U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

Title: Promoting Programs to Involve Parents, Schools, and Communities to Support Sexual Abstinence: Improving the Health and Educational Outcomes of Young People – Abstinence Supplement

Announcement Type: Competing Supplement

Funding Opportunity Number: DP08-80102SUPP08

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.938

Key Dates: July 21, 2008

 

I.          Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose: The purpose of this announcement is to provide supplement support to grantees funded by the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) under SEA/TEA/TG Priority 2 (HIV Prevention) of Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) #DP08-801.  The goal of this supplement is to increase the efficiency and impact of efforts to help young people abstain from sexual risk behaviors by funding grantee efforts to implement or expand evidence-based strategies in two areas: (1) programs to involve parents in providing sexual abstinence messages to youth, and/or (2) school-based or community-based youth development strategies to promote sexual abstinence.

 

Activities:

Awardee activities for this program are as follows:

Ø      Parental Involvement in Providing Sexual Abstinence Messages to Youth:

o       Integrate information and resources into professional development events for school staff regarding supporting parents in providing sexual abstinence messages to youth

o       Provide training to parent-serving professionals to increase their capacity to provide information to parents regarding discussing sexual abstinence with youth

o       Develop and distribute resources to parents that help build their skills to discuss sexual issues, including sexual abstinence, with youth    

Ø      Youth Development Strategies to Promote Sexual Abstinence:

o       Integrate information and resources regarding using youth development strategies into professional development events for school staff

o       Provide training to youth-serving professionals to increase their capacity to integrate youth development strategies into their programs

o       Develop and distribute resources to youth-serving help build their skills to integrate youth development strategies into their programs

 

II.        Award Information

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement

Award Mechanism:  Competing Supplement (Limited Competition)

 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2008

Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: $325,000

Approximate Total Project Period Funding: $3,045,000 (This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds. This figure includes all direct and indirect costs.)

Approximate Number of Awards: Up to 6 SEAs/TEAs/TGs

Approximate Average Award: $62,500 (This amount is for the first 6-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs.)

Floor of Individual Award Range: $50,000

Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $75,000 (This ceiling is for the first 6-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs.)

Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2008

Budget Period Length: 6 months for Year 1.  12 months for Years 2-5

Project Period Length: 5 years

 

III.       Eligibility Information

 

1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are those State and Territorial Education Agencies (SEAs/TEAs) and Tribal Governments (TG) currently funded under Priority 2 (HIV Prevention) of FOA DP 08-801.   SEAs/TEAs are expected to work closely with interested State Health Department (SHD) Directors of HIV Prevention, STD Prevention, Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, Abstinence Programs, State Adolescent Health Coordinators, and other agencies and organizations in preparing the application for supplemental funding and, if funded, in implementing the activities supported by supplemental funding.

 

2. Other:

If a funding amount greater than the ceiling of the ward range is requested, the application will be considered non-responsive and will be entered into the review process.  The applicant will be notified that the application did not meet the submission requirements.  Funds will not be provided for formal or informal research.

 

3. Special Requirements:

If the application is incomplete or non-responsive to the special requirements listed in this section, it will not be entered into the review process.  The applicant will be notified the application did not meet submission requirements.

·        Late application will be considered non-responsive.  See section “IV.3. Submission Dates and Times” for more information on deadlines.

 

IV. Application and Submission Information

 

1. Address to Request Application Package

To apply for this funding opportunity use the application package in Grants.gov

Electronic Submission:

CDC requires grantees to submit their request for supplemental funding through www.Grants.gov.  If you encounter any difficulties submitting your request through www.Grants.gov, please contact CDC’s Technical Information Management Section at (770) 488-2700 prior to the submission deadline.  If you need further information regarding the application process, please contact Cynthia Thompson at (770) 488-2714.  For programmatic information, please contact Elizabeth Haller, School Health Team Lead at (770) 488-6203.

The application package can be downloaded from www.Grants.gov.  Applicants are able to complete it off-line, and then upload and submit the application via the www.Grants.gov website.  E-mail submissions will not be accepted.  If the applicant has technical difficulties in www.Grants.gov, customer service can be reached by E-mail at http://www.grants.gov/CustomerSupport or by phone at 1-800-518-4726 (1-800-518-GRANTS).  The Customer Support Center is open from 7:00a.m. to 9:00p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

2. Application:

A Project Abstract must be submitted with the application forms.  The abstract must be submitted in the following format:
  • Maximum of one page.
  • Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman
  • Single spaced
  • Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
  • Page margin size: One inch

 

The Project Abstract must contain a summary of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public.  It should be a self-contained description of the project and should contain a statement of objectives and methods to be employed.  It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible understandable to a technically literate lay reader.  This Abstract must not include any proprietary/confidential information.

