FAQs for TPWIC NOFO: CDC-RFA-DP22-2201 Tribal Practices

Question: We are a tribal non-profit regional organization serving 13 tribes in a region of the United States. Are we eligible to apply?
Answer: Tribal organizations are eligible to apply on behalf of a single tribe or Alaska Native village. As outlined in the Eligibility section on page 16 of the NOFO, tribal organizations must submit a letter of support signed by the tribe/village leadership, which may vary by tribe/village and may include the Tribal/Village Council, President, or other designated executive leader, with their application. CDC will consider any application requesting to serve multiple tribes as nonresponsive, and it will receive no further review.

Question: For tribal organizations applying on behalf of a single tribe or Alaska Native village, is there a limit on the amount of funds under the grant that can go to the tribal organization?
Answer: For tribal organizations applying on behalf of a single tribe or Alaska Native village, there is no restriction on the distribution of funds between the applicant organization and the tribe/village. However, as noted in the Funding Restrictions section on page 27 of the NOFO, “The direct and primary recipient in a cooperative agreement program must perform a substantial role in carrying out project outcomes and not merely serve as a conduit for an award to another party or provider who is ineligible.” Applicants should make it clear in their application how both parties will work together to perform a substantial role in carrying out project outcomes.

Question: Who is eligible to apply for this funding?
Answer: Any type of entity, subject to the clarifications in the “Additional Information of Eligibility” section of the Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO), may apply for this funding. This NOFO will support any of the 574 Federally recognized American Indian Tribes/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Villages, any of the 41 Urban Indian Organizations (UIO) that have a current Title V Indian Health Care Improvement Act Contract with the Indian Health Service, or any Tribal Organization, as defined in this NOFO, that is applying on behalf of a single American Indian tribe/Alaska Native village.

Question: What type of review process will occur for this competition?
Answer: All applications will be reviewed initially for completeness and responsiveness by CDC Office of Grant Services (OGS) staff. Incomplete applications and applications that do not meet the responsiveness criteria, as noted in the Additional Information on Eligibility section, will not advance to Phase II review. Applicants will be notified that their applications did not meet eligibility or published submission requirements. During Phase II, an objective review panel will evaluate complete, responsive applications in accordance with the criteria described for “Approach,” “Evaluation and Performance Measurement,” and “Organizational Capacity.” During the Phase III review, CDC reserves the right to fund applications out of rank order to achieve geographic diversity. Up to 18 federally recognized AI/AN tribes/villages or tribal organizations serving a single tribe, or native village will be funded, with no more than 2 awards to tribes/villages and tribal organizations within a single Indian Health Service (IHS) Area. CDC will fund no more than one award intended for a single tribe/village CDC See pages 29-32 of the NOFO.

Question: Are state entities eligible to apply?
Answer: Any type of entity listed on pages 15 and 16 of the NOFO are eligible to apply, subject to the clarifications in the section on Additional Information on Eligibility. On page 16 of the NOFO, it states that “this NOFO will support any of the 574 Federally recognized American Indian Tribes/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Villages, any of the 41 Urban Indian Organizations (UIO) that have a current Title V Indian Health Care Improvement Act contract with the Indian Health Service, or any Tribal Organization, as defined in this NOFO, that is applying on behalf of a single American Indian tribe/Alaska Native village.”

Question: Are recipients of Tribal Practices for Wellness in Indian Country (TPWIC) CDC-RFA-DP18- 1812 eligible to apply for TPWIC CDC-RFA-DP22-2201?
Answer: Recipients of Tribal Practices for Wellness in Indian Country (TPWIC) CDC-RFA-DP18- 1812 are eligible to apply for TPWIC CDC-RFA-DP22-2201.

Question: May an applicant send two applications for two different programs?
Answer: No. If multiple applications are received from the same applicant or in support of the same tribe/village, only the application received with the latest date and time stamp will be accepted.

Question: Is a letter of intent required?
Answer: No, a letter of intent is not required.

Question: The application requires a Tribal Support Letter for Tribal organizations that are applying on behalf of a single Tribe. How do we submit that letter of support?
Answer: Title the letter of support “Tribal Support Letter” and upload the document as an “other attachments/mandatory other attachments” with the application at www.grants.gov.

Question: Beyond the letter of support from tribal leadership that is required for organizations applying on behalf of a single tribe, are letters of support accepted from partners?
Answer: General letters of support are not encouraged. However, you may also choose to submit a Memorandum of Understanding from any organization(s) with whom you intend to partner with to help achieve at least one of the chosen intermediate outcomes. Otherwise, CDC will work with recipients in Year 1 to help identify partners, if needed, and develop their partnership plan.

