oppHHS-2018-ACL-AOD-DNPA-0293-cfda93.631-cidHHS-2018-ACL-AOD-DNPA-0293-instructions.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Disabilities

State of the States in Developmental Disabilities-On-going Data Collection and Information

Dissemination

HHS-2018-ACL-AOD-DNPA-0293

Application Due Date: 07/20/2018

State of the States in Developmental Disabilities-On-going Data Collection and Information

HHS-2018-ACL-AOD-DNPA-0293

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

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

Department of Health & Human Services

ACL Center: Administration on Disabilities Funding Opportunity Title: State of the States in Developmental

Disabilities-On-going Data Collection and Information Dissemination

Announcement Type: Initial Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2018-ACL-AOD-DNPA-0293 Primary CFDA Number: 93.631 Due Date for Letter of Intent: 06/11/2018 Due Date for Applications: 07/20/2018 Date for Informational Conference Call: N/A

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 Executive Summary:

The purpose of this project is to maintain national longitudinal research on State fiscal efforts related to services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The project will be framed by four main activities:

1. High quality longitudinal research to examine trends in state fiscal effort: The project will collect data to maintain the longitudinal record and analysis of revenue, spending, and programmatic trends of intellectual and developmental disabilities services and supports at State and national levels

2. Project collaboration at multiple levels: While the project conducts its research, collaboration with multiple partners will be key. The project will engage with three main partners: (1) Project Advisory Committee to ensure the project is informed by various end users; (2) Staff from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) funded national studies - the Residential Information Systems Project and the Employment Status of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Project – to ensure coordination and enhance results; and (3) Other federal agencies and other stakeholders to facilitate dissemination, outreach and awareness.

3. Product development and dissemination in multiple formats and for ease of public consumption, knowledge, and use: The project will create a variety of products to translate the data into formats that are easy to read, understand and use by a variety of audiences, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their family members. Products include, but are not limited to, a website that provides easy access to data in understandable formats, factsheets, webinars, project reports, and a https://www.grants.gov national joint report on intellectual and developmental disabilities services and supports.

4. Evaluation to Understand Impact: Throughout the 5-year project period, the project will conduct summative and formative evaluation to demonstrate the impact of project and whether the project outcomes have been achieved.

I. Funding Opportunity Description Background:

States and the federal government provide significant funding for long term services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Federal, State and local spending for these services was $49.4 billion in 2015 (Braddock et al 2017). [1] Especially noteworthy is that spending for community services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities continues to increase. It increased from $54.23 billion (inflation-adjusted) in 2013 to $57.75 billion in 2015 (Braddock et al 2017). [2] Funding for services provided in institutional settings dropped from $8.2 billion (2013 dollars) in 2013 to $7.5 billion in 2015 (Braddock et al 2017). [3] For over thirty years, AIDD has funded a national longitudinal study to examine financial and programmatic trends in residential and community based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This research has helped multiple audiences understand such trends and to inform when policy change is needed to improve quality of life.

The data has been widely disseminated to national, State and local policymakers; scholars;

media outlets; families and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Websites, webinars, data briefs and monographs have been vehicles to deliver this information to the public. The data provides critical information to multiple audiences, including States and advocates who use the data to make comparisons with other States and national benchmarks to drive improvements. Technical assistance and work at the individual State level have led States to create more effective and efficient policies governing services systems. Programs, such as State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, Protection and Advocacy Systems, and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, use the data to inform the development of State plans and project activities.

AIDD seeks to continue supporting national research on the financial and programmatic trends in long term services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In doing so, the field will continue to have access to reliable information for informing policy and programming. In addition, it will allow for research on the effects of more recent policy developments. During the last five years there has been several changes that have impacted the way States fund services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Examples of these changes are the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings Rule, the expansion of Managed Long-term Services and Supports (MLTSS), and the growing interest of Managed Care Organizations in the provision of services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This project will be a source of information about the impact of these changes.

In addition to maintaining support for reliable longitudinal research on the financial and programmatic trends in services and supports, AIDD seeks to continue emphasizing information dissemination of project results in multiple, accessible formats to inform State and federal policy. AIDD also seeks to achieve greater coordination across the three national studies it funds to further enhance and amplify the outcomes of the three projects and better inform the field.

