Questions & Answers-Domestic Violence Health Services (24-444-80-3302-01)

Technical Assistance Session:

This technical assistance session will provide participants with an overview of the 24-444-80-3302-01 Domestic Violence Health Services Notice of Funding Opportunity and information on how providers can apply for FY24.

Date and Time: November 16, 2023 at 2:00pm Central Time (US and Canada).  The session will be recorded.

Please email DHS.DVSAHT@illinois.gov for information concerning the TA session.

Questions & Answers

  1. Question:  My agency provides mental health and substance abuse services to victims of domestic violence.  Can my organization apply for this grant award program?
    • Answer: No. Only currently funded IDHS Domestic Violence Prevention & Intervention (DVPI) grantees are eligible applicants for this Notice of Funding Opportunity. 
  2. Question:  My agency does not currently have a DHS Domestic Violence Prevention & Intervention grant.  Can my organization apply for this funding opportunity?  If not, how can my agency apply to become a part of the network in order to apply for this grant or to best position ourselves for any future opportunities to build up our domestic violence program?
    • Answer:  No.  Only currently funded IDHS Domestic Violence Prevention & Intervention (DVPI) grantees are eligible applicants for this Notice of Funding Opportunity. There is not a current Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Domestic Violence Prevention & Intervention grant award program, consequently, you would not be able to become an eligible applicant in time for the Domestic Violence Health Services NOFO.  The core Domestic Violence Prevention & Intervention Program was competitively bid for FY 23 and the grant cycle is from FY 23 - FY 25. It is anticipated that the statewide DVPI system will be re-bid for FY 26.  Check the DHS grant page as well as the GATA CSFA page periodically for other funding opportunities which may support your agency programs.
  3. Question:  My agency is provides health and behavioral health services and we'd like to partner with a local domestic violence program that is currently a DHS funded DVPI grantee.  How can we identify our local funded program?
    • Answer:  The Office Locator on the DHS home page is the best way to identify DVPI grantees.  Scroll down to the bottom of the home page until you see the Locator.  The Select Domestic Violence Victim Services as the Program Type and then select your county.  This will provide contact information for your local domestic violence program.  We encourage you to reach out to your local program and discuss potential collaboration for this funding opportunity.
  4. Question:  Is a recording of the November 16th technical assistance session available?
  5. Question:  Is there a requested font, font size or line spacing requirement?
    • Answer:  No.
  6. Question:  Do you anticipate this funding opportunity to be available next year?
    • Answer:  No.  The grant award program will be funded through federal ARPA funding which will end in 2025, so another funding opportunity is not anticipated. 
  7. Question:  Can you please elaborate on if we need to provide budget details regarding our project partner's planned spending (ie: a detailed breakdown/separate budget for our project partner) or if we should just include their proposed budget total as a lump sum under budget category - Contractual Services and Subawards with a budget narrative?
    •  Answer:  The initial budget that is submitted with the application can have the amount of the anticipated contractual expense as a lump sum.  If selected as a  grantee, a more detailed budget for contractual services will be requested for the final proposed budget in CSA.
  8. Question:  Is there a Word Document available for the grant? I am writing it using the instructions, but I do not see the Grant Word Template.
    • Answer:  The NOFO application packet must be developed from the content outlined in Section D. Application and Submission Information.  There is not a template for the cover page, proposal abstract or program narrative.  Once completed, the document must be saved as a pdf.
  9. Question:  Does the entire application narrative need to be double-spaced: cover page, proposal abstract, and narrative; including the questions and responses?
    • Answer:  The proposal abstract and the proposal narrative must be double-spaced, including questions and responses.  The cover page does not have to be double-spaced.
  10. Question:  The NOFO states a primary goal of the grant is to improve access to health and behavioral health services.  Would dental and orthodontic care be considered "health services"?
    • Answer:  Yes.  Health Services covers the gamut of medical service needs, including dental and orthodontic care.
  11. Question:  Can this funding be used to fund a portion of a vehicle?
    • Answer:  Purchasing vehicles is not an allowable cost under this grant award program.  Support for leasing a vehicle to provide transportation for victims of domestic violence to obtain health and behavioral health services could be allowable if it ties to the proposed services in the program narrative and is supported by a cost allocation plan. 
  12. Question:  Is a project partner required for the grant award program?
    • Answer:  No.  A project partner is not required. 
  13. Question:  The NOFO states that budgets must be developed in an excel document and divided into two time periods: Worksheet 1 covering 1/1/24 - 6/30/24 and Worksheet 2 covering 7/1/24 - 6/30/25. The Uniform Grant Budget Template was also provided as a mandatory form, however. Can you please confirm if budgets should be submitted in excel form or if they should be submitted in the Grant Budget Template?
    • Answer:  The budget should be submitted as a pdf and combined with the other required documents into one single pdf document.
  14. Question:  When projecting direct service hours in line with this grant, should a center include anticipated transportation//travel time (i.e., the time an employee may spend travelling to a satellite office or similar secondary location to provide behavioral//mental health service)?
    • Answer:  The service hour projections can either include or exclude travel time; however, it is important that the methodology be noted.
  15. Question:  I am seeking clarification on the allowable supplies and/or partners. Regarding supplies - are client based supplies allowable (supplies that will empower a client to overcome barriers in leaving their abuser and/or securing a safe space)? Are other partners (be it MOU or subrecipient) allowable? Such as an attorney that will assist the client - sometimes this can be a real barrier when it comes to the Survivor and/or their children's. health maintenance.
    • Answer:  The grant award program does not allow for client supplies related to leaving an abusive relationship and/or securing a safe space or paying for an attorney.  Partners, such as health and behavioral health partners are allowable.
  16. Question:  Can you please clarify if the Uniform Grant Budget Template is required for the budget piece of our application?
    • Answer:  The Uniform Grant Budget template is required as a part of the application.  It must be saved as a pdf and combined with the single document application packet.
  17. Question: Must a Uniform Grant Budget Template be provided in addition to the budget and narrative originally developed within an excel document?
    • Answer:  No.  The Uniform Grant Template is either the excel or pdf document used to develop the 18 month grant award budget.  Once completed, it is saved as a part of the application document. 
  18. Question:  The NOFO states the award range is up to $1,000,000.  Is this the range is for 12 months or the full 18 months?
    • Answer:  The range of the grant is $150,000 - $1,000,000 for the 18-month grant award period.