Notice of Funds Available (RFP) Print Apply for this Grant

Specifications

Introduction

The Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council (MODDC) has approved funding for a one year project. The MODDC is seeking proposals for the coordination, planning, recruitment, and implementation of a basic training, completely provided in Spanish, to provide knowledge in how to access the services and supports Latino families and Latino individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities want and need.

If you have questions after reading this Notice of Funding Available, contact Katheryne Staeger-Wilson, Program Coordinator, at kstaeger-wilson@moddcouncil.org or at 417-895-7446.

About MODDC

MODDC is a state entity that is funded by the federal Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) in accordance with the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act). Individuals may read more about AIDD and the DD Act at:
https://acl.gov/Programs/AIDD/index.aspx

The Council's Mission is:

"To assist individuals, families, and the community to include all people with developmental disabilities in every aspect of life."

The Council believes that mission will be achieved when people with developmental disabilities: make informed choices about where they live, work, play, and worship; receive individual and family supports which are flexible, based on need, and provided in a culturally sensitive manner; have the opportunity to engage in productive employment and meaningful retirement; experience continued growth toward their full potential; live in homes in the community with the availability of individualized supports; are treated with dignity and respect; attend neighborhood schools with their peers in regular classrooms, and are members of powerful advocacy networks made up of individuals and parents and family members.

The Council also believes that individuals, parents, and family members are the most powerful forces in forging a responsive and flexible support network for people with developmental disabilities.

MODDC develops a five year state plan that includes goals and objectives. The goals and objectives are the steps MODDC plans to take to create change. MODDC awards grants to organizations sharing MODDC's vision and values for projects that are consistent with the Goals and Objectives in the Five Year State Plan.

Read more about MODDC, MODDC's mission and values, and the Five Year State Plan, at www.moddcouncil.org.

Federal Definition of Developmental Disability

The term 'developmental disability' means a severe, chronic disability of a person which:

"A. Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments;
B. Is manifested before the person attains age 22;
C. Is likely to continue indefinitely;
D. Results in substantial functional limitations in three of more of the following areas of major life activity:
(i) Self-care, (ii) Receptive and Expressive language, (iii) learning, (iv) mobility, (v) Self-direction, (vi) capacity for independent living, and (vii) economic self-sufficiency; and
E. Reflects the person's need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic care, treatment, or other services which are of life long or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.

Relationship to MODDC State Plan Goals

MODDC expects this project to help MODDC meet the following MODDC FY 2017-2021 State Plan:

TARGETED DISPARITY GOAL: Individuals with I/DD and their families receive the supports they need in their community in ways that are culturally competent and without biases due to their race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, or ethnicity.

Objective 1: By September 30, 2021, a minimum of 30 Latino/Hispanic families with children with I/DD associated with at least three (3) Latino/Hispanic family organizations in Missouri will receive needed services and supports.

ADVOCACY GOAL: People with I/DD effectively advocate for themselves and others, and influence policy and issues that are important to them.

Objective 1: By September 30, 2021, support at least 150 self-advocates with I/DD and their families in receiving leadership training that will enable them to take action to improve their lives and/or their communities.

Purpose

In the early 1990s, the MODDC began offering training to build leadership and advocacy through the Partners in Policymaking program, a nationally replicated model. The program follows guidelines established in 1987 by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. The program is a competency-based leadership development training for adults with developmental disabilities and parents of children with disabilities.

The Council is proud of the many accomplishments of Missouri Partners in Policymaking graduates and their efforts to positively impact the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities to live lives of their choice through improved local, state, and national advocacy. It is our hope that we are able to expand those accomplishments through diversity outreach. Through our outreach efforts, the MODDC has learned that due to cultural barriers, Latino communities in Missouri are in need of more in depth training, provided in Spanish, in order to meet their specific needs. It has been learned that Latino families need a supportive environment to discuss disability related issues and need to learn basic information regarding disability as well as services and supports they may receive. Consequently, the MODDC is seeking proposals for the coordination, planning, recruitment, and implementation of a basic training program, completely provided in Spanish, to provide knowledge in how to access the services and supports they want and need.

The successful applicant will be expected to coordinate a leadership and advocacy pilot program for at least 10 Latino participants residing in a community or geographic region in Missouri, impacted by someone in their family having a developmental disability.