Project Description:

AIDD announces the availability of Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 funds for a cooperative agreement authorized under Subtitle E of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, Projects of National Significance. Under this Subtitle, funds will be awarded to one (1) project for the collection, analysis and dissemination of data to maintain the longitudinal record and analysis of revenue, spending, and programmatic trends of intellectual and developmental disabilities services and supports at State and national levels. This project will be guided by four overarching themes:

1. High quality longitudinal research to examine trends in State fiscal effort: The project will collect data to maintain the longitudinal record and analysis of revenue, spending, and programmatic trends of intellectual and developmental disabilities services and supports at State and national levels.

2. Project collaboration at multiple levels: While the project conducts its research, collaboration with multiple partners will be key. The project will engage with three main partners: (1) Project Advisory Committee to ensure the project is informed by various end users; (2) Staff from the AIDD funded national studies - the Residential Information Systems Project and the Employment Status of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Project – to ensure coordination and enhance results; and (3) Other federal agencies and other stakeholders to facilitate dissemination, outreach and awareness.

3. Product development and dissemination in multiple formats and for ease of public consumption, knowledge, and use: The project will create a variety of products to translate the data into formats that are easy to read, understand and use by a variety of audiences, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their family members. Products include, but are not limited to, a website that provides easy access to data in understandable formats, factsheets, webinars, project reports, and a national joint report on intellectual and developmental disabilities services and supports.

4. Evaluation to Understand Impact: Throughout the 5-year project period, the project will conduct summative and formative evaluation to demonstrate the impact of project and whether the project outcomes have been achieved.

Project proposals should describe a plan for implementing these four main project activities as follows:

1. High quality longitudinal research to examine trends in state fiscal effort: The project is expected to carry out high quality research as evidenced by the overall research design for a comparative nationwide longitudinal study that incorporates the following elements in the research design:

Analysis of State spending for services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Description of annual outlooks and longitudinal trends in revenue, spending, and programmatic changes in an array of service delivery areas, including community living;

public and private residential institutions, such as farmsteads and gated communities;

and services provided through Medicaid waivers.

Identification and analysis of the variables that impact the way a State spends its funding for community services such as the impact of MLTSS or the HCBS Setting Rule on States.

Identification of leaders and laggards as States transition from funding Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF-IDs) to supporting people in the community.

Examination of how States are funding innovative services and supports, such as those that promote self-determination, independence, and person-centered planning as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities move in to the community.

Design and implementation of special studies through identification of topics that are timely and responsive to the information needs of multiple audiences concerned about services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In discussing the project approach, applicants will propose a plan to uniformly solicit topics for annual special studies. The plan should explain the process for recruiting stakeholders to recommend special studies and the process of choosing the final topic for that year. For the first year, applicants shall propose the topic for their first special study in their 5-year application and the method they utilized to select the study topic. For years two through five, the grantee shall propose a topic for their special study and show evidence in their continuation application that the grantee has sought the advice of stakeholders and the other two AIDD funded national studies. A plan to conduct special studies in the specified time frame should be included.

2. Project collaboration at multiple levels: The project is expected to engage with partners at multiple levels as evidenced by an approach to collaboration that incorporates the following elements:

(A) Project Advisory Committee: Input on project goals and activities from key stakeholders will help to ensure the research conducted is meaningful and accessible to the end-user. The application should describe a plan to recruit members for a Project Advisory Committee and to seek and act upon their guidance. The areas that the committee should be consulted include, but are not limited to, emerging issues for special studies, topics for webinars, and approaches to disseminate information in the most accessible way possible.

The committee will be made up of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, family members, and representatives from non-profit disability organizations. Other members can include representatives from other data collection organizations or State or federal agencies.

(B) National Developmental Disabilities Studies Collaboration: The three AIDD funded national studies examining developmental disabilities (DD) services and supports individually provide critical information to the field in specific areas. Coordination and collaboration across these three projects will further enhance and amplify the outcomes of the three projects. Therefore, the proposal should describe a plan that outlines methods and techniques for successful collaboration with the Residential Information Systems Project and the Employment Status of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Project and accounts for the following activities to ensure continuity across the AIDD funded studies:

Formation of a joint data collection workgroup that includes staff from this project and staff from the Residential Information Systems Project and the Employment Status of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Project that will:

o Identify strategies for collaboration amongst the three projects;

o Recommend complimentary subjects for special studies; and o With the guidance and approval of ACL, design, develop, and produce a

Common Codebook that all three data projects will use for their data collection purposes and identifies terms that all three projects use

Design and development of a joint national report on intellectual and developmental disabilities services and supports in the US that contains at least three key indicators from each of the three projects and can be submitted to ACL in a form that is ready for the ACL website within thirty months of the beginning of the grant period. This report is in addition to the report developed specific to this project.

