1. Is the Pre-Proposal Meeting mandatory or Optional to attend?

Attendance is optional for the Pre-Proposal Meeting, but is encouraged to provide potential applicants with valuable information on the application, grant goals, and expectations.

2. How do I attend the Pre-Proposal Meeting?

The Pre-Proposal Meeting was held as a live virtual meeting via Google Meet on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. A recording of the meeting has been posted for any interested applicants who were unable to attend.

3. Is this a competitive grant process?

Yes. Applications will be scored by a committee of experts using the scoresheets included in the RFGA.

4. I need accomodations or translation services in accessing this grant opportunity. How do I get support?

The Department of Workforce Services is an Equal Opportunity Program.  Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling (801) 526-9240. Individuals with speech and/or hearing impairments may call the Relay Utah by dialing 711. Spanish Relay Utah: 1-888-346-3162. 

5. For Appendix I, do we need to report federal passthrough funding that we've recieved from a state agency?

No. The application only needs to include all State funding that would be available to your entire agency regardless when it was awarded that applies during the July 1 2024 to June 30 2025 performance period of this grant.

6. if you have applied for State funding, but have not received an award letter or confirmation of approval do not put it on this form?

Correct. We're only asking for awarded state funding. Pending funding or funding you intend to apply for does not need to be included.

7. So even if any of this state funding doesn't tie in at all with our eitc, if it's state funding We need to put it on the Sheet?

Yes. HB335 requires us to collect all state funding an organization receives, even if it's not related to this grant. We understand that for organizations like state universities or associations of government, this is a very broad request. We will also accept a link with a prepared Finance report in these instances that you could be provided that would allow us to collect the information without having to replicate something that already exists for public entities.

8. Our organization is undergoing a name and organzational change effective later this year. How should we apply?

Since you already know and have the legal organization name and information that will apply during the grant period, apply under the organziation that would be under contract if you were awarded.

9. On the 6th narrative question, why does DWS need other funding supporting the program?

The State Community Services Office has historically gathered information on funding for EITC programs and encouraged diversification of funding. Because State funded grants like this one is dependent on the legislature to fund it every year it just gives us a little bit of a health assessment of how diversified grantee's programs are. Applicants will not be penalized for being fully diversified, it's simply information that helps SCSO to either help look for additional resources or connections, or provide any teaching and technical assistance that we can. This information allows DWS to be a better partner, but it doesn't adversely affect your score. You need to just provide the information to be complete and then that'll be what's on the scoring rubric.

10. On attaching the list of Board of Directors, which board should we provide?

When your organization has more than one board, we are looking for the governing board the steering committee of your agency. In this instance, we're not looking for the tripartite board required by CSBG, etc.

11. On the scoring rubric, you have a 1 through 5 scale. Is there a Further rubric providing guidance for three, four, and five? What does "average," "Above Average," and "Superior" mean?

We leave the precise call for what answers are "average" or "superior" that to the discretion of our evaluation committee. DWS assembles evaluators that use their judgement under the subjective criteria in the scoresheet when reading applications. When orienting our scoring panels we provide the rubric for their use under their discretion, but make sure it's clear it is essential to score consistently what kind of response qualifies under each category. One person's above average might be another person superior and it is subjective, which allows for a rigorous review and discussion of applications.

12. How many people look at each application?

Typically 4. DWS models our process on the state procurement code, so the minimum requirement is three. By having four reviewers, it can help ensure that if someone can't make it to an evaluation session that we have the minimum three scores. 

13. How do we get the final scores?

DWS can provide an applicant's final total combined score, but for more detailed information, a public records request would need to be submitted.

All awarded Grant applications and final scoring information are public records subject to Utah's open records law. You can request the final scoresheets from the evaluating committee under Utah's open records law, GRAMA. You can find instructions on how to submit a request and a link to the open records portal here: https://archives.utah.gov/opengovernment/how-to-file-a-request-for-records-under-GRAMA.html.

14. In the past when I've looked at submitted a GRAMA request I hesitated when it discussed the cost of obtaining public records.

Yes, for large public records requests, there could be cost associated with the time required to produce documents. As far as I know at DWS, we have not charged costs to produce public records under GRAMA. However, it's up to the discretion of the Public Records officer whether to assign a cost to produce records in response to a request. Generally the language is there in case you submit a very broad request and it's hundreds and hundreds of pages. I have never seen a cost associated with a request I've helped respond to.

15. The grant application requests some demographics about gender, race and income level of participants served. Our reports via the IRS software used for efiling returns doesn't break things down like that. Plus, with the IRS they don't want us to use that sort of information for other uses.  How would anyone get information to comply with those answers for the grant?

You can speak to the demographics that your organization serves as a whole instead of just those that accessed VITA services.

16.  Is a Webgrants screenshot of our organization's grants in Webgrants sufficient for the Appendix I attachment?

This would only be sufficient if it contains ALL state funded grants received by your organization. We would recommend meeting with finance staff to make sure all state grants are included on this list or to generate one for you with all state (non federal) funding available to your organization during July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025.

17. Can you explain the FTE portion of the budget question?

FTE is full time equivalent. Even if you are funding 1 person (or multiple people) who is a full-time employee with the grant, you would only put in the equivalent portion of the salary as the FTE. If you fund 10% of a full time employee's salary, the FTE would be 0.1 FTE. You will also want to spell out how many employees are being funded, at what rate, and if they are part time or full time.