Innovative Self Advocacy Webinar Questions and Answers current as of 5/5/23

Q. Can you confirm if the grant will allow an agency to facilitate the development of activities/approaches or act as the "pass-through" agency for the development of activities/approaches to innovative self-advocacy? The way the grant is written, it would suggest only self-advocacy agencies/organizations would be eligible ("The grantee organization must be led by people with developmental disabilities").

A. The project or initiative should be under the leadership of self-advocates (people with I/DD). Whether this representation is at an agency level or an agency starts a group or coalition with leadership being self-advocates, self-advocates should be represented in the decision-making, leadership and implementation of a project.

 

Q. I work with a group of faculty and students…who have designed a club and med school course that empowers patients from the IDD community to be self-advocates in healthcare settings. They are interested in creating resources (videos, "toolkits," etc.), so that these efforts may be replicated elsewhere, including at other health professions schools throughout the state. Our questions are:

The NOFA mentions that applications can focus on specific types of self-advocacy ("voting, guardianship, housing") but doesn't mention healthcare. Is MODDC interested in supporting projects related to self-advocacy in healthcare settings?

A. Yes, applications for all subject areas will be considered. Those listed in the NoFA were only examples. Since self-advocacy impacts all areas of life, all areas of life will be considered.

 

Q. Because of the nature of our work, the self-advocates must be over 18. The guidance says applicants must target "youth of transition age (age 14-24)." If our project focused on patients 18-24, would it still be eligible? Or are applicants required to serve that full range (14-24)?

A. Yes, as long as those benefitting from the program include youth within that age range in the NoFA (14-24), it would meet the requirement.

 

Q. The NOFA says: "The grantee organization must be led by people with developmental disabilities." Our project includes people from the IDD community on our Advisory Board, plus people with IDD are classified as "mentors" who guide the med students in learning about the needs of this population. Would that satisfy the requirement to be "led by people with developmental disabilities"?

A. Yes this would satisfy the requirement for the organization being led by people with I/DD.

 

Q. Please describe the specific criteria under ‘Scope of Work’ 1) Grantee organization must be led by people with developmental disabilities. If the organization has individuals with disabilities on the Board, does this meet the criteria?

A. The project or initiative should be under the leadership of self-advocates (people with I/DD). Whether this representation is at an agency level or an agency starts a group or coalition with leadership being self-advocates, self-advocates should be represented in the decision-making, leadership and implementation of a project.

 

Q. Is the “innovative program geared toward removing barriers and increasing access to resources and systems’, expected to continue year after year as written?

A. On page 3 of the NoFA, it states: “Submit detailed reports throughout the duration of the grant including but not limited to: a work plan, sustainability plan after MODDC funding ends, quarterly reports and final project report at the end of the grant period.”

On page 11, it goes further to state that the 4th question to be answered and submitted with the NoFA application is to “Describe how the project will achieve lasting or permanent change and how project activities will continue after MODDC funding ends.”

Applicants should submit with their proposals a sustainability plan for the project being funded by MODDC.

 

Q. I am not sure how to calculate match in my proposal (match requirement). How to determine which poverty county UMSL is in.

A. Match requirements are determined by the county(ies) being served through the grant. A link titled “Poverty Rate By County” can be found on our website.

On the same webpage, a copy of the PowerPoint used in the Q&A NoFA can be found. Slides 29-32 contain more detailed information about Match.

 

Q. What can be considered as in-kind match? My position is funded by the federal grant, can my time for working on the project in “the innovative self-advocacy” be used as in-kind match?

A. Since MODDC is distributing federal funds, the match cannot be from other federal funds.

 

Q. If you are using a donation from a private group, what do you need to verify?

A. If you are using a donation from a private group for this project, please provide official documentation from the private group or person on letterhead with signatures of the group and the amount with your NoFA application.

 

Q. Can individuals apply for this grant or does it need to go to an actual organization?

A. Individuals are able to apply for this grant. However, due to contract requirements, applicants typically choose to identify an organization or non-profit for a partner. For example, it is required that applicants carry liability insurance and adhere to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in the case an audit is required. These factors and others typically cause individual applicants to partner with an umbrella organization.

 

Q. Do you have certain projects you want proposal applicants to do? Or should applicants come up with their own projects that MODDC will support?

A. The only requirements for the project are listed in the NoFA. The Council specifically left the NoFA open-ended to allow for creativity. Applicants are welcome to come up with their own projects that fit within the requirements of the NoFA.

