Community Request for Funding Assistance:
Enhance®Fitness
Applications due: December 17, 2013 at 11:59 pm ET
For further information on Arthritis Programs visit: www.chronicdisease.org/arthritis
A. Purpose
The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion seeks applications from community coalitions or other local or regionally based organizational entities from Florida and Michigan who attended the 2013 Arthritis Policy Roundtables. NACDD has approximately $50,000 available to fund up to seven communities. The selected communities will collaborate with the State Health Department’s (SHD) Chronic Disease Program, Y-USA and NACDD. Communities must submit applications to NACDD by December 17, 2013 at 11:59 pm ET. Successful applicants will be informed of selection by January 14, 2014 for a February 14, 2014 start date. The project period is February 14, 2014 through September 29, 2015. NACDD will award funds to the selected recipient via a contract.
The purpose of the initiative is to enable local communities to address multiple chronic conditions, specifically arthritis and the chronic disease risk factor of physical inactivity at the policy, systems, and environmental changes.
Special Note: The YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) is releasing a similar funding opportunity on or around October 29, 2013 called “2013 Statewide Strategies to Address Arthritis Grant” that will be made available to Y State Alliances in Florida, Michigan and California. Community applications for NACDD funding must demonstrate a willingness and ability to collaborate with selected Y-USA projects to ensure program resources are maximized for the best result in the community.
B. Project Description
NACDD will fund up to seven communities/organizational entities for no more than approximately $10,000 for a two-year project period to collaborate with local partners to support and sustain self-management programs including Enhance®Fitness. For more information on Enhance®Fitnessplease go to www.projectEnhance.org
C. Eligible Applicants
Applications for funding must be from a 501(c)(3) organizations such as coalitions, universities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and other entities from Florida and Michigan and that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundations as defined under Section 509(a). Local partners that attended the Florida and Michigan Arthritis Policy Roundtables are encouraged to apply.
1. Local health departments ARE considered eligible applicants for this application.
2. Community coalitions and organized entities as described above with a mission that supports healthy communities and/or experience in reducing chronic disease and associated risk factors in communities, regions, organizations, and systems are eligible to apply. Examples of eligible applicant organizations include, but are not limited to, groups, coalitions, community agencies or organizations that represent:
· Aging service organizations and senior centers
· Business, community, and/or faith-based leaders
· Chambers of Commerce
· City and county governments
· Community, health care, voluntary, and/or professional organizations
· Community health centers
· Disparate populations
· Existing community coalitions (especially those already focusing on chronic diseases)
· Faith-based organizations
· Health care providers
· Local Health Departments
· Minority populations
· Parks and recreation departments
· Persons with disabilities
· Schools, school-based and school-linked clinics and organizations and other local education agencies
· Local YMCAs
· Universities, schools of public health, academic health centers, and
· Urban planning groups, housing authorities and departments of transportation
Applicants are encouraged to partner with groups listed above if they are not already a part of the applying coalition or entity.
D. Ineligible Applicants
1. Organizations that do not meet the criteria above are not eligible to apply.
2. YMCAs that are currently receiving funding for similar activities involving the Enhance®Fitness are not eligible to apply.
E. Available Funding
A total of approximately $50,000 is available to a maximum seven communities to implement evidence-based self-management programs impacting arthritis. Funds between $7,000-$10,000 will be awarded to the selected applicant community, but allocated directly to the fiscal contact referenced in the application. Funds will be awarded through a contract and disbursement mechanism consistent with current NACDD funding process. Memorandum of agreements (MOA) will be used to document the award and requirements. All funds will be allocated as follows:
· 60% within the 1st year
· 40% within the 2nd year
F. Project Period
The project period will cover a 20-month period. Funded entities are expected to work toward developing sustainable plans and implementing policies, systems and environmental change strategies that may go beyond the project period to support evidence-based self-management programs such as Enhance®Fitness.
G. Use of Funds
Funds must be allocated by the coalition or selected applicant organization’s fiscal agent for the following:
1. Implementation of evidence-based self-management programs such as Enhance®Fitness.
2. Training programs to train the trainer.
3. Activities that support the Arthritis Foundation’s priority policies found at http://www.arthritis.org/advocacy/advocacy-priorities/
4. Support to attend training programs that support multiple chronic conditions programming.
5. Implement Town Hall meetings and other large-scale educational programs intended to support evidence-based self-management programs.
6. Activities to engage and gain support from insurers and private healthcare practitioners.
7. New partnerships or existing partnerships specifically with a focus on evidence-based self-management programs that target arthritis or multiple chronic conditions.
8. Worksite wellness programming.
9. Large-scale system support for Employee Assistance Programming.
Funds may NOT be used for the purchase of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and for lobbying efforts.
H. Project Deliverables
Mandatory project activities include the following:
1. Work plan outlining the entire project period, including key actions, deadlines, key partners and evaluation methods (process or impact).