The proposal should describe a plan for participation in this workgroup, including how the applicant will nominate two representatives who will be selected to represent the grantee on the workgroup and a plan for participation in at least quarterly meetings by whatever means that will yield the most input; in-person, by webinar or by phone.

(C) Collaboration with National Partners: Collaboration and partnership at the national level will be key to the success of this project in the dissemination of project findings and in assisting States and other stakeholders in using the data to inform and improve policy, services and supports. The application should describe a plan for collaboration with federal agencies such as National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDLRR), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Education, Department of Labor, and the Centers for Disease Control to explore strategies for data sharing and dissemination. The application should also include a plan for collaboration with non-federal disability organizations, such as the Arc, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), Easterseals, the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN), the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS), the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE), and the various resource centers funded by ACL. The application should include a plan for collaboration with non-traditional partners to expand the partners engaged in this work. This collaboration should include but not be limited to product development, information translation, and dissemination.

3. Product development and dissemination in multiple formats and for ease of public consumption, knowledge, and use: The project will set forth a plan to create and disseminate products based on their research. The project is expected to develop products and disseminate information from the analyses to inform the field and in ways that make the information easily accessible and consumable by the end-user as evidenced by an approach that incorporates the following elements in the plan:

Methods for soliciting guidance from a diverse group to include the Project Advisory Committee, the other AIDD funded national studies, federal partners, and other disability and non-disability organizations on how to translate the data into user-friendly, accessible reports, fact-sheets and other products that the public can use in a variety of ways.

Strategies for disseminating the research results in multiple ways using multiple products that make it easy for multiple audiences, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their family members and culturally and linguistically diverse individuals to access and use the information to inform program planning and policy.

Working with multiple existing and new partners to plan, advertise, and hold webinars, including webinars conducted in collaboration with the other two AIDD funded national studies for various audiences such as the technical assistance providers for the State DD Networks (e.g., State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, University Centers for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities, Protection and Advocacy Systems); state leaders; national organizations, including, but not limited to NASDDDS, UCP, ANCOR, The Arc, and Easterseals; and non-traditional partners.

Collaboration with the AIDD funded Residential Information Systems Project, the Employment Status of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities project, and ACL to create:

o A national report on developmental disabilities in the US that includes key findings from each project to be disseminated through multiple outlets, including the ACL website to be updated at least once before the end of the funding cycle; and o A Common Codebook that includes commonly-used variables from all three projects and the reporting time-frames for each project that is available for public use. The code book should be completed by the end of the funding cycle.

4. Evaluation to Understand Impact: It is essential to have information about the impact of this work on the intellectual and developmental disabilities fields. The proposal should describe a summative and formative evaluation plan that draws logical linkages between the research that is conducted to the products developed and disseminated and the changes in states systems that leads to positive impacts on the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The plan should demonstrate that the information collected and products produced are of high quality, in useful formats, and results in better and more effective information leading states to use and make programs and services more efficient for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This plan should capture evidence as how the information has been used by people, the changes caused by the information and its usefulness to the intellectual and developmental disabilities fields. An evaluation plan should propose a work plan with a timeline or a logic model that describe the intended progress on all project activities, especially the Common Code Book and the annual national report describing the state of DD services in the US, and project impacts.

Statutory Authority

The Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) is the lead agency in the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for administering the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act of 2000) (42 United States Code (U.S.C.) 15001, et seq.).

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement Estimated Total Funding: $400,000 Expected Number of Awards: 1 Award Ceiling: $400,000 Per Budget Period Award Floor: $345,550 Per Budget Period Length of Project Period: 60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods

III. Eligibility Information

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

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement: No

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

Application Responsiveness Criteria The successful applicant will be an organization that meets the following criteria:

Demonstrated expertise in collecting, analyzing and disseminating data relating to the States’ fiscal efforts in providing services to people with developmental disabilities

Demonstrated experience in working with state developmental disabilities agencies, advocacy groups and other community organizations.

