- Q: None of our program managers received an email notification about the NOFO being released, and this is how our grants team finds out about the release of NOFOs. Also, the IDHS website only lists FY24 under the Grants subheading on the website - https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=29763. So, is the release of this NOFO correct?
A: The IDHS website lists the FY25 Division of Mental Health grants at IDHS: Mental Health Grants - FY 2025 (state.il.us). From the IDHS homepage, you would click on IDHS Grant Administration; Grant Funded Programs; Mental Health Grants - FY25 (on the right side), you can see the links for FY23, FY24, and FY25. The link you provided is not the correct link for finding grant funded programs.
- Q: Can you provide me with the instructions on how to get on the email list to receive notifications about all of our IDHS - DMH grant renewals? We didn't see anything about this NOFO until a full week after it had been released, and don't want to run the risk of missing the NOFO release.
A: A communication alert was sent out on February 1, 2024. Individuals can request to have their name added to the list by emailing DHS.DMHCommunicationAlerts@Illinois.gov. You may also subscribe to a weekly mailing list to receive an email that announces all new Notice of Funding Opportunities, or NOFOs, published the previous calendar week by sending a blank (Subject and Body) email to subscribe-omb-gata-grants@lists.illinois.gov. See GATA Home near the bottom of the page for instructions to subscribe.
- Q: I can't click on any of the weblinks listed in the NOFO that will allow me to download the Grantee Conflict of Interest form on page 13 or the weblink for the Mental Health Grants - FY25 website on page 12. In fact, I don't see that there is anything listed on the IDHS website about the FY25 grant applications which won't allow us to see any Q&A information.
A: You can click on this link for the Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form. It is imbedded within the Program 574 NOFO IDHS: 574 Psychiatric Medications (25-444-22-0635-01) (state.il.us) and will open as a pdf document. In addition, regarding the Q&A page, because these are the first questions we have received for Program 574 that page was not activated until questions were received. The grant application "GA" has been available since February 1, 2024, on the IDHS: Mental Health Grants - FY 2025 (state.il.us) website under Program 574, to the right of that page
- Q: We submitted a full application narrative, budget and GA form in March 2023, and I understood that competitive reapplications requiring a full application would be required every 3 fiscal years. Can you clarify?
A: Our typical grant cycle is Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and then 2, 1 year renewals. Program 574 Psychiatric Medications was competitively bid in Illinois State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2022, and is currently NOFO'd for State SFY25. Program 574 was the 2nd renewal year in SFY24. Renewal years and competitive years must submit an application packet. The difference between a competitive year and renewal year is that the competitive year requires a Merit Review.
- Q: Is the funding to be awarded the same as FY24?
A: Since this program is being competitively bid, your agency would need to submit your application and budget for the amount you believe you will need to meet the Program Deliverables for this program.
- Q: Given the confusion about the release date of the NOFO and that there is no available information about the FY25 applications on the website, our program sites are wondering if the due date for the application is still March 1st?
A: The full application packet is due at 12:00 pm CST on March 1, 2024. There are no exceptions. The grant application "GA" has been available since February 1, 2024, on the IDHS: Mental Health Grants - FY 2025 (state.il.us) website under Program 574, to the right of that page.
- Q: Can we use an electronic signature on the Grant Application and Conflict of Interest forms?
A: You can use electronic signatures on both the Grant Application and the Conflict of Interest form.
- Q: If we choose to use footnotes for the grant application narrative, what is the font and size we can use?
A: The font and size information is in the NOFO in Section D 2. "All documents must be typed using Times New Roman 12-point type, 100% magnification and use black typeface on a white background, Except for letterhead."
- Q: Do we already need to be set up to dispense medication to qualify for this grant?
A: New grantees awarded a Psychiatric Medications grant will have 3 months to begin the program.
- Q: May applicants request funds for direct program costs other than the direct costs of purchasing medications (e.g., program-related staff)?
A: The Grantee is required to spend no less than 85% of funds for the purchase of medications. The other 15% can be used for any related expenses that are not the purchase of psychotropic medications. This would include any direct or indirect costs.
- Q: In past fiscal years, the naming convention for the attachments were specified for IDHS/DMH grant applications. Should the attachments for the grant assistance form, COI form and program narrative be labeled in a specific way for FY25? Or is the naming at the discretion of the applicant?
A: The applicant should use naming conventions at their discretion but the attachment is easily identified the attachment prior to it being opened.
- Q: Is the budget uploaded into the CSA connected to a NOFO? If yes, is the NOFO #25-444-22-0635-01? This information needs to be confirmed.
A: Yes, the CSA budget is connected to the NOFO you are applying for. The NOFO number is 25-444-22-0636-01.
- Q: . Per the information included in the NOFO regarding the questions/criteria to be answered for the program narrative, are applicants required to include in the narrative the text for each question included in the NOFO or can applicants organize narrative responses for each section's questions/criteria using their own format?
A: Per the NOFO, Section D2 it states "Label each section of the Program Narrative utilizing the format provided below. Information must be provided in the section in which it is requested." This means the headings of the Narrative should be used and then you would put your content within that criteria.
