Q&A from December 5 & 6 Webinar on Orientation
From the Orientation Training on 12/05 and 12/06/2023:
1. What is the total number of grants being awarded?
A. This will be determined by the review team.
2. Will reimbursement be made through electronic deposit?
A. Yes, most subrecipients receive reimbursement through electronic deposit.
3. For the timeline, there was the comment about it ending in September. Our organization is new to this grant and confused about that. I thought it ended in June and was multi year. Am I totally confused?
A. The contracts will run from April 2024- June 30, 2027. The timeline in the slideshow is meant to give an overview of the FAU’s plan and what to expect the first 6 months of the grant.
4. Will this webinar be recorded?
A: No. The slideshow is available online.
5. How much total funding is available?
A. Approximately $18 million is available for funding.
6. If awarded only the Supplies and Assistance grant, is the survey still required to be sent?
A. Yes. The required survey for both contract types is provided in the scope of services.
7. The services grant funds extend over 3+ years and must decrease by 10% each year during years 2-4. Does the same apply to the supplies and assistance grant?
A. Yes, both grants should taper off during years 2-4.
8. Is there an annual reapplication?
A. No. If your agency is approved for funding, it will be an approval for the 3 years and 3 months.
9. How would time sheets look for employees that are spending 100% of their time working on a grant-funded?
A. 100% funding staff would still need track their time. Their time sheets should include details of grant allowable activities they provide during the hours billed to the grant.
10. When you complete the budget form, the numbers should reflect the total expenses for 3 years, 3 months totaled?
A. Yes. More information on this can be found on the “TN Strong Families Program Budgets” listed here https://www.tn.gov/finance/office-of-criminal-justice-programs/ocjp/tennessee-strong-families-grant-program-/trainings.html and in Q74 on the FAQs.
11. Are the amounts for the funding rewards only $100k and $1M? There would be no funding awarded for less than $100k?
A. This will be determined by the review team.
12. Is the 18 million the total for the 3 years or is that the amount allocated each year of the grant?
A. The $18 million is for the 3 years and 3 months.
13. Can we have participants access the survey electronically via a QR code and take it that way? Do we actually need to have a physical copy of the survey in a file or is it acceptable to have the data and survey forms available to access in a Google form format? We already have a survey instrument. Is this specific instrument required, or can we request approval to use our own as long as it covers these or similar questions?
A. You may distribute and collect the survey a number of different ways, but the survey provided in the scope of services must be the survey distributed.
14. As far as documenting grant funding received, will that need to be tracked as specific dollar amounts, or simply that this client received services provided by this funding?
A. Documentation will need to support services and activities provided to clients. Clients files will not have record of the dollar amount associated with specific assistance provided to clients, but specific dollar amounts must be maintained in fiscal records for reimbursement.
15. Will you be required to see the client name, or can it be listed as an ID number?
A. Personally identifiable information (PII) will need to be kept confidential. During monitoring and/or site-visits, agencies may assign an ID number to redacted files.
16. On the intent to apply, do those three contact people need to be different?
A. Yes, the Authorized Official, Project Director, and Fiscal Director must be 3 different people.
17. Are funding decisions made for applications submitted prior to the 1/5 deadline?
A. No.
18. So, the letter of intent was submitted, and now we need to submit the actual application. Correct?
A. Completing and submitting the application is the next step after submitting an intent to apply.
19. When completing the budget sheet, do we use our business year or 4/1?
A. The budget should start 4/01/24.
20. How do we invoice for reimbursement if it is not necessary to track by dollar amount? I.e. how would we invoice for that counselors time?
A. While it is not appropriate to track the dollar amount of services in client files, financial records (staff salary, purchases, etc.) must be maintained to determine reimbursement.
21. When submitting the monthly invoices, can an invoice be denied?
A. Yes. If the invoicing workbook is not filled out correctly, the invoice can be denied.