Positive Alternatives RFP Questions - Week 2
12/23/15
1. I’d like to submit our new grant under our new name of ___ (legally assumed name with the
State of MN), but our legal name is still ___and we were first established as a non-profit under
that name—so which should I use for the purposes of submitting the new Grant? Can I mention
the change and use both?
Please mention the change and include both names in your grant proposal.
2. I’m wondering if you can define “directly refers to an abortion provider for an abortion”,
specifically the directly refers part.
Directly refers to an abortion provider for an abortion (Page 6 – RFP) includes either assisting in
making an appointment or providing transportation and/or aid in securing transportation for an
abortion.
3. Our organization recently purchased a building and we won’t be using all of the space for our
program’s activities—there are other, non-related activities in the building. How do we account
for space that we will use in our budget? For example, our building is 2400 square feet and
we’ll use half of it for our pregnancy assistance activities.
Determine the portion of square feet that you will be using for the Positive Alternatives grant
program activities and you will attribute that percentage to the overall budget. For example, if
you use 1200 square feet for the Positive Alternatives Program, you would charge 50% of the
cost of the overall space to your budget.
4. Our organization’s 990 won’t be done by the time of submission—January 14, 2016. What
should be do?
Please submit a copy of your most current 990.
5. Do you know of any pregnancy centers that are currently funded that perform job training
and/or employment services?
Yes, there are several current grantees that are providing services related to job training and
employment. Go to the Positive Alternatives web site for the list of current funded locations:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/program/paa/locations.cfm?city=ALL#desc.
6. Page 7 of the RFP states all pages should be numbered consecutively. Does that mean you
want additional forms, such as the 990, the 503(C) (3), and the table of contents of the payroll
process's written policies and procedures, numbered also?
Either way of numbering the grant proposal pages are acceptable.
7. We wanted to know if we applied for the next level of funding if that would jeopardize
receiving the grant altogether. If an agency applies in the $135,001 - $200,000 category but
does not get funded in that category, it is possibility that it would be funded in the next lower
category?
Based on your community needs and your organization’s capacity you will need to choose the
tier most appropriate for providing necessary services. Your organization can only apply for one
tier. All grant proposals will be considered in the funding or tier level of the funding request
submitted.
8. Because we serve a 20 county area across the state the PAG staff travels out to clients to take
away barriers to service. We have been allowed to be reimbursed for meals (mostly lunch) on
the road following the directions for the Travel log. I need to know if we can put this cost in our
budget request or is that not allowed in this grant cycle. Also I have staff in Rochester, Winona
and Mankato and have a monthly meeting to review and process service to PAG clients. Can I
put that in the budget?
Food expenses can be funded for staff’s travel for PA programming under the rates listed on the
link on page 29 of the 2016 RFP. Monthly meetings for staff may be funded if they meet the
requirements listed. For example, to receive reimbursement for lunch expenses for staff their
travel status must be more than 35 miles away from their normal office or away overnight.
9. On the Logic Model does the number of individuals served/year include the children of the
client or only the client? We track both numbers.
The numbers of individuals served/year should reflect women served.
10. Are grantees required to evaluate annually? Not once per grant cycle?
Grantees will be required to submit an annual evaluation plan and report.
11. The RFP states that babies are defined as infants up to 12 months old. Is Parenting Education
and Support an eligible activity if children are over one year old?
No, services can be provided to women with infants up to 12 months old.
12. If you have an activity that fits into multiple activity categories while preparing the Logic Model
should you list it once or in all categories that it supports the goal? For example, in the Logic
Model’s Activity category, Support to Women to Increase their Knowledge and Skills as Parents,
we do all of the example activities and I am wondering if they can be grouped in one row or if
they need to separated out into rows, one for each "activity".
