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collapse Funding Announcement Title : Capital Case Indigent Defense ‎(9)
collapse Question Title : Application ‎(1)

​Question: The Capital Mitigation Specialist name assigned to the case I am applying for grant funding is sealed.  How do I report that in the grant application?

Answer: Type "Sealed" in any field requesting this information and provide further justification of this in the appropriate area for any relevant section.  

collapse Question Title : Award Amounts ‎(1)

​Question: Are counties allowed to apply for funding for multiple qualifying capital cases, if needed.  May a county request more than $20,000 on one application?

Answer: Section 2: Funding Availability of the funding announcement indicates counties may apply for funding for multiple qualifying cases. However, the budget for individual qualifying case may not exceed $20,000.  For example, a county with four qualifying capital cases may apply for up to $80,000 in funding to support eligible expenses for the four cases.

collapse Question Title : Deadline ‎(1)

​Question:  Has there been any extension on the Capital Case Indigent Defense solicitation and application submission due to the coronavirus shutdown?

Answer:  The Capital Case Indigent Defense solicitation remains open with a current end date of May 31, 2020; however, this funding announcement may remain open longer than May 31, 2020 with any extended due date for applications reflected on the Home Page of the Egrants System as updates occur.

 

collapse Question Title : Eligibility ‎(2)

​Question: Must a Public Defender's Office have a pending capital case in order to be eligible for the grant or is an agency eligible to apply in the event that such a case arises between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021?

Answer: Under this funding announcement, counties may apply for funds to support current open/pending capital cases (indigent defense) only.

​Question: Is a county eligible for capital case indigent defense funding opportunity if the county does NOT have a current Capital case?

Answer: Under this funding announcement, counties may apply for funds to support current open/pending capital cases only.

collapse Question Title : Eligible Activities and Expenses ‎(1)

​Question: Has the Capital Case Indigent Defense grant been opened up to cover first degree non-capital cases? If so, can my county receive information on which non-capital cases are eligible?

Answer: The eligible program activities and expenses for the Capital Case Indigent Defense funding have not changed from those included in the funding announcement located in Egrants.　 These eligible expenses are discussed in Section 5:　 Eligible Program Activities and Expenses, which is found on page 5 of the funding announcement.　 This section indicates funding must be used to support eligible expenses related to the defense of pending indigent capital cases. Counties should not include expenses related to non-capital cases in their application budgets as these costs are not eligible for funding.

collapse Question Title : Eligible Cases ‎(1)

​Question:  We are uncertain whether a capital case requiring indigent defense is pending in our county.  Is PCCD able to help identify qualifying case?

Answer:  PCCD is unable to provide to counties a list of qualifying capital cases requiring indigent defense or assist with the identification of qualifying cases.  PCCD program staff will utilize the docket information supplied in the application to confirm cases related to an application fall within the parameters acceptable for funding.  Information on eligible activities and expenses is located in Section 5:  Eligible Program Activities and Expenses, which is found on page 5 of the funding announcement. 

collapse Question Title : Funding Availability ‎(2)

​Question: Is there a limit to how many cases a County can apply for?

Answer: Counties may apply for funding to support qualifying expenses for indigent defense related to any, or all, of the eligible pending capital cases in their county. Refer to Section 4. Eligible Applicants located on page 4 of the funding announcement for relevant information.

​Question:  If a County applies for multiple cases, can some cases be approved and other denied? Or is the application in its entirety either approved or denied?

Answer:  As per PCCD policy, all awards are contingent upon the availability of funds and may be subject to budget adjustments prior to final award.  Final award determinations affiliated with this solicitation will include consideration of the number of eligible cases applied for in each county and statewide.

collapse Funding Announcement Title : Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Relief (CESF) ‎(23)
collapse Question Title : Eligible Program Activities and Expenses ‎(1)

​Question:  Our Courthouse would like to swap out cloth chairs for vinyl chairs as the vinyl would be easier to clean to help stop the spread of the virus.  Would this be covered under the Coronavirus Emergency Relief Funding?

Answer:  These expenses would qualify under "Any other item or activity necessary to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus."  Please refer to page 5, Section 5. Eligible Program Activities and Expenses of the funding announcement for the eligible categories of expenses.  

NOTE: Items or activities outside the scope of the seven categories listed in the funding announcement will require detailed justification to support the request

collapse Question Title : Budget Categories ‎(2)

​Question: Our application might involve reimbursing a few township police departments for the purchase of eligible supplies/equipment. Do these departments fall under the “consultant” category since they would be receiving Corona funding, but are not county departments

Answer: There are several options for applicants to provide this information in their budget. 

Option 1- Applicants can list each police department in the consultant category and show what they are being reimbursed for in the justification area.

Option 2-  If there are a lot of different costs for each police department, applicants can set each department up as a pass-through budget and enter costs in appropriate categories and the pass-through budget totals will show in the main budget consultant category.

​Question:  A previous answer offered two alternatives to using the funding this way – either classify each police department as a “consultant” or, if the police department is to be reimbursed for multiple items, to set up a pass-through budget. If the police department is to be classified as a “consultant” will something similar to the “Acceptable Personal Services Contract” be required with each police department? Also, what would the county’s obligations be with respect to the procurement methods of each police department

Answer:  There should be a written MOU or contract between the county and the police department.  A subrecipient at any tier should follow their written procurement policies that meet, at a minimum, the federal guidelines.  The county, as the applicant, is responsible for ensuring that PCCD grant funding is used in accordance with all federal and state laws and regulations.

collapse Question Title : Eligible Applicants ‎(1)

​Question:  It's our understanding that the local CJAB should help with planning what is in the grant proposal and work with the stakeholders to determine the pressing needs to be included.  The grant is to be submitted by the local county, which would be responsible for distribution of materials purchased or moneys (dependent on the need of the agencies).  Is this correct? 

Answer: Correct, this funding announcement is open to Pennsylvania counties with active county Criminal Justice Advisory Boards (CJABs) that follow CJAB Minimum Operating Standards. CJABs will be responsible for coordinating the application for their county and local criminal justice stakeholders (i.e., county jails, juvenile detention centers, law enforcement, district attorney's offices, county probation and parole offices, judiciary/court houses, victim service providers and any other relevant criminal justice stakeholders). 

collapse Question Title : Eligible Program Activities and Expenses ‎(6)

​Question: We are working to begin reopening our courts and will need to provide an atmosphere of social distance for potential jurors in the court system aside from our current jury room, where social distancing would not be possible. Would the providing of this rented space and transport back and forth to it for the jury pool qualify also under this opportunity? 

Answer: These expenses would qualify under "Any other item or activity necessary to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus."  Please refer to page 5, Section 5. Eligible Program Activities and Expenses of the funding announcement for the eligible categories of expenses.  

NOTE: Items or activities outside the scope of the seven categories listed in the funding announcement will require detailed justification to support the request. 

​Question:  Would the purchase of software licenses (Citri x Remote Desktop) to allow employees to work offsite by providing a direct connection into their desktop be an allowable expense for this funding announcement?  This connection allows users to access the County network, their work files, and computer remotely in order to maintain the proper social distancing guidelines.  We would only submit for the licenses that were issued to criminal justice related agencies such as the correctional facility, probation department and the district attorney's office.

Answer:  These expenses would qualify under "Any other item or activity necessary to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus."  Please refer to page 5, Section 5. Eligible Program Activities and Expenses of the funding announcement for the eligible categories of expenses.  

NOTE: Items or activities outside the scope of the seven categories listed in the funding announcement will require detailed justification to support the request. 

​Question:  Can costs incurred for CV-19 mitigation in the Court setting be applied to this funding announcement?  The costs we are looking at are related court/criminal justice system for computers/laptops to work remotely (social distance), Zoom licenses for remote meetings, supervision, hearings.

Answer:  Yes, eligible applicants can apply for these expenses under "Any other item or activity necessary to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus."  Please refer to page 5, Section 5. Eligible Program Activities and Expenses of the funding announcement for the eligible categories of expenses.

​Question:  Due to the social distancing requirements in place during the pandemic, our Sherriff and Probation Department were only able to transport one person at a time for medical appointments and court hearings.  This created a burden on staff and additional vehicle mileage.  Is the expense of an additional vehicle for transports an eligible program expense under this grant?

Answer: These expenses could qualify under "Any other item or activity necessary to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus."  Items or activities outside the scope of the seven categories listed in the funding announcement will require detailed justification to support the request.


​Question: Can this grant be used to recoup County law enforcement costs for outlays directly related to COVID prior to grant award or is only for new projects and expenditures?

Answer: Applicants can submit for reimbursement of eligible expenditures incurred by law enforcement, as long as the expense was not incurred prior to 1/20/2020.

​Question:  Is the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Relief grant limited to criminal and juvenile justice agencies, or could it be used to support family (such as Protection from Abuse) and civil court needs?

Answer:  Funds for proposed programs must be utilized to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus." Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) provides support to, but is not limited to, county jails, juvenile detention centers, local law enforcement, district attorney’s offices, county probation and parole offices, judiciary/court houses, victim service providers and any other relevant criminal justice stakeholders. 

collapse Question Title : EMA Coordination ‎(1)

​Question:  Some departments are considering requesting funding for the purchase of laptops for working remotely.  Ordinarily, our EMA would not get involved with this kind of equipment.  Could we use our IT dept. as the coordinator in this instance?

Answer:   Yes, for IT supplies, coordination with your EMA is not necessary.  CJABs are required to collaborate with their county emergency management agency or coordinator on the county’s application to ensure coordination of activities and reduce duplication of efforts for personal protective equipment.

collapse Question Title : Expense Reimbursement ‎(1)

​Question: The project period can be set as far back as 1/20/2020. Does this mean that we can ask for reimbursement for expenditures incurred by departments, if they fit the budget categories we submit (and other purchasing standards), that were purchased prior to the writing of this proposal?  In the project period per se, but obviously they are reimbursements?

Answer: Yes, applicants can submit for reimbursement of eligible expenditures incurred by departments, as long as the expense was not incurred prior to your project period start date (as far back as 1/20/2020).

collapse Question Title : Federal Transparency Act ‎(1)

​Question: Under the Federal Transparency Act do I have to get the DUNS number for the contractors I plan to use to put in partitions for the District Attorney’s Office if granted?   Under the Budget do I do anything? 

