REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) YOUTH INTERVENTION …

Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) YOUTH INTERVENTION PROGRAM GRANTS

Due August 16, 2019

Interested in being a volunteer reviewer? Complete the reviewer application on the MN OJP grants web page to be considered.

INTRODUCTION The Minnesota Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Department of Public Safety, is requesting proposals to fund Youth Intervention Programs (YIP). YIP grants are designed to meet the goals specified under Minnesota Statute ?299A.73: "[YIP is] an early intervention, nonresidential, community-based program providing advocacy, education, counseling, mentoring, and referral services to youth and their families experiencing personal, familial, school, legal, or chemical problems with the goal of resolving the present problems and preventing the occurrence of problems in the future."

Grantees must address and measure at least one of the following outcomes:

1. Increase in independent living skills 2. Increase in decision-making skills 3. Increase in conflict-resolution skills 4. Increase in development and maintenance of relationships with positive, caring adults 5. Increase in school attendance 6. Reduction of illegal activities.

APPLICATION DEADLINE Applications must be submitted using the e-grants system by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 16, 2019. Applications will not be accepted after this time. No paper submissions will be accepted. Plan to submit the application before the deadline so any technical problems can be addressed. If applications are not started before 3:00 PM on August 16th we cannot guarantee staff will be available to assist with submitting the application.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS Public and private non-profit agencies.

FUNDS AVAILABLE $6,084,650 is available; applicants can apply for up to $75,000/year for a two year period for a maximum total award of $150,000. Due to high demand for these funds, final award amounts may be lower than requested. This is a reimbursement only grant, with no funds being advanced to the grantee.

PROJECT DATES Projects will be funded for a two-year period from 1/1/2020 ? 12/31/21.

MATCH REQUIREMENT YIP funds require a one-to-one match; one dollar of match must be supplied for every dollar of grant funds. Other state funds CANNOT count toward the matching fund requirement. Matching funds may consist of cash and/or in-kind contributions, including volunteer time. You must include a detailed description of each match source in the application budget. Please see Match Guidelines posted with the RFP for further detail on qualifying match.

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YOUTH INTERVENTION PROGRAM ASSOCIATION (YIPA) The majority of YIP grantees are members of the non-profit association, YIPA. YIPA provides advocacy, networking and training opportunities as well as some evaluation for its members. While grantee membership in YIPA is not mandatory for YIP grantees, membership fees are an allowable budget item. Please see the YIPA website for how dues are calculated.

PROJECT OVERVIEW An intervention is a combination of program elements or strategies designed to produce behavior changes or increase safety among individuals or an entire population. Interventions may be implemented in different settings including communities, schools, corrections, detention centers, courts, or in the home. Interventions implemented in multiple settings and using multiple strategies may be the most effective because of the potential to reach a larger number of people in a variety of ways.

Priority will be given to projects based on promising strategies and/or projects that are research-based. Promising strategies include practices that come from the local community that may be based on practice-based evidence (PBE) and/or lived experiences of communities of color and American Indians. PBE includes a range of approaches that are developed over time through practice and experience. PBE approaches are often embedded in the culture, accepted as effective by local communities and support community healing from a cultural framework. Research-based projects include projects that can be tied to and/or include elements that draw from published literature, including both qualitative and quantitative studies. Projects that are researchbased and projects that are promising strategies will be given equal weight in the review process.

Research has shown that interventions create change by: ? Influencing individuals' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and skills; ? Increasing social support; and ? Creating supportive environments, policies and resources within organizations.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has identified the following prevention principles and intervention programs for addressing drug and alcohol abuse. Many of these would be applicable to other intervention targets as well.

? Enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors ? Address all forms of drug abuse, including underage use of legal drugs (tobacco or alcohol); use of

illegal drugs; and inappropriate use of legally obtained substances, prescription medications, or over the counter drugs. ? Address the type of drug abuse problem in the local community, target modifiable risk factors, and strengthen identified protective factors. ? Should be tailored to specific population (age, gender, ethnicity) ? Elementary school programs should target improving academic and social-emotional learning and focus on the following skills:

o Self-control and emotional awareness o Communication o Social problem-solving o Academic support, especially reading

? Middle/junior/high school programs should increase academic and social competence with the following skills: o Study habits and academic support o Communication

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o Peer relationships o Self-efficacy and assertiveness o Drug resistance skills and reinforcement of anti-drug attitudes o Strengthening of personal commitments against drug abuse

Program evaluation is an important component of this grant program. Established program applicants will need to show how the program is achieving its objectives as part of the application. While it is difficult to demonstrate meeting the long term goal of preventing future problems, all grantees will identify short-term and intermediate-term measurements on which you will report to show the impact of your program. Grantees will identify, track, and report on appropriate measures such as changes in skills, attitudes, or behaviors as demonstrated by pre and post tests, case plan accomplishments, as well as demographic data, etc.

