Transform Youth Justice: CBO Capacity Building Initiative Request for Applications Questions and Answers

APPLYING

Q: What is the best way for a new applicant to participate in the grant? Do you assist new applicants in any way prior to application submission?

A: The best way for a new applicant to participate in the grant is by reviewing the request for applications for full information before applying, watching a proposers’ webinar and, if needed, attending office hours. The content of each webinar is the same and repeated. Webinar recordings are posted on The Center’s News & Insights page.

Q: Can you define a fiscal sponsor and who is eligible to be a fiscal sponsor under this grant?

A: A fiscal sponsor is an organization, usually a nonprofit organization, that provides financial oversight and other administrative services to support another organization or project. In this case, a fiscal sponsor will utilize its 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt status to be the grantee on record and accept payment from The Center. Fiscal sponsors must meet the eligibility criteria listed in the Request for Applications; with the following exception, fiscal sponsors may serve in this role for more than one Elevate Youth California grant.

Q: If our fiscal sponsor is the applicant organization, do you want organizational information, annual budget and financial audit from the fiscal sponsor or our program (which is under the fiscal sponsor)?

A: While The Center does need some information about the fiscal sponsor as they are the eligible applicant, please focus on the project itself related to the program content in the application. Review the request for applications for full information about applying. The application will ask for information about both the fiscal sponsor and fiscally sponsored program, please be sure to follow the directions closely to ensure the correct information is being provided in each section.

Q: What happens if we change fiscal sponsors after we apply?

A: If awarded, we will work with the fiscally sponsored project to confirm the new fiscal sponsor qualifies and is willing to take on the fiscal sponsor responsibilities.

Q: Could two distinct youth programs in California that each operate under one national organization’s EIN both submit an application?

A: Yes, two separate organizations using the same fiscal sponsor can apply for the funding opportunity. Please note that the implementing organization can only submit one application.

Q: In regards to working with at least ten youth in a caseload/case management capacity, can you define what that means? If we are a youth-serving org that provides youth mental health and suicide prevention curricula and training, but we do not provide case management and youth, are we eligible?

A: Organizations not yet serving youth in a caseload/case-management capacity but have experience, expertise and track record in working in the mental health, behavioral health, and/or justice sector, serving transition-age youth (TAY) up to age 26 are eligible to apply.

Q: Is collaboration with other agencies a requirement? Can you speak to how partnerships should be handled/managed?

A: Collaboration is not a requirement, but we welcome it if that is your approach. Partnership is encouraged where it makes sense. Pay attention to specific requirements for collaboratives/ coalitions in the request for applications.

Q: Who is the letter from the executive director addressed to and what specifically should it say?

A: All letters should be directed to The Center at Sierra Health Foundation. If an individual organization is applying, the executive director needs to indicate support for the application. If applying as a collaborative, each organization’s executive director needs to indicate support and identify the role their organization will play in the collaborative project. Additionally, all letters of support should affirm the applicant’s ability to submit quarterly data and financial progress reports, willingness to participate in external evaluation activities and participation at two in-person convenings held by The Center. There is no template for the letter of support.

Q: Can we submit more than one letter of support?

A: Yes, you can submit more than one letter of support, and if applying as a coalition it is required that you also submit letters signed by the executive of those partners. If you run into any technical difficulties with uploading multiple letters, please email our team at tyj@shfcenter.org

Q: Is a letter of intent required to apply?

A: A letter of intent is not required to apply; however, a letter of support is required as one of the attachments in the application.

Q: Can we have a subcontractor that is not based in California, but provides services in California?

A: There are no restrictions on partnering with subcontractors outside of California. We encourage applicants to be mindful of subcontractors that are not based in California as travel outside of California is not allowed unless prior approval is received.

Q: Can an organization that wins an award contract with other private outside vendors provide direct services to youth? Or must the funds be used exclusively by the grant recipient with no subcontractors allowed?

A: The application is open to partnerships which can be facilitated through subcontracts. These partnerships would need to be clear and aligned with the intent of the RFA which is building capacity for community-based support for youth involved in the criminal legal system.

