Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Funding Opportunity FAQs

• More timely access to BRFSS data for local areas.
• Expanded communication and marketing campaigns within underrepresented communities related to accessing the data.

• More timely access to BRFSS data for local areas.
• Expanded communication and marketing campaigns with underrepresented communities related to accessing the data.

Intermediate outcome

• Greater sharing and use of data among partners who promote health equity within underrepresented communities.

Question: WHO MAY APPLY FOR FUNDING?
Answer: This is an open competition. Only these types or organizations may apply:

• State governments
• County governments
• City or township governments
• Special district governments
• Independent school districts
• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
• Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities
• Native American tribal organizations, other than federally recognized tribal governments.
• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education.
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education
• For-profit organizations other than small businesses
• Small businesses
• Eligibility is unrestricted. Your organization may be any entity type, but you must meet the requirements noted in the Initial review

Question: How much funding is available?
Answer:
Expected total program funding over the 5-year period of performance: $159,000,000.
Expected total program funding per annual budget period: $31,800,000.
Funding range per applicant per annual budget period: $70,000 to $600,000
Expected average award amount per annual budget period: $125,000 to $450,000.

Question: When will the funds be available?
Answer: Recipients that are selected may receive funding award on or after July 1, 2024. Funds may be used during the budget period length of 12 months.

Question: How long can funding for the projects be continued?
Answer: The project period is five years. Throughout the project period, CDC’s commitment to continuation of awards will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the federal government. To be granted a continuation award, you must have:

• Completed all recipient requirements.
• Submitted appropriate data and programmatic reports on your annual target levels of performance for each program performance indicator.
• Demonstrated sufficient progress in programmatic activities.

Question: Are matching funds required?
Answer: This program has no cost-sharing requirements or matching funds requirement. If you choose to include cost-sharing funds as a contribution to the award, this information will not be considered during review of your application.

Question: What is a DUNS number, and how do I obtain one?
Answer: You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the federal government. The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. You need a DUNS number even if you are applying by paper submission.

There is no charge for a DUNS number. You can obtain a DUNS number by going to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do or calling 1-866-794-1577.

Note: It can take up to 30 business days to receive your DUNS number, so be sure to start the process early.

Question: Where do I find guidance on budget preparation?
Answer: Budget Preparation Guidelines can be found here https://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/Budget-Preparation-Guidance.pdf on the CDC’s Office of Financial Resources website.

Applicants must submit an itemized budget narrative (not included in the Project Narrative’s 20-page limit), Budget must include:

• Salaries and wages
• Fringe benefits
• Consultant costs
• Equipment
• Supplies
• Travel
• Other categories
• Total Direct costs
• Total Indirect costs

The itemized budget narrative should follow the format of the NOFO and be organized by program strategy: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey Program (75% of total funding) and Operational Program (up to 25%).

When developing their budget, applicant organizations should not allocate more than 10% of their total budget to support evaluation staff, consultants and/or contractors.

Awardees will be expected to attend a Recipient Orientation meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, during Year 1 and should allocate funds to support the travel of up to three staff persons to attend the 4-to-5-day meeting.

Awardees must also allocate sufficient funds to enable appropriate program staff to attend all required CDC meetings and trainings that support the prevention approaches described in this NOFO, as communicated by CDC in advance of the meetings throughout the project period.

NOTE: If requesting indirect costs in the budget, a copy of the indirect cost-rate agreement is required. If the indirect costs are requested, include a copy of the current negotiated federal indirect cost rate agreement or a cost allocation plan approval letter for those Grantees under such a plan.

Question: What are the funding restrictions?
Answer: Unallowable costs

You may not use funds for:

• Research
• Clinical care except as allowed by law.
• Pre-award costs unless CDC gives you prior written approval.
• Other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative relationships:
  • Publicity or propaganda purposes, including preparing, distributing, or using any material designed to support or defeat the enactment of legislation before any legislative body.
  • The salary or expenses of any grant or contract recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity designed to influence the enactment of legislation, appropriations, regulation, administrative action, or Executive order proposed or pending before any legislative body.

See Guidance on Lobbying for CDC Recipients.

• Construction.
• Sub-recipient contractor travel to the Annual BRFSS Meeting and Conference.
• See Additional Requirement (AR) 12 for detailed guidance on this prohibition and additional guidance on lobbying for CDC recipients.
• The direct and primary recipient in a cooperative agreement program must perform a substantial role in carrying out project outcomes and not merely serve as a conduit for an award to another party or provider who is ineligible.

