Availability of Title V Funds through Infant Safe Sleep Promotion Mini-grants [37 Pa.B. 593]
[Saturday, February 3, 2007]The Bureau of Family Health (Bureau) is accepting mini-grant applications of up to $3,000 to support initiatives that directly address the promotion of safe sleeping practices and environments for infants. Funds acquired through the Infant Safe Sleep Promotion Program are to be used for activities to improve the health and safety of infants and reduce infant mortality rates across this Commonwealth.
Purpose: The Infant Safe Sleep Promotion Program will provide financial support to local communities for efforts to decrease the incidence of infant death due to factors such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and accidental suffocation/strangulation of infants in adult beds. Communities are encouraged to focus efforts on high-risk and minority populations and use funding to eliminate health disparities among these groups. Examples of activities can include community outreach, education for families and the public on proper sleep practices for infants and training for professionals regarding the risk of injury and death of infants due to unsafe sleep environments.
Project funds must be used to reimburse purchases and activities occurring between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007. Copies of this application and its attachments are available on the Department of Health's (Department) website at www.health.state.pa.us; search word: ''Bureau of Family Health Mini-grants.''
Requirements: Eligible applicants include Commonwealth public and private organizations, foundations or community-based agencies as recognized by Federal Tax ID number. Individuals may not apply. Informal groups without Federal Tax ID numbers are encouraged to partner with a sponsor organization who may apply on behalf of the group. For-profit organizations may apply. However, no applicant may take a profit from these funds and certain fund restrictions apply to for-profit entities (see Application Attachment B). Applicants may not have received any other Department mini-grant during the same State fiscal year.
Applicants may include but are not limited to:
* Day care centers/child care providers
* Medical providers
* Educational providers
* Places of worship/congregations
* Community groups/Civic clubs
* Minority groups
Application Deadlines: It is anticipated that 25 awards of $3,000 or less will be made for this fiscal year period. To apply for funding, a complete application must be postmarked or sent to the Department by 5 p.m. EST on March 16, 2007. Applications may be mailed or hand delivered. Applications may not be faxed. Late applications will not be accepted regardless of the reason.
Application Process: Complete ''2006-2007 APPLICATION,'' which is available on the Department's website at www.health.state.pa.us; search word: ''Bureau of Family Health Mini-grants,'' and attach a clear and concise narrative of no more than five typewritten pages that include the following information, labeled by section:
1. The organization's mission and primary activities.
2. A description of need for the proposed activity and target audience.
3. A plan that describes how infant safe sleep will be addressed, how the efforts will be measured and evaluated and the degree to which efforts will be long-lasting and/or ongoing.
4. A description of how funds will be expended.
An authorized official of the organization must sign and date the application. Submit an original and three complete copies of your application (including the narrative and any supporting attachments). Applications should be page-numbered and unbound. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Award Determination: Funding decisions are contingent upon the availability of allocated Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant funds and Department approval. Applications are scored by a three-member review panel using a rating scale with the following pre-established criteria:
1. The degree of need for the proposed activity, as justified by the applicant.
2. The extent to which the activity can demonstrate a change in awareness and actions.
3. The likelihood that the proposed activity will be of ongoing, systemic benefit to the community.
Notification of Award: Applicants will be notified of their award status within 6 weeks of the submission due date. This program reimburses applicants once after they have purchased the approved budget items.
Eligible Costs: Applicants may apply for funding reimbursement of multiple purchases or activities. However, the maximum cumulative award to any one applicant (as identified by Federal Tax ID number) is $3,000 per fiscal year. In all cases, Department funds should be used as payer of last resort. Grant funds may not supplant existing funds. Grant funds may be used for reimbursement of one time purchases only. Grantee is the sole owner of the purchased property. The budget section of the application must include a budget narrative detailing by line item how project funds will be used and the degree to which competitive bids were secured for purchases. Price quotes, estimates, catalog samples or any other proof of cost must be submitted for every purchase proposed.
Expenses eligible for reimbursement under this project include but are not limited to:
1. Equipment: cribs, pack n plays, mattresses, and the like.
2. Education: training materials, books, workbooks, brochures, posters; translation of educational materials into different languages and for different populations, and the like.
3. Technology: computer equipment/software, videos, tapes, cds, DVDs, and the like.
Ineligible Costs: The following costs are not eligible for reimbursement under this program:
1. Administrative/Indirect costs (that is, costs not uniquely attributable in full to the programmatic activity).
2. New building construction or structural renovation of an existing space.
3. Capital expenses or equipment.
4. Staffing/Personnel.
5. One-time consumables (that is, event tickets, food/refreshments, child care, and the like).
By applying for mini-grant funding, applicants acknowledge and affirm that they will abide by the spending limitations and the provisions of the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant legislation (Application Attachment B), for all money awarded under that application.
Mini-grant Evaluation Procedures: All grantees will receive at least one onsite visit from a Department Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Consultant located within the applicant's health district. The results of the visit will be provided to the Infant Safe Sleep Promotion Program Administrator in writing and used for project evaluative purposes. The Infant Safe Sleep Promotion Program Administrator will facilitate initial contact between the grantee and MCH Consultant at the time project funds are awarded.
Summary Report and Invoice Procedures: Approved applicants will be reimbursed with one check for all approved expenses. To receive reimbursement of approved expenses, awardees must submit the following documentation, found in Attachment A, to the Bureau within 30 days following completion of funded activity no later than July 28, 2007:
1. A summary report of funded activities, including evaluation results.
2. A continuation plan for the program or activities.
3. An invoice with expense documentation supporting line item amounts
Applications should be submitted to Infant Safe Sleep Promotion Program Administrator, Department of Health, Bureau of Family Health, Division of Child and Adult Health Services, Health and Welfare Building, 7th Floor East Wing, 7th and Forster Streets, Harrisburg, PA 17120, (717) 772-2762.
CALVIN B. JOHNSON, M. D., M.P.H.,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 07-175. Filed for public inspection February 2, 2007, 9:00 a.m.]