The capacity to create and disseminate a variety of tools and products that will translate the data collected for a variety of audiences.

Application Screening Criteria

1. Applications must be submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m., http://www.grants.gov/

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 15 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 15 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 15 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 15-page limit.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application materials can be obtained from http://www.grants.gov or https://www.acl.gov/grant s/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 http://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 http://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 (http://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. Applicants should finalize a new, or renew an existing, registration at least two weeks before the application deadline. 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/ transcript/ SAM_Quick_ Guide_Grants_ Registrations-v1.6. ;pdf.

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.

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants 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/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations-v1.6.pdf https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations-v1.6.pdf

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.

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

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Katherine Cargill-Willis

AIDD

Phone Number: (202) 795-7322 E-mail: katherine.cargill-willis@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Due Date for Letter of Intent: 06/11/2018 Katherine Cargill-Willis katherine.cargill-willis@acl.hhs.gov http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:katherine.cargill-willis@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 is 10 to 15 pages; 15 pages is the maximum length allowed.

Project Narratives that exceed 15 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 15 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 15-page limit, but all of the other sections 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 recommends that your project narrative include the following components:

The sample components of the Project Narrative counted as part of the 15 page limit include:

Summary/Abstract Problem Statement Goal(s) and Objective(s) Proposed Intervention Special Target Populations and Organization Project Management Evaluation

Organizational Capacity

Summary/Abstract This section should include a brief (265 words maximum) description of the proposed project, including: goal(s), objectives, outcomes, and products to be developed. Detailed instructions for completing the summary/abstract are included in the “Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/Abstract.”

Project Relevance and Current Need This section should describe the need to collect, analyze, and describe annual outlooks and longitudinal trends in revenue, spending, and programmatic changes in an array of service delivery areas, including community living, public and private residential institutions, and services provided through Medicaid waivers; including identifying leaders and laggards as States transition from funding ICF-IDs to supporting people in the community and examining the innovative services and supports States are funding to promote self-determination and independence in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as the move in to the community. In this section the applicant should also describe the need to collaborate with the data collection project on the Residential Information Systems Project and the project on the Employment Status of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities project.

Finally this section should discuss the importance of translating the data in a variety of way for use of a variety of audiences.

Goals and Objectives This section should consist of a description of the project’s goal(s) and major objectives. Unless the project involves multiple, complex interventions, we recommend you have only one overall goal.

Proposed Intervention This section should provide a clear and concise description of the intervention you are proposing to use to address the problem described in the “Problem Statement.” You should also describe the rationale for using the particular intervention, including factors such as: “lessons learned” for similar projects previously tested in your community, or in other areas of the country; factors in the larger environment that have created the “right conditions” for the intervention (e.g., existing social or economic factors that you’ll be able to take advantage of, etc.). Also note any major barriers you anticipate encountering, and how your project will be able to overcome those barriers. Be sure to describe the role and makeup of any strategic partnerships you plan to involve in implementing the intervention, including other organizations, supporters, and/or consumer groups.

This section should describe an overall strategy and methodology in a well-reasoned manner that will appropriately accomplish the specific goals and objectives for the project to include projected measurable and attainable goals describing the scope and detail of how work will be accomplished; a detailed work plan, personnel, budget, timeline, and quantitative projections of the accomplishments to be achieved by the project and a chronological order of approach with target dates, including the sequence and timing.

This section should also describe an effective process for recruiting for and collaborating with two advisory committees: the project-specific committee and the Joint Data Collection Workgroup. These advisory committees should be consulted on all aspects of the projects. The section should describe the rationale that will be utilized to collect and prioritize the recommendations of these committees.

Finally the section should lay out a plan to evaluate the project. This plan should include measurements and timelines to track the progress of the project.

Special Target Populations and Organizations This section should describe how you plan to involve organizations in a meaningful way in the planning and implementation of the proposed project. This section should also describe whether, and if so, how the proposed intervention will target hard-to-reach populations, such as limited-English speaking populations, those of greatest economic need, and those of greatest social need.

