Supporting Young Breast Cancer Survivors, Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients, and their Families (DP-24-0061)

Important Information

Application due: May 6, 2024, 11:59 pm Eastern Time

Expected award date: September 30, 2024

Award ceiling: $460,000

Expected number of awards: 8

Total period of performance length: 5 years

NEW: Please see the frequently asked questions.

Overview

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Division of Cancer Prevention and Control announces the availability of fiscal year 2024 funds for Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) CDC-RFA-DP-24-0061: Supporting Young Breast Cancer Survivors, Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients, and their Families.

Early-onset breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. Breast cancer diagnosed in women younger than 45, called early-onset breast cancer, is often more aggressive than breast cancers found in older women and found at an advanced stage. Early-onset breast cancer is more likely to reduce the patient’s life expectancy and cause physical, psychosocial, and financial challenges.

Metastatic breast cancer

Many young women diagnosed with breast cancer develop metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Metastatic, or stage IV, breast cancer is when cancer cells have spread from the breast to distant parts of the body. About 30% of women with mBC live 5 years or fewer after diagnosis. A study reported that the incidence of mBC in young women increased by more than 2% each year from 1976 to 2017. The intensity of care for mBC is significant and expensive, particularly in younger women with tumors that are more aggressive and harder to treat.

Support services

Psychosocial and structural support services help meet the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of survivors and their families. These services can help survivors express and manage disease-related emotions and social concerns, thus improving their quality of life. Psychological and behavioral resources may not be included in survivorship care due to complex billing requirements, minimally qualified staff, complex care settings, and the wide variety of patient needs.

Priority populations

Some groups of young breast cancer survivors (YBCS) and mBC patients would benefit from additional support. These priority populations include, but are not limited to:

Members of racial and ethnic groups (African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native).
Young women facing breast cancer with high risk (such as women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent).
Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community.
People with low incomes.
People with disabilities.

Purpose

This NOFO seeks to provide support to entities that improve the quality of life among YBCS and young mBC patients. The outcomes of this NOFO are to increase equitable access and availability of psychosocial and structural support services for YBCS, mBC patients, and their families, and improve patient-provider interactions during follow-up care.

This NOFO focuses on fostering collaborative relationships with organizations that serve priority populations and comprehensive cancer control coalitions. This NOFO will:

Provide equitable access to psychosocial and structural support for YBCS, young mBC patients, and their families.
Provide educational opportunities to YBCS, mBC patients, their families, health care providers, community health workers, and patient navigators.
Support implementation of strategies to increase equity in cancer care.
Leverage the collaborative power of organizations serving YBCS and mBC patients to increase the availability of psychosocial support services.
Facilitate more meaningful patient-provider interactions.

Program history

In March 2010, Congress passed the Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Act. It directed CDC to educate young women (particularly those at increased risk) and health care providers about breast cancer risk and breast health, and implement programs to support young women living with a breast cancer diagnosis. In response, CDC developed a portfolio that included science, a health promotion campaign, and traditional public health programs.

This NOFO marks the fourth cycle of the YBCS support program. It is built on the successes and lessons learned from the previous cycles. Findings from previous program evaluations showed that meaningful collaborative relationships with organizations aided in the implementation of interventions that supported policy, systems, and environmental changes. Other findings underscored the importance of educating YBCS, mBC patients, and their loved ones and providing access to psychosocial support resources to manage disease-related emotions, enhance relationships with family and health care providers, and control symptoms. This NOFO seeks to use both proven and new program strategies to achieve program goals.

Eligibility

This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. If research is proposed, the application will not be considered. This NOFO is unrestricted and open to any type of entity including, but not limited to, the following organizations:

State, county, city or township, and special district governments.
Federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native tribal governments.
American Indian/Alaska Native tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments).
Independent school districts.
Public, state-controlled, and private institutions of higher education.
Public and American Indian housing authorities.
Nonprofit organizations with or without a 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service.
For-profit organizations, including small businesses.

Technical assistance mailbox

Potential applicants may direct questions about the funding opportunity and application process to the email address DP24-0061@cdc.gov. CDC staff will respond to all questions within 3 business days. As appropriate, applicant questions and CDC responses will be posted below.

Resources

Frequently asked questions

Eligibility and application process

Are international organizations eligible to apply?
A. Foreign entities are not eligible for this funding opportunity. The United States federal law that authorizes this funding allows CDC to support only domestic entities. Work conducted by an entity located in a country other than the United States and its territories is not authorized for funding.
Is the application open for submissions through grants.gov?
A. Applications must be received by May 6, 2024 on grants.gov.
May we review past proposals that received funding?
A. Previous successful applications will not be provided. Please see the current Young Breast Cancer Survivor Program recipients.
Will a recording of the informational call be available for review?
A. The recording of the call is not available.
Can an organization apply as a consortium?
A. No. Only individual organizations will be awarded.
Is it possible to be both a subawardee and a lead awardee for this opportunity (in other words, to apply to receive funding on more than one application)?
A. This NOFO is not permitted to release subawards.
This funding opportunity is only for organizations, not individuals. Is that correct?
A. Yes. Only organizations are eligible to apply.
Can an organization that provides financial support to individuals for needs such as food, housing, copays, and gas apply for this opportunity?
A. Your organization can apply if it meets the criteria found in Section C. Eligibility information.