Q: Can applications propose new positions?

A: New positions can be proposed in this funding opportunity. Competitive applications will be consistent and precise in the Organizational Capacity: Strengths and Identified Needs section of the Project Narrative. Be sure to explain how funding will be used to meet program needs and strengthen organizational sustainability.

Q: Can we hire a consultant to write grants to sustain funding for the program beyond Transform Youth Justice funding?

A: Hiring consultants to write grants to help sustain future funding for the program is an ineligible expense. Ultimately, we do hope funded organizations are in a stronger place than when funds were awarded. To support this, The Center offers training and technical support to funded partners.

Q: The word limits on each response seem very limited. Do the assessments and other items emphasize the project design for the review panel?

A: The review team will read the entire application package. Be precise in your description but know there are other places to paint the full picture of your project. Be consistent in the work plan, narrative, budget and budget justification.

Q: Character limitations can make it difficult to articulate all relevant information. Do you allow us to put any attachments (e.g., brochures, milestones and accomplishment pages) in the application?

A: While applicant organizations are not able to add any additional attachments to their application outside of the Assessments, W-9 and Support Letter, the Project Narrative Questions and Project Information sections of the application are opportunities to convey information about your organization.

Q: How is the work plan different from the overall proposal?

A: A goal of the work plan is to identify the project objectives, activities, roles/responsibilities, and timeline that will lead to strengthened programs, sustainability, and increased capacity. This provides greater detail on the program activities the applicant is proposing.

Q: Could you explain who will attend the Community of Practice convenings? Will all awarded organizations attend? Is there a proposed location?

A: The staff of awarded organizations would attend the convening. There is not a proposed location for the convening yet. The final plans are yet to be determined. We will make adjustments if necessary and all grantee partners will be notified.

Q: For the online application, we don’t have to submit a workplan or technical assistance plan?

A: No, awarded organization will develop a workplan in collaboration with The Center and our technical assistance partners.

Q: Will only the W9 form be required to apply?

A: A W9 form, a signed letter of support, and both assessments will be required to apply. For an application checklist, head to page 19 on the Request of Applications.

Q: If your organization is partnering with a county agency and/or local businesses, is it advisable to have letters of support from some or all of those partners?

A: The signed letter of support should come from the Executive Director or equivalent stating executive investment in the proposed project. Letters of support from parting county agencies and/or local businesses are not required.

Q: Can a community-based organization propose a planning grant for partnership development with implementation activities as well?

A: Yes, organizations should provide a clear picture of the intended program activities, timeline and outcomes.

Q: We are a health clinic (Medi-Cal certified), providing pediatric services. However, we are currently referring out all of our youth with the potential to be justice-involved to other organizations. Could this grant allow our clinic to build a youth justice involvement intervention program?

A: Eligible applicants, who have a 501(c)(3), etc. can submit a proposal to build programming for justice-involved youth.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Q: How many organizations will be funded through the Transform Youth Justice initiative?

A: 8 organizations total will each receive $500,000 for the award period of 26 months. 2 organizations from each of the priority regions, Northern California, Sierra Nevada, Inland Empire/ Imperial Valley, and San Joaquin Valley, will be awarded.

Q: If my organization is not selected for the Transform Youth Justice funding opportunity, will we be given information about other opportunities?

A: Information on all the funding opportunities will be available once they’re released on The Center’s page under News & Insights. Organizations can request to receive e-blasts from Sierra Health Foundation and The Center online at SHFCenter.org.

ELIGIBILITY

Q: Our 501(c)(3) budget is by fiscal year, can you clarify which fiscal year is the $3 million limited to?

A: Please list the organization’s annual budget for fiscal year 2023-2024 on your application, which should not exceed $3M.

Q: We are an umbrella organization with a budget exceeding $3M, as reflected in our 990. However, the specific program for which we would apply has an annual programmatic budget of less than $3 million. Are we eligible to apply?

A: For this funding opportunity, we are looking at the organizational budget. The exception is for Tribal organizations, then we are looking at the department budget.