Question: Would BRFSS funding allow for the compensation of participants and/or compensation for subject matter experts from our focus populations /underserved community partners to travel to, attend, and participate in BRFSS Strategy 3 community outreach and education?
Answer: Yes, Subject matter experts who are members of your community advisory group could be compensated for milage and provided per diem (meals) if they are conducting advisory board business approved by the health department. This could apply to other advisory board members as well. This would be covered under your travel line item in your budget. Here is additional CDC guidance on travel and how to document advisory group and consultant travel on your BRFSS budget.

Travel for consultants should be shown in the Consultant category. Travel for other participants (e.g., advisory committees and review panels) should be itemized as specified below and placed on the Other category.

For Travel, provide a narrative justification describing what the travel staff members will perform. List where travel will be undertaken, number of trips planned, who will be making the trips, and include the approximate dates. If mileage is to be paid, provide the number of miles and the cost per mile. If travel is by air, provide the estimated cost of airfare. If per diem/lodging is to be paid, indicate the number of days and amount of daily per diem, as well as the number of nights and estimated cost of lodging. Include the cost of ground transportation, when applicable. Include CDC meetings, conferences, and workshops, if required by CDC.

Question: When is my application due?
Answer: Application Deadline: April 15, 2024

Applications must be received on www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time. If your application does not meet the submission deadline, it will not be eligible for review and will be discarded. You will be notified that you did not meet the submission requirements.

Question: How do I submit my application electronically?
Answer: Applications must be submitted electronically at www.grants.gov. The application package can be downloaded at www.grants.gov. Applicants can complete the application package off-line and submit the application by uploading it at www.grants.gov. All application attachments must be submitted using a PDF file format. Directions for creating PDF files can be found at www.grants.gov. File formats other than PDF may not be readable by OGS Technical Information Management Section (TIMS) staff.

Electronic applications will be considered successful if they are available to OGS TIMS staff for processing from www.grants.gov on the deadline date.
Application submission is not concluded until the validation process is completed successfully. After the application package is submitted, the applicant will receive a “submission receipt” email generated by www.grants.gov. A second email message to applicants will then be generated by www.grants.gov that will either validate or reject the submitted application package.

This validation process may take as long as two business days. Applicants are strongly encouraged to check the status of their application to ensure that submission of their package has been completed and no submission errors have occurred. Applicants also are strongly encouraged to allocate ample time for filing to guarantee that their application can be submitted and validated by the deadline published in the NOFO. Non-validated applications will not be accepted after the published application deadline date.

If an applicant does not receive a “validation” email within two business days of application submission, the applicant should contact www.grants.gov.

Question: What are the new guidelines for submitting the MOU/MOA?
Answer: The MOU or MOA can be an agreement between the BRFSS coordinator, BRFSS program manager, BRFSS program director or the BRFSS principal investigator (PI) and the State Department of Health. The MOU or MOA can be signed by the State Health Department Director; Commissioner of Health; Secretary of Health; Section Head where BRFSS is housed within the department of health, or Director of Finance who has fiscal oversight of BRFSS.

Question: Is a cover letter required with the new BRFSS NOFO (DP24-0023) application?
Answer: No, a cover letter is not required with the new BRFSS NOFO (DP24-0023) application.

(See NOFO CDC-RFA-DP24-0023 for full description)

Question: If we are funded, what activities are we required to do?
Answer: The logic model includes the strategies and activities required under this NOFO as well as the program’s expected outcomes. The program expects awardees to achieve these outcomes during the 5-year period of performance. Applicants are expected to report on the strategies and activities displayed on the program’s logic model, along with the short, intermediate, and long-term outcomes. Outcomes are the results that you intend to achieve and usually show the intended direction of change, such as increase or decrease.

Strategies and Activities
This section elaborates on the required strategies and activities described in the logic model and provides details on the expectations of recipients to implement the NOFO. (Please see NOFO CDC-RFA-DP24-0023 for full description)

Short-term

• Increased monitoring of health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services.
• More timely access to BRFSS data for local areas.
• Increased knowledge and awareness of BRFSS data among underrepresented communities.
• Expanded communication and marketing campaigns within underrepresented communities related to accessing the data.

Intermediate

• Improved use of BRFSS data to guide public health actions and policies that promote healthy lifestyles among all population groups.
• Greater sharing and use of data among partners who promote health equity within underrepresented communities.
• Improved sharing and use of BRFSS data among traditional advocates.

Long-Term

• Enhanced health-focused policies at local, state, and federal levels, with special attention towards underrepresented communities.
• Enhanced policies at local, state, and federal levels aim to boost health outcomes.

