Community Innovation Grants FAQ
Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health has multiple grants available for community-led organizations to work on innovative new ways to improve community health. The Community Innovation for Racial and Health Equity grant program will invest up to $30,000 in individual grants for capacity building, planning or implementation for community-led organizations, including those led by racially and ethnically diverse community partners, working to address common public health issues.
Frequently asked questions
The following questions and answers may be helpful as you complete the grant application.
Grant timeline
1. When does this grant start?
Answer: It is anticipated that all grant agreements will be fully executed by the end of February 2023.
2. When does this grant end?
Answer: This grant is a one-year grant from March 2023 to February 2024.
3. When does the County expect to give notification of awards?
Answer: Award recommendations will be made in February 2023.
4. What does the timeline look like for award notification and contract start?
Answer: Award recommendations will be made in February 2023. This grant is a one-year grant from March 2023 to February 2024.
5. What are the dates for spending grant funds, if awarded?
Answer: Funds will need to be spent in one calendar year ending February 2024.
6. If an organization is awarded a grant and they have unspent funds by the end of the year, what happens to the funds?
Answer: Grant agreements will include the final budget and term.
Financial information
7. What is a Fiscal Agent?
Answer: A Fiscal Agent is an organization that agrees to accept and be responsible for grant funds on your behalf.
8. Would all applicants require a fiscal agent to receive the grant?
Answer: No, having a fiscal agent is not required.
9. Can a Ramsey County organization use a fiscal agent that is in another county?
Answer: Yes. Your fiscal agent does not need to be located in Ramsey County. You are not required to have a fiscal agent.
10. Is some of the funding from the federal government? if so, is there a link to the federal program for more funding?
Answer: No federal funding is included in these grants.
11. How much funding is available and how many awards do you anticipate making?
Answer: We have ~ $490,000 to award this year. We do not have a specific number of awards in mind.
12. Can start-up costs include legal, accounting, federal filing expenses and website support? What expenses are considered administrative?
Answer: Yes, start-up costs may include legal, accounting, federal filing expenses, website support etc. In regard to administrative expenses, these will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Please be descriptive in what your business or organization views as an administrative cost.
13. Could you please clarify what classifies as administrative costs?
Answer: Administrative cost will be evaluated on a case-by- case. Please be descriptive in what your business or organization views as an administrative cost.
14. Can you recommend legal and accounting resources we can utilize for a fee?
Answer: We cannot recommend any legal or accounting resources. However, the county suggests contacting the Minnesota Procurement Technical Assistance Center (MN PTAC) for help with writing proposals and other services. https://mn.gov/admin/business/vendor-info/ptac/
15. Are organizations able to submit for $30,000 total or just one area? For example, 1 and 2.
Answer: You would need to submit for only one Service Area. For example, if you choose tier 1, you would be eligible to receive up to $10,000.
16. Does the reference to continuation mean that we may be able to apply for renewal?
Answer: We hope to continue to provide opportunities for renewal on these but will need to evaluate.
17. Are these reimbursement grants?
Answer: County grant agreements are based on reimbursement, but with an opportunity to request an advance payment to assist the grantee so they have the needed cash on hand to start the work.
18. If we apply for Service Area #3 and we use a consultant but don’t use all the money, can some be allocated to Service Area #2?
Answer: No, grant funds must only be used for the Service Area you applied for.
19. How will funds be divided among the three Service Areas?
Answer: It depends on how many applications are received for each Service Area.
Eligibility
20. Can other government agencies apply?
Answer: Yes, they can, as long as they serve Ramsey County residents
21. Is 501c status/registration required for this grant?
Answer: No, it is not.
22. If we are located in Minneapolis but serve a large number of clients in Ramsey County, do we qualify?
Answer: Yes, you qualify. In your response, please make sure you acknowledge you serve Ramsey County residents/clients and possibly give a percentage or number impacted.
23. Is funding limited to organizations based in Ramsey County?
Answer: No, funding is not limited to organization just based in Ramsey County. Within the application we do require that the grant money be used for programs that will impact our residents/ community and others that are in Ramsey County.
24. Do services/activities funded by this grant have to be exclusively directed toward Ramsey County residents
Answer: Yes, they do.
25. If located in Ramsey County and 60% to 80% of those we serve are from Ramsey County, would we be eligible?
Answer: Yes, as long as you can relate your activity back to one of the CHIP priorities.
Programming
26. Are we limited to the activities listed under the “measurable outcomes and priorities for action” section in the CHIP or can we propose activities that can be plausibly connected to the outcomes, specifically goal 4?
Answer: The CHIP document is a guideline of focus areas that your organization can propose activities, programs, services, etc. You are not limited to complete the activities listed under each CHIP priority.
27. Does “racial” mean any issue in the County, such as criminal justice? Is criminal justice included in the nine (9) priorities under CHIP?
Answer: Yes, as it relates to a CHIP priority. Public Health’s Community Innovation for Racial and Health Equity grant program supports projects and initiatives that pursue innovative approaches and ideas to improving public health-focused outcomes in the community. These grants further support and embed capacity building, planning and implementation efforts within community-led organizations, including those led by racially and ethnically diverse community partners, that addresses a common health issue in a new approach/strategy.
28. For this grant application, we can only choose one service area. Can we submit more than one application to apply for more than one service area?
Answer: No, at this time, we would like you to submit one application for one Service Area. Within the application you can have more than one of the CHIP priorities being addressed.