Q: Our annual budget exceeds $3M. Can we serve as a fiscal sponsor to a non-profit that lacks 501(c)(3) status and has an annual budget of less than $3M?

A: Yes, as a fiscal sponsor, you would be eligible to apply. The review of a budget would be with the fiscally sponsored project, not the entire fiscal sponsor.

Q: Are public agencies eligible to apply?

A: For this funding opportunity, 501(c)3 community-based organizations and Tribal organizations (including 638s and urban clinics) with established and trusted community relationships are eligible. Additionally, this opportunity is open to coalitions of organizations and collaboratives, as long as the backbone organization is an eligible applicant. County behavioral health organizations that are the sole provider of prevention services in their respective county may also apply. Tribal organizations can be 501(c)3 non-profit agencies or public entities. Public agencies can be partners in applications, but are not eligible applicants unless the criteria provided above are met.

Q: Can a local 501c3 faith-based organization apply?

A: Yes, any 501c3 organization is eligible to apply for this funding. See the request for applications for more information on eligibility criteria.

Q: Are public entities eligible to receive funding as a sole applicant or lead applicant in a consortium? If so, can a consortium application be submitted between an educational entity and a community-based clinic?

A: This funding opportunity is specifically for 501(c)3 organizations, Tribal organizations (including 638s and urban clinics) and county behavioral health organizations that are the sole provider of prevention services as the eligible applicant. Public entities that do not meet the above criteria are ineligible to apply. We welcome collaborative applications where the applicant is a 501(c)3 organization or a Tribal entity.

Q: The emerging entity just received its nonprofit 501(c)(3) status, but the organization has yet to build any administrative infrastructure (no payroll system, no insurance coverage etc.). For this reason, the emerging entity would still like to work with a fiscal sponsor for this grant and use some grant funds to build infrastructure. Is that permissible?

A: Yes, the organization is welcome to apply for this funding opportunity with a fiscal sponsor. Funds used to build administrative infrastructure are an allowable expense in this funding opportunity.

Q: My agency is both a federally qualified health center and a 501(c)3. How does this impact our eligibility?

A: If your entity has a 501(c)3 nonprofit status, you are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity as long as your entity adheres to the rest of the eligibility requirements listed in the Request for Applications. Please review the eligibility criteria listed in the Request for Applications when considering applying for this funding opportunity.

Q: Is an organization able to submit more than one application?

A: No, only one application per organization is allowed. The exception is if the applicant is serving as a fiscal sponsor for a project submitting an application, then the organization may submit more than one application.

Q: If we are collaborating with several organizations, should we all submit an application or just one?

A: Collaboratives or coalitions are only eligible to submit one application. Please be sure to review the Eligibility Criteria section in the Request for Applications before applying.

Q: Is it possible for an applicant to submit more than one proposal in response to this RFA? For example, if the same applicant has different programs that would target different populations or geographic areas?

A: An applicant is only eligible to submit one application. The exception is if the organization is acting as a fiscal sponsor for another project.

Q: Does our organization require an established social justice program to be considered?

A: The applicant’s program does not need to be established; however, the application will need to convey expertise in this work by the applicant or partners. Please review the eligibility and selection criteria in the request for applications and then make your best decision about applying. Competitive application’s will be from organizations that implement or plan to implement programs and/or services that reflect the initiative’s guiding principles and rooting framework (Social Justice Youth Development and Positive Youth Justice) in meeting the social determinants of health needs of youth involved in the carceral legal system.

Q: Would organizations that aren’t headquartered in California, but provide services and have staff in California qualify?

A: Yes, however, the organization must have an office located in California and must provide services in California.

Q: If an organization doesn’t have significant Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) representation in leadership, but has started integrating justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion work and committees within the organization, would the organization still be considered based on other application components?

A: This funding opportunity requires applicant organizations and collaborative partners to deeply engage and reflect the proposed communities served. Grantee partners should have a history of working with impacted communities, including representation on the board and staff, clients served and neighborhoods served. Not having a significant BIPOC representation in leadership will not disqualify organizations, but it is a key component that our reviewers will consider when reviewing applications. Please refer to the Request for Applications for additional eligibility and selection criteria.

