve compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act o Engage in cutting edge activities to raise awareness of the senior nutrition program among professionals and the public, including, but not limited to, developing, updating, and disseminating materials and/or programs related to Senior Nutrition Program month (March, annually) in collaboration with AoA/ACL.

o Use existing AoA platforms to host and maintain listservs as well as manage, network with and monitor activities on the seniornutrition.acl.gov collaboration tool.

o Provide information and resources that are accessible across NRCNA staff, consultants and subject matter experts to facilitate timely and appropriate deployment of a seamless support to the SNP network, grantees and ACL.

NRCNA Promotions – develop and deploy a communications strategy to inform, on a regular basis, professionals, policymakers, and the public of key events and emerging, state-of-the art developments, information, and opportunities.

o The grantee shall ensure that all logos and taglines for the Resource center are used on trainings, written materials, electronic alerts, a professional listserv, aging and nutrition network resource needs assessments, etc. All products created under the Project Work Plan will be identified to the public as NRCNA products even if they are created by NRCNA subcontractors.

o Appropriate acknowledgement of AoA/ACL support must be noted on all materials, as appropriate. The promotional materials are considered formal deliverables and will be subject to review and approval by AoA/ACL.

[1] Administration for Community Living. Nutrition Services. https://acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/nutrition-services [2] Administration for Community Living, Program Evaluations and Reports, https://acl.gov/programs/program-evaluations-and-reports# [3] Administration for Community Living, Aging and Disability Networks, https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks [4] Department of Health and Human Services Office of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. (2021) Healthy People 2030, Social Determinants of Health.

https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health [5] Administration for Community Living, Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services, https://acl.gov/programs/nutrition/innovations-nutrition-programs-and-services-0 [6] Administration for Community Living, Coronavirus 2019, https://acl.gov/COVID-19 [7] Administration for Community Living, Programs, Survival Guide: Navigating COVID-19 https://acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/nutrition-services https://acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/nutrition-services https://acl.gov/programs/program-evaluations-and-reports https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health https://acl.gov/programs/nutrition/innovations-nutrition-programs-and-services-0 https://acl.gov/COVID-19

Guidance for Those Administering Title IIIC Programs. https://acl.gov/programs/survival-guide-navigating-covid-19-guidance-those-administering-title-iiic-programs

Statutory Authority Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 Division H – Departments of Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021

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:

$ 900,000 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' 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 the requirements of the grant initiative along with mutually agreeable staffing levels as outlined in this program announcement, as well as carry out project activities as reviewed, approved, and awarded.

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

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 monthly meetings and annual review meeting. Include plans to respond 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.

https://acl.gov/programs/survival-guide-navigating-covid-19-guidance-those-administering-title-iiic-programs https://acl.gov/programs/survival-guide-navigating-covid-19-guidance-those-administering-title-iiic-programs

Specify grantee responsibilities, including responsibilities for roles and corresponding personnel assignments, and if applicable, sub-grantees.

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

Develop and incorporate a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) plan.

Additional meetings and communications may be requested by ACL or the Grantee, which will be arranged upon mutual agreement and availability.

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 monthly, 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 if 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:

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

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

Under this ACL program, ACL will fund no more than 75% of the project’s total cost, which means the applicant must cover at least 25% of the project’s total cost with non-federal resources. In other words, for every three (3) dollars received in federal funding, the applicant must contribute at least one (1) dollar in non-federal resources toward the project’s total cost. This “three-to-one” ratio is reflected in the formula included under Item 18 in the “Instructions for Completing Requested Forms.” You can use this formula to calculate your minimum required match. A common error applicants make is to match 25% of the federal share, rather than 25% of the project’s total cost.

There are two types of match: 1) non-federal cash and 2) non-federal in-kind. In general, costs borne by the applicant and cash contributions of any and all third parties involved in the project, including sub-grantees, contractors and consultants, are considered matching funds.

Volunteered time and use of facilities to hold meetings or conduct project activities may be considered inkind (third party) donations. Examples of non-federal cash match includes budgetary funds provided from the applicant agency’s budget for costs associated with the project. ACL encourages you to not exceed the minimum match requirement. Applications with a match greater than the minimum required will not receive additional consideration under the review. Match is not one of the responsiveness criteria as noted in Section III, 3 Application Screening Criteria.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications that fail to meet the responsiveness criteria described below 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 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 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 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 https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf 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

Ms. Judy Simon 202.795.7381 judy.simon@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Letter of Intent Due Date for Letter Of Intent 04/30/2021

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

Applicants are requested, but not required, to submit a letter of intent to apply for this funding opportunity to assist ACL in planning for the application independent review process. The purpose of the letter of intent is to allow our staff to estimate the number of independent reviewers needed and to avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review. Letters of intent should be sent to:

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. The deadline for submission of the letter of intent is (Insert date here). Letters of intent should be sent to:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living Ms. Judy Simon judy.simon@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 https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:judy.simon@acl.hhs.gov 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.