 

Q. Current funding opportunity is for one year. Will the project continue for 2-3 years, for example continue offering funding for the project?

A. MODDC reserves the ability to extend funding on projects as our budget allows. Right now, this is for a one-year contract. Grantees should only expect one year of funding. Additionally, each application requires the submission of a sustainability plan.

 

Q. A slide said that you have to include cross disabilities, however the application specifically identifies people with I/DD.

A. The project should be led by and include people with I/DD as the primary focus for self-advocacy. Each project should ensure that their project has a plan to include cross disability. This will include how it is being promoted to, including and tracking cross-disability participation.

 

Q. If we are already completing a summer leadership group, we would like to know if we can build from this group and make it a year long?

A. We are not allowed to supplant funds, which would include extending the availability of a program that is already established. There needs to be some level of innovation in the project.

 

Q. You say you are meeting on Wednesday, is this available for us?

A. What we are saying is that we will post on the website all the questions and answers for you to read. There will be no more formal meetings about this grant.

 

Q. Where will the answers be on the website?

A. We will email everyone who registered for the webinar the link of where to find the questions and answers. It will be on this website.

 

Q. Are there any restrictions for what the funding can be used for?

A. Other federal funds can not be used to match this funding. As long as it is within the parameters of the NoFA and meets the requirements, there are not further restrictions. *Pull more information.

 

Q. Do you have any translation agency resource that we can check the cost of translation?

A. We are not requiring or restricting this service to the agency listed below. This is simply the agency MODDC is using currently for language access work: Language Link

We also encourage applicants to explore translation and interpretation services in their area. Please include details of your language access plan in your NoFA application, including the credentials of who you have identified for this work.

 

11. Can you share the deadlines again?

● NoFA posted: 3/2/2023
● Deadline for written questions: 4/19/2023 5:00pm CST
● Q&A Webinar: 4/26/2023 2:00pm CST
● Applications due: 5/24/2023 5:00pm CST
● Staff review: 6/7/2023
● Project Development Committee review: 7/3/2023
● Council approval: 7/20/2023
● Award recipients announced: 7/24/2023
● Contract negotiations and signed contracts: 8/4/2023
● Project begins: 8/7/2023
● Project ends: 8/6/2024

 

Q. My son is 16 and has autism, ADHD, and a few more diagnoses. He has a group of friends who are between the ages of 14-20 and have all been trying to figure out vocational options. A few months ago, they got together and started having pop-up coffee cafes. I saw this grant and thought it might help these kids take this idea to the next level. Am I on the right track with that?

A. Yes, see the answer to Question #6 on this Q&A sheet. If the “next level” includes innovation from the original project, it would be an acceptable project.

 

Q. My son does attend a non-profit school in St. Louis County. Do I need to see if we can have them be the umbrella organization or can my son and his friends apply for this grant themselves?

A. See the answer to Question #2 on this Q&A.

 

Q. A group, led be people with disabilities would like to establish an inclusive social space created by people with I/DD. It is being designed to fill a need we have heard for a place where people can socialize where "masking" is not required, encourages, or expected. It is open to all who are open to being radically inclusive. It is not a space for services or programs. We would like for it to be run by paid employees from the disability community at some point. Does this seem like something the grant would apply to?

A. The Innovative Self-Advocacy NoFA encourages innovation around the self-advocacy movement that removes barriers for people with I/DD. The funding needs to fulfill the scope of work outlined in Page 3 NoFA document. The funded project needs to produce outcomes in these areas and should not solely focus on funding a meeting space. Though these costs might be relevant and acceptable for the grant to achieve an outcome, they are not the outcome themselves.

 

Q. Regarding the match requirement on the Innovative Self-Advocacy opportunity, if our institution has a federally negotiated indirect rate that is higher (34%) than the 10.7% allowed, may we use the difference (23.3%) as match?

A. Indirect costs (also known as “facilitates and administrative costs”) are costs incurred for common or join objectives that cannot be identified specifically with a particular project, grant or organizational activity. A grantee may use unreimbursed indirect cost rate as their match for the grant.

For example: A grantee as a 34% indirect cost rate, MODDC allows for a 10.7% indirect cost rate per our DSA. The grantee can use the unreimbursed indirect cost rate (34%-10.7%= 22.16%) as match.