Writing Effective Applications for the DFC Program

1
Writing Effective Applications for the DFC
Program

• Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program
• Executive Office of the President of the United
  States
• White House Office of National Drug Control
  Policy
• and the
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
  Administration

2
The Grant Cycle

• January Request for Applications (RFA) public
• March Applications are due
• March/April Screened for format and related HHS
  requirements
• April Screened for statutory eligibility by
  CSAP ONDCP in April of each year
• May/June Peer Review Process
• June/July Rank ordered Package completed by
  SAMHSA approved by ONDCP
• August Funding decisions announced
• August/September Training Triage by SAMHSA POs
• December Mandatory New Grantee Training in DC

3
The Grant Cycle
March/April HHS format/requirement screening
January RFA public
March Applications Due
April Statutory Eligibility Screening Eligible? In
eligible?
May/June Peer Review Process
June/July Rank Order Package Assembled
August/September Training Triage by POs
August Funding Decisions Announced
December Mandatory New Grantee Training
4
Review and Selection ProcessWhy do applicants
fail to get funded?

• Miss the application deadline
• Application provides too much fluff
• There is no there there
• Fail to respond to the questions in the RFA
• Application lacks consistent focus from problem
  identification through evaluation
• Identify alcohol tobacco as main problems and
  discuss evaluation of reduction in prescription
  drug abuse
• Application lacks focus on environmental
  strategies and community-level change
• Focuses on individual strategies/programs

5
Who are Peer Reviewers?

• DFC grantees in Years 1-4 or 6-10
• Go through training
• At MYTI/Forum
• Conference Calls
• Human elements to the process
• Do not make it hard for Reviewers to find
  information
• Lose the fluff
• Want to read your story
• Write application for one of your peers to read

6
Proving the Applicant Eligible

• The required attachments have a purpose
• Proof of statutory eligibility
• READ the Drug Free Communities Act
• LABEL attachments, so that eligibility screeners
  can easily find them
• In order, as requested
• Bold the title
• Number/Letter it (e.g., Attachment A)
• NUMBER the attachment pages
• even if you have to do it by hand

7
The 12 Sectors (examples of potential
representatives)

• Youth
• a person under 18
• Parent
• mother/father/guardian/grandparent
• Business
• Chamber of Commerce/owner of local shop
• Media
• the outlet where the majority of the community
  gets information
• School
• Principal/Superintendent
• Youth-Serving Organization
• Boys Girls Club

8
The 12 Sectors (cont)(examples of potential
representatives)

• Law Enforcement
• Chief of Police/Sheriff
• Religious/Fraternal Organizations
• Pastor/Rabbi/Imam/Masons
• Civic/Volunteer Groups
• Sertoma Club/Kiwanis Club
• Not just some random volunteer on the coalition
• Healthcare Professionals
• Doctor/Nurse/Dentist
• State/Local/Tribal Government
• SSA/State Prevention or Treatment Director
• Other Substance Abuse Organization
• Local prevention/treatment provider

9
Proving Sector Involvement

• Required sector chart
• Required supporting document must match or
  identify the person in the sector chart
• Required meeting minutes where members are listed
  by sector name
• Answers to questions regarding coalition capacity
  membership development/involvement
• Evidence sector chart supporting documents
• Youth sector lt18

10
Proving 6 Months of Existence for Coalition

• 2 sets are required in specified timeframes
• At least 6 months before application due date
• Between application due date and the first set of
  minutes provided
• Must demonstrate that the meetings focused on
  substance abuse prevention
• Must be coalitions minutes, not fiscal agents
• Must include a list of all attendees
• List by sector
• Include month, date and year
• Evidence 2 sets of minutes in required
  specified timeframes

11
An Eligible Mission Statement

• Coalition must have as its principal mission the
  reduction of substance abuse, which at a minimum
  includes the use/abuse of drugswith a primary
  focus on youth
• Must be the coalitions mission statement, not
  the fiscal agents
• Evidence mission statement that includes youth
  substance abuse prevention

12
Multiple Drugs Address

• developed a strategic plan to reduce substance
  abuse among youth, which targets multiple drugs
  of abuse
• Multiple more than 1
• Cannot be an underage drinking coalition that
  does not address other drugs expect to be
  eligible for a DFC grant
• Evidence Action Plan

13
Required 11 Match

• Must show a dollar-for-dollar match from
  non-federal sources equaling amount of request
  from the Federal Government
• Cash (e.g., shared salary/benefit expenses for
  paid staff)
• In-kind/Donated (e.g., office/meeting space,
  paper, copying services, etc.)
• Do not overpromise match
• Got a million dollars? Prove it.
• Must account for every matched dollar to the
  Government
• Evidence Budget Budget Narrative
• Coalitions with Native American representation
  that receives funds from the Bureau of Indian
  Affairs may use federal funds as match

14
DFC Match Requirements

• Funding Year Match Requirement
• Years 1-6 100
• Years 7-8 125
• Years 9-10 150

15
How Much Can I Ask For?

• No more than 125,000/year within all parts of
  the application
• Make sure ALL the numbers match
• Make sure they do not exceed 125,000
• Evidence 424, 424A and Budget

16
Neighboring Coalitions

• 2 coalitions may not serve the same zip code
  unless both have clearly prescribed their plan
  for collaboration
• Go to the DFC website, www.ondcp.gov/dfc, and see
  if there is a coalition in a town near you
• Specify the zip codes each coalitions serves
• Explain the overlap of zip codes and WHY both
  coalitions are needed
• Evidence letter/MOU from the neighboring
  coalition acknowledging collaboration

17
One DFC Grant at a Time

• Grantee Entity awarded a grant
• Only one grant can be issued to a grantee at one
  time
• Evidence SAMHSA screening required Assurance
  attachment

Coalition with 501c(3) status
Outside Fiduciary Agent
18
10 Year Rule

• No coalition can receive DFC funding for more
  than 10 years
• Outside fiduciary agents cannot seek funding for
  the same coalition for more than 10 years
• Evidence SAMHSA screening Compliance Attachment

19

• Questions?
• Jack Claypoole, DFC Administrator
• 202.395.6665
• JClaypoole_at_ondcp.eop.gov
• Shannon Weatherly, Policy Analyst
• 202.395.6774
• SWeatherly_at_ondcp.eop.gov