If the activity you are listing includes separate components that are not part of one program a
client will participate in entirely, then each program category would need to be listed separately
under the activity category. For example, if your mentoring program contains activities such as
life coaching, pregnancy education, parenting education, case management, referrals, material
assistance and car seat safety education and allows clients the option to participate in only
those programs that they would need, then each program component should be listed as its
own activity. See pages 24 – 27 in the 2016 PA RFP for more details.
13. Regarding Page 25: It appears that these are sample Short-Term and Intermediate Outcomes,
in the logic model. Can we write new Intermediate Outcomes?
Sample short and intermediate outcomes are examples provided in the Logic Model. You are
free to develop appropriate short and intermediate outcomes for your program. You are not
allowed to edit the long-term outcomes; the existing ones in the RFP must be used in your logic
model.
14. There was a qualification that an agency needed to provide an alternative to abortion program
for a year starting from 2011. Is that a typo? Or old language from a previous RFP? How does
one demonstrate a year of activity with an alternatives to abortion program since 2011?
The eligibility requirement of having an alternative to abortion program in place by July 1, 2010
is correct. This is a legislative mandate for the Positive Alternatives grant. See Appendix C:
Positive Alternative Statute - page 44 of the 2016 PA RFP for further information. Your
organization’s history can be described in your application’s organizational capacity and will be
further demonstrated with the submission of your 501(3)(c).
15. Does an organization using a federal approved indirect rate need to include a list of the types
of expenses included in that cost rate, or is that ONLY for if we're suggesting a rate we want
the state to use in lieu of a federally approved rate.
An organization with a federal approved indirect rate must only submit verification of their
federally approved indirect rate. The list of types of expenses included in the cost rate is only
required if an organization is suggesting their own indirect rate up to 10%.
16. If a staff member is 30 hours will they need to do a time study?
You don’t need a time study for 30 hours a week of Positive Alternatives work, if the employee
only works 30 hours per week and only on Positive Alternatives. If the employee is working 40
hours, and 30 are spent on Positive Alternatives, you will need to do a time study that
documents the hours worked on the PA program.
17. The RFP states we must include travel to/from the two grant meetings a year. We are in St.
Paul and would not charge the drive over usually. So, do we have to charge for the attending
local meetings?
Local grantees are not required to include travel expenses to MDH required grantee meetings.
18. We provide Centering Pregnancy and the trainings are all out of state. I know that has to be
approved in advance but can we include in our grant budget so it is included?
Any out of state travel you anticipate needing to support your proposed grant activity should be
included in your budget.
19. Could you explain how new grantees might be eligible even though they have not received
grant money for PA since 2011?
All grant proposals submitted will be reviewed and scored based on the merits of their current
application and within the tier level of the organization’s request.
20. On the due diligence form #22 can you explain further the amount of unrestricted funds
compared to total revenues. Are you looking for a percentage or an amount?
It would be correct to list both the actual amount of unrestricted funds compared to the total
revenue and the percentage.
21. Is there any criteria that would prevent an organization from applying for a PA grant that may
be double of what they received in another grant cycle?
There is no criteria that would prevent an organization from applying for a larger funding
request for the 2016 – 2019 PA grant cycle.
22. Can we include the part time salary of someone to help us with the financial reporting the PA
grant requires?
It is strongly suggested that all grantees incorporate into their budget the costs of appropriate
financial staff to provide oversight to the grant. This could be through contracting with an
individual or organization or a direct hire.
23. We are starting a satellite center. In the Grant Proposal Section should I separate the satellite
center out to its own "Proposed Project" or include it in the Proposed Projects of 1) Pregnancy
and Parenting Education 2) Ultrasound 3) Prenatal Vitamins and 4) Pregnancy Tests. The
satellite center will have all of these services at its location.
If your satellite center will be operating under the same 501 (3) (c) as your existing organization,
please include your satellite center as a part of your overall proposed project. It will be one part
of your proposal and will not need to have a separate written proposal.
Community and Family Health Division
Women and Health Unit
Positive Alternative Grant Program
85 E. 7th Place, Suite, 220
St. Paul, MN 55164
651-201-3581