• Grantee must be able to speak English and Spanish fluently, demonstrate an understanding of Latino culture and be well connected within the Latino culture/geographic region in Missouri.
• Grantee must have experience with/knowledge of the Partners in Policymaking program.
• Grantee must have an understanding of how Latino culture intersects disability issues and the perception of disability from the view of different cultures.
• Grantee must have an understanding of cultural barriers to accessing services and supports in Missouri.
• Grantee will coordinate at least five sessions. Topics must include the following: cultural barriers to obtaining disability services and supports, explore how disability is perceived in different cultures, general disability issues, education issues, disability laws, rights and responsibilities, local and state services, how to access services/supports, Medicaid/SSI benefits, advocacy and leadership training, disability history and civil rights movements.
• All expenses to participate in at least five sessions, are paid by the Council through this grant. All sessions will occur in the selected Latino community/geographic region in Missouri. The final session will include a graduation ceremony to which family members and others are invited.

Scope of Work:

1. Communication and Reporting: Set-up ongoing communication, submit required reports on time, keep accurate records and receipts, participant reimbursement forms, submit monthly invoices, gather and report program evaluation data on a pre-determined schedule.
2. Facilitate Planning Activities: Coordinate dates for each training session, topics, presenters, and recruitment efforts.
3. Outreach: Develop and disseminate the recruitment information about the program to the public. Facilitate participant recruitment efforts. Interview all applicants by phone or face-to-face to collect additional information. Participants should reflect a balance between self-advocates and parents/family members.
4. Make All Travel, Food, Lodging, and Meeting Arrangements: Responsible for all arrangements for all participants and presenters for every session, including support staff and interpreters as needed. Also responsible for arranging for meeting room set up, AV equipment, accessible transportation, and assistive technology as needed. All arrangements must meet state guidelines and be within state per diem rates. State guidelines and per diem will be made available to the contractor.
5. Organize All Participant Program Materials: Reproduce and organize materials needed by participants for each session in Spanish. Develop alternative formats (large print, audio tape or disk, Braille, etc.) required for participants and create any new materials as needed. Provide all materials from presenters in accessible formats.
6. Coordinate Training Sessions: Be on site for the entirety of each session. Ensure meeting environments for participants are conducive to interaction and learning from presenters and each other. Reinforce style of management used at training sessions. Promote positive and constructive discussions, with respect to all presenters and participants. Ensure time is managed within each agenda to allow participants the ability to achieve competencies developed. Establish an environment where all are encouraged to participate.
7. Information Management: Compile pre-surveys, participant contact information, review Partners reimbursement forms for accuracy, evaluations from monthly sessions, homework assigned, and any additional paperwork required for the Partners sessions.


Expected Outcomes: Successful recruitment of and coordination of the Latino Leadership and Advocacy Project (a minimum of five sessions, based on the Minnesota DD Council model). The program will graduate a minimum of 10 participants within the given timelines, within budget, and families will be connected to the services and supports they need.

Who May Apply

Public agencies, private not-for-profit agencies, institutions of higher education, schools, and private for-profit organizations may apply for this grant. The organization that applies for this grant must be the organization that will administer the grant and receive, disburse, and account for grant funds. Individuals may not apply for this grant.

Maximum Funding and Duration

The MODDC may award a maximum of $50,000, for one year, to one organization. MODDC reserves the right to negotiate the budget as needed and may choose not to award funding for this project.

Grantees are expected to provide match per MODDC guidelines. The match for non-poverty counties is $16,666 (33.3%) and $5,000 (10%) for poverty counties. Match may be in-kind or cash. The match must come from non-federal funds (e.g. state, local, agency, and or private funds). In-kind match from a variety of sources can be considered. For additional information regarding match see attachments.

MODDC funds may not be used for capital expenditures or acquisition, construction, remodeling, rental or purchase of buildings. These grant funds cannot be used for ongoing organizational activities, to supplant existing private, state or federal funding sources, to purchase equipment or furnishings, or to duplicate or replace existing services provided to people with developmental disabilities.

All funding for this NOFA is contingent on receipt of MODDC federal grant funding. MODDC may choose to reduce the amount of grant funding at the time of the grant award.

