Review of NOFA Requirements
Circles of Care and Standard
Infrastructure Grants
Jill Shepard Erickson, MSW
Project Officer
Center for Mental Health Services
Application Review Information
Page 21, Infrastructure Grants
Page11, Circles of Care
Section A: Statement of Need,
10 points
• Describe target population, numbers, language, culture,
geography, and socioeconomic factors
• Document the need, tribal, state, SAMHSA data.
• Describe service gaps, barriers
– Describe stakeholders and resources
– Identify initiatives funded by Indian Health Service,
Department of Justice, other SAMHSA grants, etc.
– Describe how initiatives will be coordinated
• Describe needs related to priorities of state, county, or
tribe. (Copies of strategic plans in Appendix 5)
Section B: Proposed Approach
35 Points
• State purpose with goals, objectives per NOFA and
community
• Describe proposed project
• Provide logic model
• Describe advisory body
• Describe partner organizations, (letters of commitment
in Appendix 1)
– Describe and include community schools and tribal college if
available
Section B continued
• Describe how age, race/ethnicity, culture, language,
sexual orientation, disability, and gender will be
addressed
• Describe how members of the target population have
been and will be involved in proposal
• Describe potential barriers
• Describe how activities will improve substance abuse
prevention and treatment and/or treatment of mental
health services
• Provide a plan for sustainability
Section C: Staff, Management, Relevant
Experience - 25 points
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Time line on chart or graph, (include within narrative)
Capability and experience with target population
List staff and roles each will play
Describe racial/ethnic and linguistic characteristics of
staff, re target population
• Describe resources, facilities
Section D: Evaluation and Data
30 points
• Describe the process and outcome evaluation, performance measures and
target outcomes re goals and objectives
• Describe ability to collect and report required performance measures per
NOFA
• Describe plans for data collection, management, analysis, interpretation and
reporting (instruments in Appendix 2)
• Describe reliability and validity of evaluation methods and instruments per
gender/age/culture of target population
• Describe how collection, analysis, and reporting of data will be integrated
• Describe how project staff will work with evaluation staff to support the
evaluation effort, informing each other in a constant cycle, locally and
collectively
Evaluation and Data #2
GPRA Measures (Preliminary)
Document plan for collecting and reporting:
1. Involvement of community leaders, consumers and
families in planning, policy development and strategy
for treatment planning implementation in:
– quarterly reports
– Completion of cross-site evaluation tasks
– Minutes from community planning meetings
Evaluation and Data #3
GPRA Data
2. Plan for documenting improved access to
quality care for AI/AN children, youth and
families of community, examples include:
– New sources of funding
– Increased use of telemedicine, telepsychiatry
Evaluation and Data #4
GPRA Measures
3. Adherence to the TA guidance provided
– Products developed
– Timely completion of phases of activities
– Feedback on satisfaction with TA provided
Individual clinical/patient data will not be collected
SAMHSA Standard Grant
Announcements and NOFA’s
Basics of the Funding Opportunity
FY 2005
Jill Erickson, CMHS Project Officer
Four Standard Grant Announcements
1. Infrastructure: Increase capacity of service systems
to support effective programs and services
2. Services: Funding to implement services
3. Best Practices Planning and Implementation: ID
practices and adapt for pilot-testing
4. Service to Science: Document and evaluate
innovative practices to fill gaps, not yet formally
evaluated.
Notice of Funding Availability
(NOFA/Circles of Care)
• Used in addition to a Standard Grant Announcement
• Specifies purpose, target population, issue area, and
other requirements of the program
• Identifies funding, expected size and number of awards
• Provides deadline
• Specifies eligibility, allowable activities,
evaluation/GPRA requirements.
Application and Submission
• Call for kit to be mailed,
– Mental Health: 1-800-798-2647
– Substance Abuse: 1-800-729-6686
• Download from www.samhsa.gov, “grant
opportunities”
• Download from www.grants.gov.
Infrastructure Grants,
Basic Expectations
• Allowable Activities
• Data and Performance Measurement:
Government Performance and Results Act of
1993, GPRA
• Grantee Meetings
• Evaluation
Application Requirements
• Application Kits contain the following and must
be used:
– PHS 5161-1 Application forms: face page, budget
forms, assurances, certification, and checklist
– Program Announcement (PA)
– Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), as
published in the Federal Register, www.samhsa.gov,
and www.grants.gov .
Required Components
• Face Page: SF 424, part of PHS 5161-1.
– Including a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number,
obtainable from www.dunandbradstreet.com, or 1-866705-5711
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Abstract: 35 lines maximum, used in publications.
Table of Contents
Budget Form: SF 424A
Project Narrative and Supporting Documentation
Appendices
Assurances, Certifications, Disclosure of Lobbying,
and Checklist
Application Formatting Requirements
• Non compliance results in proposal being
screened out prior to review:
– Type size in narrative cannot exceed an average of
15 characters per inch. (excludes type size within
charts, graphs, footnotes)
– Text cannot exceed 6 lines per vertical inch
– White paper, 8.5inch by 11.0 inch
– Margins at least 1 inch
– 25 page limit for narrative.
Formatting Recommendations
• Type single space in black ink, one column per page
• Number pages including cover page #1, Abstract #2,
Table of Contents through the Appendices.
• 30 page limit for Appendices
• Send original and 2 copies to mailing address in
Section IV-6.1.
• No staples, paper clips, fasteners, heavy papers,
posters, CD-ROM’s, etc.
• Proposal must be easily copied.
Electronic Submission Option
• Use the www.grants.gov apply site
• Find application package by CFDA #
• Download copy of application package,
complete off line
• Submit via www.grants.gov, e-mail submissions
not accepted.
• Use Microsoft, font Times New Roman 12, or
PDF files.
Prior Requirements for Electronic
Submission (allow 2 wks+)
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Obtain DUNS number
Obtain Central Contractor Registry (CCR)
Obtain Credential Provider registration
Obtain Grants.gov registration
User guide available at www.grants.gov,
Or e-mail: support@grants.gov
Or call 1-800- 518-4726, 7:00 am-9:00 pm, Eastern,
Monday through Friday.
Back Up Paper Submission
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Label as “Back up for electronic submission”
Paper copy must meet “postmark” requirements
If both received, electronic version will be official
Automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov with
Grants.gov tracking number
• Electronic signatures cannot be accepted now, so
signed paper originals of face page, assurances, and
certifications must be mailed, referencing the
grants.gov tracking number, within 5 business days of
the electronic submission.
Budget Form
• SF 424A, from the 5161-1
• Fill out Sections B, C, E.
• Follow the sample budget and justification from
Appendix D of Standard Announcement
• Include figures for each year of the grant
• Total budget will include direct cost and
negotiated indirect cost rate.
SAMHSA’s Guidelines for Assessing Cultural
Competence
• Experience with the
target population
• Training and staffing,
gender/age/cultural
competence
• Language
accommodations
• Materials appropriate for
target population
• Evaluation, methods and
instruments appropriate
for population
• Community
representation on boards
• Plan for implementation
Part II
• General Policies and Procedures Applicable to
all SAMHSA Applications for Discretionary
Grants and Cooperative Agreements.
• Used in addition to the Program
Announcement/NOFA and Standard Grant
Announcement
• Contains the Cultural Competence