Question: Are the CDC Risk Assessment Questionnaire and supporting documentation a requirement of the grant application submission?
Answer: Yes, the risk assessment is required for new awardees under a new program announcement. Prior to making an award, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) evaluates the degree of risk posed by an applicant. In filling out the Risk Questionnaire, each question should be answered as completely as possible, using extra pages if necessary. https://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/PPMR-G-CDC-Risk-Questionnaire.pdf

Question: How do I fill out the Lobbying registration form, and who is the Lobbying Registrant?
Answer: The Lobbying Registration Form is completed to disclose lobbying activities pursuant to 31 U.S.C.1352. (from grants.gov) Title 31, United States Code, Section 1352, entitled “Limitation on use of appropriated funds to influence certain Federal contracting and financial transactions,” generally prohibits recipients of Federal grants and cooperative agreements from using Federal (appropriated) funds for lobbying the Executive or Legislative Branches of the Federal Government in connection with a SPECIFIC grant or cooperative agreement. Section 1352 also requires that each person who requests or receives a Federal grant or cooperative agreement must disclose lobbying undertaken with non-Federal (non-appropriated) funds. These requirements apply to grants and cooperative agreements EXCEEDING $100,000 in total costs (45 CFR Part 93). Instructions for completion of the applicable Lobbying Form can be found here: INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF SF-LLL, DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES (grantsolutions.gov). The “lobbying registrant” is the person that is registered as a lobbyist.

Question: If we are an Urban Indian Organization serving the urban AI/AN population, do we need to obtain a letter of support?
Answer: Urban Indian Organization that have current Title V Indian Health Care Improvement Act contracts with the Indian Health Service and serve Urban AI/AN populations do not need to submit a letter of support from a tribe/village. Indian Health Service maintains and publishes the list of Urban Indian Organizations.

Question: How do applicants include page numbers for attachments in the table of contents if everything in the application is uploaded separately? What items should applicants include in the table of contents, aside from project narrative headings?
Answer: Applicants may provide page numbers for the contents being uploaded by section and should include attachments in the table of contents. The system will merge all parts of the application. For a list of recommended and required attachments, see pages 40-41 of the NOFO.

Question: Beyond the letter of support from tribal leadership that is required for organizations applying on behalf of a single tribe, are letters of support accepted from partners?
Answer: General letters of support are not encouraged. However, applicants may choose to submit a Memorandum of Understanding from any organization(s) with whom applicants intend to partner with to help achieve at least one of the chosen intermediate outcomes. Otherwise, CDC will work with recipients in Year 1 to help identify partners, if needed, and develop their partnership plan.

Question: I have a question for completing the SF-424A for this application. For Grant Program Function or Activity, should this be based on Strategies 1-6 in the logic model? If not by strategy, can you please provide a guide or template for how the CDC would like this completed?
Answer: The activity or function is Tribal Practices for Wellness in Indian Country for field 1-a. Grant Program Function or Activity (a). Please review the instructions on grants.gov.

Question: What is the proposed project date on the SF 424 form?
Answer: The proposed project date is the 5-year period of performance which is from June 30, 2022 – June 29, 2027.

Question: What is the maximum amount of money we can apply for with this NOFO?
Answer: The maximum amount of money an applicant can apply for is $150,000 per budget period, subject to availability, including both direct and indirect costs.

Question: Are matching funds required?
Answer: No, matching funds are not required for this NOFO. However, leveraging other resources and ongoing efforts to promote sustainability of the project are strongly encouraged.

Question: Should a detailed budget be submitted for the total period of five years, or just for the first 12 months?
Answer: Applicants only need to submit a budget for the first 12 months of the project period.

Question: Is the budget included as part of the total page limit for applications?
Answer: No, the budget is not part of the 20-page narrative limit.

Question: Can we use funds to purchase materials to promote our program, like t-shirts?
Answer: No. Recipients may not use funds to purchase giveaway items for the purpose of promoting their program. See other funding restrictions on page 26-27 of the NOFO.

Question: Is construction an allowable expense for this NOFO?
Answer: The use of funds for construction is not allowed under this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Question: May we include a telehealth component, which may involve the purchase of equipment?
Answer: CDC cannot comment on specific strategies. However, as stated on page 26 of the NOFO under funding restrictions, “recipients may not use funds for clinical care except as allowed by law.” Generally, recipients may not use funds to purchase furniture or equipment. Any such proposed spending must be clearly identified in the budget. Recipients will need to have equipment purchases with a unit price of $5,000 or more to be approved by CDC in advance.