Application components and submission

Are there any guidelines for resumes or CVs such as format, page limit, and file type? In which section of the application package should they be uploaded on grants.gov?
A. Resumes or CVs must be uploaded as PDFs. They should be submitted in Other Attachments and labeled as “CVs/Resumes”. There is no required format or page limit.
Are there any guidelines for details the organization chart should contain, such as the employee’s full name, title, and role for this project? Is there a page limit and preferred file type (such as a PDF)? In which section of the application package should it be uploaded on grants.gov?
A. Organizational charts must be uploaded as PDFs. They should be submitted in Other Attachments and labeled as “Organizational Charts”. There is no required format or page limit.
Is a data management plan required?
A. No. Since this NOFO does not involve the generation or collection of public health data, a data management plan is not required. In your application, you may enter: “Since this NOFO does not involve the generation or collection of public health data, a data management plan is not required.”
Does the 20-page limit for the work plan include the project narrative? Is the budget narrative part of the 20-page limit for the project narrative?
A. The project narrative, which includes the work plan, must not exceed 20 pages. The budget narrative is a separate document that does not have a page limit.
Can we have references annotated in the narrative and include references as an attachment?
A. Do not annotate references in the narrative or include references as an attachment.
What are the guidelines for the required Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) [V2.0] form if an organization does not engage in lobbying activities?
A. Guidelines related to lobbying and instructions for form SF-LLL can be found on page 33 of the application and the SFLLL_1_2-V1.2-instructions.

NOFO content clarification

Does the organization’s proposal need to incorporate all seven CDC strategies and activities specified in the NOFO?
A. Yes. All seven strategies must be addressed during the 5-year performance period.
Do we need to address all three categories equally or can we focus on one or two? The categories are psychosocial support, provider education, and post-treatment opportunities.
A. All three categories must be addressed, as they are the core purpose of this funding opportunity.
Is the target population breast cancer survivors younger than 45 years and metastatic breast cancer patients of all ages? Or should the metastatic breast cancer patients also be younger than 45 years?
A. The target populations are breast cancer survivors younger than 45 years and metastatic breast cancer patients of all ages.
In Long Term Outcomes, why is the word “ALL” capitalized here and nowhere else?
A. The word “all” is emphasized to reinforce the expectation that awarded organizations’ efforts should increase young breast cancer survivors (YBCS) equitable access to culturally competent care, resources, and support. “All” also refers to reach. Organizations’ strategies should benefit as many YBCS and metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients as possible.
On page 9, in strategy 1, activity b, it says, “Convene a network of providers… on health issues that can be addressed through environmental change.” Is this intended to be policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change or does CDC specifically want a focus on environmental change in strategy 1?
A. Strategy 1, activity B aligns with and supports strategy 4. CDC expects awarded organizations to involve providers, survivors, and caregivers when identifying program priorities and developing and implementing the PSE plan outlined in strategy 4.
On page 19, under the D. Workplan section, it states, “Applicants must label this file ‘work plan’ and upload it as a PDF file at www.grants.gov. On page 27, under 10. Project Narrative, it states that the project narrative must include all of the following headings: Background… Workplan. Should the work plan be provided twice—once in the narrative and again as a separate attachment uploaded on grants.gov?
A. The work plan is a component of the project narrative. It is uploaded once as the Project Narrative in grants.gov.
The NOFO requires organizations to work with coalitions or organizations funded by CDC. If an organization does not have a relationship with these entities, do you have contact information for first steps on collaboration?
A. CDC will connect successful applicants with National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) recipients post-award.
In Short Term Outcomes, which organizations are included in that question? Is it our program network or the other grantees or both?
A. It includes all organizations (funded and unfunded) in your geographic area(s) of focus that provide structural and/or psychosocial support to YBCS, MBC patients, and their caregivers, families, and friends.

Evaluation and performance management

Should a logic model be included as part of the evaluation and performance management plan?
A. A logic model is required.
Are we required to have an external evaluator, or can the evaluation plan be done internally?
A. You are not required to use an external evaluator. Organizations can use an internal or external evaluator.

Budget and financials

Does section A, column (a) of the budget, “Grant Program Function or Activity” correspond to the strategies outlined in section 2 of the NOFO?
A. No. Enter the name of the CFDA (the grant program name), NOFO number, program code, or grant number.
Is each Standard Form 424A budget worksheet for 1 year? In section E, does column b refer to year 2, column c to year 3, column d to year 4, and column e to year 5?
A. Yes.
Should a meeting in Atlanta be a part of our program year 1 budget?
A. No.

Templates and resources

Is there a template for the work plan we need to use?
A. The NOFO application website includes a work plan template in the Resources section, but it is not required.
Is there a template for the LOI?
A. No.
For strategy 4, do you have any examples of how to “Identify and cultivate a sustainable action plan for the policy, systems, and environmental change agenda?” For example, a successful action plan from a winning proposal with identifying information redacted.
A. Previous successful applications will not be provided. Organizations are encouraged to use the program narrative and work plan to describe how they plan to implement strategies that will have long-lasting and sustainable benefits for YBCS and MBC patients.

Timeline and administrative details

Does an organization need to be registered with eRA Commons as indicated in the Pre-Award Activities for Applicants before submitting a proposal under this grant opportunity?
A. No.
Does an organization need to complete the pre-award CDC Risk Questionnaire and include it with our application package?
A. No. The only pre-award assessment needed is the Duplication of Efforts assessment. Qualifications for this assessment are described on page 26 of the NOFO.
During the informational call, the slides stated that the estimated notification of award is September 30, 2024. In the Notice of Funding Opportunity document, it states that the estimated award date is September 30, 2024. What estimated award date is expected?
A. The estimated award date is September 30, 2024.
Will we receive confirmation that CDC received the letter of intent?
A. If you submitted a letter of intent, you received confirmation from CDC of its receipt.