City of Fresno Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative 2022 Frequently Asked Questions
As posted to the City of Fresno website
The following questions and responses are available related to the Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Solicitation:
1. Can you confirm whether these funds are from CalVIP or from ARPA?
RESPONSE: The $1.5 million allocated for the grant program is funded through a combination of City of Fresno Fiscal Year 2023 General Fund and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). CalVIP is not a funding source for the current grant solicitation.
2. When you say there is the option of a one year extension, does that mean the original grant amount may be able to be spent over two years or will there be an option to receive additional funds after one year?
RESPONSE: The original grant amount may be budgeted and spent through June 30, 2024, if an optional one-year extension is approved based on performance metrics.
Applicants may submit proposals that budget for services for any period through June 30, 2023 and/or June 30, 2024. Based on applications received by the posted deadline, the City will determine appropriate funding recommendations and timelines for the $1.5 million in the current grant solicitation.
Additionally, the Mayor intends to propose future funding opportunities for violence intervention and prevention services on an annual basis. The exact amount of proposed funding will be determined during the budget creation process.
3. Should we submit a budget with the assumption that we will be approved for a second year? RESPONSE: Applicants should not assume the optional one-year contract extension will be automatically approved. Contracts beyond 6/30/2023 would be determined based upon performance and future budget availability.
4. What do you expect to be the average grant size?
RESPONSE: The City does not have an expectation of the average grant size.
City of Fresno Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative 2022
5. Is there an application or should I follow the prompts provided in the solicitation document?
RESPONSE: To encourage a wide range of applicants, there is no application template required.
Please refer to the grant solicitation’s ‘How to Apply’ section (page 3) for a numbered list of information to include in your grant proposal. During the contract negotiation phase, applicants recommended for award may need to provide additional information related to their project.
6. Do the projects have to be located with the City of Fresno?
RESPONSE: Yes, projects must be located in the City of Fresno and are intended to serve City of Fresno residents.
7. Is there a minimum page limit for the grant proposal?
RESPONSE: There is not a minimum or maximum number of pages for the grant proposal.
Applicants are encouraged to provide detailed but concise responses that clearly convey pertinent information about their program, project and services in relation to the stated goals of the Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative.
8. Would a group that gathers at a community center to deliver their programming be ineligible to apply for funding?
RESPONSE: Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) are eligible to apply for funding. Projects must be located in the City of Fresno and serve City of Fresno community members. Proposing to offer programming at a Community Center would not disqualify a CBO from applying for grant funding. Space at Community Centers may be limited based on existing programming. A contract or reservation for use of the Center would be required prior to beginning programming.
9. Can you explain more about how the funding reimbursement works, specifically, does my organization need seed funding to begin the work?
RESPONSE: Grant funding will be dispersed on a reimbursable basis. To reduce barriers to participation for CBO’s, up to 25% of funding may be provided upfront to initiate your organization’s project.
10. How will performance measures be determined?
City of Fresno Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative 2022 RESPONSE: Performance measures will be determined based on ARPA Compliance and Reporting Guidelines, as well as the City of Fresno Violence Intervention and Prevention goals the project is designed to address. Performance measures will also be based on the types of activities included in the project. Measures will be determined in consultation with the Grantee organization(s) during the contract phase.
11. Are for-profit entities eligible to apply for funding?
RESPONSE: Yes, under the Department of the Treasury’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds final rule which defines eligible uses of funding allocated under ARPA, for-profit entities are eligible subrecipients and may apply for funding (see page 4394). For-profit organizations will be subject to the Federal Uniform Guidance, including guidance for program income (2 CFR 200.307). Any program income generated from ARPA funding must be used for the purposes and under the conditions of the Federal award.
12. Are pre-apprenticeship programs for high-risk youth and/or formerly incarcerated individuals eligible for funding?
RESPONSE: Yes, workforce development opportunities are identified in the grant solicitation as an eligible project type. Workforce development may include, but is not limited to, pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships and training that prepares individuals for the workforce.
13. Is there a maximum amount of funding that can be requested?
RESPONSE: A total of $1.5 million has been appropriated to the grant program. The City intends to make several awards under the grant solicitation and does not have an expectation on the maximum amount of funding that can be requested.
14. How many organizations do you expect to award funding to?
RESPONSE: The City intends to award grant funding to multiple organizations to provide as many of the eligible services identified in the solicitation as possible.
15. What factors will be used to evaluate the grant proposals received?
RESPONSE: Proposals will be evaluated based on their demonstrated alignment to the goals of the program. Prioritization will be given to programming that serves populations most disproportionately impacted by violent crime, including youth and communities of color. The goals of this grant program were created based on the Federal requirements outlined in the Department of the City of Fresno Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative 2022 Treasury’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Final Rule which describes the regulations associated with ARPA funding. An overview of the Final Rule is available here.
16. In the grant solicitation it says that administrative costs are limited to 5% of the project costs. Would staff time be considered an administrative cost?
RESPONSE: Administrative costs refer to costs commonly known as “overhead” or “indirect costs.” Examples of administrative costs include, but are not limited to, general operating expenses for insurance, human resources personnel, leases, utilities, etc. Staff time can be included as an administrative cost if those personnel are responsible for general operations. On the contrary, any staff engaged in direct delivery of services would not be considered part of the administrative costs and could be included in the budget as a programming cost.
17. Is there a cover letter or coversheet template CBO’s should use to demonstrate their proposal is signed by an official authorized to enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the CBO?
RESPONSE: There is no required template for a cover letter or coversheet. CBO’s should include the signature of an official who is authorized to enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the CBO in their proposal. This may be done in the form of a cover letter, cover sheet, written statement or another equivalent document.
18. Can more than one organization apply for funding as a partnership?
RESPONSE: Yes, multiple organizations may apply for funding as a partnership. If awarded funding, a lead agency will need to be identified for the purposes of the grant agreement.
19. Are there any costs that are not eligible for funding, for example, purchasing food?
RESPONSE: ARPA funding provides broad flexibility for expenditures associated with COVID-19 recovery. The Treasury Department has identified restrictions on use of funding under ARPA.
Funding cannot be used to offset a reduction in net tax revenue, for deposits into pension funds, debt service, replenishing reserves, settlements or judgments. Providing food assistance may be eligible for funding as part of stabilization services and wrap-around supports for violence impacted individuals. Incidental meals provided as part of programming may also be eligible if costs are reasonable and proportional to the overall scope of work.
20. In the “How to Apply” section of the grant solicitation the City is requesting information City of Fresno Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative 2022 about key personnel and their experience. Are we required to submit resumes and job descriptions for all staff?
RESPONSE: Applicants should submit information that identifies who the key personnel assigned to the project will be and the experience of those key personnel to perform the proposed scope of work. This may be provided in the form of a resume, statement of experience, professional profile or another similar document. If licenses or credentials are required to perform the proposed scope of work, organizations will be required to provide proof of licenses prior to entering a grant contract.
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