Question: We are planning to involve multiple partners in our proposal. How would funding those partners work?  Is it once a year, once a month, or another method?
Answer: Many partnerships are established with MOUs/MOAs, contracts, or consultant agreements. It would be up to the recipient organization to determine which mechanism is best, and how frequently they would pay their partner. For this NOFO, the budget period is 12 months, and CDC approves contracts and consultant agreements on an annual basis.

Question: Can traditional foods be purchased with these funds?
Answer: CDC is unable to comment on specific budget expenditures through the FAQ process. Recipients may not use funds to purchase food and beverages, except when directly linked to activities in their work plan that support traditional food and diet. If requesting to purchase traditional foods, the applicant should clearly describe how the purchase of food would help them achieve the strategies, activities, and outcomes of the NOFO.

Question: Can equipment such as a large canvas warming tent and propane heater be purchased to provide shelter and warmth at outdoor cultural events held during winter months?
Answer: CDC is unable to comment on specific budget expenditures through the FAQ process. Equipment is anything with a unit price of $5,000 or more. For all budget requests, the applicant should clearly describe how the purchase would help them achieve the strategies, activities, and outcomes of the NOFO.

Question: Can more than one Urban Indian Organization be funded in the same community?
Answer: CDC may fund up to 12 Urban Indian Organizations will be funded to address the same strategies for that portion of their population that is AI/AN.

Question: Can we fund a partner that may be involved in implementing specific strategies and activities or partnership groups?
Answer: Yes. Many partnerships are established with MOUs/MOAs, contracts, or consultant agreements. It would be up to the recipient organization to determine which mechanism is best, and how frequently they would pay their partner. For this NOFO, the budget period is 12 months, and CDC approves contracts and consultant agreements on an annual basis.

Question: If 30 awards of up to $150K comes out to $4.5 million, why does the announcement state the estimated total funding is $22,183,200?
Answer: The estimated total funding represents the estimated amount for the 5-year project period.

Question: Is the purchase of incentive items allowed with funds from this cooperative agreement?
Answer: Incentive items are to be used for evaluation data collection purposes. If requesting to purchase incentive items, the applicant should clearly describe how the incentives would help achieve the strategies, activities, and outcomes of the NOFO. Page 27 of the NOFO states “Recipients may not use funds to purchase giveaway items for the purpose of promoting their program, e.g., pens, bags, clothing.” Recipients will need to have incentive items be approved by CDC in advance.

Question: On the SF424, should we put in the total request for all budget periods on the SF424 total Federal request amount or only one budget period with a maximum award of $150,000?
Answer: On the SF424, the request should only be for one budget period. There is a space on the 424A where applicants may provide an estimation of future funding for the five-year project period.

Question: Do applicants need to include a non-detailed budget or any budget information for years 2-5?
Answer: No. Applicants only need to submit a budget for the first 12 months of the project period.

Question: Are stipends allowed to pay community members for their time spent on a program advisory group?
Answer: CDC is unable to comment on specific budget expenditures through the FAQ process. Under Funding Restrictions on page 26, the NOFO states, “Recipients may use funds only for reasonable program purposes, including personnel, travel, supplies, and services.” If requesting to utilize stipends, the applicant should clearly describe how stipends would help achieve the strategies, activities, and outcomes of the NOFO. Recipients will need to have stipends be approved by CDC in advance. Please see other funding restrictions on page 26-27 of the NOFO.

Question: Is there a page limit for the project narrative?
Answer: Yes, the narrative can be no more than 20 pages, single space, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins. This includes the work plan. Project narrative content beyond 20 pages will not be reviewed.

Question: Are resumes included in the narrative page limit?
Answer: No. Attachments required by this NOFO are not included in the 20-page project narrative limit.

Question: If our Tribe is a current TPWIC recipient, how much information on previous experience and successes should we include in our application?
Answer: Please refer to the NOFO for items that should be included in your application, specifically the Organizational Capacity section for previous experience and successes. Applicants should ensure all NOFO requirements are addressed.

Question: If we already have strong community partnerships, how would you suggest we address this requirement?
Answer: The NOFO states on page 8 that “CDC will work with recipients in Year 1 to help identify partners, if needed, and develop the Partnership Plan.” If your current partnerships meet the requirements of the NOFO, which is to help achieve one of the chosen intermediate outcomes, you may not need to identify additional partners.

