Following the January 8 informational webinar on NACCHO’s Lessons in INfection Control (LINC) funding opportunity, the audio recording and a document providing answers to frequently asked questions about the LINC Initiative request for applications (RFA) are available. Responses to new questions submitted by potential applicants after January 13 will be posted on this blog.
Applications must be submitted by February 5, 2016 at 5:00 PM PST. For resources to assist you with your application, view the following:
- LINC Initiative Request for Applications
- Audio from the 1/8 informational webinar about the RFA
- Answers to frequently asked questions
More Information about the LINC Initiative
Through support from CDC, NACCHO is pleased to offer the LINC Initiative funding opportunity for local health departments (LHDs). NACCHO will award at least 10 LHDs up to $25,000 each to improve both healthcare and community infection control and enhance coordination for preparing and responding to Ebola, healthcare-associated infections, and other emerging infectious diseases through strengthened local public health organizational and administrative capacity, expertise, and partnerships with key stakeholders. NACCHO challenges LHDs to bolster existing and/or test new or different approaches to address these areas and advance local public health’s prevention, preparedness, readiness, and response efforts for infections that spread across healthcare and community settings.
Additional FAQ’s (Updated January 26, 2016):
Q: Is this a planning grant? For example, can we use it to plan how to work to coordinate efforts with healthcare systems then carry out the plan after the end date?
A: If the applicant can demonstrate the link of this activity to the project goals stated in the RFA, the reviewers will consider it. All reimbursable grant activities need to be completed by June 24, 2016. Ideally, the project activities would be foundational for actions continuing beyond the grant project period.
Q: Are we allowed to request grant funding for travel expenses and registration fees to send a group of local providers to a symposium?
A: Staff time and payments for registration and travel costs for trainings and conferences is reimbursable, assuming the applicant can demonstrate the link of these activities to the project goals stated in the RFA. Staff time, staff names, percent effort, salary, and any fringe benefits for which the LHD is requesting reimbursement must be proposed in the application. Salary reports should also be submitted along with invoices to facilitate timely reimbursement.
Q: Is it appropriate to share the HAI Guidance Document with our state health department? They will be providing a letter of support and collaborating with us on the deliverables described in our proposal.
A: If, after reviewing the document, you think they need to see the HAI Guidance Document to write a letter of support, you can send it to them with the understanding that it is draft and potential applicants are asked to not further share the draft document or publicly disseminate it.
Q: We do not have any staff at our local health department who meet the eligibility requirements to sit for the infection control certification exam. Will this preclude us from being considered for one of the awards?
A: Not having staff who meet the eligibility requirements to sit for the infection control certification exam will not automatically preclude a potential applicant from being considered for the award. NACCHO will consider these circumstances on a case-by-case basis based on the information in your application. It would be helpful for reviewers if you document this in your application and indicate any activities, programs, or processes that would be undertaken by your department to help identify and prepare individual(s) in your health department to build the requisite infection control skills and potentially be eligible to site for the exam at a later date. Alternatively, if you have suggestions for other ways to strengthen your infection control expertise short of the certification (e.g., other training programs or conferences), you could provide that information based on what is available in your locality and propose it as an alternative.
Q: Are there population requirements for the LHD?
A: There are no population requirements for this RFA.
Q: Where can I access the pre- and post- project assessments? I want to ensure that our evaluation plan complements those assessments as I’m creating it per the recommendation in the RFA.
A: The pre- and post-project assessments are not yet available for distribution, but they will correspond with the project goals stated in the RFA.
Q: Can you send me the Program Announcement # and the CFDA # so I can complete the necessary paper work?
A: The Grant Award # is 3U38OT000172-03W2 and the CFDA # is 93.424.
Q: I would like to obtain examples of previous awardees applications for similar FOAs. I was attempting to locate some of this information on NACCHO’s website, but have been unsuccessful. Additional resources would be appreciated.
A: Unfortunately, because this is a competitive funding opportunity and the first year of the LINC Initiative, we are not able to provide examples of past applications. We encourage you to review the RFA, which outlines the required proposal content and selection criteria, and reference both the FAQ and informational webinar for additional information about preparing and submitting an application.
Q: On page 10 of the announcement, item #8 (Ownership of Materials), it states that subrecipients will transfer all rights to NACCHO. Will this be a joint ownership of materials or a total relinquishing of rights and privileges to materials?
A: As subrecipients will not be producing anything exclusively for NACCHO under the scope of this project, item #8 refers to joint ownership of materials. NACCHO will have the right to use/re-publish any materials (e.g., reports, summaries, articles) produced as a result of and under funding from the project to promote and share outcomes.
Q: Is there a budget template available?
A: There is not a budget template, but there is a sample budget in the appendix that you can use as a guide.
