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Questions from Webinar
BUDGET QUESTIONS
What Can be Included in Budget
1. Do you expect the grant funding to include the cost of the intervention? Yes.
2. Can travel costs be covered by the grant? Yes, see section 3.7.8 in the RFP.
3. Can the cost of a researcher be included in the grant budget? Yes, see section 3.7.8 in the RFP.
4. Can the grant funds be used to provide direct services or just evaluation tasks? For both.
5. Are program expenses related to technical assistance and monitoring of program practice and
collaboration allowable? Yes, with an explanation of the rationale and purpose of the TA. Why is it
needed? Who will provide it? Who will receive it?
COLLABORATIONS
1. What is the minimal range of time that would be acceptable for collaboration between
organizations? Minimally 12 months between the lead agency and at least one partner.
2. Do you see a role for state agencies as partners in this work? Yes.
3. What types of collaboration suggested? Please clarify the type of collaborative or subcontractors
who will be recognized. Please see section 3.1 in the RFP and Pollard's article cited in the RFP,
section 1.3.7.
4. Do primary investigators need to be affiliated with a college/university? No.
5. How are you defining collaborations? Please see section 1.3.7—“Creating Effective
Collaborations”—in the RFP and the references cited in that section.
6. Please describe initial conceptions of methodologies, measures, and indicators related to
collaboration. See Pollard's article cited in the RFP, section 1.3.7.
TARGET POPULATIONS
No Substantiated Report on Target Child
1. Please clarify inclusion criteria for target children with regard to prior involvement with Child
Welfare. One of the eligibility criteria for participation in the R&D projects are families who self-
report that there has been no substantiated Child Protective Services report on the target child in
the 24 months preceding acceptance into the project. This means that the target population can
include children who have cases that were investigated but screened out or closed without findings.
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2. One requirement for inclusion is that there has been no substantiated allegation of abuse or neglect
in the past 24 months. Is this on the target child only or on the family as a whole (i.e. if one of the
parents has a substantiated instance on another child in the past 24 months, would that disqualify
the family)? The requirement refers to the target child only.
3. If an otherwise eligible child has an OPEN CPS case, can they be entered until the case is either
found to be substantiated or unsubstantiated? No
4. If the pregnant mother has had substantiated CPS cases in the past, can the new baby are the
target child? Yes
5. Are families with a substantiated investigation allowed to participate in the research study? No
6. Will projects be required to include participants substantiated for child abuse No or only at risk for
child abuse? Only at risk.
7. Regarding the target population. It is stated in the RFP that participating families should be those
having an infant or young child and AT HIGH RISK for abuse, neglect, and abandonment. In this
case, can the population diverted from differential response, which are deemed at low to moderate
risk of abuse and neglect, be eligible for this RFP? The project is intended to study prevention
strategies, not intervention after children have been identified, although children who have been
identified are not excluded. All target children must NOT have a substantiated CPS report within
the 24 months preceding acceptance in the program.
Substance-exposed or HIV-AIDS Affected Targets
1. You mention substance abuse/substance exposure and HIV/AIDS several times as "examples."
Are you really trying to say that these should be the target populations? Does the proposal have to
specifically target families with either substance abuse problems or HIV? The RFP says the target
population includes substance abuse and HIV exposed children....does that mean we cannot
exclude these populations or must we reach out specifically to these populations. How strong does
the HIV/Substance abuse focus need to be? These are examples of high-risk populations.
Projects are not required to include these populations but are strongly recommended to consider
them for inclusion.
2. Must infants enrolled in the program be HIV-exposed? No.
Age of Target Children/When Can Enroll Children
1. What is the 24 month old child requirement? The eligibility criteria for participation in the R&D
projects are families who have an infant or young child, birth–24 months, who will be the target
child. The initial target population of children ages birth–24 months is necessary so that the focus
throughout the 40 months of the R&D projects will remain on children birth–5.
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2. The sentence at the bottom of p. 46 in the RFP seems to state that only children born between
2/29/08 and 3/1/10 are eligible. The target infants can be no older than 24 months when they are
enrolled in the project, even if they are not enrolled until after the project start-up date (3/1/01).