Q: Our office is not located in a priority county but the majority of the youth we provide services to are from the priority counties, can we still apply?

A: Organizations with most of their service population from the priority counties are encouraged to apply and provide the percentage of service population per county in the online application. However, applicants with offices located in the targeted counties will be prioritized.

Q: If you have a contract with the county are you not eligible?

A: This grant is open to community-based organizations that may have a contract with a county or city agency in their area to provide some of these services.

Q: Can organizations with only one full-time staff person and paid contractors still apply?

A: This funding opportunity is looking for at least two full-time staff OR the equivalent staff hours available to provide direct services to the community that they live in.

Q: The listed counties are given priority but can any community-based organization that meets the other qualifications in California apply for this grant?

A: Organizations in the priority regions and/or serving youth in the regions are encouraged to apply. Organizations outside of the priority regions are not eligible.

Q: What if our organization doesn’t have a financial audit yet? What are you looking for with this requirement and how can we sufficiently meet it if we haven’t conducted an external audit?

A: Optional financial documents are used to better understand the organization’s current financial standing and capacity. Organizations will not be disqualified for not having conducted financial audits yet.

Q: What would be considered a grassroots community-based organization?

A: This funding opportunity defines a grassroots community-based organization as a local non-profit with connections in the communities they serve. Read more at: https://www.unhcr.org/innovation/grassroots-organizations-are-just-as-important-as-seed-money-for-innovation/

Q: Do we need a fiscal sponsor for our nonprofit, if our annual operating expenses are 125K to 150K?

A: Organizations are not required to have a fiscal sponsor based on annual operating expenses.

Q: Does the community-based organization need to have an office or center of their own or can they be providing services through partnerships with other agencies such as city youth centers or other community-based organization partners?

A: Organizations are not required to have an office of their own. Services can be provided through partnering organizations.

FUNDING

Q: Does the RFA apply to the entire state of California?

A: No, The four priority regions are Northern California (counties north of the Bay Area and Sacramento), Sierra Nevada, Inland Empire, and San Joaquin Valley.

Q: Can indirect funding be more than 20 percent?

A: No, indirect funding cannot be more than 20 percent of the direct costs.

Q: Will awarded funding be renewable after the three years?

A: There are no additional funding commitments as of right now, applicants should plan for three years of implementation.

Q: Is funding expected to supplement an existing program or only new programs funded entirely by this?

A: There is no requirement; this is an applicant decision.

Q: What are the funding restrictions under this grant?

A: Please refer to page 12 of the Request for Applications for a list of funding restrictions. If you have any specific questions on funding restrictions, please send us an e-mail at tyj@shfcenter.org.

Q: When will award notifications be announced if the program starts on September 1?

A: Award notifications will be sent out in late September and subcontracts will be back-dated to September 1. Awarded organizations are not expected to start program activities until funding is issued.

Q: How does the National Center for Youth Law technical assistance support 501(c)(3) with policy advocacy and implementation without stepping into 501(c)(4) territory?

A: The policy advocacy support provided through this initiative will focus on local policy advocacy (such as county-level systems change efforts), and local policy implementation (help CBOs understand the recently passed youth justice laws and how to ensure that are being implemented in their county). These activities are not a part of political lobbying and, therefore do not step into 501(c)4 territory.

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

Q: Are we able to focus on more than one geographic area or region?

A: Applicants may provide services in more than one county and geographic area.

Q: Can our program serve both urban and rural?

A: Yes. In the application, applicants are able to identify the urban/rural breakdown by percentage.

Q: How many grants will be approved per geographical area?

A: Up to 2 organizations per priority region will be funded. However, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration will make the final recommendation based on the number of applications and needs.

Q: Are you looking for counties with a certain percentage of poverty, a section of the community, or school districts that have a high percentage of poverty?

A: There are geographic considerations for this funding opportunity; however, there are not specific areas within a community or county that we are only funding. Funding will be distributed in low-income urban and rural areas throughout the chosen regions in California.