 

A project narrative must be submitted with the application forms.  The narrative must be submitted in the following format:

  • Maximum number of pages: 12.  If your narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will be reviewed.
  • Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman
  • Double spaced
  • Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
  • Page margin size: One inch
  • Number all pages of the application sequentially from page 1 (Application Face Page) to the end of the application, including charts, figures, tables, and appendices.
  • Printed only on one side of page.

 

The narrative should address activities to be conducted over the entire project period and must include the following items in the order listed:

 
  • Background and Need (limit 1 page)

o        Provide evidence of sexual risk behavior outcomes among youth in the state related to this announcement.  Include an analysis of health disparities, especially among priority populations.

o        Delineate various agencies and organizations in the state that are implementing efforts to prevent and reduce sexual risk behaviors among school-aged youth, including agencies that are implementing efforts to involve parents in providing sexual abstinence messages to youth and/or to establish school-based or community-based youth development strategies to promote sexual abstinence.

o        Describe how funded efforts to increase parental involvement in providing sexual abstinence messages to youth and/or to implement youth development strategies to promote sexual abstinence will improve the impact of the funded agency in helping young people to abstain from sexual risk behaviors.

  • Capacity (limit 1 page)

 

o        Describe how the SEA/TEA/TG will work with interested SHD Directors of HIV Prevention, STD Prevention, Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, Abstinence Programs, State Adolescent Health Coordinators, and other agencies and organizations to jointly participate in designing and implementing funded efforts.

 

·         Workplan (not more than 6 pages – 3 for parental involvement and 3 for youth development)

 

Provide a separate, clearly labeled workplan.  Use of the template found at http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/FOA-801/writing.htm is recommended. 

Recipient activities and goals should be directly related to work undertaken by the applicant in Priority 2 of FOA DP08-801.  Include goals, objectives, and activities as follows:

o        Goals - List broad goals for the five-year project period (2008-2013) that indicate how the applicant plans to increase the involvement of parents in providing sexual abstinence messages to youth and/or to develop youth development strategies to promote sexual abstinence. 

o        Objectives - List objectives for the first program year that are specific,   measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-phased (SMART) to be accomplished during the budget period.  The objectives should relate directly to the project goals.

o        Activities - Describe specific activities for the first program year that are proposed to achieve the program’s objectives during the budget period.  Indicate when each activity will be completed and who will be responsible to carry out the activity.  Examples of activities that SEAs/TEAs/TGs may perform with these supplemental funds include, but are not limited to:

Ø       Parental Involvement in Providing Sexual Abstinence Messages to Youth:

·         Integrate information and resources into professional development events for school staff regarding supporting parents in providing sexual abstinence messages to youth

·         Provide training to parent-serving professionals to increase their capacity to provide information to parents regarding discussing sexual abstinence with youth

·         Develop and distribute resources to parents that help build their skills to discuss sexual issues, including sexual abstinence, with youth

Ø       Youth Development Strategies to Promote Sexual Abstinence:

·         Integrate information and resources regarding using youth development strategies into professional development events for school staff

·         Provide training to youth-serving professionals to increase their capacity to integrate youth development strategies into their programs

·         Develop and distribute resources to youth-serving help build their skills to integrate youth development strategies into their programs

  • Project Management and Staffing (limit 1 page)

o       Describe the proposed SEA/TEA/TG project management plan to assure completion of proposed activities.

o       In an appendix, include letters of collaboration from all consultants and outside agencies named in the workplan that describe their capacity to fulfill their proposed responsibilities specifically related to implementing activities funded under this supplemental announcement.

  • Sharing Experiences and Resources (limit 1 page)

o        Indicate how materials that are developed or activities that are successful will be shared with others.  Activities should include, but not be limited to:

Ø      Sharing materials through list serves such as Comprehensive Health Education Network (CHEN), at workshops and conferences, and as a part of annual progress reports.

Ø      Sharing project-related news and information with other State and Territorial Education Agencies, and Tribal Governments (SEAs/TEAs/TGs), Local Education Agencies (LEAs), and national organizations through computer networks, articles in newsletters, mail, and at workshops and conferences.

