1. Can an Organization Submit More Than One Proposal (For Different Projects)?

MHRS Mini-Grant FAQ

1. Can an organization submit more than one proposal (for different projects)? Yes. There is no restriction on the number of proposals which can be submitted.

2. Would a proposal be considered for trauma-based counseling? All complete proposals which meet the guidelines outlined in the mini-grant Request for Proposals document and adhere to the MHRS’ mission and vision will be considered. However, proposed projects must not duplicate any service currently available through one of our contract provider agencies.

3. Can a for-profit organization apply for a mini-grant? No, not at this time. This particular round of grants is designed for tax exempt entities.

4. Can a DVD illustrating our organization be included in the grant application? Yes. It can be included with the application attachments.

5. How frequently will funding be distributed? Grant funds will be advanced, however the frequency of distribution (i.e. monthly, quarterly) will be based upon the project.

6. What is the startup date of a funded project? The startup date of a funded project can be as soon as the award notification has been received by an organization.

7. Our program is listed on the Federal SAMHSA website as an evidence based program. In the workshop, it was mentioned that we should list which directory it is listed on. I am not sure what the exact directory is. It is listed under Youth Information. Would this be the directory name? If a program is listed on a directory, we are just asking which directory it is. For instance, if a program is listed on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (SAMHSA NREPP), list just that. If your program is named something different than the evidence based program, please specify the name of the evidence-based program which appears on the registry that is being implemented.

Also note that SAMHSA’s NREPP certainly is not the only registry out there, it’s just the most well known one. We would accept other registries.

8. Are those entities that wrote and received grant monies last year able to write again, or are you looking for new proposals/programs for this year? It will be a competitive grant process. Prior recipients can re-apply but all applications (new and repeat) will be evaluated equally.

Updated 8/25/14 9. Are the costs I incur for trainings or seminars pertaining to my project allowable under the mini-grant? Costs related to attending a training or seminar within the local region will be considered by MHRS. If the training occurs outside the regional area, MHRS will consider funding the program fee/registration fee, but the cost of travel will not be funded by MHRS. The grantee would need to fund this through another source.

10. Do the letters of support need to be originals? No, they may be copies of faxes, copies of scanned documents or emails.

11. My program will be targeted at Warren and Clinton County residents, however, because of the physical location of my program; individuals from other counties may be served as well. Will this be an issue? [Note: This was in relation to a school district which includes students beyond the MHRS- covered area; therefore restricting a program to only WC/CC residents would be difficult.] If the projected number of individuals being served for Warren and Clinton Counties is reasonable for the grant amount, and the “other county” individuals exceed the projected number, MHRS will consider this.

12. We have 2 different organizations that we are working with for referrals and will be targeting our grant(s) to. Can we really apply for 2 separate grants for $10,000 each, or is a max of $10,000 only allowable for 1 per grantee? So would we do 2 grants for $5,000 each? a. If this programming is the same for both groups, this would be considered a single grant with two referral sources for participants. It is allowable to apply for more than $10,000 for a single grant, however the approval process differs. It would require: (1) a recommendation from the MHRS Mini-Grant Committee for funding and (2) approval of the MHRS Board of Directors. b. If the programming differs, this could be two separate grants. It is allowable to apply for two grants (different programming) up to the amount of $10,000 each (without the special approval process noted above) or in excess of $10,000 (with approval from the MHRS Board of Directors).

13. How do you want “in-kind” services of volunteers calculated on the budget form? If you have specific people providing “in-kind” services you want identified in the budget, then you will need to calculate a value to assign to that time. If you have multiple volunteers, you can also note in your project narrative or on the budget narrative that multiple volunteers provide “in-kind” services that have not been calculated for budget purposes.

14. Can I apply for a project where a contract agency of MHRS is providing the programming/service? This would be seen as a duplication of service and something that is already available to the community so it would NOT fall within the guidelines of the Mini-Grant RFP. However, if it is NOT currently available to the community by the contract agency, you (the grantee) many contract with and pay that agency for the service and incorporate the cost into the mini-grant budget.

15. Is it possible to obtain a copy of prior mini-grant applications?

Updated 8/25/14 Since MHRS is a public entity, a Public Records Request can be submitted to obtain copies. Per MHRS policy, a fee is charged for each copied page. Contact Kelley Brown, MHRS Executive Assistant, at 513-695-1695 or [email protected] for the procedure.

16. Will faith-based organizations be considered for funding? Yes, Organizations who are non-profit, charitable, educational, or governmental with a Federal Tax ID number can apply. Other Organized Groups with a fiscal agent who meets one of the above are also eligible. Therefore, as long as the faith-based organization has non-profit status 501(c)3) and has a Federal Tax ID number, their application will be considered.

17. Can Support Letters come from individuals? Yes. It is recommended that letters be able to attest to the quality and value of a program or organization as a whole and to support this particular proposal and/or the applying organization, rather than a testimony of the personal benefits to a specific participant. However, letters from individuals would be considered.

18. I am working on getting letters of support for our grant application. One person that I asked has also been asked by another grant applicant. Is it okay if I also get a letter of support from the same source, or would it be better to get a different one? We would accept a letter of support from the same entity for two separate grant applications (from different agencies).

19. I am working on completing a grant application. When I began typing the info, I had to convert the document to an older version of Word since I do not have the newer version the form was created in. After I completed the timeline, my version does not have the checklist of attachments or the CEO Certification Section. Can I just add the CEO certification after the timeline? Yes that’s perfectly fine to add the CEO Certification section. The checklist is more for the applicant’s convenience so no need to add that section unless you want to!

20. Our Executive Director/CEO is out of town until Monday. Will you accept a scanned copy of her signature on the application or does it need to be an original? Otherwise, would the associate director or financial officer's signature be an adequate substitute? It is not required that the signature be the original copy but we do need a signature from the CEO.

Alternatively, if the organization would like to submit a letter on the company letterhead which reflects “a concluding statement signed and dated by the organization’s CEO, attesting that the application is complete and true” this would be acceptable as well. The signature line was added to the application as a convenience to the applicants.

21. Does a school need to submit “Organization Certification Information”? This is for organizations who have certification under another entity or overarching organization. An example would be a hospital which has Joint Commission Accreditation or a mental health agency which has certification from CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities). It’s possible that an organization does not require or have such certifications. In this case, you may indicate N/A.

Updated 8/25/14 22. Do you want our Board of Education members in lieu of “Board of Trustees”? Yes

Updated 8/25/14 23. Can an organization that asks for $10,000 be awarded less than they ask for? Yes. At the discretion of the Grant Review committee and Mental Health Recovery Services, an applicant could be awarded less than they ask for. This could occur in instances where certain unallowable expenses are included or where certain expenses seem inflated, for example.

24. Can organizations under contract from Mental Health Recovery Services provide in-kind services as part of the grant? No. MHRS Contract organizations that are providing services through the grant must include the costs for these services in the grant or secure other funding sources for these services.

25. Do we need to touch on all 40 developmental assets? No, pick a few and concentrate on them.

26. Are there guidelines for percentages spent on typical expenses? No, each project is different. We will review the expenses for each application and ask any questions we may have.

27. If we have several In-Kind contributors we want to detail, should we attach a list? Yes, due to space limitations on the budget narrative, you may just attach a list. Also see question #13.

28. If we were a grant recipient the year prior, will you look at our prior year’s grant report? Yes, we will. This is one of the reasons we ask that your prior years grant report be submitted before the current year’s grant application deadline. We will look at the outcomes as well as your prior year’s sustainability plan to determine any progress towards securing funding for the project from other sources.

Updated 8/25/14