Question: Are there additional required activities?
Answer: The following activities are required. They must be discussed in the project narrative but do not require a separate sub-budget.

1. Identify baseline, annual target levels, and 5-year goals of performance for each program performance indicator identified by CDC. If you fail to achieve your target levels of performance, CDC will work with you to improve your performance. If your performance fails to improve, CDC may reduce your award or defund your program.
2. Data collection of reporting Monitoring and Evaluation (NHM&E) reporting requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, standardized data reporting as described under the OMB ICR #0920- 0696. Data collection and reporting requirements will be limited to data that will be analyzed and used for program monitoring and quality improvement.
3. Collaborate and coordinate.
4. Identify and address the capacity-building needs (including organizational and programmatic infrastructure) of your program and participate in mandatory CDC-sponsored training.
5. Hire staff who can demonstrate proven effectiveness in working with the target population for a minimum of 12 months and who are reflective of the target population(s).
6. Include adequate funds in your budget for staff training so that newly hired staff can attend training on the program activities proposed.
7. If you plan to use materials and include the name or logo of either CDC or the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), send a copy of the proposed material to CDC’s Office of Grants Services for approval.

Question: What is the definition of community?
Answer: A community is a social unit with common traits such as norms, culture, or identity. They might have a shared location or virtual space. Examples of a community may include a community of disabled veterans; native Americans of a particular tribe who live on the same U.S. reservation and have different leadership councils or different group norms and customs; LGBTQ plus substance use support group; members in a rural community that is located in a particular physical location or a group of African American youth who are members of the same football league or Asian store owners in Chinatown, New York. Your subdivision or town, city, county or neighborhood where you grew up.

Question: What is a focus population?
Answer: The community you propose to focus on or select as the underrepresented population.

Question: Is focus population the same as the community?
Answer: Yes, the focus population can be your underrepresented community.

Question: How many focus populations do we select?
Answer: Applicants must select a minimum of 2 focus populations.

Question: Are we required to changed focus populations each year?
Answer: No, the expectation is that funded recipients will maintain and grow their partnership with the same focus populations over the 5-year cycle of the project period.

(See NOFO CDC-RFA-DP24-0023 for full description)

Question: Do I need to submit a letter of intent (LOI) and what is the format?
Answer: Optional. Although a letter of intent is not required, it is highly recommended and will assist CDC in planning for the review process. Please submit only one LOI per organization.

LOI Deadline: March 1, 2024
Please email the LOI to BRFSSNOFO@cdc.gov
Note: Do not send your application with the letter of intent.

Question: What is included in an application?
Answer: Your application must contain the following information:

• Project Abstract
• Project Narrative
• Budget Narrative & Budget
• CDC Assurances and Certifications
• Table of Contents for Entire Submission

Additional Attachments

• Resumes/CVs for key personnel (Executive Director, Principal Investigator, Program Manager, Business
  Official)
• Attachment B: Organizational Capacity and Target Population Worksheet*
• One (1) Letter of Support from civic, non-profit businesses, and/or faith-based organizations
• Non-profit Organization Federal 501(c)(3) IRS Status Letter
• Indirect Cost Rate, if applicable
• One of the following to support Evidence of Service, Location, and History Serving the Proposed Target Population:
  • A copy of a progress report from a funder
  • Letter from an applicant’s funding source, other than CDC, documenting the applicant’s service to the target population (must reflect consistent service for at least the last 24 months)
• CDC Assurances of Compliance

Question: Do I need to include a project abstract summary?
Answer: A project abstract must be submitted with the application. The abstract must contain a summary of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public. It should be a self-contained, brief summary of the proposed project including the purpose and outcomes. This summary must not include any proprietary or confidential information. The abstract should be no more than one page in length.

Question: What is the length of the project narrative?
Answer: There is a maximum limit of 20 pages and all pages should be numbered. If the narrative exceeds this page limit, the application will not be reviewed. The 20-page limit applies to the project narrative and work plan but does not include attachments.

Question: What information must be included in the project narrative?
Answer: The Project Narrative must include all of the following headings:

• Background
• Approach
• Applicant Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan
• Organizational Capacity of Applicants to Implement the Approach
• Workplan

The Project Narrative must be succinct, self-explanatory, and in the order outlined above. It must address outcomes and activities to be conducted over the entire project period as identified in the Strategies and Activities section of the NOFO.

In your narrative, be sure to indicate each time supporting materials have been added to an appendix. Include name of appendix and page number (e.g., See Appendix B, p. 51.)

