Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Frequently Asked Questions

General Grant Award

1. What is the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Local Drug Crises program?
   • The purpose of this program is to enhance the efforts of current or former Drug-Free Communities (DFC) recipients to prevent opioid, methamphetamine, and/or prescription drug use among youth ages 12-18 in communities throughout the United States. This program also seeks to change the culture and context regarding the acceptability of youth use and misuse of these substances.
2. Where can I find the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Local Drug Crises Grant? What is the timeline for submission?
   • The funding announcement became available on Grants.govexternal icon on February 1, 2021 and will be open until April 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET. You may click on this link to be directed to the CARA NOFO: CDC-RFA-CE21-2103external icon or search for CDC-RFA-CE21-2103 at Grants.govexternal icon
   • The due date for submitting an application is April 1, 2021.
3. Where can I access the recording for the CARA Applicant Training Webinar?
   • The recording to the CARA Applicant Training Webinar from February 5, 2021 can be found at CARA Virtual Trainingexternal icon
   • Please note if you haven’t already registered, you may be asked to enter your email and register in order to access the link.

Application Timeline

1. When does funding begin for the CARA Drug Crises Program?
   • The project period is projected to start on July 1, 2021.

Eligibility

1. Am I eligible to apply for a CARA grant?
   • To determine if you are eligible to apply for this grant, please refer to Section C. Eligibility Information This grant is intended to support former or current recipients of Drug-Free Communities funding who meet all the eligibility requirements as outlined.
2. Can current Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Local Drug Crises recipients apply?
   • Current CARA grant recipients are eligible to apply. Please refer to Section C. Eligibility Information within the CARA funding opportunity (CDC-RFA-CE21-2103external icon) to review all eligibility requirements.
3. Can the same fiscal agent for your DFC grant serve as your CARA fiscal agent?
   • Yes, the same organization may serve as a coalition’s fiscal agent both CARA and DFC funding. The organization can be a coalition’s fiscal agent if they are eligible to receive federal funds and there is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) established with the coalition. Please refer to Section C. Eligibility Information and Table 3: Statutory Eligibility Requirements, Requirement #1, for additional information.
4. Can an organization that does not have 501(c)(3) status serve as a fiscal agent?
   • In order to apply, the fiscal agent must either be a 501(c)(3) or an entity eligible to receive federal dollars. The coalition itself must be able to receive federal grant funds, or they must partner with a fiscal agent eligible to receive grant funds. This partnership should be proven with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
5. Can the same individual serve as the Principal Investigator and Project/Program Director?
   • Yes, the Principal Investigator and Program Director (PI/PD) can be the same person. For CARA, the PI/PD can also serve as the coalition project coordinator.
6. Can I use this grant for my church group, civic group, school, or community coalition, etc.?
   • Applicants should refer to the Eligibility Requirements in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Based on your individual situation, you will make the determination if you are an eligible entity based on the requirements. As an example, school districts may apply if they meet all eligibility criteria. Keep in mind that applicants must be current or former DFC recipients to be eligible for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) NOFO.
7. Can I use this grant for my church group, civic group, school, or community coalition, etc.?
   • Applicants should refer to the Eligibility Requirements in the NOFO. Based on your individual situation, you will make the determination if you are an eligible entity based on the requirements.
8. What data sources are used to determine the local and national average rates for opioid, methamphetamine, and prescription drug use/misuse?
   • Applicants can utilize local data that are available to them to describe the youth opioid, methamphetamine, and prescription drug use/misuse in the community. Applicants should provide as current data as possible on how these substance(s) have contributed to problems among youth.
   •  Appendix D Attachment 4: Statement of Rates of the CARA NOFO suggests three data sources to assist you in determining the national average for rates of opioids and methamphetamines in addition to your local data sources.
     • 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)external icon
     • NIDA Monitoring the Future: Report and Data Tablesexternal icon
     • Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).
9. Do our data need to show higher rates of use/misuse in all categories, including opioids, methamphetamines, and prescription drugs?
   • No, the applicant does not need to demonstrate that rates are higher for each category of substance. The applicant should select the substance category or categories based on local data for the community being served by its coalition. Please refer to Section 2. CDC Project Description and Section C. Eligibility Information in the Notice of Funding Opportunity for more information.
   • When documenting your community’s rates for opioid use, you may include data regarding prescription and/or illicit opioids. Identify the issue that is specific to your community context and show data that compare your community to the national average. It is up to the community to identify the culture and context they wish to address regarding their local drug problem.
10. Do our data need to show higher rates of use/misuse in all categories: opioids, methamphetamines, and prescription drugs?
    • The applicant should select the substance category or categories based on your local data for the community your coalition serves.  The applicant must document rates of misuse of opioids OR use of methamphetamines that are higher than the national average over a sustained period.  The applicant might consider documenting any categories where drug use in their selected community is higher than the national average.
11. How long is considered a “sustained period of time” for having higher level of use?
    • The NOFO does not define a specific time period to be considered “sustained period of time.” Your coalition would use the available local data to define your local challenges.
12. Each year Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) recipients must demonstrate that they meet all statutory eligibility requirements. Does this mean if use rates improve during that period the grant not be awarded the following year?
    • Successful recipients will in fact need to meet all statutory eligibility requirements on an annual basis. The goal of the CARA funding is to prevent opioid, methamphetamine, and/or prescription drug use/misuse among youth ages 12-18 in communities and to change the culture and context regarding the acceptability of youth use and misuse of these substances. Improvement in the rates would indicate successful implementation of the program and does not result in discontinued funding.