Q: If you do not receive enough applicants from the Northern California region that was outlined, would you accept applicants from the Sacramento region?

A: The counties listed are the eligible counties for this request for applications. If we are not able to find two awardees in a particular region, we will select another applicant from another region and eligible county. Sacramento County is not an eligible county for this funding opportunity.

ONLINE PORTAL

Q: I’m having a problem with the application link.

A: Check the browser you are using. Feel free to e-mail us at tyj@shfcenter.org if you continue to have issues and we can troubleshoot. We can provide the link via e-mail and you can find the link on page 18 of the request for applications under Application Checklist. You can click on the link in the PDF.

Q: Do I need to make a new account to apply to this funding opportunity?

A: The online portal does not require the creation of an account. When saving your application, you will need to provide an email address and password that will be used to access your in-progress application. The application will send the email address entered the link to come back to the saved application.

Q: Can you confirm if it is Word count or character count in the application?

A: Word count. There is a counter inside the portal within each question.

Q: Is there an easy way to create a Google Doc with questions from the RFA?

A: We don’t have a tool for this. The questions that applicants must respond to are listed in the request for applications.

Q: If there are multiple people working on the application, after one person saves their work, can you share the link you receive with the other people working on the grant?

A: At this time, only one person can submit an email and password per application. Consider creating a shared document to collectively work on the application questions. You may use copy and paste functions to enter your responses into the application itself.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Q: Are planning sessions to inform activities an eligible activity in this opportunity?

A: Yes, this is an eligible activity. Please review eligibility criteria in the request for applications.

Q: Can our program include stipends to participating youth?

A: Yes. There are no restrictions on providing stipends to youth.

Q: Can our program include prevention education with families?

A: Family engagement can be included in the program design. Please review the RFA in detail for more information about the various components of the program.

Q: Do you offer a curriculum? Or do we use our current material?

A: There is no required curriculum. Applicants may propose to utilize the curriculum they already have in place or other curricula that is culturally and linguistically relevant to the community being served.

Q: Is it mandatory to partner with schools?

A: There are no specific requirements on who organizations must partner with.

Q: Can evaluation be a funded expense?

A: Yes, applicants are more than welcome to include evaluation as a funded expense within their budget. Please include in the proposed project budget justification how you arrived at the request amount, how the evaluation will be conducted and the purpose. Additional information on the budget justification can be found in the RFA and budget justification template.

Q: Can you please explain in detail the services required to be provided under the program?

A: We do not have specific services that are required. There are key components and deliverables applicants should note (e.g., participation in convenings, listening sessions, etc.). In regard to the services or program activities being pitched, this will need to be determined by the applicant. We encourage applicants to review the request for applications for more information about specific requirements.

Q: Is this funding only for youth involved in the justice system, or can it be used to prevent?

A: Organizations can facilitate prevention activities and provide education that is tailored and utilizes stigma-reducing approaches.

Q: Can you give an example of how the work plan is supported by your organization? Does the organization’s involvement in the work plan mean that our proposal can follow a more general outline?

A: Awarded organizations will work in partnership with The Center to develop a workplan that will detail their objectives and timeline throughout the award. This can be a living document as the organization develops. This provides an outline of the expected outcomes.

Q: Would technical skills training be appropriate for this request for applications?

A: Yes. For example, staff training on related content (e.g., healing-based practice, trauma-informed organizational policies, secondary/vicarious trauma).

Q: Are programs required to serve at least 50 justice-involved youth each year? Or serve 50 youth each year?

A: There is no minimum number of youth programs are required to serve a year, however, 50 youth a year reflects a benchmark for growing organizational capacity to expand services.

Q: Are the target youth those we are preventing from entering the penal system or those already in the penal system with a pending case?

A: It is up to organizations who their programs serve and what their target population is. This funding opportunity will support prevention and case management services for youth who are justice-involved.

Q: Could this grant allow funding to hire a Behavior Health Provider or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) to help manage and counsel our Youth for either pre-arrest or exiting the justice system?

