Sandbox Grant Program QA 2020.06.08.pdf

Proposals for Sandbox Grant Program Solicitation (No. 2019-MeHI-02)

Questions and Answers June 8, 2020

Question Answer

1. Is $50,000 the maximum amount that any one grantee may request?

Yes. Grantees may submit applications with budgets exceeding $50,000; however, MeHI will only award grants up to $50,000.

2. Are there any matching requirements for the awards? Yes. Companies with 5 or fewer FTE can qualify for awards up to $25,000 with no matching requirement. For those companies, funding requests beyond $25,000 are eligible for a 75% subsidy, up to a total award amount of $50,000.

Companies with 6 to 10 FTE can qualify for a 50% subsidy for all funding requests, up to a total award amount of $50,000.

Companies with 11 or more FTE can qualify for a 25% subsidy for all funding requests, up to a total award amount of $50,000.

3. What funding sources can be used to meet the matching requirement?

Applicants may use federal funding, private funding, or the applicant’s own funding to meet the matching requirement. Other funding from the Commonwealth of MA may not be used to meet the matching requirement.

4. Can companies use the UMass Voucher Fund program to meet the matching requirement?

No. The UMass Voucher Fund is a program funded by the Commonwealth of MA so grants from that program may not be used to meet the matching requirement for this program.

5. Can applicants use funding from the program to cover product development costs?

No. The funding will go directly to the applicant’s selected sandbox to offset the cost of the applicant’s proposed use of the sandbox. Funding may not be used to offset applicants’ internal costs or costs to develop the product prior to working directly with a sandbox.

6. How much total funding is available? Up to $500,000 is available over a two year period, covering July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2021.

7. How many awards will be made? There is no cap on the number of awards that will be made. The solicitation is open on a rolling basis and additional awards may be made as applications are received and reviewed.

8. Can companies apply for more than one grant within the same fiscal year?

Yes. Applicants may apply for more than one grant to support multiple projects with a sandbox or sandboxes, but applicants are only eligible for a maximum of $50,000 in grants in one fiscal year. Approval of one grant does not guarantee approval of any future funding.

9. When are applications due? After the initial deadline of June 10, 2019, applications will be reviewed periodically. MeHI anticipates holding quarterly reviews.

Applications received by the following deadlines will be included in the next review: July 1, 2020;

October 1, 2020, January 1, 2021, and April 1, 2021.

10. Is there a specific timeframe in which the grants must be completed?

There is no set timeframe for completing the grants. Applicants should indicate how long they expect their project to take in their application.

11. Must applicants have signed agreements with a sandbox prior to applying for this program?

While applicants are not required to execute any agreements with a sandbox prior to applying, applicants must discuss their proposed project and budget with the sandbox prior to applying and must have a signed letter of support confirming that the sandbox can meet their needs. Applicants may be required to execute agreements with the sandbox prior to starting their project.

12. Are applicants required to include any documentation from the sandbox in the application?

Yes. Applicants must include a signed letter of support from the sandbox outlining the services and resources the sandbox will provide to support the proposed project.

13. When will decisions be made? MeHI anticipates making awards approximately 4-8 weeks after each review period.

14. Which sandboxes can applicants receive funding to work with under this program?

Please see the list of approved sandboxes at www.massdigitalhealth.org/sandbox

MeHI intends to add additional sandboxes on a periodic basis and encourages applicants to check the site regularly for the most up-to-date list.

15. When will more sandboxes be added to the program?

MeHI anticipates reviewing applications for new sandboxes on a quarterly basis.

16. Do you have to be a Massachusetts company to participate in the program?

Yes. Companies must have a presence in Massachusetts to participate in the program.

17. Will the funding go directly to the applicants to then pay the sandbox?

No. The funding will be sent directly to the applicant’s selected sandbox to offset the cost of the applicant’s proposed use of the sandbox.

http://www.massdigitalhealth.org/sandbox

18. Are there any eligibility requirements for companies (e.g. company size or revenue requirements?)

Applicants must have a presence in Massachusetts. There are no minimum or maximum eligibility requirements for the size of applicant organizations or their revenue or funding raised.

19. Must the applicant organization work in a specific industry area?

Yes. Proposed projects must support digital health companies or products.

20. What types of projects will receive preference? Projects addressing the following areas will receive preference:

- cybersecurity and privacy issues

- cost or access challenges identified by the Health Policy Commission or other public bodies

- workflow for new technologies in home or hospital settings (e.g. wearables or consumer apps)

- collaboration with academic researchers to increase the evidence base for digital health solutions

21. What are the goals of the sandbox program? The Sandbox Program will enable Massachusetts sandbox environments to support the lifecycle of research and development for digital health companies by providing financial assistance for the companies to access sandbox environments and expanding the user base for the sandboxes.

22. How will you measure success of the sandbox program?

MeHI and the Sandbox Program Independent Steering Committee will evaluate the program on a number of criteria, including: the number of applications received; the number of applications approved; the ability of the sandboxes to meet the applicants’ testing needs; the difference in the cost, time, and effort to test a product or project independently

vs. in the sandbox program; the number of products or solutions that moved into a clinical environment after their project ends; and the impact of the projects on patients’ lives.