3. The target child ages out at age 5. Does that mean on the child's 5th birthday or up to the child's
6th birthday? Through the child’s 5th year/up to the child’s 6th birthday.
Pregnant Women/Prenatal Targets
1. Can target subjects be recruited before birth? Yes. Due to the age requirements of participating
children, are interventions that require enrollment of families before the birth of a child
discouraged? No, the primary caregiver target population can include pregnant women.
Other
1. Can you speak more about the risk factors that make families/target populations eligible? There are
several resources about risk factors cited in the document The Need for the Quality Improvement
Center on Early Childhood posted on the QIC-EC website (http://www.qic-
ec.org/index.php/resources_and_findings/needs_assessment), as well as numerous lists of risk and
protective factors in the maltreatment literature.
2. Are there specific risk factors you are looking for, or just within the current published literature? We
do not have a predetermined set of risk factors of interest.
3. Do target children need to be enrolled in Early Head Start? No
4. Does the proposal have to specifically target either African-Americans or Native Americans? No
5. Does the target parent have to be a 1st time parent? No
6. Should projects be targeted exclusively to those families/young children with demonstrated risk for
child maltreatment? Yes
7. Can there be a target of mothers/fathers at high risk of poor parenting practices (Neglect abuse),
i.e. with borderline personality disorder or other major mental disorders? Yes
8. Can more than one target child be enrolled per family? Yes
9. Can the intervention focus on both the mother and bio-father or just one parent? Either parent,
both parents, and/or family members
Research Design; Nature of Interventions:
Type of Allowable Interventions
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1. Can you define or explain the concept of "Peer Review" as mentioned in the Emerging Practices in
the Continuum of Evidenced-Informed to Evidenced-Based Practices (p. 14 of RFP)?
Review/evaluation of the program or practices by persons with appropriate knowledge.
2. One question that has come up as I read the RFP and discussed it with community partners is that
while the funding is not for first-time partnerships, we assume that you are looking to fund service
enhancements or innovations, which implies funding for NEW services—or expansion of existing
services. We usually assume in grant-writing that funders are not interested in funding “services
as usual”--can you clarify? Does the demonstration project have to be a new project or can it be
an existing project that is asking new research questions? We are looking for service
enhancements, new services, or expansion of existing services. I should add that an existing,
successful collaboration may add a new partner as long as a strong justification is provided.
3. What parameters did the presenter say were on the Research Design? No pre-test, post-test and
or other parameters? Please see sections 2.5.3, 1.3.6, and 3.7.7 in the RFP.
4. Is there one particular treatment model that you have in mind? No.
5. Is there a requirement to have the project reviewed by an IRB? Please see section 2.5.5 in the
RFP.
6. From what I've read I am still not clear if a comparison and control group are required or just highly
recommended. Required
7. Regarding the intervention. Are you only interested in looking at models based on the work of
Strengthening Families Approach and Protective Factors Framework? Or other models, like the
Family Group Conferencing, or Family Group Decision Making, which aims to build family
resilience and protect the children against abuse and neglect, are also included in this RFP? The
identified protective factors are not exclusive to the Strengthening Families approach and may be
incorporated into other prevention programs. The conferencing and decision making models are
not usually understood to be prevention models but intervention once children have entered the
child welfare system.
8. Related to the caveat on mission drift (page 24), are proposals in multiple core areas discouraged?
No, but the rationale for addressing multiple areas and the approach should be clearly focused in
order to gain knowledge about results.
9. In Arizona, it may be possible to combine multiple funding streams to gather multi-site data on
strong family interventions and collaboration. Would this approach (expanding the scope of the
proposed study for child abuse and neglect prevention research and demonstration project) be
discouraged? The potential for adding to the knowledge in the field by gathering a wider field of
data must be clearly explained. The project that responds to the RFP must conform to the
requirements and limitations in the RFP.
10. Please provide initial thinking on the treatment of interest in the study; is the treatment the
evidenced based continuum interventions, a community collaboration for strong families, or the
interaction of both? Interaction of both.
