If you are new to the online grant system, welcome! Your first step as a new applicant is to visit TUPE GEMS (https://tupegems.ucsd.edu/) and create an account. You may do so by clicking on the “Register” button in the upper right hand corner of the web page. After you submit the registration form, be sure to check your email and click on the verification link to confirm your account (Tip: check your spam folder if necessary).
Once you log in to your account, click the green "New Application" button and choose Tier 1 Cohort R from the “Available Grants” list.
Complete the required Intent to Submit (ITS) form. Once you submit the ITS, the system will automatically designate you as the Lead on a new application template.
You may click on each section to view its requirements. You may skip certain sections labeled "Optional" for Tier 1.
Once the application is complete, the Lead user must check every section's "verification" checkbox. The final application Signatures from Lead and Superintendent/Designee will be compiled, to be electronically signed through DocuSign.
For more pointers on the online system, see the section below on Using TUPE GEMS.
Intent to Submit (ITS) an Application deadline: Friday, April 1, 2022 at 3:00 PM
Submission deadline for complete applications: Friday, April 22, 2022 at 3:00 PM
Questions regarding the Request for Applications should be directed to the TUPE RFA Helpdesk (available March 28 – April 22, 2022). Please email TUPE@cde.ca.gov.
Tobacco-Use Prevention Education (TUPE) funds support health education efforts aimed at the prevention and reduction of tobacco use by youth. TUPE in grades six through twelve is funded through a competitive application process. Tier 1 funding consideration to local educational agencies is based on projects that propose to enforce the Local educational agencies adopted tobacco free policies and administer the California Healthy Kids Survey.
Program Questions: TUPE Office, email: tupe@cde.ca.gov, phone: 916-323-1540
Downloading Questions: Tobacco-Use Prevention Education Office, email: TUPE@cde.ca.gov, phone: 916-323-1540
Be sure to review the official PowerPoint presentation for important information regarding the new Request for Applications (RFA) for the Tier 1, Cohort R grant (2022-2025).
Technical note: Important notes accompany each slide. Click the button to download the Microsoft PowerPoint (PPTX) file. If viewing in Google Drive, be sure to open in Slides and view the notes that accompany each slide.
New to TUPE GEMS or wondering how to use the new online application system? Visit the support document to find tutorial clips on how to register and navigate the Tier 1 Cohort R Application on TUPE GEMS.
Information is also available on the TUPE GEMS open office hours and how to contact the TUPE GEMS support team for software support.
Have a question? See if your question has already been addressed by the TUPE program office in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Tier 1, Cohort R.
Have a question not answered in FAQs? Email the TUPE RFA Helpdesk at TUPE@cde.ca.gov.
Looking for information on how to prepare the Tier 1, Cohort R budget? Review the TUPE fiscal office's guidance here.
View the scoring rubric for the Tier 1, Cohort R grant application.
Note that Sections 3, 4, and 5 are optional sections for this grant, and as such are not included in scoring.
Templates for each section may be downloaded from within your TUPE GEMS application. In addition to the below sections, signatures from the Lead and Superintendent/Designee will be required prior to submission.
Section 1 - Required
Section 2- Required
Section 3 - Optional*
Section 4 - Optional*
Section 5 - Optional*
Section 8 - Required
Section 9 - Required
Section 10 - Required
Section 11 - Required
Project Budget - Required **
*Note: Sections 6 and 7 do not apply to Tier 1 and are not shown. Sections 3, 4, and 5 are optional sections for Tier 1 applicants as a segue to move up to the Comprehensive Implementation Grant (Tier 2) level in the next grant cycle. It is therefore up to individual applicants to decide, based on their local program capacity, which sections to complete (if any) and what information to provide in each section and service entry.
**Budget guidance for Tier 1 differs significantly. Please see the Tier 1 Cohort R Budget Guidance document instead for instructions on this section.
The additional files in this section are provided for reference only. Please note that these documents were originally written for the Comprehensive Implementation (Tier 2) grant type. They are provided for convenience only, for example if you choose to incorporate proposals in your application for the optional Sections 3, 4, and/or 5.
Please contact the TUPE Office if you have any questions.
Interested in adding proposed activities for students, family/community, or staff? View General Program Guidance to inform your program proposals.
Looking for more information on a particular Section in the application? Reference the TUPE program office's general Online Application Guidance document.