APPLICATION PROCESS Applications must be submitted via e-grants, our online grants management system e-grants. e-grants can also be accessed via the Office of Justice Programs website. If you have never applied for a grant with the Office of Justice Programs, create a user account by clicking on the purple "New User" option in the login box in the upper right corner of the e-grants website and follow instructions to fill out the profile. Contact the e-grants Helpdesk at 1-800-820-1890 if you have login issues.

It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to ensure fairness, precision, equity, and consistency in competitive grant awards. This includes implementing diversity and inclusion in grant-making. Standardized scoring follows the review criteria detailed in this request for proposals.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS, GRANT PROGRAM GUIDELINES, OJP GRANT MANUAL As part of submitting this application in e-grants the applicant agency agrees to the Terms and Conditions of OJP Grantees for non-state applicants as well as the Program Guidelines. These address State requirements such as worker's compensation, civil rights, affirmative action, and data privacy. By agreeing to these in egrants the applicant is certifying that they have the authority to make these commitments. Applicants are encouraged to print and review these documents with the appropriate agency staff prior to submitting the application in e-grants. If selected for funding, the grantee will need to submit required certifications. In addition, the OJP Grant Manual provides basic information on policies and procedures for grant administration. These documents become, by reference, part of the legal grant agreement.

APPLICATION CONTENT The application consists of the following elements. Applications that do not include all elements or answer all questions will not score well in the review process.

1. Project Information: Input information directly into e-grants such as the authorized representatives for the project, tax identification numbers, project summary, and other identifying information. Applicant will note whether this request is for a new or existing program. We will print this out and use it as the cover sheet of the proposal.

2. Narrative: Address the following in a WORD document with ? inch margins, using 12 Point font size not to exceed six pages. The WORD document will be uploaded into e-grants. Please title narrative sections.

A. Organization and Community Overview (10 points): ? Brief description of your agency's history and mission. ? Total annual agency budget and how this proposal fits in the overall organization; is this a new, continuation, or expansion proposal? ? What experience do you have with the population to be served with this grant?

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? Describe the demographics (race, ethnicity, etc.) of staff, leadership, and board of directors and in what ways they reflect the population to be served?

? If staff, leadership and board is not reflective of the population served, describe efforts to improve in this area.

? What kinds of training on diversity, inclusion and equity are provided to staff and leadership? ? Past experience in grant management.

B. Planning Process (10 points) ? Describe the issue to be addressed. ? Include relevant data to support your statement. ? If currently operating, include demographics of youth served (age, race/ethnicity, gender)? ? What planning process was used to decide on the proposed activities? ? If currently operating, how long has it been operating? How many youth have you served to date? Include results to date. How do you know your program is working?

C. Program Description (25 points): ? Which outcome(s) from the list on page one will be addressed? ? Describe the target population, referral process, program requirements, and program completion and termination requirements. ? How many youth will be served with this grant over the two year grant period? ? How will the target population be involved in program planning? ? Describe how the proposed activities value cultural knowledge and wisdom and build on community resilience, including why you think these activities will be effective with the youth to be served (may include lived experiences, organizational experience, research, etc.) ? Describe the activities you will provide (detailed activities will be described in Work Plan). ? How will this program build on the strengths, abilities, and assets of the youth? ? What practice-based, promising or research-based practices will be used? For example, don't just list `mentoring' but list the mentoring best practices that you are using (at least 2 hours training of mentors, matches meet at least weekly for at least one year, etc.) ? If using research-based practices, cite research that supports your project. ? Project description should mirror the goals, activities and outcomes in the Work Plan.

D. Evaluation (10 points): Grantees are expected to conduct evaluation activities to demonstrate the impact of program activities on participants in two ways.

1) Grantees will be required to collect YIP Outcome Survey responses from the youth being served by the grant. The Youth Intervention Programs Association (YIPA) administers, collects, and disseminates the results of the survey to grantees. The survey measures protective factors based on Search Institute's Developmental Assets?. Learn more about YIP Outcome Survey Protocol to understand the data you'll collect as part of your program assessment.

Describe your plan to meet this Outcome Survey requirement.

