HHS-2025-ACL-AOA-EJIG-0023-FAQ-2025.07.08.pdf

HHS-2025-ACL-AOA-EJIG-0023

Elder Justice Innovation Grants- FY2025

Frequently Asked Questions

July 7, 2025

On June 30, 2025, the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Office of Elder Justice and

Adult Protective Services announced the Elder Justice Innovation Grants funding opportunity

(HHS-2025-ACL-AOA-EJIG-0023). Below is a set of “Frequently Asked Questions” related to this funding opportunity. This document is not a complete overview of the funding announcement, and prospective applicants should review the announcement closely for complete details.

Q-1. The opportunity states that up to eight (8) grants will be awarded, at up to $500,000 per award, which totals $4,000,000. However, the total funding available states only $3,000,000.

So how much will each grant be?

A: Per Section II “Award Information” the total estimated funding available is $3,000,000.

The award ceiling per grant is $500,000 and the award floor is $250,000. Section V.2

“Review and Selection Process” states that the final award amount is determined, in part, by

“recommendations of the review panel; …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.”

Q-2. What’s the difference between project period and budget period? For example, if our application budget proposal is $250,000, is that per year or over 3 years?

A: Section II “Award Information” states the ceiling and floor amounts are “per budget period,” and that the length of the award is a “36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods”. In the example above, if the applicant is proposing a budget of $250,000 per budget period, then the total amount of federal funding would be $750,000 ($250,000 per budget period x 3 budget periods).

Q-3. “Does [my proposed activity] fit in the with the NOFO?”

A: Please look at the Funding Opportunity Description, starting on Page 3 to understand the purpose of this funding and review the scoring criteria on Page 20 to consider whether a reviewer reading your application will think your idea is responsive.

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Q-4. Is my organization and/or agency eligible and/or qualified to apply to this NOFO?

A: Per the grant synopsis and Page 8, Section III.1 “Eligibility Information”, the eligibility is

“unrestricted”. Please refer to the following to understand qualifications for this opportunity:

• Section III. 3. “Responsiveness and Screening Criteria” indicates the knowledge and capacity applicant organizations should have.

• Section IV.2 “Content and Form of Application Submission”, “Organizational

Capacity and Project Management” describes the overall knowledge, skills, and abilities applicants should have to carry out the proposed project.

• Section V “Application Review Information”, “Organizational Capacity and Project

Management” describes how applications will be scored based on their knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Q-5. The opportunity lists several examples of outcomes. Do I have to do all of those? What if we want to do just two, or add our own?

A: Applications are required to identify at least 1 outcome. Per Section IV.2 “Content and Form of Application Submission”, “Measurable Outcomes”: “Your application will be scored on the clarity and nature of your proposed outcomes, not on the number of outcomes cited. It is totally appropriate for a project to have only ONE outcome that it is trying to achieve through the intervention reflected in the project’s design.”

Q-6. How much is the match for this funding opportunity?

A: For this funding opportunity there will be a 25% cost sharing or matching requirement. This means that applicants must cover at least 25% of the project’s total cost with non-Federal resources (cash or in-kind). Please refer to the “Cost Sharing or

Matching” section found on Page 8 for more detailed guidance.

Q-7. Will the grant award be provided for each of the three grant years?

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

Q-8. The funding announcement does not list a due date for a Letter of Intent. What is the due date?

A: Section IV.2 “Content and Form of Application Submission”, the letters of intent are due 15 days from the publication date. The publication date in Grants.Gov was June 30, 2025.

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Q-9. The funding announcement does not list a date for an Informational Conference Call. Is there a called scheduled?

A: At this time, we will not be hosting a Q&A session.

Q-10. Q: Are universities allowed to use their federally negotiated rate? Or is 15% the MTDC for this opportunity?

A: Section VI.2 “Administrative and National Policy Requirements” discusses “Indirect costs”. If applicants are requesting rates different than the de minimis rate, they must provide their Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA)

Q-11. Q: It says subgrantees are not to execute more than 20% of programmatic activities. How is that measured?

A: In Section IV.2 Project Narrative under “Organizational Capacity and Project

Management”, the funding opportunity states that “[i]n describing organizational capacity, applicants should clearly limit subrecipient input such that subrecipients’ activities do not constitute more than 30% of the level of effort your organization will expend on substantive, programmatic activities.” Section V.1 Application Review

Criteria under “Organizational Capacity and Project Management” states that reviewers are to assess “[i]f sub-award recipients are identified, subrecipients’ activities do not constitute more than 30% of the level of effort the applicant organization will expend on substantive, programmatic activities. Therefore, per Section II “Award Information”: [i]f sub-recipients will be used to accomplish substantive, programmatic activities, applications must clearly identify the projects where sub-recipients will be engaged and clearly identify the total percentage of effort sub-recipients are estimated to provide.