Grant Selection and Performance Task Force

April 19, 2017

 

Grant Selection and Performance

April 14, 2017

Grant Selection and Performance Task Force Minutes 04-14-17

Present: Ed Barrett, Nicole Pellenz, David Wihry

Staff: Pelin F.

Minutes: 55

Meeting convened at 09:25 AM

Agenda:

GTF Meeting date time/change:

Below are the new GTF Meeting dates until the summer break:

5/12 Friday 8:30-9:30

6/09 Friday 8:30-9:30

 New GTF Member Orientation – We are expecting four new members to be assigned to the Grants Task Force.  As the new Grants Competitions are fast-approaching, it is a high priority for the GTF to schedule a training session for the new members on the grant risk assessment/review process. PF and DW will work together with the new Commissioners and will set up a time for a training session. Date and time TBA.

 

CNCS update:  CNCS will release allocations to Commissions after Congress makes a determination regarding appropriations and funding availability beyond the period of the current Continuing Resolution.

CNCS Official Notification regarding Competitive Grant New and Continuation Applications/ CNCS Grant Award Notification Timeline Change:

MCCS received an official notification from CNCS concerning the National Grants notification deadline. According to the notification CNCS 2017 AmeriCorps Grants notification timeline has changed.  While CNCS expected to make award announcements regarding the 2017 AmeriCorps State and National Grants Competition no later than Friday, April 7; the AmeriCorps grant decisions will not be announced until CNCS knows what funds will be available for grant awards for the remainder of FY 2017.

 We are currently planning for three different Grant Competitions and below is the recommended/ tentative timeline for each competition provided that the CNCS budget is approved by the Congress.

 1) Maine Opioid Initiative – Off-Cycle award with very tight deadlines

 We are not sure at this point if we will have an application or not. Our only applicant needs

$75,000 from Maine Health and Human Services to apply for the grant to match the grantee share.

 There will be no peer review for this competition.

 Two GTF members are needed for each -the Financial Strength Review and the Application Narrative Review.

Financial Strength review materials with the exception of the budget along with staff comments will be ready between April 21st and April 26th.

The Narrative is due to staff on April 26th. It will be processed on the same day by Michael and the application and the budget narrative along with the staff comments will be sent out the same evening.

GTF needs to review the application on April 27th and have a Consensus Meeting on Friday April 28th or the latest we can push this meeting is Monday May 1st AM as it is due to the Executive Committee on the same day. The Executive Committee is meeting in the afternoon.

 2) AC Formula Continuations –There are only two program applications (RSU 14 and Goodwill MLC) to evaluate as MCD, one of the Formula Grant Programs, has decided not to request continuation funding for the 2017-18 AmeriCorps program year.

 The sub-applications are due to staff by April 27th.  

All application materials along with staff comments will be posted by May 3rd.

We need two GTF members to review each application. Ideally we would like to have one experienced GTF member in each group.

The GTF meeting will be scheduled for May 8th Monday as all applications are due to CNCS by May 10.

 3)AC Rural Competition - The Commission expects 2-4 applications. The dates below are tentative and are subject to change.

 All applications are due to staff on May 16th and due to Peer Reviewers by May 18th.

 The Peer Reviewers need to reach Consensus and approve the applications prior to GTF review.

 The Peer Reviewer call will be scheduled for either May 25th or 26th.

 The staff analysis will be due to GTF by May 26th, all other review materials will be posted as early as May 18th to give GTF some time to familiarize themselves with the applications.

 The GTF Consensus Meeting will be scheduled for June 1st or 2nd and the GTF regular meeting for final approval is on the 9th.

 More details will follow as we know more about the Rural Competition Applicants.

 ASC National Direct Consultation Work Group Proposal –ASC proposed to facilitate a single online consultation form and process for all national directs to complete that would satisfy their requirement to complete consultation and satisfy commissions need for information to complete their feedback to CNCS for each grant competition. ASC has developed a draft online form and is seeking feedback from the Commissions.

The GTF members approve Single Online Consultation Form Proposal for the State of Maine, however they would like to make sure that there would be a way to communicate the State priorities to the National Direct Applicants.

 The Quarterly Report Feedback for the Formula Programs: The GTF members reviewed the reports and all the additional materials such as enrollment and retention summaries and had no questions at the time of the meeting. The progress report s will be discussed in more detail during the May meeting.

 Learningworks: The Grants Officer had a meeting with the LW Project Director to discuss what can be done to improve the recruitment/retention rates. She recommended that Boston/Massachusetts area colleges would be contacted for the summer program enrollment. If the recruitment rates do not improve, another future strategy discussion item on the agenda for the program will be the pros and cons of continuing with the School Turnaround Program Grant versus applying for a regular AmeriCorp State Grant.