Application Submission

1. Where do I submit an application?
   • Submit this year’s application via Grants.govexternal icon.
2. Who can I contact if I have questions about Grants.gov functionality?
   • Please contact the Grants.gov Help Center at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726 for assistance with access and functionality.
3. Is a Letter of Intent required with applications?
   • A letter of intent is not required to be submitted in order to apply for funding.

Forms and Attachments

1. How should attachments be named and uploaded?
   • All attachments should be named according to the naming conventions outlined in the applicable section within the NOFO. If there is not an applicable section, please name the document as outlined in Table 4: Required Attachments in Section H. Other Information in the funding opportunity. All required documents should be uploaded as individual PDFs to Grants.govexternal icon.
2. I do not have a Lobbyist. How do I complete the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form?
   • If an applicant does not have a lobbyist, then an applicant is still required to complete Sections 4, 6, 10a, 10b, and 11 of the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form. The applicant may enter “N/A” for the required fields in Sections 10a and 10b in order to complete the form and be able to submit it with your application package.
   • Further instructions on how to complete the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form are located at Post-Award Reporting Formsexternal icon.
3. Does the Fiscal Agent complete the Risk Assessment Questionnaire?
   • Yes, the fiscal agent should complete the Risk Assessment Questionnaire. CDC requires all applicants to complete the Risk Questionnaire. Please see Section D. Application and Submission Information, Subsection 5: CDC Assurances and Certificationswithin the funding opportunity announcement for additional information.
4. How many sets of meeting minutes are required?
   • Applicants are required to submit one set of meeting minutes as instructed by Appendix D Attachment 5: One Set of Coalition Meeting Minutes.
5. How do I label and provide page numbers on the Table of Contents, attachments, and Project Narrative?
   • For page numbers, please follow the funding opportunity (NOFO) guidance as written: Provide a detailed table of contents for the entire submission package that includes all of the documents in “Section H. Other Information” and headings in the “Project Narrative” section. The bottom right corner of every page in the application must be numbered. Name the file “Table of Contents” and upload it as a PDF file under “Other Attachment Forms” at www.grants.govexternal icon.
6. How should I upload attachments and other mandatory documents to Grants.gov?
   • For documents in Section H. Other Information, you can upload them as separate PDF files as part of your application. Please note that all documents must be labeled as identified in the applicable previous section within the NOFO.
7. What must be included in the Project Narrative?
   • The Project Narrative must include all the following headings:
   • Approach (Background is considered part of the Approach)
   • Workplan
   • Evaluation and Performance Measurement
   • Applicant’s Organizational Capacity to Implement the Approach
   • You should refer to the outline provided in the Application and Submission Information to know what you must address in the project narrative. You can also refer to Section E. Review and Selection Process of the NOFO to see how each section of the Project Narrative will be weighted. Most of the other information provided throughout the NOFO is based on the template and is more for informational purposes for applicants to understand what they would be agreeing to and must maintain if they receive an award under this program.
8. Does the application need page numbers?
   • Yes, please number all pages of the application.
9. What is included in the table of contents?
   • Please provide a detailed table of contents for the entire submission package that includes all the documents in Section H. Other Information section and headings in the Project Narrative section.
10. Do we need to maintain the 12-point font size for all charts within the body of the narrative?
    • Applicants should use 12-point font. It is acceptable for applicants to use 10-point font in tables and charts.
11. Are there any additional required documents besides those listed under section “H. Other Information”, such as a Coalition Involvement Agreement?
    • No, the list of required documents is found in Section H: Other Information. Coalition Involvement Agreements are not necessary for this application.

