Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-25-028 (Competing Continuation, New)
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Technical Assistance
Where can I find the notice?
You can find the notice of funding opportunity on the following websites:
Where can I find a recording of the NOFO Technical Assistance call?
View the webinar recording.
When I try to apply for the grant, the Apply tab does not work.
For assistance with submitting the application in Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, excluding federal holidays at:
Grants.gov Contact Center
Telephone: 1-800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov
View the webinar recording.Can more than one organization be included in each application?
Applicants are permitted to work with other organizations, but only one lead organization with a distinct Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) can submit an application.
Is my organization eligible to apply?
HRSA is not able to provide information or guidance beyond what is included in the NOFO. The agency cannot provide feedback on program eligibility as this is a competition.
Please refer to Funding Details and Funding Eligibility on pages 7–8 of the NOFO.
Are international organizations eligible to apply?
We will only accept applications from eligible domestic organizations.
Please refer to Funding Details and Funding Eligibility on pages 7–8 of the NOFO.
Are you able to provide feedback on my program plans?
Because it is a competition, we are unable to provide feedback on proposed program activities.
How many project officers will be assigned to this program?
Four (4) total project officers, one for each focus area.
For Focus Area 4, are all in-person meeting expenses expected to be covered in the grant budget?
Applicants may include allowable in-person meeting expenses in the Grant budget. Focus Area 4 requires applicants to host two annual in-person peer learning opportunities for MIECHV Project Directors and other key staff, in collaboration with MCHB (see page 15 of the NOFO). While the NOFO does not explicitly require specific costs for organizing these meetings, applicants’ project and budget narratives should align. For example, an applicant may include attendee travel costs if needed to meet the hosting requirement and may include those costs in their budget and budget narrative. Alternatively, if an applicant only plans to cover their team’s meeting location costs, their budget and budget narrative should reflect that.
Is food an allowable expense for meetings/workshops/learning opportunities?
Food expenses for attendees at required meetings can be considered for allowability. Generally, the cost of full meals is not considered allowable, but light refreshment expenses will be reviewed for allowability. The cost of personnel per diem expenses for necessary travel and meeting attendance can also be included in a travel budget, if needed for the performance of required meetings.
For Focus Area 1 (Title V), in September of each year, is the meeting to include national Title V Directors, key staff, and partners, or just focusing on our state's MCH collaborators and leaders? If this is a national convening, will the meeting compete for attendance with the Federal-State Partnership meeting held in October in DC? How do HRSA and MCHB envision differentiating between the two meetings?
The September meeting is an in-person national convening of State Title V directors, key Title V staff, MCHB capacity-building providers, and other MCH stakeholders and partners. There is no differentiation between the two meetings.
For Focus Area 3 (Healthy Start), are we expected to work only within our state, across the US, or both?
As noted on page 6 of the NOFO under “Summary,” the recipient for each focus area, including Focus Area 3, will be an organization with national reach. For Focus Area 3, this organization will provide support to Healthy Start programs across the US. Also, as noted on page 8 of the NOFO under “Purpose,” the purpose of the program, for Focus Area 3, is to support a national organization in building the capacity of Healthy Start programs to improve national MCH health outcomes and reduce associated disparities.
For all focus areas, are applicants expected to work only within our state, across the US, or both?
As noted on page 6 of the NOFO under “Summary,” the recipient for each focus area, will be an organization with national reach.
As noted on page 8, this NOFO provides support to national organizations in building the capacity of state MCH programs, urban MCH programs, Healthy Start programs, and MIECHV programs.
Is there a specific template or more detailed instructions for the biographical sketches required for key personnel?
No, there is not a specific template.
When will awards be announced to applicants?
Awards will be announced approximately 30 days prior to the program start date.
Any example to differentiate between the four areas because some projects may fit one or more areas? Any thoughts?
Because it is a competition, we are unable to provide feedback on proposed program activities.
For attachment 2, "staffing plan and job descriptions" who are considered key personnel? Anyone listed in the budget? And does each job description need to be one page, or can they all be combined to one page?
Include a staffing plan that shows the staff positions that will support the project and key information about each.
As noted on page 25 of the HRSA Application Guide (Updated August 6, 2024) (PDF - 625 KB), "key personnel" is defined as "the principal investigator/project director and others who help develop or carry out the program or execute a project or program in a real, measurable way, whether they receive salaries, compensation or other benefits under the award."
Each staff member listed as key personnel can have no more than a one-page job description.
Are partnerships with other organizations allowable? If so, what should be the nature of the partnership (contract, MOU)?
Yes, they are allowable but not required.
Because this is a competition, we cannot provide feedback on the program plans.
If an organization plans to apply to one Focus Area and partners with an organization that applies to another Focus Area, how should they proceed if only one of the organizations is funded?
Each application must address only one focus area and must be able to carry out the proposed approach for responding to the NOFO requirements for that focus area on its own merits, irrespective of who is funded for the other focus areas.
For those re-competing for Focus Areas 1 and 2, where do we include the progress report for competing continuation in our application?
Please see attachment 9 on page 33. This attachment does not count towards your page count (see page 46 for more information).
For Attachment 9, should the current awardees include information from Years 1–5 or information from Year 5 only?
The applicant can choose the information to be included.
Is Attachment 9 included in the page limit?
No, please see pages 46–47 for more information.