1. Background
   Applicants must provide a description of relevant background information that includes the context of the problem.
2. Approach
   Applicants must describe in 2-3 sentences specifically how their application will address the problem as described in the CDC Background section.
3. Applicant Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan
   Applicants must provide a CBO-specific evaluation and performance measurement plan that demonstrates how the recipient will fulfill the requirements described in the CDC Evaluation and Performance Measurement and Project Description sections of the NOFO.
4. Organizational Capacity of Applicants to Implement the Approach
   Applicants must address the organizational capacity requirements as described in the CDC Project Description.

Question: What items belong in the other attachment section? (See NOFO CDC-RFA-DP24-0023 for full description)
Answer: Your application’s attachments and appendices will not be counted toward the narrative page limit.

This section outlines the items that must be included in the attachment and appendix sections of your application. If you include additional documents to support your narrative, you must indicate where the supporting documentation is located within your application’s attachments and appendix.

Question: Do health departments need a MOU?
Answer: Yes, The NOFO is open competition and all applicants must adhere to the same requirements.

Question: Why do health departments need an MOU?
Answer: This NOFO is an open competition. All applicants must adhere to the same requirements.

Question: Is the DMP considered part of the 20 page project narrative?
Answer: No, neither the DMP template nor any of the required attachments are counted in the 20 page limit for the project narrative.

Question: Is a letter of support needed with the application?
Answer: No, a letter of support is not required for this NOFO.

Question: Is the Data Management Plan to be submitted with the application?
Answer: Yes, this is a required OGS document and must be on file with the NOFO application. A Data Management Plan (DMP) should include a description of the data you plan to collect or generate, reasons for not sharing the collected or generated data, data access and protection, data standards to ensure released data have documentation that describes the collection methods, what the data represent, data limitations, and archival and long-term data preservation plan. This information should be provided on CDC- approved template on the Data Management Plan or DMP. Refer to the bottom of page 27 of the NOFO.

(See NOFO CDC-RFA-DP24-0023 for full description)

Question: How are measures of effectiveness used?
Answer: You are required to provide measures of effectiveness that will demonstrate the accomplishment of the various identified objectives of the cooperative agreement. Funded organizations are required to meet the minimum requirements established in the NOFO program objectives. Performance goals are stated in the “CDC Evaluation and Performance Measurement” section of the NOFO.

Question: What are our reporting requirements?
Answer: Reporting provides continuous program monitoring and identifies successes and challenges that recipients encounter throughout the project period. Also, reporting is a requirement for recipients who want to apply for yearly continuation of funding.

Recipients must submit an annual performance report, ongoing performance measures data, administrative reports, and a final performance and financial report. A detailed explanation of any additional reporting requirements will be provided in the Notice of Award to successful applicants.
Recipients must report all required program performance data, at the end of each budget period to CDC’s Division of Public Health via CDC-approved data systems. These reporting requirements are inclusive of the data required for fulfillment of the annual performance report described in the following text.

Specific reporting requirements:

• Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan: Recipients must provide a more detailed evaluation and performance measurement plan within the first six months of the project.
• Annual Progress Report: Recipients must submit the Annual Progress Report via www.grants.gov 120 days before the end of the budget period.
• Performance Measure Reporting: CDC programs must require recipients to submit performance measures annually as a minimum and may require reporting more frequently.
• End of Year Performance Report: Recipients must submit the End of Year Performance Report at the end of the performance year.
• Federal Financial Reporting (FFR): The annual FFR form (SF-425) is required and must be submitted within 90 days after each budget period ends. The report must include only those funds authorized and disbursed during the timeframe covered by the report.
• Final Performance (Closeout Report) and Financial Report: At the end of the project period, recipients must submit a final report including a final financial and performance report. This report is due 90 days after the project period ends.

Question: When is the sample design/request due?
Answer: The sample design or request for samples is due each quarter. The request for sample design/requests submission date occurs 15 days before the start of each quarter: For example, 1st Quarter (January 1, 2024 to March 31, 2024) submit design by December 15, 2023 (note the previous year); 2nd Quarter (April 1, 2024 to June 31, 2024) submit design by March 15, 2024; 3rd Quarter (July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024) submit design by June 15, 2024; and 4th Quarter (October 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024) submit design by September 15, 2024.

Question: When is data due to CDC?
Answer: Ideally, all data will be submitted to CDC 10 calendar days after the end of each month data is collected. For example, January 2025 data will be due February 10, 2025.

(See NOFO CDC-RFA-DP24-0023 for full description)

Question: How does the CDC review and selection process work?
Answer: CDC will fund applications in order by score and rank determined by the review panel.

