CalVCB Trauma Recovery Center 2022-2023 Grant Questions and Answers

Posted on 01/12/2022

Q1: I had a clarification question about the clause, “A grantee is not guaranteed continued funding and may apply for a consecutive grant to prevent a lapse in funding.” Can an organization that was funded in the last NOFA cycle, but which received less than their requested budget, apply again during this NOFA cycle?

A1: Trauma Recovery Centers that received a grant award during the 2021/2022 cycle are not eligible for the current NOFA, which covers the 2022/23 cycle. Grant awards cover a two-year period. Therefore, a TRC that received funding starting July 1, 2021, will not suffer a lapse in funding until July 1, 2023, and could apply for another grant during the 2023/2024 cycle.

Q2: Please confirm the number of pages for the budget narrative

A2: There is no page limit for the budget narrative.

Q3: Will equipment, such as laptops be allowed?

A3: Requests for IT equipment are subject to review and approval by CalVCB.

Q4: On TRC Budget excel worksheet, the top reads, “** TRC needs to provide the detailed breakdown of all Salary / Wage and Fringe Calculations per employee in a separate file”…what do you mean in a separate file?

A4: A separate file is meant to indicate an attached document that includes the requested information, likely in a Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or PDF file. The detailed breakdown shall show the TRC’s specific calculations for Salary/Wage and for Fringe Benefits and could vary per employee based on job classification, tenure, or benefit selections. These calculations must equal the monthly totals entered on the master budget. The amount billed to the grant for an employee’s salary must include the cost of providing that employee fringe benefits.

Example: Employee X is paid a gross annual salary of $75,000; Benefit Rate is 27% equal to $20,250.00. They work 100% on TRC Activities and are billed 100% to CalVCB Grant as sole funding source. They are Full-Time and work 8 hours per day for a total of 40 hours each week or 2,088 hours annually. As a part of their annual salary, Employee X earns 80 hours of Vacation, 80 hours of Sick Leave and 96 hours or 12 days of Holiday Pay each year. The 27% Benefit Rate includes: 16.1% Medical, 1% Dental, 0.4% Vision, 0.1% Life Insurance, 7.6% FICA, 0.7% Workers Compensation, 0.1% Unemployment Insurance.

Q5: Can we add columns to the spreadsheet?

A5: No, rows may be added as needed to include all TRC staff. Additional information is requested in a separate, attached file. If an application is awarded funding, CalVCB will contact the TRC to review and adjust final budgets before contracts are finalized.

Q6: Regarding Qualification 1 on the “2022 CalVCB Trauma Recovery Center (TRC) Grant Program Narrative Qualifications”, we are asked to “Please provide examples of your organization’s experience or ability to provide outreach to crime victims who typically are unable to access traditional services.” I was hoping to get clarification on your definition of outreach. Is this asking about assertive outreach to engage clients in treatment and/or is this asking about outreach, as in tabling at community events?

A6: Please refer to Government Code section 13963.2 sections (a), (c)and (f), which references both outreach and assertive outreach as TRC activities. Applicants should include any examples of outreach that demonstrate ability to reach crime victims typically unable to access traditional services.

Q7: In Section II. Application Requirements, A. Eligible Applicants, the NOFA states: “Provision of virtual services is permissible to accommodate social distancing guidelines”. Will virtual/telehealth services be permissible when social distancing is no longer needed?

A7: Virtual and telehealth services are currently permitted by executive order. It is unlikely that would change anytime soon, although we cannot predict the future. Applicants must be able to meet the requirements pursuant to Government Code section 13963.2 and have the ability to carry out all direct services from the main location of operation, regardless of any temporary provisions for social distancing.

Q8: In Section IV. Budget Requirements, A. Personnel Services. In this section, it talks about 60% of funds can be budgeted for direct client services, which are services provided by a licensed clinician or with a licensed clinician present and 40% can be Indirect client services, services provided by non-licensed staff. My question is what are unlicensed clinicians that are registered with the board of California who receive supervision from a licensed clinician that provide the same direct services as a licensed clinician… are they part of the 60% or 40%?

A8: If a staff member is unlicensed and providing clinical services with supervision of a licensed supervisor, they would be providing direct clinical services and counted as part of the 60%.

Q9: I wanted to clarify if you need copies of our staff member’s licenses and/or verification of board registration? I did not see this requested, but I believe it has been in years past.

A9: Licensure type may be included as part of the Budget Narrative. Should an application be recommended for funding, licensure application will be verified at that time, and throughout the grant period.

Q10: The Title page asks: “9. Geographic area the applicant will serve, including crime rate:” Question: In the 2020 application, you have requested: “Geographic area the applicant will serve, including information such as population, demographics, economic indicators, and crime rate”. My specific question – provide ONLY geographic area and crime rate, correct?

A10: Yes, it is recommended that responses should be limited to the question as it is posed.

Q11: How do you define a “Trauma Recover Center?”

A11: Please see Government Code section 13963.1 and 13963.2.

Q12: Is Thomas House Family Shelter (Thomas House) eligible to apply for this funding? Thomas House Temporary Shelter, dba Thomas House Family Shelter, is a 501c3 nonprofit organization providing Transitional Shelter and Supportive Services and Homeless Prevention Services to 50-55 low-income, homeless families with children (220-individuals) in Orange County annually. Approximately 50% or more of our families are victims of domestic violence or sex trafficking. We provide these families many of the services funded by the above-referenced funding.

A12: Nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for the Trauma Recovery Center Grant and are encouraged to do so if the organization can meet the requirements as defined in Government Code sections 13963.1 and 13963.2.

Q13: If Thomas House is eligible, what is likelihood that we would be considered if we serve approximately 100-120 individuals who are crime victims annually?

A13: All applications are considered if they are received complete and timely. Applications will be scored as listed in the 2022/23 Notice of Funds Available (NOFA), Section III Application Submission and Review Procedures, C. Application Scoring. Grant awards are determined based on the scores of all applications submitted and available funding.

Q14: Does the Chadwick Center need to submit for this since we were funded 2021-2023?

A14: Trauma Recovery Centers that received a grant award during the 2021/2022 cycle are not eligible for the current NOFA. See the answer to Question #1.

Q15: The VCB budget template states, “TRC needs to provide the detailed breakdown of all Salary / Wage and Fringe Calculations per employee in a separate file.” Would you provide an example or hypothetical of what you expect to be provided for the calculation of salary? A calculation indicates some form of mathematical formula is involved in leading to the result, the salary in this case. We want to be certain that we are providing formula in line with the VCB’s expectation.

A15: See the answer to Question #4.

Q16: Is there a format required for the detailed breakdown of all Salary / Wage and Fringe Calculations per employee?

A16: The following file types are acceptable format for the detailed breakdown: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or PDF.

Q17: I have a question about some of the language in Qualification 5: Provide examples of your organization’s experience and or ability to utilize a multidisciplinary team of clinicians. Describe how this multidisciplinary team will assist with medication management, provide consultation, and assist with treatment to meet the clinical needs of victims. (California Government Code section 13963.2). What is meant by provide consultation? Is this within team consultation? Consultation to providers outside of our TRC?

A17: This addresses consultation within the TRC Team, not with outsiders.

Q18: Do you have additional guidance for the following application material requirements: Flow Chart, Organizational Chart, Time Task Plan? Specifically, any requested templates, information to include, etc.?

A18: We do not have templates. The Flow Chart should show how clients progress through the TRC and its services. The Organizational Chart should show all TRC staff, including contracted personnel. The Time Task Plan should show the steps required to implement the program and when each will be accomplished. This information should be submitted as part of the final PDF file of the application.