Transcript DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT PROGRAM

Writing Effective Applications
for the DFC Program
Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program
Executive Office of the President of the United States
White House Office of National Drug Control Policy
and the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
The Grant Cycle
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
January: Request for Applications (RFA) public
March: Applications are due
March/April: Screened for format and related HHS
requirements
April: Screened for statutory eligibility by CSAP &
ONDCP in April of each year
May/June: Peer Review Process
June/July: Rank ordered; “Package” completed by
SAMHSA & approved by ONDCP
August: Funding decisions announced
August/September: Training Triage by SAMHSA
POs
December: Mandatory New Grantee Training in DC
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
The Grant Cycle
January
RFA public
June/July
Rank Order
“Package Assembled”
August
Funding Decisions
Announced
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
March/April
HHS format/requirement
screening
March
Applications Due
May/June
Peer Review
Process
April
Statutory Eligibility Screening
Eligible?
Ineligible?
August/September
Training Triage by
POs
December
Mandatory New Grantee Training
Review and Selection Process
Why do applicants fail to get funded?
• Miss the application deadline
• Application provides too much fluff
– There is no “there” there
• Fail to respond to the questions in the RFA
• Application lacks consistent focus from problem
identification through evaluation
– Identify alcohol & tobacco as main problems and discuss
evaluation of reduction in prescription drug abuse
• Application lacks focus on environmental
strategies and community-level change
– Focuses on individual strategies/programs
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
Who are Peer Reviewers?
• DFC grantees in Years 1-4 or 6-10
• Go through training
– At MYTI/Forum
– Conference Calls
• Human elements to the process
– Do not make it hard for Reviewers to find information
– Lose the “fluff”
• Want to read your “story”
– Write application for one of your peers to read
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
Proving the Applicant Eligible
• The required attachments have a purpose
– Proof of statutory eligibility
– READ the Drug Free Communities Act
• LABEL attachments, so that eligibility screeners
can easily find them
– In order, as requested
– Bold the title
– Number/Letter it (e.g., Attachment A)
• NUMBER the attachment pages
– even if you have to do it by hand
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
The 12 Sectors
(examples of potential representatives)
• Youth
• a person under 18
• Parent
• mother/father/guardian/grandparent
• Business
• Chamber of Commerce/owner of local shop
• Media
• the outlet where the majority of the community gets
information
• School
• Principal/Superintendent
• Youth-Serving Organization
• Boys & Girls Club
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
The 12 Sectors (con’t)
(examples of potential representatives)
• Law Enforcement
– Chief of Police/Sheriff
• Religious/Fraternal Organizations
– Pastor/Rabbi/Imam/Masons
• Civic/Volunteer Groups
– Sertoma Club/Kiwanis Club
– Not just some random “volunteer” on the coalition
• Healthcare Professionals
– Doctor/Nurse/Dentist
• State/Local/Tribal Government
– SSA/State Prevention or Treatment Director
• Other Substance Abuse Organization
– Local prevention/treatment provider
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
Proving Sector Involvement
• Required sector chart
• Required supporting document must match or
identify the person in the sector chart
• Required meeting minutes where members are
listed by sector name
• Answers to questions regarding coalition
capacity & membership
development/involvement
• Evidence: sector chart & supporting documents
• *Youth sector = <18
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
Proving 6 Months of Existence
for Coalition
• 2 sets are required in specified timeframes
– At least 6 months before application due date
– Between application due date and the first set of
minutes provided
– Must demonstrate that the meetings focused on
substance abuse prevention
– Must be coalition’s minutes, not fiscal agent’s
• Must include a list of all attendees
– List by sector
• Include month, date and year
• Evidence: 2 sets of minutes in required
specified timeframes
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
An Eligible Mission Statement
• Coalition must have as its principal mission the
reduction of substance abuse, which at a
minimum includes the use/abuse of drugs…with
a primary focus on youth…
– Must be the coalition’s mission statement, not the
fiscal agent’s
• Evidence: mission statement that includes
youth substance abuse prevention
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
Multiple Drugs Address
• …developed a strategic plan to reduce
substance abuse among youth, which targets
multiple drugs of abuse
• Multiple = more than 1
– Cannot be an “underage drinking” coalition that does
not address other drugs & expect to be eligible for a
DFC grant
• Evidence: Action Plan
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
Required 1:1 Match
•
Must show a dollar-for-dollar match from non-federal
sources equaling amount of request from the
Federal Government
–
–
•
Do not overpromise match
–
–
•
Cash (e.g., shared salary/benefit expenses for paid
staff)
In-kind/Donated (e.g., office/meeting space, paper,
copying services, etc.)
Got a million dollars? Prove it.
Must account for every matched dollar to the Government
Evidence: Budget & Budget Narrative
*Coalitions with Native American representation that receives funds from the Bureau of Indian Affairs
may use federal funds as match
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
DFC Match Requirements
Funding Year & Match Requirement
Years 1-6 = 100%
Years 7-8 = 125%
Years 9-10 = 150%
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
How Much Can I Ask For?
• No more than $125,000/year within all
parts of the application
– Make sure ALL the numbers match
– Make sure they do not exceed $125,000
• Evidence: 424, 424A and Budget
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
Neighboring Coalitions
• 2 coalitions may not serve the same zip code
unless both have clearly prescribed their plan for
collaboration
– Go to the DFC website, www.ondcp.gov/dfc, and see
if there is a coalition in a town near you
– Specify the zip codes each coalitions serves
– Explain the overlap of zip codes and WHY both
coalitions are needed
• Evidence: letter/MOU from the neighboring
coalition acknowledging collaboration
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
One DFC Grant at a Time
Grantee = Entity awarded a grant
Coalition
with 501c(3) status
Outside Fiduciary Agent
• Only one grant can be issued to a grantee
at one time
• Evidence: SAMHSA screening &
required Assurance attachment
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
10 Year Rule
• No coalition can receive DFC funding for
more than 10 years
• Outside fiduciary agents cannot seek
funding for the same coalition for more
than 10 years
• Evidence: SAMHSA screening &
Compliance Attachment
www.ondcp.gov/dfc
Questions?
Jack Claypoole, DFC Administrator
202.395.6665
[email protected]
Shannon Weatherly, Policy Analyst
202.395.6774
[email protected]
www.ondcp.gov/dfc