Application Timeline

The application consists of a project abstract, narrative, workplan with targeted performance measures and a budget. Applications must be submitted online via www.ddsuite.org prior to the published deadline. No paper copies will be accepted. New applicants should register for a DD Suite account as soon as possible prior to completing and submitting an application. Detailed instructions on completing DD Suite grant applications can be viewed in the Applicant/Grantee User Guide in the HELP section of DD Suite at www.ddsuite.org. Applicants must have an active account and be logged in to view the guide.

An informational conference call will be held on Friday, June 15, 2018 from 4 pm to 6pm (central standard time). Please call the bridge or toll free numbers: 526-6012/866-630-9353 to participate.

Deadline to submit written questions - Thursday, June 14, 2018, 1pm, (central standard time)
Deadline to submit applications - Friday, June 29, 2018, 5pm (central standard time)
Applicants notified of decision - Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Project begins - September 1, 2018; Project ends - August 31, 2019

All questions regarding this grant solicitation must be submitted in writing via electronic mail to: Katheryne Staeger-Wilson, kstaeger-wilson@moddcouncil.org no later than: 1pm (Central Standard Time) on Thursday, June 14, 2018.

There will be no debriefing for applicants who do not receive funding.

Application Evaluation

Applications submitted by the deadline will undergo a technical review. Minimum criteria include meeting applicant eligibility requirements, adherence to all instructions for completing the application, and funding parameters.

Applications meeting the minimum criteria will be evaluated for quality, applicability and appropriateness of responses, innovation, projected performance measures, cost effectiveness, and organizational capacity to successfully achieve the project's goals and objectives.

Assurances

The following terms and conditions apply to all organizations awarded MODDC grant funds:

The Council reserves a royalty-free, non-exclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use, any work developed under any grant awarded by the MODDC.

Final drafts of any training materials, publications, videos, websites or other products shall be reviewed and approved by the MODDC prior to dissemination to the general public. Products must acknowledge Council funding (e.g. "This product was funded through a grant from the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council under provisions of P.L. 106-402, the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act 2000.")

Grantees shall administer and report survey results using the MODDC Satisfaction Surveys and through DD Suite annual reporting of performance measures.

All materials developed by grantees under this award shall be available and/or reproducible in accessible formats.

The applicant will need to complete the assurances page (Attachment #2) and submit along with the proposal. The page must contain the signature of a general or registered agent of the organization.

The selected applicant will be required to complete and submit state and federal contract and assurance forms as a condition of grant award.

Project Evaluation

The proposal must address how the MODDC performance measures will be met:

IFA.1.1 The number of people with developmental disabilities who participated in Council supported activities designed to increase their knowledge of how to take part in decisions that affect their lives, the lives of others, and/or systems.
IFA.1.2 The number of family members who participated in Council supported in activities designed to increase their knowledge of how to take part in decisions that affect the family, the lives of others, and/or systems.
IFA.2.1 After participation in Council supported activities, the percent of people with developmental disabilities who report increasing their advocacy as a result of Council work.
IFA.2.2 After participation in Council supported activities, the percent of family members who report increasing their advocacy as a result of Council work.
IFA.2.2.1 The percent of people who are better able to say what they want or say what services and supports they want or say what is important to them.
IFA.2.2.2 The percent of people who are participating now in advocacy activities.
IFA.3.1 The percent of people with developmental disabilities satisfied with a project activity.
IFA.3.2 The percent of family members satisfied with a project activity.

Proposal must include relevant information to assist MODDC to better understand and address the experiences of diverse groups of people who are unserved and underserved (including but not limited to, people of color, people living in rural areas, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and gender identity, religion, and disability). Proposals must include the following:
- Develop a methodology of how outreach to culturally informed stakeholders and/or cultural brokers will be identified for the project.
- Develop a methodology to identify and measure cultural competence of the project.
- Provide a summary of previous work experiences in the areas of multi-cultural and/or social justice projects.

Proposals must also include a plan to measure and document that the expected outputs and outcome(s) are reached.