The Project Narrative is the most important part of the application, since it will be used as the primary basis to determine whether your project meets the minimum requirements for grants under the authorizing statutes. The Project Narrative should provide a clear and concise description of your project. ACL 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 importance of the Title IIIC SNP to enhance the nutritional health, socialization and health/well-being of participating older adults.

Demonstrate your understanding of the types of issues that Title IIIC organizations at the state, AAA and local level are likely to experience as they expand their capacity and build cost-efficient, sustainable and person-centered services, and the types of leadership, guidance and resources the field is likely to need to address these issues.

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 three goals of this funding opportunity announcement:

Goal 1: Provide technical assistance, education, and resources for the national SNP network to develop impactful, cost-effective and person-centered services that align with the purposes of the OAA Title IIIC.

Goal 2: Provide high quality, tiered and responsive technical assistance to ACL grantees.

Goal 3: Provide national leadership by acting as an advocate for the SNP, to ensure the network’s continued strength and sustainability.

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 Title IIIC SNP network and ACL grantees, as well as provide national leadership to demonstrate the alignment of the SNP network with the intents of the Older Americans Act (OAA).

This section must also describe how you will support timely, accurate technical assistance, training and educational materials relevant for the SNP network to provide impactful, cost-effective and person centered services in alignment with the OAA Title IIIC purposes. This should include offerings through a variety of formats, taking into consideration the various target audiences and their respective, preferred method/s for obtaining technical assistance and guidance. An NRCNA-hosted annual INNU grantee meeting is expected, which may be in conjunction with the grantee’s or other aging network organization’s national conference.

Describe your planned approach for peer exchanges and outline how you will conduct learning collaboratives to build the business capacity of SNPs. Provide an explanation of how you will assure continuous quality improvement for technical assistance which includes identification of gaps in the available support and how you will avoid duplication of efforts of other stakeholder organizations.

This sections should also describe how you will provide a tiered approach to ACL Innovation in Nutrition Services and Programs (INNU) grantees, and deploy appropriate subject matter experts that meet the needs of these advanced and forward-thinking organizations. Detail how you plan to identify, track and assist with publishing INNU grantee progress, outcomes and lessons learned.

Lastly, describe your planned approach to national leadership and advocacy for the SNP. This should include partnerships, advocacy efforts, alignment with the intents of the OAA Title IIIC SNP, promotion of equity and equality, and collaboration in national conferences and similar events.

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 and advance the aging network.

Quality Assurance Activities

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

Measure whether the Center is achieving its proposed objectives(s).

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

Measure how well the Center is meeting requirements for collaboration with AoA.

Monitor how well the Center’s work is in alignment with the Work Plan.

Dissemination This section should describe how the Center will serve as a national clearinghouse and disseminate technical assistance, best practices, resources and information. This plan should include strategies for providing public education, as well as the use of multiple communication systems/channels for delivering guidance and resources for SNP stakeholders and the aging network at large.

Applicants should also describe any relevant experience with nationwide aging network dissemination efforts and clearly state their commitment to cooperating with any broader dissemination led by AoA/ACL and its partners.

Organizational Capacity Structure and Capacity This section should:

Describe how the applicant agency (or the 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 the applicant agency’s knowledge of the Older Americans Act as well as demonstrated experience supporting a wide range of aging and disability organizations and other stakeholders.

Describe years of experience, recognition and commitment to providing technical assistance to the aging network and extensive knowledge of the Older Americans Act nutrition program. Specifically, demonstrated experience supporting a wide range of LSPs, SUAs, AAAs, and other aging service provider organizations.

Detail any current or previous relevant experience and/or record of the project team in supporting the development of business skills, foodservice management, policies and procedures, health care integration, and financial sustainability of aging network organizations.

Detail any current or previous relevant experience and/or record of the project team in menu planning, foodservice, food safety, older adult nutritional needs, SNP policies and procedures, nutrition education and nutrition counseling.

Describe any current or previous relevant experience and/or the record of the project team in preparing cogent, useful and 508-compliant 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.

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).

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, state, AAA and local aging, public health, disability and other community-based organizations and stakeholders.

How you will coordinate with and leverage other complementary initiatives to provide training to, or promote, the Title IIIC SNP.

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 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.

Work Plan You should also provide…