Question: Should background information about the project be included to introduce the narrative in the Project Narrative, or should that only be in the Background Section?
Answer: Page 22 of the NOFO states, “The Project Narrative must include all of the following headings (including subheadings): Background, Approach, Applicant Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan, Organizational Capacity of Applicants to Implement the Approach, and Work Plan”

Question: Is there a specific length that Project Narrative should be or not exceed?
Answer: Page 22 of the NOFO states, “Unless specified in the “H. Other Information” section, maximum of 20 pages, single spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins, number all pages. This includes the work plan. Content beyond the specified page number will not be reviewed.”

Question: Must the “Purpose” section not exceed 3 sentences?
Answer: Yes. Page 22 of the NOFO states, “Applicants must describe in 2-3 sentences specifically how their application will address the public health problem as described in the CDC Background section.”

Question: Is background meant to be about the background of the organization or background that sets the context of the problem?
Answer: Page 22 of the NOFO states, “Applicants must provide a description of relevant background information that includes the context of the problem (See CDC Background).”

Question: Does the work plan include both the template and a narrative description or is the work plan template all that is needed?
Answer: Applicants are required to provide a detailed Year 1 work plan, whether using the work plan template or providing a narrative description. If providing a narrative description, applicants should include all elements listed within the sample work plan.

Question: Should the work plan be included in the narrative or as an attachment?
Answer: The work plan is a part of the 20-page project narrative; however, the work plan can be a separate document.

Question: Does the Work Plan for the full five years or just Year 1 need to be submitted?
Answer: Applicants should provide a detailed work plan for the first year of the project, and in the project narrative, provide a high-level description of the proposed activities for years 2-5.

Question: Regarding the Collaboration section, are these collaborations required, and will we get extra points for collaborations that are established beforehand?
Answer: Collaboration with programs funded by CDC is encouraged, but not required. Applicants should also describe their plans to collaborate with several organizations not funded by CDC, as outlined in the NOFO. Applicants should include in their applications the collaborations that make sense in order to implement the strategies/activities that are proposed. Please refer to the Phase II Review for scoring.

Question: Regarding the requirement to develop a Partnership Plan, will there be more weight given to those partnerships that are established beforehand?
Answer: Regarding the Partnership Plan proposal that is part of the Work Plan, applicants should include any partnership that will help achieve at least one of the chosen intermediate outcomes. For scoring criteria, please see that Phase II Review section of the NOFO.

Question: What are the period of performance dates?
Answer: The period of performance is from June 30, 2022 – June 29, 2027. The first budget period is June 30, 2022 – June 29, 2023.

Question: Is a work plan template available?
Answer: An example workplan can be found on page 12 of the NOFO. Page 12 states, “The following template is provided as an example work plan. If the applicant chooses another format, all information in the template must be provided.”

Question: Can tribal organizations applying on behalf of a single tribe/Alaska Native village propose to fund a part time employee to assist the tribe with technical support and evaluation?
Answer: Yes

Question: Are recipients required to measure long-term outcomes?
Answer: No. Recipients are not required to measure long-term outcomes although it is expected that, over time, successes in achieving the intermediate outcomes among community members will ultimately lead to the long-term outcomes.

Question: Should applicants propose performance measures in their applications, or will funded recipients do this after the program begins?
Answer: The Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan section on page 11 of the NOFO requires applicants to provide “available data sources, feasibility of collecting appropriate evaluation and performance data, and other relevant data information (e.g., performance measures proposed by the applicant)” in the evaluation and performance measurement plan. Recipients will be required to create a more detailed measurement plan.

Question: How many awards will be made?
Answer: CDC expects to make up to 30 awards for this NOFO. Specifically, CDC anticipates making up to 18 awards to American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, or American Indian or Alaska Native tribal organizations (TO) serving a single tribe/village (no more than 2 awards to tribes/villages/TOs will be made within a single IHS Area and no more than one award for a single tribe/village will be made). In addition, up to 12 awards to Urban Indian Organizations that have current Title V Indian Health Care Improvement Act contracts with the Indian Health Service will be funded.

Question: How many years will this project be?
Answer: The period of performance is 5 years, subject to the availability of funds.

Question: What’s the approximate start date of the awards?
Answer: The start date will be June 30, 2022.

Question: Will the conference call meeting notes be available to those unable to make the call?
Answer: The script from the conference call will be made available on the NOFO webpage. Audio recordings will not be available.