Answer: Subcontractors would not be considered a subrecipient in this case.  Any subrecipient receiving a subaward of $25,000 or more must comply with this requirement.

collapse Question Title : General Application Questions ‎(2)

​Question: Does a County have to include local police departments and victim service agencies in their application?

Answer: PCCD expects CJABs to coordinate with all county criminal justice stakeholders and local law enforcement to determine the county’s critical needs.  This should include police departments and victim service agencies if the needs that they identified in the survey or other needs have not been met. 

​Question: Where do I put the 2 quotes I am getting for a  project?  We are the only one in the County that is applying for the Coronavirus grant.  Would we be considered for the whole amount awarded?  

Answer: The quotes can be attached in the "Required Attachments" section.  As long as the County has  coordinated with all county and local criminal justice stakeholders to determine the county's critical needs, the County may apply for the entire allocation referenced in Appendix A.

collapse Question Title : Keywords ‎(1)

​Question: I'm just creating my application and I don't see "Coronavirus Relief" in the keyword section of the Main Summary page.  Will it be added?

Answer:  "Coronavirus Relief" has been added to the keyword section on the Main Summary page.

collapse Question Title : Overtime ‎(1)

​Question:  In reference to the OT hours, our County paid any worker considered essential that had to report to his or her job time and ½ for every hour worked for a two week period.  Under this grant using the OT category would we be able to apply for the .5 hours additional paid during that 2 week period.  Could you provide more clarification on what the Overtime allowable expenses would be?

Answer:  An allowable overtime expense is time worked in addition to what is normal, as time work ed beyond one's scheduled working hours.  Overtime expenses under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program must be utilized to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the coronavirus.

collapse Question Title : Performance Indicators ‎(1)

​Question:  If funding is requested primarily for PPE and supplies in prevention, preparation or response to COVID-19 are any performance indicators necessary and if so what is PCCD recommending for them? 

Answer: PCCD staff will review  grant applications after submission and return to applicant to add additional measurers if necessary.  For your specific  question, PCCD recommends the following:

Number of units purchased to prevent, prepare for, or respond to coronavirus.  It should be broken down by the following:   disinfectant spray or wipes;  hand sanitizer or hand soap; N-95 facemasks; gloves; surgical facemasks; thermometers; disposable gowns;  COVID-19 testing kits; and other.

collapse Question Title : Project Period ‎(1)

​Question: If we begin the grant cycle on, say, March 1, 2020, does that mean that the first of the cycle runs until Feb. 28, 2021?  Or may we end the first year on 12-31? 

Answer:  Project periods cannot exceed 24-months from the start date selected by the applicant.  If an applicant chooses a 24-month project period, the budget would be set up for Year 1 and Year 2.  In you​r example, the first year's budget would be from 3/1/20 - 2/28/21, but you may end early if your project activity is completed prior to the end of the one-year project period. 

collapse Question Title : Surveys ‎(4)

​Question: Our county received the results from the Coronavirus Relief Survey.  Is the survey still open? Can we resend and ask members to complete it for more details?

Answer:  PCCD’s Coronavirus Relief Survey has closed at this time, but nothing prohibits a county initiating its own survey to appropriate stakeholders to get more detailed information.  PCCD expects CJABs to coordinate with all county and local criminal justice stakeholders to determine the county’s critical needs, including consulting with their county emergency management agency or coordinator on supplies and equipment purchases.

​Question: Will there be another Survey for agencies to complete?

Answer:  PCCD will be issuing an additional Coronavirus Relief Survey in the fall.  Again, nothing prohibits a county from initiating its own survey to appropriate stakeholders to gather information.

​Question:  I was recently  forwarded the email regarding your Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Survey Results, and after consulting with the Warden of our County Prison, we realized that they had not been included in the Survey.  Is it too late for our County Prison to be included in the Survey, as well as the funding that is being released to help provide relief for the expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Answer:  PCCD's Corona virus Relief Survey has closed at this time, but nothing prohibits a county initiating its own survey to appropriate stakeholders to get more detailed information.  PCCD expects CJABs to coordinate with all county and local cri minal justice stakeholders to determine the county's critical needs, including consulting with their county emergency management agency or coordinator on supplies and equipment purchases.

​Question:  How do go about receiving the results from the survey administered in April 2020 for XX County?  Our County CJAB is applying for the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Relief Grant and would like to review the results.

Answer: The survey results were emailed to the CJAB point of contact/s in each County. 

Q&A text
collapse Funding Announcement Title :  COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grants FY20-21 ‎(1)
collapse Question Title : Application Sections ‎(1)

​Question:

 There are two new sections of the funding announcement that do not have a corresponding help guide: Civil Rights Responsibilities and Federal Funding Announcement Certifications.  Do we need to complete these?  

Answer:

 Yes, those two sections are required for federal funding.  If you have specific questions regarding these sections please email the school safety account at RA-CD-SSSC@pa.gov.


collapse Funding Announcement Title : COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grants FY20-21 ‎(28)
collapse Question Title : Allowable Expenses ‎(1)

Question:

I am enquiring about whether granted funds may be used to contribute part of the cost of a project, or if they can only be applied to projects that are $10,000 or less.  

For example, if we wish to modify / expand a classroom to allow for greater social distancing  but the cost is closer to $30,000 can we apply for - and use - up to $10,000 towards this project, with remaining funds coming from elsewhere? 

Answer: 

Yes, a school is able to use a percentage or all of the $10,000 to offset the cost of a more expensive item.  Please submit for only the allowable expenses, up to and including $10,000, to your local IU.  

collapse Question Title : Applicant Eligibility ‎(9)

​Question:   

Dear Sir/Madam - could you clarify who/what is an intermediate unit (IU) and how we would know if we could qualify for this funding? 

Answer:

“Intermediate Units (IUs) are entrepreneurial, highly skilled, technology-rich, and agile providers of cost-effective, instructional, and operational services to school districts, charter schools, and over 2,400 non-public and private schools. Additionally, intermediate units are direct providers of quality instruction to over 50,000 Pennsylvania students.”  IUs act as a liaison between schools and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.  There are 29 IUs in the Commonwealth.  The following link will provide you with information about the IUs, and help you to determine which IU you should contact to apply for the COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grant.   https://paiu.org/    

Nonpublic schools are eligible to apply through their local IU.  Nonpublic schools are defined by 24 P.S. §9-923.3-A as “any school, other than a public school within this Commonwealth, wherein a resident of this Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school attendance requirements of this act and which meets the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241).” 

Question:

Needing clarification to eligibility for the COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grants.  We are a Non-Profit Behavioral HealthCare facility, would we be able to participate in this opportunity to provide Mental Health services regarding trauma related to Covid-19?  It looks like the grant is directed towards Intermediate Units, but I was hoping for some additional clarification.   

Answer:

COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grants provide for Intermediate Units to apply on behalf of Nonpublic Schools.  Behavioral health organizations can connect with schools to provide mental health and trauma-related programs and trainings. 

​Question:

I am the program director at St. Katharine Drexel School at St. Francis- St. Vincent's Homes for Children.  We are a PRRI program.  Are we eligible for this program?  Do we need to go through the BCIU to receive funds? 


Answer: 

 

PRRIs are eligible to apply for COVID19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety funding through their local Intermediate Unit. 



Question:

Are Approved Private Schools (APS) eligible for these funds? If so, do APS apply through the local IU? 

 

Answer: 

Yes, approved private schools are an eligible nonpublic school that may apply through the local IU. 

​Question:

Vista is an Approved Private School in the Commonwealth of PA. With that classification are we to apply through the local IU or independently through the egrant system? 

Answer: 

Yes, an approved private school is a nonpublic school eligible for funding under the COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grant. 

​Question:

Our nursery school is licensed by the PA Dept of Ed Private Academic Schools.  Would we be eligible for this grant as well?

 

Answer:  

The COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grant funds are intended for use in nonpublic schools serving students in grade levels K-12.  If a nonpublic school is serving any of these grades, they are an eligible applicant. 


​Question: 

Is the PCCD grant through the IU only for non-profit schools?  I own a private academic preschool and I wasn’t sure if I qualify. 

  

Answer:  

The COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grant funds are intended for use in nonpublic schools serving students in grade levels K-12.  If a nonpublic school is serving any of these grades, they are an eligible applicant. 

​Question:

Are "For Profit" Nonpublic Schools eligible for this grant? 

Answer: 

The School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) has not yet determined if for-profit nonpublic entities are eligible applicants under Act 30; however, at this time, due to the short timeframe of the application process, for-profit nonpublic entities may make application to their local intermediate unit for inclusion in their grant submittal.  The IU shall indicate to PCCD if an entity, included in the application, is a for-profit nonpublic school entity.  The SSSC will make final funding determinations at the July 29, 2020 meeting.  

​Question:

Our Intermediate Unit is applying on behalf of nonpublic schools and one of our private schools, Cornell Abraxas Youth Center, is asking if they are eligible. Is the funding only for schools registered as nonpublic, or are Licensed Private schools eligible as well? 

Answer:

The School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) has not yet determined if for-profit nonpublic entities are eligible applicants under Act 30; however, at this time, due to the short timeframe of the application process, for-profit nonpublic entities may make application to their local intermediate unit for inclusion in their grant submittal.  The IU shall indicate to PCCD if an entity, included in the application, is a for-profit nonpublic school entity.  The SSSC will make final funding determinations at the July 29, 2020 meeting.   

collapse Question Title : Contact at IU ‎(1)

Question:

I would like to apply for the grant as an Approved Private School. We must go through our local IU however, I get their closed to COVID-19  recording. I sent an email to the business office with no response. Is there a specific IU office I should contact to Apply? 

  

Answer:  

Please contact the Office of the Executive Director.  They will be able to direct you to the office that has been designated to assist non-public schools with their grants. 

collapse Question Title : Egrants Help ‎(1)

​Question:

Where can I find assistance with the Egrants application?