Ø      Disseminating materials and information within the state to decision makers, school personnel, public health officials, leaders in institutions of higher education, staff in state and local health departments, HIV prevention community planning groups, Tribal leaders, leaders in state and local organizations, and others that support efforts to help young people abstain from sexual risk behaviors.

  • Collaborations (limit 1 page)

Describe the types of proposed partnerships and collaborations with agencies and organizations that are focusing on reducing sexual risk behaviors among youth.  Examples of such collaborations may include, but are not limited to:

o       Collaborating with state, regional, or local HIV, STD, and/or adolescent pregnancy prevention organizations and agencies.

o       Collaborating with state or regional sexual abstinence and/or parenting organizations and agencies.

o       Collaborating with state or regional organizations and agencies working to implement youth development strategies.

·        Program Monitoring (limit 1 page)

Describe plans to assess the accomplishments of the funded efforts.  Describe how the achievement of objectives will be measured and what outcomes will be identified to measure success of programmatic efforts.  Plans should include:

o       Monitoring programmatic activities through the Indicators for School Health Programs.

o       Communicating programmatic impact by developing and disseminating written Success Stories.

o       Describing how program assessment will be used to improve program activities.

  • Budget and Justification (Does not count against narrative page limit.)

o       Provide a detailed budget and line-item justification for all operating expenses that are consistent with the proposed program objectives and activities of the project.  Include any staff or trainee travel and attendance for one person to attend the annual grantee meeting, location to be determined.

o       The recommended guidance for completing a detail justified budget can be found on the CDC Web site, at the following Internet address:

http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm

o       For all contract and consultants, provide the following: (1) name of contractor/consultant, (2) method of selection, (3) period of performance, (4) scope of work, (5) method of accountability, and (6) itemized budget.

 

Additional information may be included in the application appendices.  The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative page limit.  This additional information includes:
  • Letters of support from state partners that your organization has worked with in the past 3-5 years (up to three).
  • Letters of intent to partner from new state partners that clearly state their support and commitment to the project, if awarded.
  • Curriculum vitae of existing and newly proposed staff, consultants, and contractors as an appendix.

 

The applicant must submit all application attachments using a PDF file format when submitting via www.Grants.gov.  Directions for creating PDF files can be found on the www.Grants.gov website.  Use of file formats other than PDF may result in the file being unreadable by staff.

 

3.      Submission Dates and Times

 

Application Deadline Date: July, 21, 2008

 Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be received in the CDC Procurement and Grants Office by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. Your application will be electronically time/date stamped, which will serve as receipt of submission.  Applicants will receive an e-mail notice of receipt when HHS/CDC receives the application. 

This announcement is the definitive guide on application content, submission address, and deadline.  It supersedes information provided in the application instructions.  If the application submission does not meet the deadline above, it will not be eligible for review, and will be discarded by HHS/CDC.  The applicant will be notified that the application did not meet the submission requirements.

 

4. Other Submission Requirements

If requesting indirect costs in the budget, a copy of the indirect cost rate agreement is required.  If the indirect cost rate is a provisional rate, the agreement should be less than 12 months of age. 

 

V. Application Review Information

 

1. Criteria

The application will be evaluated against the following criteria:
  • Background and Need (10 points)
    • The extent to which the applicant delineates various agencies and organizations in the state that are implementing efforts to prevent and reduce sexual risk behaviors among school-aged youth, including agencies that are implementing efforts to involve parents in providing sexual abstinence messages to youth and/or to establish school-based or community-based youth development strategies to promote sexual abstinence.
    • The extent to which the applicant describes how efforts to increase parental involvement in providing sexual abstinence messages to youth and/or to implement youth development strategies to promote sexual abstinence will improve the impact of the funded agency and partners in reducing sexual risk behaviors among school-aged youth.

 

 

  • Capacity  (10 points)
    • The extent to which the applicant describes how the SEA/TEA/TG will work with interested SHD Directors of HIV Prevention, STD Prevention, Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, Abstinence Programs, State Adolescent Health Coordinators, and other agencies and organizations to jointly participate in designing and implementing funded efforts
  • Workplan (30 points)
    • Goals (5 points).  The extent to which the applicant has submitted broad, overall goals for the 5-year project period.
    • Objectives (10 points).  The extent to which the applicant has submitted specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-phased objectives for Year 1 that are directly related to the program's goals 

o        Activities (15 points).  The extent to which the applicant:

Ø       Proposes activities that are likely to achieve each of the objectives for the budget period.

