Chicago Youth Development & Intervention Services (CYDIS) Technical Assistance, Appendices, Question and Answers (24-444-80-3007)

Technical Assistance Session:

This technical assistance session will provide participants with an overview of the 24-444-80-3007-01 Chicago Youth Development and Intervention Services Notice of Funding Opportunity and information on how providers can apply for FY24.

• Date and Time: Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 10:00AM Central Time (US and Canada)
• TA Session Recording

Greater Illinois Trauma Informed Behavioral Health Services Appendices:

• Appendix A - CSA Budget Information (docx)
• Appendix B - Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance (pdf)
• Appendix C - IDHS GATA Prequalification Information (docx)
• Appendix D - Executive Summary (docx)
• Appendix E - Uniform Budget Template (pdf)
• Appendix F - Application Checklist (pdf) (docx)
• Appendix G - Program Contact Information (docx)
• Appendix H - Subrecipient Contact Information (docx )
• Appendix I - Additional Subrecipient Contact Information (docx)
• Appendix J - Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure (pdf)
• Appendix K - Advance Payment Request (pdf)
• Appendix L - Individual and Family Risk Factors (docx)
• Appendix M - Essential Employability Skills (docx)
• Appendix N - List of Prospective Subrecipients (docx)

Questions and Answers:

March 8, 2023: 

1. Question: Is a Notice of Intent required for this NOFO?
   Answer:  No, a Notice of Intent is not needed for this NOFO.

March 15, 2023: 

2. Question: We were awarded this grant in the fall. Are we eligible to apply again?
   Answer: See NOFO Section 6C1E: No applicant will be granted more than one award under this CSFA number (444-80-3007) for the same eligible RPSA service area. This includes grantees who have been awarded under FY 23 444-80-3007.
3. Question: Does the proposed program need to be currently running to be eligible?
   Answer: No, the program does not need to be currently running.

March 16, 2023: 

4. Question: Are we required to fill out a separate budget form for each service our organization proposes to provide? If we choose to provide more than one service are we required to budget each program out of the $180,000, or is it $180,000 per service program?
   Answer: The Executive Summary asks for the amount per program area. Applicants do not need to submit separate budgets. The average for the total award, regardless of the number of program areas, is $180,000.
5. Question: My agency has a location and provides services in an RPSA eligible area but I don't understand how the 35% blocks impacts our eligibility.
   Answer: The NOFO requirement is that the agency has a physical location within the RPSA Chicago where services are to be provided. Grantees must prioritize youth that live in the 35% blocks but this doesn't impact an agency's eligibility.

March 20, 2023:

6. Question: My agency wants to apply for multiple communities. Do we have to submit separate applications for each community? 
   Answer: Yes, Section C.1.d. states: "If an applicant is proposing to provide services in more than one eligible Chicago eligible service area, the applicant must submit a separate application for each eligible area. "

March 22, 2023:

7. Question: Is an organization eligible to apply if it already has the maximum number of IDHS RYDIS awards (3)? I wasn't sure if the opportunities were different. 
   Answer: This NOFO 24-444-80-3007 is considered Youth Development and no agency can receive more than three youth development awards.

March 28, 2023:

8. Question: How do I access the actual application for 23-444-80-3007-01. I have the RYDIS information and have completed the Uniform Application but still need the grant application to complete. 
   Answer: See the link here:  IDHS: Open Grant Opportunities (state.il.us). 
9. Question: Can youth also be participating in another after-school youth program with the agency to count for the "Safe Place Programming" component, or does the grant require its own program for the youth served?
   Answer: Another afterschool program, funded through other sources, would not meet the program requirements for this NOFO.
10. Question. Are youth stipends allowed under CYDIS award for program participants aged 11-24?
    Answer: Incentives, not stipends may be allowed if the program has and incentive policy and clear benchmarks for participants to earn the incentive.  Subsidized employment is not an allowable cost.
11. Question. If the agency plans to serve youth under 18, are they exempt from the measurements around unsubsidized Paid Work Experience?
    Answer: Applicants elect which of the program components they wish to implement. Applicants must select at least one. Youth under 18 may still participate in an unsubsidized work experience.
12. Question. Does the agency get to choose which partners to work with under the grant, or are they required to work with every institution listed ("schools, law enforcement and their service area's Reimagine Community Convener")?
    Answer: Grantees must attend the monthly Convener meetings and engage in collaboration as outlined in Section C of the NOFO.
13. Question: If we are planning to propose stipends for participants in our life skills and job readiness program(s), is that considered an incentive requiring the inclusion of an incentive policy?
    Answer: Stipends are not allowed as stipends are considered wages. Incentives are allowed and do require an incentive policy be in place. Incentives are for achieving certain goals, milestones etc. As outlined in the policy.
14. Question. I attended the technical assistance session on March 16th and it was mentioned that the recording from that session would be posted on the website. I have not been able to locate it and was hoping someone could help me find out where it is posted or if it is not posted, sharing when it may be available.
    Answer: Here is the TA Session Recording, it is now posted on the this page under Technical Assistance information and on the NOFO page as well. 

April 5, 2023:

15. Question: What is the correct Funding Opportunity Number? 24-444-80-3007 or 23-444-80-3007?  Which is the correct NOFO number for the application due April 19, 2023?
    Answer: We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. The correct NOFO # is 24-444-80-3007 however, if you included the incorrect NOFO # stated in the question it will not disqualify an application.

April 13, 2023:

16. Question: Can you tell me if the CFDA # is 12-027 or 21.027 to complete the Uniform Application. Also, what is the CFDA title? Where can I find section A3c and A3d for questions 7 & 9 on the Quality Section?
    Answer: The CFDA # is 21.027. The NOFO cover page had an error but has been corrected. This is not an item that would exclude an applicant from the review process. The title is Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Sections A.3.C and d are in the Required Services and Programming section of the NOFO.
17. Question: Regarding this part of the instructions: "Each section must begin on a new page and have a heading that corresponds to the headings listed below after each section number." Are we to start each of these (only) on a new page:
    • • Capacity - Agency Qualifications/Organizational Capacity
      • Need - Description of Need
      • Equity and Racial Justice
      • Quality - Description of Program Design and Services
      • Budget Narrative
    • Answer: Yes, these sections should begin on a new page with the heading that corresponds to the headings listed below after each section number.
18. Question: The "Quality" the instructions state: "If multiple program areas are applied for as part of this application, please appropriately label and begin each separate program area on a new page." If we are offering both mentoring and life skills, each of those would be a separate starting page? Answer: The separate program areas include: mentoring, caregiver involvement, safe place programming, life skills, and employment. They are explained in the NOFO Section 3.b. Yes, different program components can begin on a different page.
19. Question: Do we have to answer the Quality questions separately for each program component or can we combine where that makes sense?
    Answer: Section 3 states: If the applicant believes that the subject has been adequately addressed in another part of the application narrative, then provide the cross-reference to the appropriate part of the narrative.
20. Question: Do you require wet signatures on the documents that require signatures? If so, we should fill everything in, print, sign, and scan?
    Answer: Electronic or "wet" signatures are acceptable.
21. Question: What is the maximum amount of funding (the ceiling) that a non-profit can be awarded for Chicago Youth Development & Intervention Services (CYDIS) 24-444-80-3007-01?
    Answer: The NOFO for (CYDIS) 24-444-80-3007-01stated that the average award amount is $180,000. A maximum was not provided. Applicants can request a larger amount however the application is reviewed for reasonableness and cost efficiency.