Answer:

Please refer to the COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grants site for assistance with the grant process.   

collapse Question Title : Eligible Applicants ‎(3)

​Question:

Good Morning. I am the HOS of a non-profit preschool in Pennsylvania that is accredited by the PA Association of Independent Schools. We are a school that goes through prekindergarten with no kindergarten and no daycare. Would we would be eligible for reimbursement? When our children need services, they are provided by the Montgomery County I.U.  Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question. 

Answer:

The COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grant funds are intended for use in nonpublic schools serving students in grade levels K-12.  If a nonpublic school is serving any of these grades, they are an eligible applicant. 

​Question:

Hello,  

Regarding the PCCD Grant for school safety, under the non public school designation, will a child care center or a Private Academic Kindergarten be able to apply for this grant?   If so, what is the nature of the letter that must be given to the IU from the preschool or Private Academic Kindergarten? 

Answer:

The COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grant funds are intended for use in nonpublic schools serving students in grade levels K-12.  If a nonpublic school is serving any of these grades, they are an eligible applicant.   

At a minimum, the letter of support should include a basic overview of your nonpublic school and basic budget of what you intend to expend the funding on.  Please contact your local intermediate unit who will be applying on your behalf for specific details on what should be included in your letter of support.   

​Question:

Are for-profit nonpublic schools able to apply for funding? 

 

Answer: 


The School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) has not yet determined if for-profit nonpublic entities are eligible applicants under Act 30; however, at this time, due to the short timeframe of the application process, for-profit nonpublic entities may make application to their local intermediate unit for inclusion in their grant submittal.  The IU shall indicate to PCCD if an entity, included in the application, is a for-profit nonpublic school entity.  The SSSC will make final funding determinations at the July 29, 2020 meeting.   


collapse Question Title : Eligible Expenses ‎(2)

Question:

Could these funds be used for a cleaning service to come into the nonpublic schools throughout the school year to thoroughly clean carpets and other areas of the school? 

Answer:  

Yes. 



​Question:

As long as funds are expended under the 7 eligible categories, can the $10,000 allocation to the IUs be spent for any program or are they restricted to services for nonpublic schools? 

 

Answer: 

IUs can expend the $10,000 allocation under the Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grants FY20-21 for any eligible activity as allowed in Act 30.   


collapse Question Title : Funding ‎(3)

Question:

I am looking for confirmation on the process for non-public schools purchasing their items once the grant is awarded. Are they to purchase the items directly and the Intermediate Unit reimburses them, or should they send their invoices to the Intermediate Unit to pay the vendor directly? 

  

Any information you can provide is greatly appreciated. 

 

Answer: 

Yes, nonpublic schools are to purchase the items directly and the intermediate unit will reimburse them. 


​Question:

 Is the Nonpublic School grant funding affiliated with or a pass through of CARES act funding or are funds specifically allocated from the state of PA? 

 

Answer:


The funding supporting the COVID-19 Nonpublic School Safety and Security Fund are state funds. 


​Question:

 In last year's Safety Grants for Non-Public schools that ran through Intermediate Units (IUs), the IUs had to do all the purchasing.  So all funding had to be directly released from the IU to the businesses performing the services for safety upgrades and providing the safety equipment.  At no time, were the IUs able to pay or reimburse the Subgrant Awardees any funds.  

  

Is that the same scenario for this funding project?  Or can the Non-public schools buy items and submit receipts for reimbursement to the IU? So that we end up sending money to the Non-public School.


Answer:


 Act 30 of 2020 does not specify how IUs are to provide the awards to the nonpublic schools that apply for these grants.  PCCD would encourage IUs to use the most efficient and fiducially sound method possible to ensure that the nonpublic school receives the items, activities or services requested.  For example, an IU may consider that the bulk purchase of certain universally requested items may be the best approach.  Conversely, in certain instances, reimbursement for a service specific to a single nonpublic school (e.g., cleaning service) may be more appropriate.


collapse Question Title : Indirect Costs ‎(2)

​Question:

Is a school entity permitted to include an indirect cost (at a federally negotiated/approved rate) as part of its grant budget? 

Answer:

Indirect costs for intermediate units are limited to 2% of the $10,000 allocated to the intermediate unit or $200 as provided for in Act 30 of 2020. 

Question:  

Is the indirect cost just 2% of $10,000 or is it up to 2% for each non-pub application we complete.  I have at least 21 applications to submit and anticipate at least 40 hours to complete them.  If possible, I would like to use the IU grant of $10,000 to cover all of our costs to write on behalf of the non-pubs.  The Funding Announcement specifically states: the intermediate unit may not use more than 2% of the intermediate unit's allocation under this section for targeted grant administration.

Answer:

You will budget each school as follows under the Consultant category:

            School A             $10,000.

            School B              $10,000

The budget detail computation does not need to include any additional details.  You will create one budget line item for each school you are submitting on behalf of.  IUs should include more detailed information on each nonpublic school's budget request in a separate Excel spreadsheet to be attached to your application in Egrants.

collapse Question Title : IU Contact ‎(1)

Question:

I received the email regarding the new grant that IU/Non-Public schools are eligible for. Who would the contact person be at Colonial IU 20? I’m familiar with the therapists that  is it our school from there, but not who the person would be that would submit the grant on our behalf. 

Answer:

Please contact the IUs main phone number.  They will be able to direct you to the office that has been designated to assist non-public schools with their grants. 

collapse Question Title : Letters of Support ‎(1)

​Question:

What information should nonpublic schools include in their letter of support?  We were hoping for some guidance about what to submit with the letter of support for our school. We have prepared receipts of purchased items that meet the listed criteria, as well as documentation on item specifications. We thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide. 

Answer:

At a minimum, the letter of support should include a basic overview of your nonpublic school and basic budget of what you intend to expend the funding on.  Please contact your local intermediate unit who will be applying on your behalf for specific details on what should be included in your letter of support.   


collapse Question Title : Non-Public School Application ‎(2)

Question:

We are currently working on our grant request and will get it to you as soon as it is completed.  Besides our list of items, services, etc we will use the money for, what other information do you need from us as a non-public school? We want to make sure we get everything needed sent over at one time.  Are there specific requirements we need to include in the letter of support? 

 

Answer:  

Nonpublic schools applying for the COVID19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grants should apply directly to their local Intermediate Unit.  Intermediate Units will submit applications on behalf of the nonpublic schools in their area.  Information regarding the requirements of the grant can be found in the COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Funding Announcement which can be found on PCCDs webpage at: https://www.pccd.pa.gov/schoolsafety/Pages/COVID-19-Non-Public-School-Grants.aspx 

​

Question: 

I am writing regarding the health and safety funding announcement that MMR's Principal Denise Judge passed along. I have begun to fill out the grant on the e-grants website, but realized that there are specific questions regarding the IU unit.  

Am I supposed to fill out the application on e-grants, or am I to answer the questions and send it to the MCIU to fill out on our behalf? 

 

Answer:  

Nonpublic schools applying for the COVID19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grants should apply directly to their local Intermediate Unit.  Intermediate Units will submit applications on behalf of the nonpublic schools in their area.  Information regarding the requirements of the grant can be found in the COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Funding Announcement which can be found on PCCDs webpage at: https://www.pccd.pa.gov/schoolsafety/Pages/COVID-19-Non-Public-School-Grants.aspx 

collapse Question Title : Signatory Page ‎(1)

​Question:

 Page 2 signature page,  our Executive Director/CEO, I believe they should be our attesting officer.  Am I correct? 

Is a Solicitor required? 

Can I sign as Comptroller, I am the Dir of Finance. 

 

Answer:


Yes, your Executive Director/CEO can be the attesting officer. Your solicitor’s signature is not required.  As comptroller, you are eligible to sign as your agency's director of finance. 


collapse Question Title : Signature Page ‎(1)

​Question:

May the signature page contain electronic signatures? 

Answer:

An electronic signature such as Adobe Sign is acceptable as well as a wet signature that is scanned and emailed.

collapse Funding Announcement Title : COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grants FY20-21 ‎(44)
collapse Question Title :  ‎(1)

​Question:

I had a question in regards to the COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grant.   

My question really pertains to this: 

EEOP Requirements: 

Pursuant to U.S. Department of Justice regulations, all applicants must submit an EEOP Certification Form to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the federal Office of Justice Programs.  The applicant may also be required to develop an EEOP and submit an EEOP Utilization Report to OCR.  The matrix at the end of this section is meant to help you determine your agency's EEOP requirements.  All applicants for federal funds are required to certify that they are in compliance with OCR requirements and PCCD will monitor successful applicants to ensure compliance with OCR requirements.  Please visit OCR's website at https://ojp.gov/about/offices/ocr.htm for additional information.  Prepare and submit EEOP and Certification forms referenced in the matrix below at https://ojp.gov/about/ocr/eeop.htm. 

As a school district, do we need to complete a certification form? 

Answer:

As an educational institution you are NOT required to submit the EEOP Certification form to OCR. 


collapse Question Title : Allowable Expenses ‎(8)

​Question:

We are in the process of completing our application for the School Safety and Security Grant announcement.  We are interested in purchasing a full body scanner as well as a bag scanner as safety and security enhancements for our school. Can you tell me if these items would be eligible under the COVID-19 School Safety and Security Grant? 

Answer: 


The COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grants FY20-21 must be expended on items and activities that address COVID-19 Emergency Disaster relief.  Any item, activity or service provided must be justified in its relation to addressing COVID-19-related concerns.  As expressed in the funding announcement, “any items not related to addressing the COVID-19 disaster emergency as identified in section 5 - Eligible Program Activities and Expenses above are ineligible.”

Question:

The guidance states, "purchasing educational technology for distance learning to ensure the continuity of education" (pg. 5) is an allowable expense but provides no further clarity as to what kinds of equipment or software would be considered eligible under the "educational technology" blanket term. Would subscription licenses to make proposed distance learning software solutions work be considered eligible? If so, can these funds be used to cover licenses/subscriptions beyond the 8 months allotted for the project if those licenses/subscriptions are only offered in 36month packages (i.e. would it be allowable for these funds to pay now for licenses that could extend distance learning capability beyond Oct. 30)? 