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11. Are case management services allowed through this funding? Yes
12. Does it add to the strength of an application to include biological as well psychosocial measures?
No
13. Our possible proposal would include much emphasis on mental health intervention with mothers,
father and babies, is this ok? Yes
14. Will priority be given to interventions already extensively field-tested or will new promising
interventions have a chance? Both are acceptable
Eligibility
1. We are currently involved in a project that appears to meet the RFP requirements. The project
works with poor, younger mothers; the target child is under 2; the families are prescreened (if
the caregiver has a previous substantiated CPS report, they aren't eligible). The program is
offered in collaboration with 3 agencies and 2 major funders (including our county DSS). The
program already has a substantial evaluation built in with potential participants randomized to
the intervention and the control group. My question is- would we be eligible for participation in
this project? Would we be able to use federal funds to offset funding cuts from funding
partners? Yes, but all the requirements for this RFP would have to be met.
2. Would a local United Way working with a collaborative of local service agencies be eligible to be
a lead agency for purposes of this RFP? Yes
3. Are there special considerations for programs in rural communities? The letter should include
special circumstances for the proposed population.
4. Can a school of medicine or hospital qualify as a lead agency? Yes
5. Is there a definition of start-up...does the collaboration need to be in existence for a certain
amount of time? A history of collaboration should be demonstrated between the lead agency
and at least one partner, ideally for at least 12 months.
6. Based on eligibility requirements, is a program at a county level considered eligible? Yes
7. Can Universities apply for this funding? Yes, as a part of collaboration.
8. Can a United Way be the fiscal agent?
9. Is this grant open to Tribal Government Social Services Departments? Yes. Please see section
3.1 in the RFP.
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10. If you have an initiative that fits the parameters and is already partially funded from other grants,
would you be eligible? Yes
Key Personnel
1. Can the local evaluator and principal investigator be the same entity? Yes. Please explain the
rationale for choosing this configuration or responsibilities.
2. Does the project lead have to be a PhD? No
3. Intervention in partnership with an already existing service delivery organization? Yes. Please
explain the rationale for choosing this configuration.
LETTER OF INTEREST AND FULL PROPOSALS
1. Is there a specific template/information sheet to be followed as it relates to the letter of intent?
I'm assuming there are more details about the LOI in the RFP. Can you briefly go over what
you'd like to see in the LOI? Please see section 3.6 in the RFP.
2. Will you provide webinar attendees with the rating rubric for letters of intent? We are looking for
the criteria delineated in section 3.6 in the RFP.
3. How many LOIs do you anticipate receiving? No way of guessing. I know it will depend on the
quality of the LOIs, but do you have a sense of how many full proposals you'd like to invite? We
do not have a predetermined number in mind.
4. Will there be an opportunity to talk with a program manager prior to submitting an LOI? Please
submit questions/concerns via email address: qic-ec@cssp.org. Talking with program manager
- my purpose was to be able to float the existing program we have and how it would fit with the
RFP? It would not be appropriate to make a judgment about the appropriateness of a particular
program at this time. Strong explanation/justification of how the program is aligned with/meets
the goals for the R&D projects should be provided.
5. Should letters of support from the consortium be included with the letter of intent? No.
6. Does the LOI need decided upon instruments for the local evaluation? No.
7. Is an a priori power analysis due in the letter of interest? No.
8. What address to use in sending the letter of interest? Please see section 3.6 in the RFP.
9. In the RFP it does not state whether a budget is needed for the Letter of Intent. A budget is not
required for the LOI.
10. Should collaborations include a financial request in the letter of intent? No
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11. You have to be invited in order to submit a full proposal? Yes, please see section 3.6 in the
RFP.
Eligible Applicants
1. Who is eligible to apply for funding?
Public and private interagency collaborations or partnerships between institutions and
organizations with experience and expertise in child welfare, child maltreatment
prevention, early childhood programs, and other related areas, are eligible to apply.
See section 3.1 in the RFP for more details about eligibility.
