Q: Is RFA an acronym?
A: Yes. It stands for Request for Applications.
Q: Will the PowerPoint from the pre-application conference be shared?
A: Yes. The slides/PowerPoint and minutes will be sent to everyone who submits an interest email.
Q: What is the email address to request minutes from the Pre-application Conference meeting?
A: To receive minutes from the pre-application conference you must submit an Interest Email to the following address: RA-PWPADDCrfa@pa.gov.
Q: How many letters of support are required to be submitted with the application?
A: Letters of support are not required as part of the application, but letters of support are encouraged.
Q: There were additional requirements that were mentioned, but not in the presentation on-screen. Is there a document that we can access with all that info?
A: Yes. The additional requirements are contained in the Request for Applications | Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (paddc.org) posted on our website.
Q: Is the first year a planning/development year?
A: The first year can be a year of development. It is up to the applicant to design their project in a way that they feel will be most effective.
Q: Are grantees expected to attend Council meetings?
A: Unless the Request for Application state otherwise, each Grantee will be asked to attend at least one Council meeting in person in the first 24 months of the grant. Additionally, all grantees will be required to attend a two-day event in Harrisburg in November 2023. Grantees are responsible to pay their own travel and lodging expenses for these meetings. This is an allowable expense under the grant and these costs can be included in the grant budgets. We will cover the cost of meals for up to 2 people per grantee who have been invited to attend these meetings.
Q: Are individuals with developmental disabilities the only employees in the project?
A: No. You can, and are encouraged to, employ workers who have diverse identities, including individuals with developmental disabilities. Council expects you to include people with developmental disabilities among the members of the whole project team; from those paid to conduct the work of the project to those that fill possible volunteer roles such as development, planning, advice and guidance, and evaluation of the project.
Q: Can the workers in the project be employees of the organization or can they be contracted individuals?
A: Both organizational employees and contracted consultants can work in the project.
FREQUENTLY ASKED BUDGET QUESTIONS
Q: How detailed is a budget narrative?
A: The budget narrative for all Council grants must include details for how each line item will be spent and how you calculated the costs for that line item.
Q: May the match include some state funds?
A: Nothing precludes the use of state funds as part of the match; however, state funds CANNOT be used if they originate from federal funds which many state funds do.
Q: Is there an advantage to providing more than the required match?
A: No.
Q: Should the budget be for 12 or 24 months?
A: Both the budget and budget narrative should be for the first for 24 months (2 years) of your proposed project.
Q: Can you explain the requirement to provide a budget for sub-grantees?
A: If your grant includes a sub-grantee who will be working with you on this project and for whom you allocated funds more than 25 percent of your federal allocation, you must include a separate sub-grantee budget outlining how that portion of the budget will be spent.
Q: Are gift cards acceptable for participants of focus groups?
A: Gift cards and other financial incentives are not allowable with Federal funds. However, participant supports costs are an allowable cost (see below for the definition of participant support costs). 45 CFR 75.456 allows Participant Support costs as defined in 75.2. These expenses are allowable with the prior approval of the HHS awarding agency. Participant support costs are defined as direct costs for items such as stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conference or training projects.
Q: If providing a half or full day training can funds be used for coffee/tea and/or box lunches?
A: Funds are permitted to be spent on food if it is reasonable and necessary to the grant activity.