Project Narrative

1. What is included in the Project Narrative?
   • The project narrative portion of the application must include all the headings discussed in the NOFO Section D. Application and Submission Information. Please see Section E. Review and Selection Process for how specific questions that should be addressed.
2. How many pages may be included in the Project Narrative?
   • The project narrative portion of the application is limited to 10 pages only.
3. Is the Work Plan included in the Project Narrative?
   • Yes, the Work Plan is part of the Project Narrative. The Project Narrative does not have a separate attachment number but should be titled “Project Narrative” and submitted as a PDF with the application package.
4. What is covered in the Work Plan?
   • The Work Plan covers a 12-month period and identifies the proposed objectives, strategies, and activities during the period of performance, July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022. This section of the Project Narrative is worth 25 points. Please refer to Section E. Review and Selection Process in the NOFO for additional information.
5. Is the Organizational Capacity of Applicants to Implement the Approach section included in the Project Narrative?
   • The Organizational Capacity of Applicants to Implement the Approachsection is a component of the Project Narrative. The applicant should answer questions relevant to this section as described in Section E. Review and Selection Process. Resumes and/or CVs of Key Personnel should be entered as “Attachment 6- Key Personnel and Resumes” and do not count towards the page limit for the Project Narrative.
6. Does the Project Abstract count toward the page limit for the Project Narrative?
   • No, the Project Abstract does not count toward the page limit for the Project Narrative.
7. How do I submit the Project Abstract?
   • Applicants must enter the summary in the “Project Abstract Summary” text box at Grants.govexternal icon.
8. Does anything need to be provided in response to the information under the Administrative and National Policy Requirements and Reporting Sections?
   • The information included in the Administrative and National Policy Requirements and Reporting Sections of this funding opportunity is for your informational purposes only to better understand the requirements an organization will be held to if selected for an award under this program.
9. Does our CARA application need to cover the same geographical area as our DFC grant? Can it be a smaller section within that geographical area?
   • The geographical area covered by the CARA grant does not need to be the same as the DFC grant.

Budget and Federal Financial Report (FFR)

1. Is there a budget template for CDC applications?
   • CDC will accept a budget narrative/justification in the general form, format, and level of detail as described in the CDC Budget Preparation Guidelines.
2. Do I need to submit a Budget Narrative?
   • Yes, you will need to submit a Budget Narrative, SF-424, and SF-424A. Appendix A: Pre- Submission Verification Checklist and within Section H. Other information the NOFO provides a complete list of required documentation that must be submitted.
3. What is the difference between “Consultant Costs” and “Contractual Costs”?
   • Per the CDC Budget Guidelines, “Consultant Costs” and “Contractual Costs” are differentiated as follows:
   • Consultant Costs: This category should be used when hiring an individual to give professional advice or services (e.g., training, expert consultant) for a fee, but not as an employee of the grantee organization.
   • Contractual Costs: This category should be used when securing a third-party contract to perform program activities.
4. My coalition currently provides stipends. Under previous budget narrative and categories, we have included them in the Contractor section. How should I report these now with the CDC?
   • Grant Funds may not be used for stipends, as defined in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.
5. Where do I access and submit online forms (SF-424 and SF-424A)?
   • Online forms, the SF-424 and SF-424A, are located at 424 Familyexternal icon. Please follow instructions located on that web page for how to complete them and ensure they are submitted with your continuation application.
6. Do I need to provide an “Application Identifier” in the SF-424 form?
   • Per the SF-424 Form Instructions, the “Applicant Identifier” is assigned by the federal agency. As such, this field does not need to be completed by the applicant. For further instructions on how to complete the SF-424 Form, please refer to 424 Familyexternal icon.
7. If we list the same key personnel for our Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) application as our DFC grant, and show that they work at a cost of $0, will we be able to list their Level of Effort as “0” so that it does not cause a “Duplication of Efforts” issue with our DFC grant?
   • Please refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity section on Duplication of Effort. Applicants are responsible for reporting if this application will result in programmatic, budgetary or commitment overlap with another application or award submitted to another funding source in the same fiscal year. Commitment overlap occurs when an individual’s time commitment exceeds 100 percent, regardless of whether salary support is requested in the application. Overlap, whether programmatic, budgetary, or commitment of an individual’s effort greater than 100 percent, is not permitted.

Review and Selection

1. How will applications be reviewed and scored?
   • Please refer to Appendix C: Review and Selection Process and Section E. Review and Selection Process in the Notice of Funding Opportunity for more information on what will be scored from the documentation submitted as part of the application package.
2. What are Statutory Eligibility Requirement Reviews?
   • The Statutory Eligibility Requirement review is a critically important step in the Review and Selection Process. Statutory eligibility reviews are conducted by ONDCP and CDC Program Officials to determine whether applicants meet all Statutory Eligibility Requirements as outlined in Table 3 of the NOFO. Ineligible applications will not advance to Phase II review. Applicants will be notified that their applications were deemed ineligible. All applications that are deemed eligible and responsive will then be evaluated by a review panel.  Please see Appendix C: Review and Selection Process for an overview of the Review and Selection Process.
3. If the applicant fails to meet even one of the statutory eligibility criteria, are they ineligible?
   • Yes. If the application does not meet all the statutory eligibility requirements, the application is deemed ineligible and it does NOT advance to merit review.