2. Can my organization use this opportunity to support a new program?
Proposals that are for first-time, start-up projects, or that involve newly created
collaborations or partnerships will not be supported.
Application Process
1. What must I do to apply for funding?
Responding to the RFP will occur in two stages: submission of a letter of interest and
submission of a full proposal, if invited.
While those who submit a letter of interest are under no obligation to submit a proposal,
those who desire to submit a proposal MUST submit a letter of interest first and be
invited to submit a full proposal. ONLY those proposals that have been invited by the
QIC-EC team will be reviewed.
2. When are letters of interest due?
Letters of interest must be submitted electronically AND in hard copy form by mail or
delivery service, by November 9, 2009. Faxed letters of interest will not be accepted.
o Electronic submission of the letter of interest must be sent to the QIC-EC e- mail
address, qic-ec@cssp.org , and must be received no later than 5:00 PM EST on
November 9, 2009.
o Two original hard copies of the letter of interest must be postmarked (if using US
Mail) or marked as received by the carrier (if using UPS, FedEx, or another
delivery service) by November 9, 2009.
o See section 3.6 in the RFP for more details about the letter of interest.
3. Is there a designated length for the letter of interest?
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The letter of interest should include a single-spaced face sheet and a narrative that is
limited to five (5) double-spaced 8 ½” by 11”, single-sided pages with standard one-inch
margins on all sides. A 12-pt Times New Roman font should be used for all text.
4. How will I know if I can submit a full proposal?
Letters of interest that are received by the deadline, include all of the required
components, demonstrate an existing capacity to execute a research project of this
nature, and are judged as aligned with the QIC-EC’s vision for the R&D projects, will be
invited to submit a full proposal.
Those invited to submit a full proposal will be notified by email no later than November
30, 2009.
5. When is the full proposal due?
The proposal and all required appendices must be submitted electronically AND in hard
copy form by mail or delivery service. Faxed proposals will not be accepted.
o Electronic submission of the proposal must be sent to the QIC-EC email address
and must be received no later than 5:00 PM EST on January 19, 2010.
o Two original hard copies of the proposal and appendices must be postmarked (if
using US Mail) or marked as received by the carrier (if using UPS, FedEx or
another delivery service) by January 19, 2010.
o See section 3.7 in the RFP for more details about the proposals.
6. Is there a maximum length for the full proposal?
The proposal is limited to 75 double-spaced, 8 ½” by 11”, single-sided pages with
standard one-inch margins on all sides. The page limit includes the one-page abstract,
proposal narrative, budget, budget narrative, and bibliography but does not include the
cover letter, face sheet and required appendices. A 12-pt Times New Roman font
should be used for all text.
Announcement of Awards
1. When will the grant awards be announced?
Announcement of awards will be made on or before February 26, 2010; successful
applicants will be notified by email or phone on that date.
Target Population
1. The announcement stated that the grant would be for children for whom there is no
substantiated child abuse report. Does this mean that the grant could be used for
children who have cases that were investigated but “screened out” or closed without
findings? Or only for cases in which there has been no investigation?
The target population can include children who have cases that were investigated but
screened out or closed without findings.
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2. Would a program that engages families while the participant women are still pregnant
be acceptable under the eligibility criteria of this RFP?
The primary caregiver target population can include women while they are still pregnant.
Nature of the Proposed Interventions
1. Is this RFP focused strictly on social service related interventions for young children or
could interventions related to early and family literacy (parent education/support,
enhancing home literacy learning, training and support to preschool teachers) be
appropriate topics for potential funding?
Interventions must be those that increase the designated protective factors (identified in
the RFP) and decrease risk factors related to child abuse and neglect, and thereby have
an impact on the specified outcomes—optimal child development, increased family
strengths, and decreased likelihood of child maltreatment—as measured by the
indicators outlined in the RFP.
Background Information to Support the Proposals
1. Can you suggest some articles that support the background information summarized in
the RFP?
The QIC-EC website includes several supporting resource documents. Also, please
refer to the bibliographies in these documents for lists of additional references.
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