29. What does training mean for Service Area #3? Is it for staff or residents?
Answer: Training in Service Area #3 can be defined for either staff or residents.
30. Should we reference the Community Health Assessment?
Answer: Use the Community Health Assessment as a resource. Please refer to the priorities in the application and focus on those or located within the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).
31. Reflecting on goals, does the program have to specifically address actions under CHIP?
Answer: Yes, the goals of your program need to specifically address and reflect the CHIP priorities. The CHIP work plan/action steps are guidelines and can help support your program.
32. “Complete background check requirements as part of the Notice of grant award or grant agreement terms. Background check requirements, if applicable, will be consistent with County criminal background check policy and procedures” is stated under Criteria and Expectations in the application. What does this mean?
Answer: if you are working with minors, vulnerable adults, or in spaces that require a criminal background check (for example, prison, jails, juvenile detention) this would be required.
33. Must we choose only one priority health area or could we choose multiple if our programs address several?
Answer: You can choose more than one priority of health area. If you do choose to select multiple, make sure that your program area reflects those in the CHIP priorities
34. For homeless priority, can you clarify “policy focus and going upstream?”
Answer: More details can be found on CHIP Document Page 16 – 17.
35. Do you have recommendations for legal counsel that nonprofits can access?
Answer: We are unable to recommend legal counsel for nonprofits to use.
36. For new program implementation (ie direct services), we should apply under Service Area 2?
Answer: Yes, we recommend it.
37. Can you please clarify this statement? “Provide a clear description of activities that responds to at least one of the CHIP priorities and which service area you are requesting funds for (please describe how it meets the program focus)”
Answer: You would need to select one of the CHIP priorities to focus in on or evaluate a current program your organization is working on. Make sure it fits within the CHIP priorities and that your activities/ programs are clearly described.
38. For Service Area 3, would an eligible project example be hiring/engaging a third party data evaluation contractor to measure current/previous programming for future growth and cultural appropriateness?
Answer: Yes, as long as your program is related back to one of the CHIP priorities
39. If we choose to focus on evaluation, would paying for a third-party consultant be an eligible expense? Could they be located out of state?
Answer: Yes, you can use a third party consultant from out of state but your evaluation of the program and consultants expertise would need to focus back into the CHIP priorities as well as focusing in on Ramsey County community.
40. Does increased access to health care include sexual and reproductive health care?
Answer: This could be included as long as you can relate it back to one of the CHIP priorities, but also relate and use the Community Health Assessment.
41. Does this support existing programs, or do they have to be new programs?
Answer: You may propose a new or existing program.
42. What are the reporting requirements? What data on our clients do we need to report?
Answer: Provide final narrative report and presentation to Public Health Department (photos, quantitative and qualitative data) and provide monthly financial report (invoice, receipts, supplies, materials description).
43. What reporting frequency does the County deem appropriate?
Answer: Monthly financial report (invoice, receipts, supplies, materials description) will be required.
44. Do we need an exact or projected percentage of Ramsey County residents who would benefit from our program?
Answer: No, this is not required, but if your program could benefit from this, please include.
45. Are the categories exclusive? If we apply for Service Area 3, could some funds be put toward Service Areas 1 and 2?
Answer: Applicants can only choose one Services Area in their application for proposed programs or services.
46. Can we service other communities, such as Hennepin County, with the grant?
Answer: We require the main focus of the grant money to be spent on Ramsey County community.
47. Is the grant for covering current staff and services or is it only for new work?
Answer: The grant funds can be used for current or new services.
48. It sounds like the first area of the grant is focused on getting a specific service or offering designed. Is that accurate? It's not about actually offering the service right?
Answer: Area 1 includes but not limited to start-up cost, resources and supplies, operation, program design, relationship strategies, short-term development.
49. The second area on the other hand is more focused on actually offering the service and piloting it - right?
Answer: Area 2 includes but not limited to community outreach, program delivery, service launch, scoping and refining program/project concept.
50. The third area seems like it's focused on understanding the impact of the service and is more focused on reflection and evaluation - right?
Answer: Area 3 includes but not limited to; analysis of program/project/service, program intervention, monitoring, qualitative and quantitative assessments, trainings.
51. We are considering on doing option 2 for a service. Is there a percentage that has to be spent on the operation of the service vs the research on that service?
Answer: The only stipulation on budget is that the award funding goal is to support direct program and services, and we expect applicants to limit overhead costs to 15%.
52. Do we have to hire a consultant to help us with any of this or can we do this testing and evaluation on our own?
Answer: No, the County is not prescribing how you accomplish your work.
53. If our organization does get the grant, may we request an explanation of for why and how we can improve our application for next year?
Answer: Yes, we will provide an explanation for why you were not selected and areas to improve your application once the information becomes public.
54. Is there continued support after grant award if we have questions or need resources?
Answer: Yes, those awarded will have a chance to share and have support from Public Health Racial and Health Equity Leadership Team, operations support staff, and other grantees on a quarterly basis.
Miscellanous
55. Is there a fillable application?
Answer: Yes, the PDF that is fillable out on the website. You will still need to fill the application in and email it back for the application to be considered.
56. Can you extend the due date by one week so we can incorporate the FAQs into our responses?
Answer: The due date is extended to Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. Central.
57. Is there a page limit on the application?
Answer: There is no limit to the application length.
58. Could you put the PowerPoint presentation on the website?
Answer: Yes, it is there.
Contact Us
Kyle Dean
Principal Procurement Specialist
651-266-8078