When making funding decisions, we consider:

• Merit review results. These are key in making decisions but are not the only factor.
• The results of the risk review.
• Based on availability of funds, applicants may be funded in whole or part or at a lower amount than requested.
• Choose to fund no applications under this NOFO.
• Our ability to make awards depends on available appropriations.

Question: How is the written application scored? (See NOFO CDC-RFA-DP24-0023 for full description)
Answer: We review each application to make sure it meets responsiveness requirements. These are the basic requirements you must meet to move forward in the competition. Your written application will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1. Background and Approach (40 pts)
2. Organizational Capacity (35 pts)
3. Evaluation and Performance Management (25 pts)
4. Budget (Reviewed, but not scored)

Although the budget is not scored, the applicant should ensure the itemized CDC-RFA-DP24-0023 budget and justification is reasonable and consistent with stated objectives and planned program activities.

Note: CDC encourages funded organizations to allow administrative and program staff to participate in any mandatory training conducted or sponsored by CDC, including grantee orientation. If a key program staff person leaves your organization, his/her replacement must attend training within six months. You must set aside funds within your detailed line-item budget to allow staff to attend required trainings and annual conferences.

Recipients must work with CDC/PHSB to make the necessary adjustments to their work plan and detailed evaluation plan as described in the Applicant Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan section of the NOFO.

Question: How will my organization be notified if it is selected for funding?
Answer: If you are successful, we will email a Notice of Award (NoA) to your authorized official.

We will email you or write you a letter if your application is disqualified or unsuccessful.

The NoA is the only official award document. The NoA tells you about the amount of the award, important dates, and the terms and conditions you need to follow. Until you receive the NoA, you don’t have permission to start work. Once you draw down funds, you have accepted all terms and conditions of the award.

If you want to know more about NoA contents, go to Understanding Your Notice of Award at CDC’s website.

Question: Is technical assistance with writing my application available?
Answer: Technical assistance with the development of your CDC-RFA-DP24-0023 proposal is not available.

Question: How will CDC assist my organization if it is funded?
Answer: In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff members will be substantially involved in the program activities. CDC will provide various forms of technical assistance.

Technical assistance can range from data collector’s technical conference calls, in-person and remote (webinar) training and presentations, conferences, annual questionnaire meetings, and on-site and reverse site visits.

Additional technical assistance that is more than basic technical assistance is listed below:

CDC’s Role

• Validate the recipient’s sample design.
• Purchase the recipient’s sample through the vendor regularly.
• Provide cognitive testing and validation of questions.
• Facilitate agreement of Core and optional modules for standardized BRFSS questionnaire.
• Facilitate agreement of standardized practices for data collection.
• Train recipient’s coordinators and partners on best practices of use of BRFSS data.
• Provide funding for portions of BRFSS operations at the state level.

Question: What if I need technical assistance with grants.gov?
Answer: If technical difficulties are encountered at www.grants.gov, applicants should contact Customer Service at www.grants.gov. The www.grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. The Contact Center is available by phone at 1-800-518-4726 or by email at support@www.grants.gov. Application submissions sent by email or fax, or on CDs or thumb drives will not be accepted. Please note that www.grants.gov is managed by HHS.

After consulting with the Contact Center, if the technical difficulties remain unresolved and electronic submission is not possible, applicants may email or call CDC OGS Grants Management Officer/ Grants Management Specialist (GMO/GMS), before the deadline, and request permission to submit a paper application. Such requests are handled on a case-by-case basis.

Question: Who may I contact for more information?
Answer: For programmatic technical assistance, contact:

E. Dwayne Banks M.Ed., LPC, CPCS
Team Lead, State and Program Coordination Team
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
4770 Buford Hwy, N.E. Mailstop S107-6
Atlanta, GA 30341
Email: BRFSSNOFO@cdc.gov

For financial, awards management, or budget assistance, contact:
Uliecia Bolton, Grants Management Specialist
Office of Grants Services Chamblee Bldg 102 Rm 1304
Atlanta, GA 30341
Email: Uaj0@cdc.gov

Hearing impairment assistance:
CDC telecommunications for persons with hearing impairment or other disabilities are available at TTY 1-888-232-6348.

Grants.gov assistance:
If technical difficulties are encountered at www.grants.gov, applicants should contact Customer Service at www.grants.gov. The www.grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. The Contact Center is available by phone at 1-800-518-4726 or by e-mail at support@www.grants.gov. Application submissions sent by e-mail or fax, or on CDs or thumb drives will not be accepted. Please note the www.grants.gov is managed by HHS.