Answer:

Yes, the project period is from March 1, 2020 to October 30, 2020.  Per the CARES Act, all funding must be used to cover expenses incurred during that period.  Items and products must be purchased during the project period; their use after the project period is allowed. 

​Question:

The award may be used to provide mental health services and supports.  May the district use this grant on the salary and benefits of a psychologist (new position) for August through October 2020? 

Answer:

Yes, that is an allowable expense, so long as it is expended during the project period of March 1, 2020 and October 30, 2020. 

​Question:

During the COVID situation we have been paying our custodians to clean and sanitize the schools.  Some of this cleaning is standard even without COVID.  Can we use the cost of paying the custodians in whole or would we need to account for only specialized COVID sanitizing? 

Answer:  

The CARES Act requires that payments be used only to cover costs that were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020. A cost meets this requirement if either (a) the cost cannot lawfully be funded using a line item, allotment, or allocation within that budget or (b) the cost is for a substantially different use from any expected use of funds in such a line item, allotment, or allocation. 

  

The “most recently approved” budget refers to the enacted budget for the relevant fiscal period for the particular government, without taking into account subsequent supplemental appropriations enacted or other budgetary adjustments made by that government in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. A cost is not considered to have been accounted for in a budget merely because it could be met using a budgetary stabilization fund, rainy day fund, or similar reserve account. 



​Question:

For the COVID-19 School Health and Safety FY20-21 grant, can we use funding to contract an “everyday” substitute teacher to allow greater social distancing in areas that we are not able to meet social distancing guidelines?  Would this qualify under:  (7) Other health and safety programs, items or services necessary to address the COVID-19 disaster emergency.?

 Answer:

 If an applicant feels that an expense would fit within the seven eligible categories, including (7) Other health and safety programs, items or services necessary to address the COVID-19 disaster emergency, you can provide that justification within the Budget Justification box located in the budget detail section of Egrants.


​Question:

Would remodeling the school entry to “force” visitors to enter through the office be an allowable expense? This modification would allow us to better control who enters our building and to better enforce social distancing. 

Answer:

Yes.

​Question:

If the district hired additional cleaning staff for the purpose of disinfecting schools with newly purchased equipment, is the additional salary considered an allowable expense? 

Answer:

Yes. 

​Question:

 Would personnel costs be eligible expenses under section 7 of the allowable expenses?  More specifically, this would apply to current and potentially yet-to-be-hired staff who are responsible for the planning, implementation and monitoring of a safe reopening plan. 

 

Answer: 


Yes, so long as they fall in the proposed project period (March 1-October 30, 2020).  


collapse Question Title : Applicant Eligibility ‎(1)

​Question:

Are Private Residential Rehabilitative Institutions (PRRIs) eligible for this finding?  I noticed that PRRIs were not included in the list of school entities specified in the funding announcement.

Answer:

Per Act 30 of 2020, PRRIs are not an eligible school entity for the COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grants, but they ARE eligible to apply for the COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grants. 


collapse Question Title : Application Extension ‎(1)

​Question:   

I guess the announcement just went out today but the deadline is June 30, 2020?  Any way I can get an extension? 

Answer:

Due to the short timeframe for the allocation of these awards, no extensions will be provided to schools for the submission of these grants.  The application must be entered into Egrants no later than Tuesday, June 30, 2020 by 11:59 PM. 

collapse Question Title : Award Date ‎(1)

Question:

If funds are used for mental health services contracted through a community agency, can the agency be contracted before the October spending deadline for the whole school year through June 2021? That is, can we pay them for a school year contract with these funds for them to continue services past the October spending deadline? 

Answer:  

No.  The project period is from March 1, 2020 to October 30, 2020.  Per the CARES Act, all funding must be used to cover expenses incurred during that period. 



collapse Question Title : Budget ‎(3)

​Question:

I am working on completing this grant and would like to know if our budgeted items must value exactly 90,000 dollars (since we are a recipient of 90,000)? We would like to order technology to assist with distance learning but the number we need exceeds 90,000. I was not sure if we could complete the budget at 92,000 and then the 2,000 overage we could cover with other funding? 

Answer:

No, the budget you include in your Egrants application is not to exceed the formula distribution for your school entity.  However, you may use other funding to support the portion of an expenditure that exceeds this amount.   

​Question:

The original bill listed an allocation of $300,278; however, since there are two pots of money funding this allocation, the first award is for $225,487.  Should the budget provided by June 30, 2020 reflect the entire allocation of $300,278 or just the first part of funds that have been released of $225,487? 

Answer:

Act 30 of 2020 directed $150M in federal CARES Act funding and $49.8M in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding to PCCD for School Health and Safety Grants.  At this time, the $150M in CARES Act funding is immediately available for school entities.  The $49.8M in ESSER funding is not yet available to be awarded as it is pending an amendment to the ESSER grant between PA Department of Education and the US Department of Education.  More information regarding those funds will be made available at a later time.  Any previous estimated grant amount you may have been in receipt of was not released by PCCD.  Please craft your budget according to the allocation included in the solicitation. 

​Question:

 A school social worker worded 70% of the time in district and the remainder of the time in another district.  In anticipation of increased mental health issues, we are no longer contracting with the other district and the social worker will be in-district 100% of the time.  Is the 30% of her salary and benefits an allowable expense?  Or, is only the increased portion of her salary through 10/30/2020 allowable? 

Answer:  


The CARES Act requires that payments be used only to cover costs that were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020. A cost meets this requirement if either (a) the cost cannot lawfully be funded using a line item, allotment, or allocation within that budget or (b) the cost is for a substantially different use from any expected use of funds in such a line item, allotment, or allocation.  

   

The “most recently approved” budget refers to the enacted budget for the relevant fiscal period for the particular government, without taking into account subsequent supplemental appropriations enacted or other budgetary adjustments made by that government in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. A cost is not considered to have been accounted for in a budget merely because it could be met using a budgetary stabilization fund, rainy day fund, or similar reserve account.  

  

So, the short answer for the scenario you posed would be, yes, you can cover the 30% of her salary and benefits as an allowable expense, but it can only cover costs incurred from March 1, 2020 to October 30, 2020. 



collapse Question Title : Budget Allocations ‎(2)

​Question:

Per the information from the State, Downingtown Area School District was to receive $1,026,366; however, the PCCD grant we are eligible to apply for is only $621,202.  Will there be another PCCD grant later in the fall for the difference or has our estimated grant funding been cut? 


Answer:  

Act 30 of 2020 directed $150M in federal CARES Act funding and $49.8M in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding to PCCD for School Health and Safety Grants.  At this time, the $150M in CARES Act funding is immediately available for school entities.  The $49.8M in ESSER funding is not yet available to be awarded as it is pending an amendment to the ESSER grant between PA Department of Education and the US Department of Education.  More information regarding those funds will be made available at a later time.  Any previous estimated grant amount you may have been in receipt of was not released by PCCD. 

​Question:

I understand that all expenses cannot exceed the formula distribution for our school district but can our school districts' total requested grant dollar amount in the application be less than the CARES Act allocation for our school?  Please advise.


Answer:  

Yes, the requested grant dollar amount in the application can be less than the CARES Act allocation for the school. 


collapse Question Title : Budget Detail ‎(1)

​Question:

We are currently working on completing our COVID-19 PCCD Grant for $292,200.  While we have a general idea of what categories we will need to utilize the funds for, we have no idea specific vendors, procurement methods or detailed line items.  Is this required for the submission of the grant? 

Answer:

Due to the short timeframe for the allocation of these awards, applicants will only be required to provide broad budget line items at the time of application. However, applicants may enter more detailed line items in the budget for the items/services that have been, or they know will be purchased with these grant funds to avoid the need to submit additional documentation at a later date. School entities will be required to provide additional budget and/or expenditure detail and program narrative to PCCD during the award period via project modification requests and/or quarterly fiscal and program reports to meet federal and state fiscal requirements. 

collapse Question Title : Civil Rights ‎(2)

​Question:

 After reviewing the section on Civil Rights, I believe that we are required to submit a certification form to OCR. I went to the website but am not sure where to find this form. Could you please advise? 

Answer:  

School Districts are exempt from submitting the certification form to OCR. 


​Question:

After reviewing the section on Civil Rights, I believe that we are required to submit a certification form to OCR. I went to the website but am not sure where to find this form. Could you please advise?  

Answer:  


School Districts are exempt from submitting the certification form to OCR.


collapse Question Title : Egrants Help ‎(2)

​Question:

I just tried to link my egrants account and keystone account to gain entrance to the PA commission on Crime and delinquency and it won't accept my username and password. Help! 

Answer:

You may have an alternative login that was used previously.  Please contact the Egrants Help Desk at 717.787.5887, 800.692.7292 or by emailing RA-eGrantsSupport@pa.gov. 

​Question:

Where can I find assistance with the Egrants application?  

Answer: Please refer to the COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grants FY20-21 site for assistance with your grant application.   


collapse Question Title : Eligible Expenses ‎(3)

​Question:

Would the contracting of security personnel to monitor visitors and temperatures be approved under the following?: 

(7) other health and safety programs, items or services necessary to address the covid -19 emergency.   


Answer:  

Yes. 



​Question:

I have a question in regards to the COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grant and eligible expenses.   

As most school districts who had to respond to the pandemic and quickly close schools, we needed to implement distance learning ASAP.  To comply with our Continuity of Education Plan, we decided to implement a 1:1 initiative for students meaning each student would receive their own district laptop.  For this to be possible, the district did not have a million dollars, in their back pocket, to spend immediately so we were able to pay this amount over 5 years.  Are we able to use this grant to pay down the amount needed for laptops for each student? 

Answer: 

Yes, that is an allowable expense, so long as it is expended during the project period of March 1, 2020 and October 30, 2020. 