2) Grantees should use other evaluation tools to demonstrate program effectiveness. Gathering information about youth from other sources such as families, schools, probation, or law enforcement are options, as are the use of other assessment tools such as pre-post tests that accompany curricula, gender or culturally specific assessments, and other assessments of behavior or attitudes. Describe your plan to evaluate your program. Provide information on your program's definition of the specific YIP outcome(s) you are addressing. For example, how do you define an increase in independent living skills? What, exactly, does increase in school attendance mean?

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? How you will measure outcome(s) ? How and when you will collect the data. ? Which staff (or contracted entity) is responsible for carrying out the evaluation activities? ? What is the plan to collect the required participant exit surveys? ? If this is an existing program, include past data to demonstrate program impact. How do

you know the program is having an impact? What tools (assessments, pre-post tests, etc.) are being used? What is the data collection method and timeline currently in place?

E. Match (5 points) Describe the source of the required match amount. Matching funds (one dollar for every grant dollar requested) may consist of cash (non state) and/or in-kind contributions. Please see Appendix A: Match Guidance for further detail on qualifying match. While match need not be reported with each request for reimbursement, 50% of the match must be reported by the time 50% of the total grant is spent. If match requirement is not met, grantee will be asked to repay a proportional amount.

3. Work Plan (30 points) Download the Excel form provided, complete it and upload it in e-grants. In this form you will list up to three objectives (that you have already listed in your program description). List the activities you will carry out to achieve these intervention objectives and detail on when and how often activities will occur, and outputs (such as the number of youth to be served or number of tutoring sessions will be held), and outcomes (such as the number of youth increasing school attendance by 25%). For each outcome list detail on what data will be collected, how, when, and by whom. This working document guides the day-to-day operations of your project and evaluation plan. It will be used as the basis for quarterly project reporting. There should be a clear link between the work plan and the proposed budget. See Example Work Plan.

4. Budget (10 points): Budget information will be entered directly into e-grants. See Appendix B: Budget Development Guide for additional guidance (this is also on the budget pages in e-grants). Budget line items include: Personnel, Payroll Taxes & Fringe, Contract Services, Travel, Training, Office Expenses, Program Expenses, and Other Expenses. Not all line items need to be used. ? Submit one budget for the two-year period of 1/1/2020-12/31/2021. ? Calculations should be included for all budget line item amounts. ? All expenses must be detailed and directly related to grant activities. ? Budget items need to support activities listed in the Work Plan, including staff positions. ? Funds may not be used for capital expenses such as building improvements or facility remodeling. ? Indirect costs of up to 10% of amount requested are allowable; indirect costs are those not specifically tied to grant activities such as accounting, payroll, etc. Using the Indirect Documentation form in the e-grants application forms, you will request and calculate the indirect costs amount to use in your application's budget. ? The required match amount is a 1:1 ratio, see Appendix A: Match Guidance for assistance. ? The source(s) of match should be cited in the budget item description section.

APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS

We anticipate a highly competitive application process with many more applications received than there is

funding to support. A review committee will read and score applications according the following scale and

make recommendations for funding. The scoring sheet corresponds to the items requested in the Application

Content section.

Organization overview

10 points

Planning process

10 points

Program description

25 points

Evaluation

10 points

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Match Work plan Budget TOTAL

5 points 30 points 10 points 100 points

A final staff review will consider geographic location (awards will be distributed throughout the state), services for traditionally underserved populations, current and past grantee performance (outcomes, timeliness of reporting, etc.) and coordination with other federal and state funding. Final decision will be made by the Commissioner of Public Safety and applicants will be notified by end of October 2019.

Appeals of award decisions should be submitted via e-mail by October 30, 2019 to Kate Weeks, Executive Director, Office of Justice Programs, MN Department of Public Safety at Kathryn.weeks@state.mn.us

POST AWARD REQUIREMENTS ? Pre Award Risk Assessment and Financial Review. State grant management policies require us to perform a pre award risk assessment and financial review before finalizing a grant. Final applicants with total annual revenues of $50,000 or more and less than $750,000 will need to submit the most recent IRS Form 990; applicants with total annual revenue of over $750,000 will need to submit the most recent certified annual audit.

? Grant agreement process. After being selected for funding, OJP staff will work with the applicant to negotiate a final budget and work plan and submit the required financial documents. The legal grant agreement consists of the Grant Agreement, the Terms and Conditions, the Program Guidelines, Grant Manual, as well as the work plan and budget. The Grant Agreement will be signed by grantee and OJP, and once fully executed it is a legally binding agreement. Grant agreements not signed within 30 days of receipt may be canceled.

