Technical Assistance Session
General Questions and Answers
The following table answers general questions received about the NOFO and NOFO process.
| # | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Application | ||
| 1.1 | Should I register as an individual or an organization? | Please register as an individual. |
| 1.2 | Can more than one person complete the application? | Yes. Collaborators can be added to the application process. |
| 1.3 | Will I receive an email notification when my application is submitted? | Yes. If you do not receive this email, please ensure the entire application was completed. In addition to completing each section, the entire application must be submitted. If you do cannot find this email, please contact the help desk. |
| 2. NOFO | ||
| 2.1 | Who are the SME's that write the NOFOs? | The SMEs that write the NOFOs are individuals at Advocates for Human Potential who have demonstrated expertise and knowledge on the topic/initiative being funded, including the services that will be funded through the NOFO. These SMEs include individuals with diverse backgrounds who live in Illinois and are familiar with Illinois’ SUD prevention, treatment and recovery systems, and some are people with lived experience. SUPR also provides SMEs that draft the original statement of work that is then used to construct the NOFOs. |
| 3. Reviews | ||
| 3.1 | Will I be notified if there is a problem with my application? | During the prequalification process, applications are reviewed for completeness and eligibility to determine whether they will be considered for funding. You will be notified if your application does not meet those criteria. However, once submitted, no further changes can be made to the application. |
| 3.2 | Who is on the selection committee for each NOFO? | The review committee includes, at a minimum, three individuals who are SMEs on the topic area, and/or are people with lived experience. |
| 4. Awards | ||
| 4.1 | Can an entity be awarded multiple awards? As in, applying for two different NOFOs and receiving an award for both. | Yes, an entity can apply for and, if eligible and has the capacity to fulfill the requirements of each, may be awarded more than one award. |
NOFO Questions and Answers
The following table includes questions asked regarding the START Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Questions and answers will be updated each Friday afternoon during the application period.
| # | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | If an award is made, will invoicing require paper copies of all expenses, or will this funding operate with the entity keeping record of expenses on hand if audited? | Invoicing will require submission of supporting materials. |
| 2 | Will there be audits conducted on a scheduled basis, or at the discretion the state? | Audits are conducted at the discretion of the RCCA. |
| 3 | Can you please confirm whether or not a State NICRA is acceptable for the indirect cost rate? | Yes, a State NICRA is acceptable. |
| 4 | Is START intended as a regional intervention as a regional assessment would suggest; and would our IDPH region be the NOFO's intent? | START is not intended to be specific to a region. The assessment should focus on the expected service area of the organization. |
| 5 | In either NOFO, would we be expected to collaborate explicitly with the county health departments, and in our case, also the CDPH? | No explicit collaborations are established in the NOFO. The organization will need to collaborate and partner with organizations as required to provide or link to the services identified in Task 5. |
| 6 | Is an organization required to have a SUPR license to be eligible for this funding? | Organizations that require licensure by IDHS/SUPR must obtain and maintain the applicable licenses throughout the period(s) of performance. |
| 7 | Must every project enrollment have an opioid use disorder, or can some enrollments have only, for example, alcohol use disorder? | Participants funded by this award must have an opioid use disorder. |
| 8 | In the Personnel tab of the Budget Template, Cell N3 says the maximum number of months for FP 1 is 2, however, according to the NOFO and the technical assistance webinar FP 1 is 9 months. Should the maximum number of months be 9 for column N? | The number of months should be 9. |
| 9 | Becoming a CPRS requires 100 hours of classroom education, 100 hours of supervised practical experience, 2,000 work hours of work experience, and a written exam. Requiring a CPRS certification be attained within one year therefore creates a very tight timeline that would be hard for anyone to achieve, let alone persons who might be re-entering the professional world after years substance use. Can you clarify that applicants may propose certification deadlines past the one-year mark if they can articulate sound reasoning for the timeline? | Yes. |
| 10 | Can you confirm that applicants may propose a length of time greater than a year for participants to receive their doula certification, if the applicant can articulate clear reasoning? | Yes. |
| 11 | If an applicant proposes to serve mothers primarily with very young children who are under school age, then it will not be feasible for the applicant to propose to provide any children with educational services. Can you confirm that in such a case the applicant could propose to provide zero children with educational services? | Yes. |
| 12 | Can you confirm the periods of performance are 9/1/2024-6/30/2025, 7/1/2025-6/30/2026, and 7/1/2026-6/30/2027? | Funding periods for a notice of award (NOA) follow the State Fiscal Year (SFY). The notice of award is the anticipated date that an award letter would be received by a potential subrecipient (i.e., awardee). This actual date may vary based on a few factors. Funding period for this award is anticipated to begin on 9/1/2024. There is an option to renew for an additional two full years of funding if funding is available. If the funding period begins September 1, 2024, and there are continued appropriations, the corresponding periods of performance would be 9/1/2024 – 6/30/20257/1/2025 – 6/30/20267/1/2026 - 6/30/2027 |
| 13 | We are looking to provide services to 25 adults and one to two children per adult under this initiative, however with the $525K maximum budget allowed do we submit 3 or 4 applications to cover cost? | Each organization is eligible for a single award. This maximum award for each funding period is $500k. |
| 14 | What is the minimum and maximum number of participants that an organization can serve under this initiative-adults and children? | No threshold has been established. The number of participants proposed should be based upon the need in the community and justified by your application narrative and budget. |
| 15 | Can you clarify the staffing requirements regarding community outreach workers? | No minimum staffing has been established. Staffing should be justified in your application and budget narrative. |