​Question:

In reviewing the funding announcement and grant guidelines, I have some questions related to eligible expenses. Would the following items be eligible expenditures? (under the category - other health and safety programs, items or services necessary to address the covid-19 disaster emergency) 

Loss of Food Service Fund (March-June 2020) Expenditures related to Food Services provided to low income students (Breakfast and Lunch program) during the COVID-19 School Closure, and continued program during summer months 

Answer:

The short answer to your question is yes -- if an applicant feels that an expense would fit within the seven eligible categories, including (7) Other health and safety programs, items or services necessary to address the COVID-19 disaster emergency, you can provide that justification within the Budget Justification box located in the budget detail section of Egrants.  Additionally, please note the guidance below: 

The CARES Act requires that payments be used only to cover costs that were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020. A cost meets this requirement if either (a) the cost cannot lawfully be funded using a line item, allotment, or allocation within that budget or (b) the cost is for a substantially different use from any expected use of funds in such a line item, allotment, or allocation. 

The "most recently approved" budget refers to the enacted budget for the relevant fiscal period for the particular government, without taking into account subsequent supplemental appropriations enacted or other budgetary adjustments made by that government in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. A cost is not considered to have been accounted for in a budget merely because it could be met using a budgetary stabilization fund, rainy day fund, or similar reserve account. 

collapse Question Title : Eligible Programs ‎(1)

​Question:

As long as funds are expended under the 7 eligible categories, are use of funds restricted to K-12 activities or may they may be used in IU early child education or IU adult education programs?   

 

Answer:

Funding is to be used by the school entity to primarily support items or services necessary to address the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency for K-12 activities. 


collapse Question Title : ESSER PDE Funding ‎(1)

Question:

I was just notified of the COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grant for public schools this morning. My question is, we are applying for the ESSERS (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund) Grant via the Department of Education. Are we able to apply for this grant through PCCD or is that considered double dipping? I could not find a definite response in the FAQ.  

 

Answer:  

Yes, an eligible school entity under Act 30 is eligible to apply for the COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grants, and it is not considered double-dipping.  School entities should make every effort, however, to coordinate the use of their COVID-19 related funding streams to ensure their maximum use within the time frames allotted and meet the parameters of their grants. 

collapse Question Title : Funding ‎(3)

​Question:

I was working on our application yesterday and I saw that the expenses are to be made by October 31, 2020. I was wondering if you had information on how the grant money would be received. Will we receive the money up front, or do we need to pay the costs first, and submit for reimbursement? Any information on this funding that you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. 

Answer: 

The project period is from March 1, 2020 to October 30, 2020.  Funding will be received up front, but all expenses must be incurred within the project period (i.e., March 1, 2020 to October 30, 2020).  Per the CARES Act, any funding remaining after that date must be returned to PCCD for remittance back to the US Treasury. 



Question:

Related to the PCCD CARES Act, can you provide a funding source code for tracking and reporting of expenditures? 

 

Answer: 

I would advise you to refer to the funding information contained in your Award Letter when you receive it.  It will include the federal award and CFDA number.  How you choose to track the funding is dependent upon your accounting system. 


​Question: 

If new technology purchases will be made during the grant period to facilitate/enhance remote learning, but will maintain utility beyond the grant period and our school's physical closure, should these expenses be prorated, or listed at 100%? 

 

Answer:


100% of all expenses must be incurred during the project period (March 1-October 30, 2020).  Use of an item after the project period closes is completely acceptable. 


collapse Question Title : Indirect Costs ‎(1)

​Question:

Is a school entity permitted to include an indirect cost (at a federally negotiated/approved rate) as part of its grant budget? 

Answer:

 

Since funding for the COVID-19 School Health and Safety Grants is from federal CARES Act funding, PCCD can accept a federally approved indirect cost rate. 


collapse Question Title : Procurement ‎(3)

​Question:

Hello, 

Does purchasing from a contract such as COSTARS, which has already been bid, meet the requirements for "Small-Purchase Procurement" requirements? 

Answer:

Yes, utilizing a purchasing network such as COSTARS does meet the qualifications for Small Purchase Procurement.  We do request you include the contract number in the Justification section of the budget category applicable to the contract.  

Question:

 If we are using existing contracts, to add services resulting from covid 19 emergency, how do we reflect that in the procurement details section?  

For example: we will need to add transportation services/runs in order to social distance our students. We plan to utilize our existing contractors, therefore this specific service was not bid….? 

 

Answer:  If the amount will exceed the Simple Acquisition threshold of $10,000 and you will not be using a competitive process to select the vendor, you will need to complete the Procurement Details section of the application by answering yes, to question number 1, completing the grid in question 3, selecting sole-source as the procurement method and fully responding to questions 4.1 through 4.8.  Please let me know if you have additional questions. 


​Question:

The information regarding the funds states the federal money must be allocated/used between March 1 and October 30.  Does this mean the purchase must be received and paid for within that time period or just encumbered. There is concern items have been ordered and encumbered, but because of demand and availability, may not be received and paid for until after October 30.   

Answer:

Purchases must be paid for by 11:59 pm on October 30, 2020.  Unlike other funding streams where the funds need only be  obligated by the project period end date, these specific funds have to be expended, not just obligated by the project end date. 

collapse Question Title : Program Activities ‎(1)

​Question:

 Also, I was wondering if there is any additional guidance or a FAQ being created concerning the allowable program activities? Specifically, I am wondering what types of programs/services would fall under #7? 

(7) Other health and safety programs, items or services necessary to address the COVID-19 disaster emergency. 


Answer:

If a program or service is related to addressing the COVID-19 disaster emergency and it’s not listed in Items #1-6, then it would fit into this category.  If you feel that an item/service/program would fit into this category, please provide a justification in your budget justification section. 

collapse Question Title : Project Modifications ‎(1)

Question:

Our District is wondering because of the quick grant application due date of 6/30, are we able to change the dollar amounts of our program activities after the grant is submitted?  We are doing our best to nail down dollar amounts, but as stated already, wanted to know if there was any flexibility after the fact. 

Answer:  

Yes, school entities may submit a PMR at any time to revise their budgets. 


collapse Question Title : SAM Registration ‎(2)

​Question: 

Do I need to have a DUNS and SAM Identification number to receive a grant? 

 

 

Answer:

Yes, school entities must have a DUNS and SAM Identification to receive a grant due to federal funding requirements.  PCCD recognizes that it may take a few weeks to successfully register in SAM.  Regardless, you can still apply for the grant at this time and register with SAM now.  You can provide PCCD with confirmation that you registered and you registration expiration date once the information once it is received.  Please email the RA-CD-SSSC@pa.gov resource account directly for additional assistance with DUNS/SAM inquiries.


​Question:

We are in the process of applying for a SAM identification number. I was told that I could submit our grant application without it and provide the information when it is received, however I cannot submit without marking the Federal Transparency Act Certification section complete and I cannot mark it complete without that number. Can you provide assistance?  

Answer: 

 

You can put all “9’s” in the DUNS number section.  Also, you will need to enter a date in the past for the SAM expiration date. 


collapse Question Title : Signature Page ‎(4)

Question:

Does the Counsel/legal rep. needs to sign this page also?

Answer:

No, your counsel or legal representative does not need to sign this page.  This page must be signed by the head of the organization or an official with documented signature authority (e.g. superintendent for school districts; board president or vice president for charter school; etc.).  Another official of the organization must sign as the Attesting Officer attesting to the authenticity of the authorized official’s signature (e.g. business manager for school districts, board secretary or treasurer for charter schools, ).


​Question:

We are in the process of applying for a COVID-19 Safe Schools Health and Safety Grant and have a question on the signature page.  Can the attesting officer be the Board Secretary or does it have to be a board member?  Is the APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: necessary since we are not going thru our local government? 

Answer: 


You only need two signatures.  The righthand side of the signature page can be signed by the head of the organization or an official with documented signature authority (e.g., superintendent for school districts; CEO for charter schools; etc.).  Another official of the organization must sign as the Attesting Officer attesting to the authenticity of the authorized official’s signature (e.g., business manager for school districts, etc.). 


Question:

What address can I overnight (sent via FedEx or UPS) the signature pages to.  Also, If you receive them on Tuesday June 30th, is that OK.  I am completing the applications for 10 charter schools.


Answer:  


Once the board members have provided their signatures, a scanned copy of the signature page can be uploaded in the Required Attachment section as part of the application or can be emailed to: ra-cd-grantsigs@pa.gov 



​Question:

 May the signature page contain electronic signatures? 

Answer:

  

An electronic signature such as Adobe Sign is acceptable as well as a wet signature that is scanned and emailed. 


collapse Question Title : Sole Source ‎(1)

​Question:

 We would like to allocate some of our funds for architectural services related to the modification of classroom spaces. Considering the timeframe in which the work of modifying classroom spaces must be completed, the district didn't have time to bid this work out and is using an on-call contractor. Am I correct that this would fall under one of the four sole source circumstances: "The public exigency or emergency for the requirement will not permit a delay resulting from competitive solicitation"? 

Answer:


 Yes, that is a viable reason to submit a sole source. 



collapse Question Title : Subrecipient ‎(1)

​Question:

 Hi-trying to get clarification on subrecipients.  Not every vendor or contractor who would perform work or provide items under this grant project is considered a subrecipient, correct?

  Answer:

 Correct, an applicant passes grant funds through to a subrecipient to carry out a portion of the project.  A contractor is providing goods and/or services procured by the applicant. 


collapse Funding Announcement Title : Endowment Act - Child Advocacy Centers ‎(2)
collapse Question Title : Allowable Expenses ‎(2)

​Question:

Would the replacement of carpet with laminate flooring (easier to clean and sanitize) be an appropriate request for this funding? 

Answer: 

If an applicant feels that an expense would fit within the seven eligible categories, including (7) Other health and safety programs, items or services necessary to address the COVID-19 disaster emergency, you can provide that justification within the Budget Justification box located in the budget detail section of Egrants.

​Question:

Good morning. Can you clarify if my school entity can apply for funds to cover my school counselors salary in the 2020/2021 SY to do counseling as a result of COVID-19 emergency, as it relates to students in food shortage, stressful housing situation, parent employment changes..etc. I am looking at categorizing this under section 24 P.S. s 13-1312-B(b), (5) providing mental health services and supports, including trauma-informed approaches for students impacted by the covid-19 disaster emergency. We are currently providing these services. 