? Match. By signing the grant contract the grantee certifies that the required match will be met; if minimum match amount is not met, grantee will have to return funds to the state. 50% of required match will have to be provided by the time 50% of grant funds have been spent. Grant awards may be reduced if this requirement is not met.

? Expiring grant funds. A portion of the total grant award will expire on June 30, 2021. See the Special Conditions page of the grant contract for details.

? Reporting. Grantees will be required to submit quarterly program progress reports in a prescribed manner and cooperate with statewide evaluation efforts. These will include reporting of program participant demographics. Annual summary reports may also be requested.

? Grant payments. This is a cost reimbursement grant. Grantees will be paid for eligible expenses (after the grant contract is fully executed) that are incurred and are in the approved budget.

? Grant monitoring. Grantees will receive ongoing monitoring that includes site visits, report review, and periodic reviews of source documentation for financial reconciliation.

? Grant orientation. Grantees will be expected to attend an OJP grant orientation session.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): A FAQ document will be updated weekly with responses to questions received about this RFP. Access the FAQ on the OJP website.

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For questions regarding the application, please call: Greg Herzog: 651-201-7319, greg.herzog@state.mn.us

For questions regarding the e-grants online submission process, please call: 1-800-820-1890 | helpdesk@

BEST/PROMISING PRACTICES LINKS:

1. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Model Programs Guide The Model Programs Guide contains information about evidence-based juvenile justice and youth prevention, intervention and reentry programs. Look for programs by clicking in the "SEARCH FOR PROGRAMS BY" section of the website.

2. National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices A searchable online registry of mental health and substance abuse.

3. Promising Practices Network: What Works Lists of Proven and Promising Programs. Click Program name for full program description and outcomes.

4. Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere Click on the resources tab and then select strategies for a variety of best practices and violence reduction programs.

5. National Center for State Courts A searchable online registry of publications including topics such as delinquency prevention, evidence based programs, trauma informed care, girls and minorities, juvenile court, program evaluation and mental health.

6. National Institute on Drug Abuse A list of prevention principles with references for additional information.

Program Outcomes and Evaluation: The Wilder Foundation has created "Tip Sheets" for the Office of Justice Programs intended to help grant applicants in evaluation design, outcome measurement and other areas of program development. If you are having difficulty with selecting outcomes or how to measure them, these sheets may be helpful to you.

RIGHT OF CANCELLATION The State reserves the right to cancel this solicitation if it is considered to be in its best interest. The State reserves the right to negotiate modifications to the application or to reject any and all applications received as a result of this Request for Proposals. The State does not intend to award a grant contract solely on the basis of any response made to this request, or pay for information solicited or obtained.

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APPENDIX A

Youth Intervention Programs Grant Match Requirement August 2019

Youth Intervention Program (YIP) grants must provide a one to one match for all grant dollars received. This means that for every dollar of grant funds, the grantee must have a dollar of match. This match may be in the form of cash (hard match) or in-kind (soft match). All match must be used for project-related costs and meet the following guidelines:

Cash Match: 1. Cash from federal or local units of government, private sources, or program income. 2. Cash match expenditures must be for costs which are allowable with grant funds.

In-Kind Match: 1. Examples of in-kind services include personnel, supplies, office or program space, and materials, etc. The value of in-kind is the value of something received or provided that does not require expending cash. 2. Services/supplies/materials must be calculated at the standard or market rate. Only the allocated share that directly benefits your grant funded activities would be allowable. 3. Volunteer services may be counted as match if the service is a primary and necessary part of the grant funded project. 4. Rates for volunteer services shall be consistent with those paid for similar work in the grantee's organization or consistent with those paid for similar work in the labor market. For more information go to: The Value of Volunteer Time -- Independent Sector 5. All in-kind contributions shall be documented as well as the method for determining valuation.

All Match: 1. All match that is budgeted and applied must be documented in grantee records. 2. Are necessary and reasonable for efficient accomplishment of project objectives. 3. Are allowable under applicable cost principles. 4. Match does not need to be applied at the same time or in proportion to the use of the grant funds. However, half of the required match must be reported by the time that 50% of grant funds have been spent. The full matching share needs to be reported by the end of the grant period. 5. It is easier to manage (track, report, supply for financial desk review) if match expenditures are limited to as few line items as possible. They do not need to match each budget item one for one.

See Budget Example on page 2.

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