Proposals should also describe the plan to evaluate:
•how successful you were in reaching your goal;
•how satisfied the people that collaborated on the project were with the project.
•how you will gather data to report the Performance Measures described in this NoFA;
•how you will keep evaluating your successes and barriers beyond the length of the grant. MODDC may follow-up with your organization after completion of grant funding to evaluate long-term impact;
•how you will gather input from participants, funding sources, Project Advisory Committee members, and relevant partners; and
•How you will evaluate how well people with diverse disabilities and/or their families were included fully throughout the project.

It is the responsibility of the grantee to determine what the sustainable change or impact of the project will be and to explain that in the proposal. The sustainability plan should include a strategy to maintain and strengthen connections with culturally diverse communities/organizations and non-disability related groups. It is expected that the grantee begin work on this at the beginning of the project to address sustainability.

MODDC staff may contact organizations that received grants each year for three to five years after their grant has ended. MODDC will want to know if activities continued and what kind of long-term impact the grant project may have had.

Grantees may wish to contract with an external evaluator to ensure a thorough evaluation, but they are not required to do so.

Qualifications and Organizational Experience

Any organization that receives a MODDC grant must be able to disburse funds for project activities and expenses, complete MODDC's forms correctly and on time, and be legally able to receive grant funds to reimburse the organization for expenses.


Proposals must show that the organization submitting the proposal has the infrastructure, experience, and capability to implement project activities successfully. Proposals also must demonstrate that the organization can manage funds effectively.

Reporting Requirements

Grantees must submit quarterly reports, continuation proposals to request additional funding if needed, and a final report at the end of the grant. These must be submitted on time. MODDC Program Coordinators will provide more information about these processes to the successful applicant.

Grantees also must report on federally-defined Performance Measures. MODDC staff will provide assistance to grantees to understand the Performance Measures.

Terms

Applicants must agree to the following terms:
•Applicants must disclose any conflicts of interest between themselves and MODDC members, employees or their immediate families.
•Applicants must use respectful language, people first language (see attachment).
•All printed materials must be available in Spanish and in an appropriate accessible format — including electronic, tagged PDF, or large print. Funding for this should be included in the budget.
•Videos, DVDs and teleconferencing and distance learning activities produced by this project must be fully accessible. Any videos or DVDs must be captioned.
•MODDC will retain rights to all products created using funding awarded through this NOFA.
•MODDC reserves the right not to fund any proposal under this announcement.

Match Requirement

MODDC requires that grantees provide a matching contribution each year of a project. Matching contributions may include funding, volunteer hours, or other "in-kind" donations, such as office space and utilities. Other federal funds may not be used as match. Items or funds that are used for match for another project funded with federal funds also may not be used as match.

MODDC funds may not pay for more than 75% of the total project cost for projects located in counties not designated as federal poverty areas. MODDC funds may not pay for more than 90% of total project cost for projects located in counties designated as federal poverty counties. The remainder of the project cost must be provided as match.

Poverty counties include: Adair, Barry, Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Cedar, Crawford, Dallas, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Green, Hickory, Howell, Iron, Linn, McDonald Madison, Mississippi, Morgan, New Madrid, Nodaway, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Clair, Scott, Shannon, St Francis, St. Louis City, Texas, Washington, Wayne, and Wright.

The Review Process

The Grassroots Advocacy Committee of the MODDC will evaluate each proposal based on how well the proposal responds to the NOFA and instructions in the outline questions, and the extent to which the proposed project may move MODDC closer to meeting the State Plan Goals and Objectives. The Committee will consider only the information included in the DD Suite application form, the attached Supplemental Forms Packet, and documents that are specifically allowed and are attached to the application. Applicants will not have the opportunity to clarify or add to the information provided in the proposal after the deadline unless they are awarded the grant. MODDC will only review materials specifically requested or allowed by the NOFA, the application, or the application instructions.

Continuing Funding

Continuation funding will be based on a review of the project's accomplishments, progress towards stated goals and objectives, financial management of funds, compliance with reporting requirements, review of the most recent program audit, review of findings of MODDC's onsite reviews, development of alternative funding, and the availability of MODDC funds.

MODDC does not plan to provide funding for these projects beyond the number of months offered in this NOFA.

Supporting Documents

• 5 year state plan APPROVED as of 11-1-16 with committee assignments.docx
• NOFA Assurances.pdf
• NOFA Budget Sheet.doc
• People First Language
• Poverty Counties