Answer:  

Yes, that is applicable.  However, please note that the CARES Act requires that payments be used only to cover costs that were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020. A cost meets this requirement if either (a) the cost cannot lawfully be funded using a line item, allotment, or allocation within that budget or (b) the cost is for a substantially different use from any expected use of funds in such a line item, allotment, or allocation.  

   

The “most recently approved” budget refers to the enacted budget for the relevant fiscal period for the particular government, without taking into account subsequent supplemental appropriations enacted or other budgetary adjustments made by that government in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. A cost is not considered to have been accounted for in a budget merely because it could be met using a budgetary stabilization fund, rainy day fund, or similar reserve account. 



Q&A text
collapse Funding Announcement Title : 2019-20 PACTT Competitive Funding Announcement  ‎(7)
collapse Question Title : Eligibility to Apply ‎(2)

​Question: I see multiple sites can apply for the 201-20 PACTT Competitive solicitation, but I recall it had to be different Federal I'd numbers.  Is this different this year?  We want to submit for a few but have the same fed I'd #.

Answer: For this funding announcement, eligible applicants include entities that are NOT currently PACTT Affiliates OR entities that were PACTT Affiliates at some point in the past but allowed their affiliate status to lapse.  Only one application may be submitted per non-affiliated provider.  Providers are regarded as separate and distinct sites/facilities. This allows multiple applications to be submitted from more than one established provider. For example, ARC, Inc. has four individual sites and each could submit an application for these funds. ii. However, ARC, Inc. would not be permitted to submit one combined application for funds for all four of its sites.

If an entity submits an application, the entity would only have one Federal Identification number and would not have different federal identification numbers for each site/facilities.  More than one application can be submitted for the same entity and that entity must be listed as the applicant agency.  On the line for Recipient Agency the entity name along with the site/facility name could be identified.

​Question: Can a for-profit organization conducting training and employment-related services targeting the population to be served apply for this grant?

Answer: For this solicitation, eligible applicants can include both for-profit and non-profit licensed human service agencies that serve Pennsylvania's adjudicated youth in a community-based, out-of-home or probation setting within Pennsylvania.  The goal of these funds is to provide a fiscal incentive for residential, community-based, and/or juvenile probation office service providers to qualify to become PACTT Affiliates.  Current Affiliated programs do not include non-human service agencies, local school districts, intermediate units, post-secondary institutions, detention centers or private businesses. 

collapse Question Title : Impact and Outcomes ‎(1)

​Question: Are you more concerned about the impact of the project/program or reaching the larger numbers of the audience?

Answer: The size of PACTT affiliates varies greatly, therefore no specific number of youth to be served has been established.  With regard to the impact of the program, the "Anticipated Impacts" of the program can be found on page 6, Section C of the funding announcement. If the applicant believes that the project/proposal fits within one or more of the eligible activities, the applicant can provide that justification (i.e. "make the case") within the application.

collapse Question Title : Impacts and Outcomes ‎(1)

​Question: Is there a minimum for the # of youth being served in the project/program?

Answer: The types and size of PACTT affiliates varies greatly, therefore no specific number of youth to be served by a project or program has been established.  As outlined on Page 5, Section 5a of the funding announcement "All residential facilities, community-based, and/or juvenile probation office providers that are not currently PACTT Affiliates and serve primarily adjudicated delinquent youth are considered eligible to apply for these funds."

If the applicant believes that the project/proposal fits within one or more of the eligible activities, the applicant can provide that justification (i.e. "make the case") within the application.

collapse Question Title : Program Implementation ‎(1)

​Question: I'm a grant writer and we're interested in applying for the upcoming PACTT funding cycle.

We've closely reviewed the RFP and noticed that this funding opportunity is specifically open to organizations that are interested in achieving "affiliate status." Once affiliate status is attained, what do organizations that have this status have to do in order to keep it?

Answer: Eligible applicants once awarded, and Affiliate status is attained, are expected to maintain Affiliate status.  Affiliates will work their assigned Adjudicated Youth Education Program Consultant in order to meet the required expectations of Affiliate status.  Please note, that awarded grantees are expected to commit to a quality implementation of their project, participate in an annual re-affiliation review, and to participate in the data collection activities set forth under the Research for Action program in conjunction with the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.  Agencies found to not be fulfilling PACTT's affiliation standards are subject to removal of their status as an affiliate. 

collapse Question Title : Project Goals ‎(1)

​Question: Is this grant only for the purpose of applying for PACTT affiliation or is an actual project expected?

Answer: The goal of the PACTT solicitation is to provide a fiscal incentive for residential, community-based, and/or juvenile probation office service providers to qualify to become PACTT Affiliates.  Proposed applicants are expected to work through twelve months of the project period with the Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services (BJJS) PACTT Staff in order to meet benchmarks to become a PACTT Affiliate.  Applicants are to propose a project that will lead to the completion of PACTT Affiliation goal at the end of the twelve months, or prior to the end of the grant, if awarded.

collapse Question Title : Project Timelines ‎(1)

​Question: Does the proposed project/program need to be active throughout the entire 12-month period?

Answer: With the exception of some academic programs that may not provide services over the summer months, PACTT related services traditionally operate throughout the year.  It is recommended that the proposed applicant clearly outline what portion(s) of its program will be "inactive" during the year and include what other parts of its program will continue to operate.

collapse Funding Announcement Title : 2020 PA Start Messaging Campaign (2020)  ‎(28)
collapse Question Title : Application Process ‎(1)

​Question:

Should ad spend, such as social media boosting and digital ads, be included in the provided budget?

Answer:

It is up to the proposed applicant to add line items within the Budget detail section that will contribute to the success of the proposed project.  Applicants are to provide a detailed justification of each proposed line item.

collapse Question Title : Data ‎(1)

​Question:

Do you have analytics on the site now?

Answer:

PCCD does not have analytics information on the site at this time.

collapse Question Title : Egrants ‎(2)

​Question:

Budget Detail?  Do I need to do anything here…I don't have access to that section.  I did several PCCD Grants in the past when I was with York County and we needed to show a budget…I'm guess we wait to see if we're awarded the funding?

Answer: 

Applicants are to enter a Recipient Agency in the Main Summary Page of the application in Egrants in order for the Budget Detail section to open.  For additional technical assistance or system questions, please contact the Egrants Help Desk at 717.787.5887, 800.692.7292 or by emailing RA-eGrantsSupport@pa.gov.  

Question:

I am not finding our Financial Officer in the "drop down" for the Main Summary page.  I know he is registered and I added him as a "Signatory".    I searched the link for "Additional contacts" and he is not found.  Any help in adding him would be greatly appreciated, as it is required to complete the application. 

Answer:

If your agency cannot add the appropriate individual in the Main Summary Section, please contact the Egrants Help Desk.  This individual might not have the appropriate roles within Egrants.  Please contact the Egrants Help Desk at 717.787.5887 or by email to RA-eGrantsSupport@pa.gov       

collapse Question Title : Eligibility to Apply ‎(2)

​Question: 

West Chester University is interested in applying for the above-referenced funding opportunity.  The eligibility criteria includes:   Any private non-profit agency, any private for-profit agency, public agency, or unit of local government.  Does PCCD consider West Chester University to be a public agency.  

Answer:

As stated in the funding announcement, any private non-profit agency, any private for-profit agency, public agency, or unit of local government is eligible to apply.  It is up to the proposed applicant to determine if the applicant meets the criteria for this application.    

Eligible applicants must also:

  • Must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number (https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform).  Time length to receive: 1-2 business days.  For more information, please call 1-866-705-571.
  • Must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM), accessible online at https://sam.gov.  Time length to receive: 7-10 business days.

​Question:

The research office at Temple asked us to make sure that proposals aren’t limited to one proposal per institution. Please let me know if that is the case.

Answer:

The PA Start Messaging Campaign solicitation is expected to award a total of $102,000 in Federal State Opioid Response funds to support this initiative.  PCCD expects to award one project to implement this initiative.  Proposed applicants can submit more than one application, however only one project will be awarded.

collapse Question Title : Eligible Activities ‎(4)

​Question: 

Is this grant award for the dissemination of PA Start materials in a geographic location? Are PA Stop materials included?

Answer: 

The goal of this prevention initiative is to implement a 60-90-day concerted dissemination effort within the Commonwealth in order to make the best use of taxpayer dollars.  It is up to the proposed applicant to describe the geographic location for the dissemination of the materials. 

It is expected that the PA Start Initiative will include the following: 

  • A website expansion and enhancement. 
  • Web Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Integration. 
  • Expanded messaging materials to include new specific substance abuse issues as well as specific messages to diverse ethnic, socio-economic, and cultural communities.
  • Media distribution and public relations work to include a needs-based map to provide prevention messaging. 
  • Metrics and evaluation support in order to measure the success of the campaign.

PA Stop materials are not included in this solicitation.  

​Question:

Under project description where it states the PA Start Initiative will include the following:

  1. A website expansion & enhancement
  2. Website search engine optimization & social media integration
  3. Expand messaging materials to include new specific substance abuse issues as well as specific messages to diverse, ethnic, socio-economic, & cultural communities
  4. Media distribution & public relations work to include a needs based map to provide prevention messaging
  5. Metrics & evaluation support in order to measure success of campaign

Are the above a list of things that are being given to the grant award recipient in addition to the award money for dissemination of materials? I am unclear as to what this is in regards to.

Answer: 

The activities listed under the Project Description are the required activities that the project must include and proposed applicants must include within the project description.  These activities will not be provided to applicants.  

​Question: 

Does PA Start have any social media profiles? If yes, which ones? Has PA Start ever run a digital advertising campaign on their social media profiles?

Answer:

The goal of this prevention initiative is to implement a 60-90-day concerted dissemination effort within the Commonwealth in order to make the best use of taxpayer dollars.  The PA Start initiative is a messaging campaign and does not have a social media profile.    

​Question:

Is there a priority geography within the state?