Question: Where can any updates made to the NOFO be found?
Answer: On the NOFO webpage on www.grants.gov, locate and click the “subscribe” button next to the “apply” button. By subscribing, alerts for any changes to the NOFO will be received. CDC will also announce any updated versions on the NOFO webpage.

Question: Is a copy of the previous Tribal Practices for Wellness in Indian Country Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), CDC-RFA-DP18-1812PPHF18 NOFO, available?
Answer: Tribal Practices for Wellness in Indian Country cooperative agreement, CDC-RFA-DP18-1812PPHF18, can be found on grants.gov (archives): https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=299475

Question: Is it possible to schedule a phone conversation to see if a project would be a good fit for this NOFO?
Answer: CDC is unable to speak to individual applicants about their applications. CDC will respond to questions sent to tpwic2201@cdc.gov.

Question: What is the communication protocol for asking questions regarding this NOFO?
Answer: CDC will respond to questions sent to tpwic2201@cdc.gov.

Question: I understand the required font size is 12. Can the font in tables, charts, and footnotes be size 10?
Answer: All text in the application narrative and work plan, including tables and charts, are to be in 12-point font. Footnotes can be in 10-point font.

Question: Where is the anticipated location for the kick-off meeting and expected number of days?
Answer: Page 25 of the NOFO states, “Applicant’s budget should include travel funds sufficient for the Project Director or designee to attend one recipient kick-off meeting in the first year.” Due to COVID-19, an in-person kick-off meeting is yet to be determined. Since the meeting location is unknown at this time, applicants may plan for a 2.5 day in-person meeting in Albuquerque, NM.

Question: How should an applicant that does not lobby complete the DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES?
Answer: The DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES form should be filled out with “N/A” if not applicable or signed and dated if applicable.

Question: Is it required to operate this program out of the clinic or health department?
Answer: No, it is not required to operate this program out of a clinic or health department.

Question: May we propose to conduct traditional healing ceremonies as an activity?
Answer: Applicants should propose activities that address the NOFO strategies and are required to describe how the activity will lead to the corresponding intermediate outcome. Please note the “Funding Restrictions” section on page 26 of the NOFO, which states, “Recipients may not use funds for clinical care except as allowed by law.”

Question: Is it possible to set up a call with someone at CDC to discuss our proposal ideas?
Answer: No. CDC cannot discuss applicants’ proposed activities or answer questions about proposed activities. Applicants can refer to the Strategies and Activities section of the NOFO for additional information to inform proposed activities. Applicants may submit other questions about this funding opportunity to TPWIC2201@cdc.gov.

Question: Can applicants propose strategies that are not listed in the NOFO?
Answer: No. The NOFO supports the six (6) strategies listed in the NOFO. These strategies were explicitly chosen by tribal leaders and allow for a broad range of cultural practice activities.

Question: We’re considering some activities that include sacred practices, and we’re hesitant to include many details in our work plan or narrative. How do we handle those situations?
Answer: Applicants are not expected to provide information concerning details of sacred tribal practices. However, the application must contain sufficient description of the activity so that it can be reviewed by CDC.

Question: Are the strategies we propose for all five years or just the first year?
Answer: Applicants should propose strategies that they plan to address over the 5-year period of performance of the award. If over the course of the 5 years the recipient determines that a change in strategy is desirable, that decision can be considered in collaboration with the recipient’s Project Officer.

Question: Are there recommended strategies for Urban Indian Organizations?
Answer: Urban Indian Organization (UIO) applicants are expected to address the same strategies listed in the Logic Model for the portion of the UIO’s American Indian/Alaska Native population.

Question: Are we required to provide services for the whole Tribe?
Answer: No. All strategies and activities are to be implemented with and within the community served. On page 6 of the NOFO, under strategies and activities:  “The applicant should also describe their “community served,” which could be a tribe, a community primarily comprised of AI/ANs, or the specific AI/AN population served. All strategies and activities are to be implemented with and within the community served. All outcomes listed in the Outcomes section above and in the Logic Model are expected to be achieved within the community served over the course of the 5-year period of performance.”

Question: Is IRB approval needed to use surveys? For example, activities that involve surveying students while following district research guidelines.
Answer: This funding opportunity is non-research only. Please see CDC’s Distinguishing Public Health Research and Public Health Non-research Policy for more information. All activities will have to be approved within the proposed work plan. Recipients will work with CDC evaluators to finalize their evaluation plans within the first 6 months of award. Evaluation plans cannot be finalized until work plans are approved and finalized.