Ø       Identifies project activities that are consistent with the purpose of the supplemental funding announcement.

Ø       Provides a reasonable schedule for implementing those activities.

  • Project Management and Staffing (15 points)
    • The extent to which the applicant identifies staff and other partner agencies that have the responsibility and authority to implement each activity, including:

Ø      The extent to which the applicant has established appropriate staff to carry out responsibilities described in the proposed operational plan.

Ø      The extent to which the applicant has described the staff’s experience and professional preparation to perform assigned responsibilities.

Ø      The extent to which letters from collaborating organizations demonstrate their commitment, support, and capacity to carry out assigned responsibilities.

  • Sharing experiences and resources (5 points)
    • The extent to which the applicant will share effective materials and activities with CDC-funded partners and others within the applicant’s jurisdiction.

·         Collaboration (20 points)

o        The extent to which the applicant describes plans to collaborate with other relevant partners, such as state, regional, or local HIV, STD, and/or adolescent pregnancy prevention planning groups.

o        The extent to which the applicant describes plans to collaborate with state or regional abstinence and/or parenting organizations and coalitions.

o        Collaborating with state or regional organizations and agencies working to implement youth development strategies.

·         Program Monitoring (10 points)

    • The extent to which the applicant describes plans to assess the accomplishments of the funded efforts, including how the achievement of objectives will be measured and what outcomes will be identified to measure success of programmatic efforts.  This should include monitoring programmatic activities through the Indicators for School Health Programs and communicating programmatic impact by developing and disseminating written success stories.
    • The extent to which the applicant describes how program assessment will be used to improve program activities
  • Budget and Accompanying Justification (Not scored; does not count against your page limit
    • The extent to which the applicant provides a detailed budget and justification consistent with the stated objectives and planned activities of the project. 

Human Subjects

o        Does the applicant adequately address the requirements of Title 45 CFR Part 46 for the protection of human subjects?

 

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement and Grants Office (PGO) staff and for responsiveness jointly by the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and PGO. Incomplete applications and applications that are non-responsive to the eligibility criteria will not advance through the review process.  Applicants will be notified the application did not meet submission requirements.

 

An objective review panel will evaluate complete and responsive applications according to the criteria listed in the “V.1. Criteria” section above.
  • Applications will be reviewed objectively by CDC professional staff from inside and outside the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [NCCDPHP].  Applications will not be objectively reviewed by CDC professional staff from inside the funding team.
  • Each application will be reviewed by a primary, secondary, and tertiary reviewer.
  • Responsive applications will be reviewed and then ranked by score according to the criteria described in this program announcement.
  • The applicant with the highest score will be referred to the Director, NCCDPHP, who will make the final decision.
  • All applicants will receive a written report summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of their application.

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Dates

September 30, 2008

 

VI.       Award Administration Information

 

1. Award Notices

Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award (NoA) from the CDC Procurement and Grants Office.  The NoA shall be the only binding, authorizing document between the recipient and CDC.  The NoA will be signed by an authorized Grants Management Officer and emailed to the program director and a hard copy mailed to the recipient fiscal officer identified in the application. Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of the application review by mail.

 2. Reporting Requirements

The applicant must adhere to the reporting requirements established under Funding Opportunity Announcement #DP08-801.

 

VII. Agency Contacts

CDC encourages inquiries concerning this announcement.

For general questions, contact:

            Technical Information Management Section

    Department of Health and Human Services

            CDC Procurement and Grants Office

            2920 Brandywine Road

            Atlanta, GA 30341

            Telephone: 770-488-2700

 

For program technical assistance, contact:

            Elizabeth Coke Haller, School Health Team Lead

    Department of Health and Human Services

            CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health

    4700 Buford Highway NE, MS K-31

            Telephone: (770) 488-6203

            E-mail: ehaller@cdc.gov

 

For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:

    Cynthia Thompson

    Grants Management Specialist

    Department of Health and Human Services

            CDC Procurement and Grants Office

            2920 Brandywine Road, MS E-14

            Atlanta, GA 30341

            Telephone: (770) 488-2714

            E-mail:cbt1@cdc.gov

 

  

CDC Home Page: http://www.cdc.gov

CDC Funding Web Page: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/FOAs.htm  

CDC Forms Web Page: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grants/app_and_forms.shtm