Answer:

It is up to the proposed applicant to describe the geographic location for the dissemination of the materials.

collapse Question Title : Fiscal ‎(1)

​Question:

My question is in reference to the third and fourth question in the Federal Transparency Act Certification section of the application.  For those of us who are going to propose utilizing a competitive bid process in order to provide the marketing campaign, I am just wondering how these questions should be completed.  I am assuming that question #3 regarding subrecipients receiving $25,000.00 or more would have to marked as “no” because if it marked as “yes” you are required to list the subrecipient/ contractor DUNS number and SAM registration date.  Without completing the competitive bid process, this information would not be able to be supplied as the subrecipient/ contractor has not yet been determined.  Since there is no alternative option to list Competitive Bid Process or Subrecipient/ Contractor not yet determined, this is my assumption and the agreements would just be considered a consultant (per the budget category), with the specifics to be determined after the competitive bid process is completed.

Answer:

The Federal Transparency Act Certification section within the application is in reference to a grant subrecipient agency, such as a pass-through agency, not a vendor hired to perform a service, act in a consultant capacity, or supply a product.

collapse Question Title : Funding Availability ‎(1)

​Question:

Are you only selecting one award recipient to receive up to $102,000?

Answer:

For this solicitation, PCCD expects to award one project to implement this initiative for up to $102,000.

collapse Question Title : PA Start ‎(2)

​Question: 

Is there something that’s not working about the current campaign or is this just an expansion on the current campaign?

Answer:

This solicitation is an expansion of the current PA Start Messaging Campaign.   

​Question:

Will Spanish language campaign materials and efforts be needed?

Answer:

It is up to the proposed applicants to describe the items needed for a successful implementation for the PA Start Messaging Campaign.


collapse Question Title : PA Start Campaign ‎(2)

​Question:

Can you clarify use of the current PA Start messaging?  Are you looking for new creative or will visuals stay the same?

Answer:

The goal of this solicitation is the expand the current work PA Start Messaging Campaign.  It is up to the proposed applicants to describe how the proposed applicant will implement the expansion of the PA Start Campaign.

​Question: 

Our website designer would like to gain a better sense about what is meant about website expansion and enhancement. Would that mean editing and building out what already exists or starting from scratch?

Answer:

The goal of this solicitation is the expand the current work PA Start Messaging Campaign.  It is up to the proposed applicants to describe how the proposed applicant will implement the expansion of the PA Start Campaign.  Please also see Q10.

collapse Question Title : PA Stop Campaign ‎(1)

​Question: 

Are we expected to leverage the PA Stop campaign?

Answer:

The PA Start Messaging Campaign will expand the work of the PA Stop Campaign and complete the prevention initiative circle by addressing problem or risky behaviors in youth before they begin.  

collapse Question Title : Performance Indicators ‎(1)

​Question:

Performance indicators?  Do I have to do anything here…I couldn’t find any references to them in the application manual.  

Answer:

Applicants may include performance measures that are specifically related to the activities outlined in their application. However, applicants are not required to develop performance measures as part of their application. Applicants not submitting performance measures as part of their application will need to change the performance indicator section status in Egrants to “Complete” in order to submit their application.


collapse Question Title : Performance Measures ‎(1)

​Question:

What does PA Start hope to achieve with this campaign? Are there any defined KPIs (key performance indicators) that will be used for the campaign?

Answer:

The goal of the PA Start Messaging Campaign is to implement a 60-90-day concerted dissemination effort within the Commonwealth in order to make the best use of taxpayer dollars.  It is up to the proposed applicant to develop performance indicators within the application. 

collapse Question Title : Project Activities ‎(4)

​Question:

Are we expected to develop creative assets with the intent of handing them off to you (i.e. we build out the website and then give you they keys; we create Facebook ads that we hand off to you by September 29) or do the deliverables need to run/be live between July 1 and September 29? Or do we do both? ( i.e.: run the campaign between July 1 and Sept 29 and then hand you all files/keys to the website on Sept 30)

Answer:

The Awarded project for this solicitation is expected to have both completed the project activities within the project period, as well as provide the provide all the deliverables to PCCD.  

​Question:

Do you need all metrics and evaluation completed by September 29, or can that be done after the campaign has run?

Answer:

All proposed project activities are to be completed before the end date of the project period, September 29, 2020. 

​Question:

Will we be expected to communicate with/check in with an official from PCCD as we work on this project? Will we run deliverables by this person before running them live on the various media platforms?

Answer:

The awarded project is expected to have regular communication with the PCCD program contact.  The deliverables are to be approved by PCCD prior to the release on media platforms.  

Question:

We are interested in buying advertisements for PA STOP at our local supermarkets.  Can we purchase a year’s worth of advertising (July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021) even though the grant cycle end Sept 29th.? We would essentially purchase a year’s worth of advertising up front instead of paying a monthly fee.

Answer:​

This solicitation is for the PA Start Campaign.  PA Stop is a different campaign, which focuses on the backend of prevention.   All proposed project activities for the PA Start Campaign are to be completed before the end date of the project period.  The project period for this solicitation is July 1, 2020 through September 29, 2020.  

collapse Question Title : Project Dates ‎(1)

​Question:

Does the campaign need to be completed by September 29th? Or will it continue to run after that time? Do we need to have the creative assets developed before the start of the grant, or can we start to develop them after July 1 with the intent to start running them by August 1?

Answer:

Based on the availability of funds, the project start date will be July 1, 2020 and the project end date is Sept 29, 2020.  All proposed project activities are to be completed before the end date of the project period.  

collapse Question Title : Project Description ‎(3)

​Question:

Can you provide specific audience profiles and target demographic breakdowns? Partners; Profiles of clients/those affected that may be used for priority messaging and targeting.

Answer:

The proposed applicants are to describe in the Project Description section of the application, an implementation plan and the proposed methods the applicant intends to utilize in order to accomplish the proposed activities.  

​Question:

Are we looking to reach program users and partners with different messaging?

Answers:

Proposed applicants are to develop and describe an implementation plan which should include information on a target audience for the messaging campaign.  This information is to be provided in the Project Description of the application in Egrants.  

​Question: 

You note SEO, are you speaking to backend technical SEO or frontend such as blog content, etc.? Or may we provide recommendations for both?

Answer: 

It is up to the proposed applicant to describe the proposed methods to complete the goals and Start Messaging Campaign.  This can include recommendations for SEO objectives of the PA.

collapse Question Title : Project Goals ‎(1)

​Question:

On the cover letter of this RFP, it says this messaging campaign is "intended to support, advocate, and supplement existing or future programming, targeting caregivers and influencers." Does that mean your existing programming (at PCCD)? Or does it mean a program that we are currently running in-house?

Answer:

This project is intended to support the existing programming or future prevention programming within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  This can include prevention programming that is supported through PCCD funding or other prevention programs that are not PCCD funded.  

collapse Funding Announcement Title : 2020 Violence and Delinquency Prevention Programs ‎(27)
collapse Question Title : Application Sections ‎(2)

​Question:

In the Executive Summary, what exactly are you looking for in question 5 – number of annual cohorts?

Answer:

The response to this question depends on the chosen program. A cohort refers to the group of people receiving the program for the duration of the delivery of the curriculum. For some programs, this does not apply. The response to this question should clearly explain how many people will be served by the proposed project during each iteration of delivery.

​Question:

I am referencing the section name "Performance Indicators" under the application summary section.  Should I just mark it complete and wait until PCCD establishes it?

Answer:

The Performance Indicators section in Egrants can be marked complete without adding any additional measures. The awarded applicants will be required to report on program-specific measures in coordination with the EPISCenter.

collapse Question Title : Application Type ‎(1)

​Question:

The agency I represent will be submitting an application to provide CBITS in one school district.  We already are providing CBITS as a contractor in another district, but we were not the applicant to PCCD for that project - the application came from the District. Is our application to provide the program in the new district considered a new implementation (since we did not directly receive funding from PCCD for the existing program), or an expansion?

Answer:

Because your agency was not the applicant or recipient agency, the application would be considered a new implementation

collapse Question Title : Collaborative Board ‎(1)

​Question:

Can a Public/Charter school apply using the Board of Trustees as the necessary collaborative board or do we need to partner with another non-profit organization?

Answer:

The program for which funding is being requested should be identified by a broad-based prevention planning effort and not through a stand-alone or single agency driven planning effort. Applicants must demonstrate collaboration and/or partnerships within the community to be served.

For more information about collaborative boards, please see Appendix C of the funding announcement.

collapse Question Title : Definition of an Expansion ‎(1)

Question:

I understand that for non-school based programs, funds may not be used simply to offer the same services to more individuals. However, I am wondering if expanding the same services, but to a Spanish-speaking population would be acceptable, since we are not able to reach them currently due to language barriers.

Answer:

If you are not currently serving a specific population and your project design is crafted in such a way as to highlight that your proposed target population is a new one, you are eligible to apply to serve that new population, but not the population currently being served.

collapse Question Title : Eligibility to Apply ‎(5)

​Question:

Would a non-profit hospital with 501(c)(3) status be considered a non-profit agency? Please further define a non-profit agency.

Answer:

Yes. As stated in the funding announcement, any private non-profit agency, public agency, or unit of local government can apply.

 Eligible applicants must also:

  • Have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number
  • Be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM)
  • Applications must be submitted on behalf of a collaborative board that has been established for at least one year, or on behalf of two or more collaborative boards that wish to partner to implement the same program. Applicants must demonstrate collaboration and/or partnerships within the community to be served.

    For more information about collaborative boards, please see Appendix C of the funding announcement.
     
  • Applicants must have conducted a community Risk and Resource Assessment after December 31, 2017 (within the last 36 months). This is used to provide a baseline for measuring program outcomes. 

    For more information about the Risk and Resource Assessment, please see Appendix C of the funding announcement.

​Question:

We currently have another PCCD grant which is prevention focused (working with parents and young children). Are programs only eligible for this grant if they work directly with older children and adolescents.

 Answer:

Applications should plan to serve the populations targeted by the selected program as listed on the EPISCenter site - http://www.episcenter.psu.edu/ebp. Please refer to Answer 1 for more information on eligibility to apply.