A: Yes, awarded organizations will develop a budget for the award period, which should include FTEs for existing or incoming staff.

Q: Can part of the funding be used to help cover restitution costs for juveniles being released from custody or expunging records?

A: Yes, the awarded organizations can provide support for youth being released from custody and prevent recidivism through efforts like expunging records.

Q: In regard to capacity building, will the technical assistance providers teach us how to get referrals and build our client base to eventually make our youth justice involvement program sustainable?

A: The National Center for Youth Law and Public Work Alliance will support the initiative to specific growth areas of awarded organizations as identified by the organization.

Q: Can an awarded organization contract with other private vendors to provide direct services to youth? Or must the funds be used exclusively by the grant recipient with no subcontractors allowed?

A: The application is open to partnerships which can be facilitated through subcontracts. These partnerships would need to be clear and aligned with the request for applications, which is building capacity for community-based support for youth involved in the criminal legal system.

PROPOSERS’ WEBINARS

Q: Where can I find the recording of the proposers’ webinar?

A: The content of each webinar is the same and repeated. Webinar recordings are posted on The Center’s News & Insights page.

REPORTING

Q: Can you provide more details on quarterly reporting requirements? Can we access the templates beforehand?

A: Reporting templates will be provided during the award year. Applicants can review the quarterly progress report questions on page 14 of the Request for Applications. The Center will provide trainings and technical assistance for funded partners to complete the narrative and financial reports.

BUDGET/ALLOWABLE PROGRAM EXPENSES

Q: Is there a capacity building/administrative budget line-item limit? (e.g., 15% administrative cost max)

A: There are no line-item limits in the budget for capacity building/administrative budget. Competitive applications will include a budget justification with specific details on how they arrived at the budget amounts. There is a maximum for indirect costs (20%) which is detailed in the budget template.

Q: Is match funding required?

A: Match funding is not required.

Q: If we want to pay the students for their work, will those funds come out of our budget? Or will there be additional funds available to pay the students?

A: We highly encourage providing incentives for the youth and young adults who are engaged in this programming.

Q: Is there extra funding for other expenses? For example: printing, meeting room rentals, food for meetings, other.

A: All expenses will be included in the awarded organization’s budget.

Q: Is salary for a development director an indirect cost?

A: If a development director is working directly on your program and has a specific role in the program, this will qualify as a direct expense. If they do not have a direct role in the program, this will be an indirect expense.

Q: Does this grant allow for construction or renovation of classrooms, overnight stay facilities and retreats? For example, weekend counseling on privately owned property by the nonprofit organization.

A: Renovation, construction, and building of new facilities is not an allowable expense.

Q: Is a van purchase for youth transportation an allowable expense?

A: This opportunity will not fund the purchase of a vehicle.

Q: Can we use the funding to provide transportation access to program activities (e.g., Uber)?

A: There is a limitation of $50 per youth per year for transportation incentives (e.g., Uber, Lyft, taxi). However, if the organization provides transportation services or does mileage reimbursement, there isn’t a limitation around this. Organizations should apply the CalHR rate for travel/mileage reimbursement.

Q: Is there a maximum percentage of funds that can be put toward salaries? (e.g., 20-30% max can be used toward salaries to support staffing on proposed project)

A: There are no line-item limits in the budget for salaries or other line items. The only maximum set is 20% for indirect line items.

Q: Can an organization apply without having a financial audit?

A: Yes, there is no requirement that applicant organizations must have a financial audit.

Q: Will the technical assistance providers need to be listed in the organization’s budget?

A: No, organizations are expected to include a line item for the National Center for Youth Law of Public Works Alliance. Awarded organizations that wish to include additional consultants hired by the partner organization will require a line item and justification.

Q: Could the expense to get an audit done for the next 2 years be something this funding could cover?

A: Yes, this funding opportunity will support capacity-building objectives.

Q: Can we include preventative justice-involved services, specifically for youth and families, or just youth justice involved?