Outcomes This section of the project narrative must clearly identify the measurable outcome(s) that will result from the project. (NOTE: ACL will not fund any project that does not include measurable outcomes). This section should also describe how the project’s findings might benefit the field at large, (e.g., how the findings could help other organizations throughout the nation to address the same or similar problems.) List measurable outcomes in the optional work plan grid (“Project Work Plan – Sample Template”) under “Measurable Outcomes” in addition to any discussion included in the narrative along with a description of how the project might benefit the field at large.

A “measurable outcome” is an observable end-result that describes how a particular intervention benefits consumers. It demonstrates the functional status, mental well-being, knowledge, skill, attitude, awareness or behavior.) It can also describe a change in the degree to which consumers exercise choice over the types of services they receive, or whether they are satisfied with the way a service is delivered. Additional examples include: a change in the responsiveness or cost-effectiveness of a service delivery system; a new model of support or care that can be replicated in the ACL network; new knowledge that can contribute to the field of community living; a measurable increase in community awareness; or a measurable increase in persons receiving services. A measurable outcome is not a measurable “output”, such as: the number of clients served; the number of training sessions held; or the number of service units provided.

You should keep the focus of this section on describing what outcome(s) will be produced by the project. You should use the Evaluation section noted below to describe how the outcome(s) will be measured and reported.

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

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 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. It should also describe the approach that will be used to monitor and track progress on the project’s tasks and objectives.

Evaluation This section should describe the method(s), techniques, and tools that will be used to: 1) determine whether the proposed intervention achieved its anticipated outcome(s), and 2) document the “lessons learned” – both positive and negative - from the project that will be useful to people interested in replicating the intervention, if it proves successful.

The application should outline a reasonable and rigorous process evaluation plan to analyze how the project activities are delivered and to determine the extent to which the project is being implemented as planned, how the project activities are being received by the target group, the barriers to implementation, and areas for project improvements/refinements. The application should describe a reasonable and rigorous summative evaluation plan to determine key successful features of the model for replication and the effectiveness of the model in achieving project outcomes.

Dissemination This section should describe the method that will be used to disseminate the project’s results and findings in a timely manner, and in easily understandable formats, to parties who might be interested in using the results of the project to inform practice, service delivery, program development, and/or policy-making, including and especially those parties who would be interested in replicating the project.

This section should also describe the process that will be used to incorporate the recommendations of the two advisory committees: the Project-Specific Committee and the Joint Data Collection Workgroup with regard to dissemination methods of the data collected that ensures utilization by the greatest number of people.

As part of the cooperative agreement, there will be a data-use agreement. The data-use agreement will lay-out a plan that enhances access to data and develops a process to handle data requests. Data use agreements are contractual documents used for the transfer of nonpublic data that is subject to some restriction on its use. They serve to outline the terms and conditions of the transfer. Specifically, data use agreements address important issues such as the intended use of data and contribution to research and knowledge, limitations on use of the data, obligations to safeguard the data, liability for harm arising from the use of the data, publication, and privacy rights that are associated with transfers of confidential or protected data.

Organizational Capacity Statement Each application should include an organizational capability statement and vitae for key project personnel. The organizational capability statement should describe how the applicant agency (or the particular division of a larger agency which will have responsibility for this project) is organized, the nature and scope of its work, and/or the capabilities it possesses. It should also include the organization’s capability to sustain some or all project activities after federal financial assistance has ended.

This description should cover capabilities of the applicant agency not included in the program narrative, such as any current or previous relevant experience and/or the record of the project team in preparing cogent and useful reports, publications, and other products. If appropriate, include an organization chart showing the relationship of the project to the current organization.

Please attach short vitae for key project staff only. Neither vitas nor an organizational chart will count towards the narrative page limit. Also include information about any contractual organization(s) that will have a significant role(s) in implementing project and achieving project goals.

Budget Narrative/Justification The Budget Narrative/Justification can be provided using the format included in the document, “Budget Narrative/Justification – Sample Format.” Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to this document, which provides an example of the level of detail sought. A combined multi-year Budget Narrative/Justification, as well as a detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for each year of potential grant funding, is required.

Work Plan

The Project Work Plan should reflect and be consistent with the Project Narrative and Budget and should cover all five (5) years of the project period. It should include a statement of the project’s overall goal, anticipated outcome(s), key objectives, and the major tasks/action steps that will be pursued to achieve the goal and outcome(s). For each major task/action step, the work plan should identify timeframes involved (including start- and end-dates), and the lead person responsible for completing the task. Please use the “Project Work Plan - Sample Template” format as a reference and resource, if desired.