​Question:

According to the Application Manual: "The applicant agency must include a copy of their executed pass-through contract between the governmental applicant and the agency as part of the application." The county requires the use of an RFP process for all contracts and a contract for this service would not be in place by application deadline. If the county was notified in early spring, the contract could be in place by end of the summer. Are we able to apply given these circumstances?

Answer:

Yes, the applicant must keep a fully executed contract on file and may be required to submit it to PCCD upon execution.

​Question:

Our Coalition that operates under a 501C3 is looking to apply for this grant for the Strengthening Families Program. The confusion lies in this situation.  Our community has previously had the Strengthening Families Program provided through another agency as part of a grant they received. Our Community was able to receive 4 courses of Strengthening Families through this partnership. We did not apply for the grant and the Coalition did not implement the program per se. Members of our coalition, myself included were employed by the other agency to help in the implementation of this program. We served approximately 35 families over two years, a small number, reaching only one corner of our school district.  We are currently running the Life Skills Program in our School District and we know that evidence has indicated these two programs complement each other. 

 I am trying to determine if we are eligible to apply for this grant through the new agency and offer the program in the portion of the community that was not touched by the prior implementation and parts of the another, new School District.

Answer:

New implementation applications must propose to implement a program that has not previously been implemented by the applicant or recipient agency. Expansion applications must propose to serve a new target population than that currently being served. For non-school-based programs, like SFP 10-14, this would mean expanding services to a different geographic area as defined by school district boundaries. Funds may not be used to increase the services you are currently providing by offering the same services to more individuals (e.g., reducing a waiting list).

​Question:

We had previously applied for funding for Project Towards No Drug Abuse with PCCD and it was rejected because we had a Strengthening Families 10-14 grant. We are in our final grant funded year for SFP 10-14. Are we now eligible to apply for Project Towards No Drug Abuse under the newest grant announcement?

Answer:

There is no prohibition on applying for a new grant if currently on PCCD funding. Agencies may apply for a new program (one for which they have never received PCCD funds to implement) or to expand a program for which that agency (the applicant and/or recipient) has previously received PCCD funding to implement. Expansion applications must propose to serve a new target population than that currently being served. For school-based programs, like PTNDA, this would mean serving either a new school district or expanding an existing implementation into new school buildings or grades within a district.

collapse Question Title : Eligible Expenses ‎(2)

Question:

We are working on planning to submit to the above funding announcement. For clarification, when we are doing budget for the cost of clinicians to participate in TF-CBT training, can we also add "lost opportunity" for time spent during training and required consultation? For example, clinician cannot see client for therapy due to being in training.

Answer:

You may bill your grant for the time that staff is participating in training at their normal rate, but you may not bill for lost clinical opportunities.

​Question:

We are planning to submit for funding of TF-CBT to have our current clinicians trained, as well as hiring a Part Time Therapist to work with our Latino population as we experienced an influx of Latino residents from Puerto Rico. Can we include the salary of hiring a part time therapist in our cost of the grant?

Answer:

You may include the salary of a part-time therapist in the cost of the grant; please include justification that the position is integral to program implementation. PCCD will determine whether each expense is appropriately explained and justified and will have final approval of all budget requests.

collapse Question Title : Funding ‎(1)

​Question:

I noticed the Violence & Delinquency Prevention Program funding amount listed below reflects $1.00. Can you share the funding amount for this grant?

Answer:

The amount of funding available for the 2020 Violence and Delinquency Prevention Programs funding announcement is contingent upon the final 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 state budgets.

collapse Question Title : Performance Measures ‎(1)

​Question:

What are you looking for under the Performance Indicators section?

Answer:

If you are referencing Section 9, on page 14, of the application, this is not a part of the application. The Performance Measures section describes additional requirements of applicants should you be awarded:

  • The applicants must report on program-specific measures in coordination with the EPISCenter
  • Submit quarterly reports via Egrants, including attaching the program-specific performance measure Excel spreadsheet provided by the EPISCenter
  • Accept technical assistance from EPISCenter Implementation Specialists
  • Create additional performance measures if believed they will provide PCCD with useful information about the project.
collapse Question Title : Procurement by Noncompetitive Proposal ‎(2)

​Question:

We are requesting funding for TF-CBT web training, live training and consultation calls through a Developer from EPISCenter. We will also have travel expenses and loss of billable hours.

In the procurement section, will we have to fill out all the information for a noncompetitive proposal? Training is required through EPISCenter, travel expenses will be according to our union contracts and billable hours will be based on our current rates.

Answer:

Yes. The procurement section must be completed for the chosen program. Please reference page 18 of the Applicant's Manual (https://www.pccd.pa.gov/Funding/Documents/Applicants%20Manual/Applicant%27s%20Manual%20-%20Current%20Version.pdf) on PCCD's website for instructions on Procurement by Noncompetitive Proposal Approval Procedure.

Please note that you may bill your grant for the time that staff is participating in training at their normal rate, but you may not bill for lost clinical opportunities.

​Question:

If we are to provide a letter from the Program Developer (or their designee) stating their ability to provide training and the agreed upon amount, does that mean we can use the Program Developer for the training and do not have to competitively bid the training?  If that is correct, what do we select for procurement method – Competitive Bid, State Contract Procurement or Sole Source?

Answer:

Yes. You can utilize the Program Developer (or their designee) for the training and do not have to competitively bid the training. Please reference page 18 of the Applicant's Manual (https://www.pccd.pa.gov/Funding/Documents/Applicants%20Manual/Applicant%27s%20Manual%20-%20Current%20Version.pdf) on PCCD's website for instructions on Procurement by Noncompetitive Proposal Approval Procedure.

collapse Question Title : Program Eligibility ‎(3)

​Question:

Of the 14 programs eligible for funding under this announcement we have a request to provide something other than one of the 14 listed. Several of our LEAs are requesting Train the Trainer (TOT) on Youth Mental Health First Aid from the National Council for Behavioral Health. Would this be considered an eligible program or is the list of 14 solid?

Answer:

For the 2020 Violence and Delinquency Prevention Programs funding announcement, only the 14 programs listed are eligible.

​Question:

Bounce Back is an evidence-based trauma-informed program that was developed as an adaptation for elementary aged students of the Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program. Bounce Back contains many of the same therapeutic elements but is designed with added elements and engagement activities and more parental involvement to be developmentally appropriate for 5-11-year olds. As such, would Bounce Back also be a program eligible for 2020 Violence and Delinquency Prevention funding?

Answer:

For the 2020 Violence and Delinquency Prevention Programs funding announcement, only the 14 programs listed are eligible.

​Question:

Is the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) Emozi program eligible under this funding announcement or is the elementary PATHS program the only one available under the announcement?

Answer:

Only the preschool/kindergarten, and elementary Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS ®) programs are eligible under the 2020 Violence and Delinquency Prevention Programs funding announcement. The Emozi adaptation is not eligible.

collapse Question Title : Program Implementation ‎(2)

​Question:

Is it permissible to partner with a local private mental health agency and use funding (we are looking at the C-BITS program) to train our own school staff and some of the agency's staff? If it is permissible, would we be able to allow the agency to run the program in year one, and then have the school trained staff take over the program for year 2 and beyond for sustainability purposes? If this grant does not allow, is it ever ok to partner with outside agencies on PCCD grants?

Answer:

It is permissible to partner with a private non-profit organization and use funding to train the school and agency staff to implement the program. Please reference page 11 of the Applicant's Manual (https://www.pccd.pa.gov/Funding/Documents/Applicants%20Manual/Applicant%27s%20Manual%20-%20Current%20Version.pdf) on PCCD's website for guidance on requirements for contracting procedures.   

Question:

Can I partner with a private mental health agency that is "for profit" to assist in implementing the C-BITS curriculum into my school while training my own district staff to ensure the program can be continued for subsequent years?

Answer:

While the applicant must be a non-profit or government entity, you may partner with a for profit entity for service delivery while your staff is being trained on the model.

collapse Question Title : Required Attachments ‎(1)

​Question:

On Page 27 of the funding announcement, the checklist states: "Obtained a letter of agreement (including implementation/materials costs) from the Program Developer?" For an application for SFP 10-14, is this letter necessary since the EPISCenter already provided an on-line guidance document specifying costs?

Answer:

If implementing SFP 10-14, obtaining a letter of agreement from the Program Developer is not necessary as training will be coordinated by the EPISCenter. However, applicants are encouraged to contact the Program Developer to ascertain all costs related to the implementation of the selected program.

collapse Question Title : Risk and Resource Assessment ‎(2)

​Question:

If the organization is going to implement one of the three evidence-based programs that do not require a collaborative board, is a Risk and Resource Assessment required?

Answer:

No. A Risk and Resource Assessment is not required for projects implementing Project Towards No Drug Abuse (PTNDA), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) or Aggression Replacement Training® (ART) in a residential treatment setting.

​Question:

Clarification regarding question #3 that was submitted – Is a Risk and Resource Assessment not required for any TF-CBT program or only if the TF-CBT is in a residential treatment setting?

Answer:

A Risk and Resource Assessment is not required for Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) program being implemented in a residential facility. If the implementation is to be community-based, the applicant must work with a local collaborative board who has conducted a risk and resource assessment that illustrates the need for TF-CBT in their community.

collapse Question Title : Signature Pages ‎(2)

​Question:

The grant announcement states that our application will not be complete unless the original signature page is received. While completing the application we did not see anything regarding a signature page. Can you clarify for us please?

Answer:

The signature page is only generated when you are ready to print your completed application; the second page of the PDF that is generated is the signature page.

​Question:

I can't find the signature page, but I believe that needs to be submitted by mail. Where can I find that?

Answer:

The signature page is only generated when you are ready to print your completed application; the second page of the PDF that is generated is the signature page.

collapse Question Title : Training ‎(1)

​Question:

When it states that we need to have a letter from the program developer for training and staff has already been trained. Do we need to include this in the grant application? 

Answer:

If you are not including the cost for training in your budget, you should clearly describe when and where you were trained on the program model and which trained staff will be implementing the program using PCCD funding. Please note that these funds must be used to expand into a new geographical area/new grades/school building. They may not be used to support an existing implementation.

Q&A text
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