A: Youth and families can be included in preventative programming. This funding opportunity aims to improve the health, social and intergenerational life course outcomes of justice-involved youth and their families.

OTHER

Q: Is there an email we can contact if we have any questions in the future?

A: Please direct your e-mails to tyj@shfcenter.org if you have any questions regarding Transform Youth Justice funding opportunities.

Q: Can you update my e-mail address on file to receive e-blasts from Sierra Health Foundation and The Center?

A: You can request to receive e-blasts from Sierra Health Foundation and The Center online at SHFCenter.org.

Q: Can you speak more to the type of evaluation designs that you are looking for?

A: The evaluation design needs to be responsive to your approach. Explain why your evaluation plan is the right approach for your project.

Q: Who determines who will be awarded? If we are not awarded, will we be notified why not?

A: The Office of Youth and Community Restoration holds final decision-making authority in selecting funded projects. Organizations that are not awarded can request feedback from The Center after the application review process. A scoring rubric will not be shared.

Q: How is payment for the funding being distributed? Will payments be reimbursed after the project period ends?

A: Understanding that a significant infusion of resources upfront may be a challenge for program implementation, The Center will offer flexible and phased payments. Payments will be issued based on the achievement of a set of agreed-upon deliverables as defined in the grant. Each grant will be divided into a minimum of three payments: (1) upon execution of grant agreement, and (2) and (3) based on conversations with partners demonstrating progress and approval of deliverables. Specific payment amounts will be determined through the proposed budget and in collaboration with awarded partners. If a grantee partner achieves all required deliverables by the end of the grant, the entire grant amount can be paid.

Q: Are insurance requirements included in the request for applications?

A: Insurance requirements are located on pages 30-31 of the request for applications. Awardees must submit insurance compliance documents to The Center within 30 days of executing the subcontract agreement and maintained throughout the duration of the project.

Q: Is this funding only for youth involved in the justice system, or can it be used to prevent?

A: Organizations can also facilitate prevention activities and provide education that is tailored and utilizes stigma-reducing approaches, however, this initiative’s main priority is to build CBO capacity to serve youth involved in the carceral legal system and build community capacity long-term for alternatives to incarceration as a systems change capacity building oriented goal.

Q: If you have a contract with the county are you not eligible?

A: This grant is open to community-based organizations that may have a contract with a county or city agency in their area to provide some of these services. The organization’s annual budget must not exceed $3 million.

Q: Can organizations with only one full-time staff person and paid contractors still apply?

A: This funding opportunity is looking for at least two full-time staff OR the equivalent staff hours available to provide direct services to the community that they live in.

Can you give an example of how the work plan is supported by your organization? Does the organization’s involvement in the work plan mean that our proposal can follow a more general outline?

A: Awarded organizations will work in partnership with The Center to develop a workplan that will detail their objectives and timeline throughout the award. This can be a living document as the organization develops. This provides an outline of the expected outcomes.

Q: How does the National Center for Youth Law technical assistance support 501(c)(3) with policy advocacy and implementation without stepping into 501(c)(4) territory?

A: The policy advocacy support provided through this initiative will focus on local leadership development that promotes youth agency and empowerment to engage in county-level systems change efforts on their own terms, as well as on effectively understanding and navigate the youth carceral system policy landscape (help CBOs understand the recently passed youth justice laws and how to assess and monitor that they are being implemented in their county). These activities are not a part of political lobbying and, therefore do not step into 501(c)4 territory.

Q: Would technical skills training be appropriate for this RFA?

A: Yes. For example, staff training on related content (e.g., healing-based practice, trauma-informed organizational policies, secondary/vicarious trauma).

Q: For the online application, we don’t have to submit a workplan or technical assistance plan?

A: No, awarded organization will develop a workplan in collaboration with The Center and our technical assistance partners.

Q: When will award notifications be announced if the program starts on September 1?

A: Award notifications will be sent out in late September and subcontracts will be back-dated to September 1. Awarded organizations are not expected to start program activities until funding is issued.

Q: Are programs required to serve a minimum of 50 justice-involved youth each year? Or serve a total of 50 youth each year?