New to the online system or need to talk to someone for tech support? We're happy to help!
Email us at tupegems@health.ucsd.edu (screenshots of any problems are helpful!)
Call and leave us a message: 858-300-1045
Monday - Friday, 9:00AM - 4:00PM (closed holidays)
Lead User Responsibilities
Once the application Sections are complete, the Lead user has 3 special responsibilities:
Verify Sections: Mark every Section's "verification" checkbox (including any optional sections you choose to skip) as complete. You will find these checkboxes at the bottom of each Section's screen. (The system will run a check to validate your entries and notify you if any errors or missing items must be addressed before the box can be checked).
Complete signatures: Click on the Signatures link to enter the name and email address of Lead Applicant, Superintendent/Designee, and the Fiscal Representative from your fiscal office, to request signatures. Signees will receive an email from DocuSign to review and electronically sign the applications signature packet. Once you have obtained the required signatures, the application will be automatically submitted.
Submit application: You will receive an email confirmation upon your submission. Submissions are automatically disabled after the Application Deadline (listed above).
I would like to invite another user to collaborate on my application. How do I do that?
Once you are logged in as a Lead user, click on User Management on the sidebar. On the application you wish to share, click "Invite Member." Enter the email address (double check for any typos and delete extra spaces), check "Invite as co-applicant", and click "Invite." The invitee will receive an email notification directing them to register for an account. Upon logging in, they will see your invite as a banner. Once they click "Accept," they are added to your application and can view/edit your sections.
What is the difference between a Lead user and a Co-Applicant in TUPE GEMS?
Good question. The system automatically designates whoever submitted the ITS (Intent to Submit) form as the application's Lead. This user has special privileges to verify sections, invite collaborators, access Signatures, and ultimately, submit the application. Co-Applicants are restricted to viewing and editing each section, and they will not see functions such as the verification box or signatures. It is up to the Lead to review and "lock" each section, obtain signatures, and ultimately submit.
I already marked my verification box but found I need to make more edits in the section. Help?
If you are the Lead for your application, you can simply uncheck the verification box (found at the bottom of each section's screen) to make your edits. Make sure to recheck the box when complete. Please note that changes to any section of the application are not allowed, once the status of your application is "In Signature." If you are a Co-Applicant needing to update a locked section, check with your Lead to see if they can unlock the section for you.
I noticed the section numbering skips 6, and 7; is something wrong? I also plan on skipping sections 3, 4, 5 - how do I indicate that?
For consistency across grant types, the TUPE office's section numbering system is based on the "master template" of the Tier 2 "Comprehensive Implementation" grant. As the "Initiation" - level grant, Tier 1 applications require only a subset of the total sections. Sections 6 and 7 are not applicable to the Tier 1 grant and are not shown in the system. For sections 3, 4, and 5, if you plan to opt out of these sections, simply leave the fields empty and have the Lead mark the verification checkbox(es) as complete.
I would like to download a copy of my entire application. How do I do that?
You can download a copy of the entire application after all sections have been verified, or after the application has been submitted (recommended). On your application's overview page, click the button in the lower right to download a ZIP file of your entire application. Most sections will be printed to a PDF labeled "Sections" while the other miscellaneous items (e.g., Excel, Signatures) will be included as separate files in the ZIP folder.
Will I be able to click "Submit" immediately after the ITS/application deadlines?
No, unfortunately the system is programmed to disable submission immediately at each deadline. Please plan ahead and contact the TUPE office if you have any questions.
I think I have a question on TUPE GEMS that is not listed here, and I would like some individual assistance.
Please send us an email or give us a call. Someone from our team will be happy to help you in any way we can!
How do I convert files from Word format into PDF? Do I also need to convert my Excel files?
The CDE requires that edited Word templates be converted into PDFs before uploading into GEMS. Excel files do not need to be converted, so no worries on those files. To convert your completed document into PDF from the Microsoft Word application, follow these steps:
Windows users : Click File > Print. Select "Microsoft Print to PDF" as your printer. Click Print. You will be shown a dialog asking where you wish the PDF to be saved. Choose the folder you wish and click Save.
Mac users: Click File > Print. In the Print dialog that appears, there is a drop-down in the lower left labeled "PDF". Click the drop-down menu and select "Save as PDF." Choose the folder you wish and click Save.
That's it! You can open your PDF to make sure everything looks right. If you have any trouble, just reach out to our helpdesk.