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

Include confirmation of the commitments to the project (should it be funded) made by key collaborating organizations and agencies in this part of the application. Any organization that is specifically named to have a significant role in carrying out the project should be considered an essential collaborator. For applications submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov, signed letters of commitment should be scanned and included as attachments. Applicants unable to scan the signed letters of commitment may fax them to the ACL Office of Grants Management at 202-357-3467 by the application submission deadline. In your fax, be sure to include the funding opportunity number and your agency name.

3. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications: 07/20/2018 Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3- 5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with http://www.grants.gov.

Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) will automatically send applicants a tracking number and date of receipt verification electronically once the application has been successfully received and validated in http://www.grants.gov

4. Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity announcement is not subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs."

5. Funding Restrictions The following activities are not fundable:

Construction and/or major rehabilitation of buildings Basic research (e.g. scientific or medical experiments) Continuation of existing projects without expansion or new and innovative approaches

Note: A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report has raised considerable concerns about grantees and contractors charging the Federal Government for additional meals outside of the standard allowance for travel subsistence known as per diem expenses. Executive Orders on Promoting Efficient Spending (E.O. 13589) and Delivering Efficient, Effective and Accountable Government (E.O. 13576) have been issued and instruct Federal agencies to promote efficient spending. Therefore, if meals are to be charged in your proposal, applicants should understand such costs must meet the following criteria outlined in the Executive Orders and HHS Grants Policy Statement:

Meals are generally unallowable except for the following:

o For subjects and patients under study (usually a research program);

o Where specifically approved as part of the project or program activity, e.g., in programs providing children’s services (e.g., Head Start);

o When an organization customarily provides meals to employees working beyond the normal workday, as a part of a formal compensation arrangement;

o As part of a per diem or subsistence allowance provided in conjunction with allowable travel; and o Under a conference grant, when meals are a necessary and integral part of a conference, provided that meal costs are not duplicated in participants’ per diem or subsistence allowances. (Note: conference grant means the sole purpose of the award is to hold a conference)

6. Other Submission Requirements http://www.grants.gov/

Letters of intent should be emailed to:

katherine.cargill-willis@acl.hhs.gov Katherine Cargill-Willis Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Administration on Disabilities Administration for Community Living

Katherine Cargill-Willis AoD Switzer 330 C. St SW Washington, DC 20201

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria Below are standard ACL review criteria which should be supplemented or modified, as appropriate to address the priorities and goals of each funding opportunity. Project officers must ensure the review criteria total adds up to a maximum of 100 points across the selected review elements.

Applicants must document all of their source material. If any text, language and/or materials are from another source, the applicant must make it clear the material is being quoted and where the text comes from. The applicant must also cite any sources when they obtain numbers, ideas, or other material that is not their own. If the applicant fails to comply with this requirement, regardless of the severity or frequency of the plagiarism, the reviewers shall reduce their scores accordingly even to the degree of issuing no points at all.

Applications are scored by assigning a maximum of 100 points across the desired review criteria:

Approach Maximum Points:40 Using the following values for each required criterion, points will be awarded, according to the extent to which the application:

Outlines a sound, workable research design and plan to continue longitudinal research that analyzes State spending for services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and describe annual outlooks and longitudinal trends in revenue, spending, and programmatic changes in an array of service delivery areas, including community living, public and private residential institutions, intentional and gated communities, farmsteads and other services provided through Medicaid waivers;

identifying leaders and laggards as States transition from funding ICF-IDs to supporting people in the community; examining how States are funding, as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities move in to the community, innovative services and supports, such as those that promote self-determination, independence, and person-center planning. (10 Points)

Outlines a plan to identify and analyze the variables that impact the way a State spends its funding for community services such as the impact of Managed Long-Term Supports and Services (MLTSS) or the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Setting Rule on States. (5 points)

Describes a plan to conduct special studies by identifying topics that are timely and responsive to the informational needs of multiple audiences concerned about services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The plan includes an approach to uniformly solicit topics for annual special studies. The plan includes the role of the project-specific advisory committee in the selection of topics for the special studies. (5 Points)

Describes a plan that outlines methods and techniques for successful collaboration with the Residential Information Systems Project and the Employment Status of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Project, including.