2. Participation in an information orientation conference call that is to be scheduled (estimated to be held the week of February 14, 2014).
3. Participation in scheduled conference calls for the duration of the project. This will include routine technical assistance calls, learning webinars, progress updates, and other organizational sessions as scheduled.
4. Participation in either a virtual or local site visit from NACDD staff within the first six months of funding.
5. Submission of success stories within the first year of funding submitted to NACDD by February 2015.
6. Provide all invoices and narrative progress reports on time and per established schedule via email to NACDD fiscal office and consultant.
I. Reporting Requirements and Technology Capacity
Applicant organizations must provide documentation in the application that supports online reporting capability including access to and ability with computers, Word software programs and web access.
J. Submission Process
Each community application must be submitted via a PDF document by appropriate persons from the lead applicant agency to NACDD by 11:59 pm ET on December 17, 2013. Also include the following documents saved as a pdf:
1. NACDD Budget Template (save as pdf)
2. Two letter of commitment with signatures from at least (1) one community partner who is assisting in project implementation and (2) a letter from the fiscal lead even if it is the applicant (scan and save as pdf)
3. Prospective Community Work plan (save as pdf)
All attachments must be saved in PDF format. In one email message, please attach the pdf files and submit in an email to: Please use the following subject line for the message:
· Arthritis Community RFA (fill in the city and state here).
· Example: Arthritis Community RFA Atlanta, GA
All applications sent by the deadline will receive an email acknowledging receipt of the application by NACDD.
K. Minimum Application Requirements
1. No more than ten pages, including cover page (1 page), narrative (4 pages), letters of commitment (2 pages), budget (1 page), and work plan (2 pages).
2. Applications exceeding page limits will not be reviewed.
3. Additional attachments beyond the required budget, letter of fiscal agent support, work plan will not be reviewed.
4. Applications not using appropriate budget templates will not be reviewed.
5. Late applications (electronically stamped by the sender after December 17, 2013 11:59 pm ET) will not be accepted by NACDD.
6. Font size no smaller than 11-point Times New Roman, single-spaced. Hard copy and fax applications will not be accepted. Applications and attachments must be emailed to NACDD.
7. Letters of commitment must be signed and created on official letterhead by the fiscal agent and other partner organization.
L. Application Content/Requirements
1. Cover pages that includes:
a. Name of the applicant organization, coalition and address and service area
b. Name and contact information for project lead
c. Name and contact information for fiscal agent lead
d. Name and contact information of organization/entity that will act as fiscal agent
e. Name and contact information for the organization’s signatory (even if the same as above)
f. FEIN and DUNS#
2. Narrative description describing:
a. Brief summary of community need and chronic disease burden specific to arthritis
b. Capacity
i. Current coalition or organizational entity’s capacity and collaboration efforts with health issues specific to chronic disease prevention and health promotion, especially arthritis
ii. Current state of readiness, experience and capability with physical activity programming
c. Technology capacity for web-based communications, reporting and fiscal invoicing
3. Partnerships/Coalitions:
a. Please provide the following:
i. List of current or prospective partnerships or collaborations relevant to the application
ii. Justification for the selection of the lead organization
iii. List of potential or existing members; why they were identified and current/ past experience with policy, systems and environmental change strategies related to chronic disease prevention and health promotion
iv. Description of how the coalition’s demographics reflect the identified community
4. Proposed activities:
a. Include a narrative description of proposed project
5. Describe how your community will sustain evidence-based self-management programming beyond the funding cycle and include past experience with sustaining similar efforts. Include information on other similar funding sources within the community.
6. Please describe your experience with monitoring project outcomes. If none, please describe how you intend to build monitoring capacity for the project.
7. Attachments:
a. Include the following as attachments using the templates (where provided):
i. Estimated budget that can be modified upon selection and included with the memorandum of agreement (one page). In-kind and match are not required, but is encouraged. Use the Arthritis Budget Template to complete your budget.
ii. Letter of support from the organization/entity that will act as fiscal agent on agency letterhead.
iii. Work plan and timeline.
No attachments other than the budget, letter of support from the fiscal agent, work plan will be reviewed and should not be attached.
M. Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed and scored based on the following criteria and percentages:
1. Support and commitment to endorse and support arthritis programming (15%)
2. Demonstrated need, including diversity and disparate populations (15%)
3. Community capacity/readiness; technology capacity (15%)
4. Collaboration and partnerships (15%)
5. Proposed activities (15%)
6. Sustainability (5%)
7. Project Monitoring (5%)
8. Commitment of resources (time, personnel, funding) (15%)
9. Realistic budget (not scored)
N. NACDD and Assigned Community Mentor Support and Commitment
NACDD commits to providing regular technical assistance via email, conference calls, in person meetings (if funding allows), webinars, and linkages to national expertise. Additional support will be provided through site visits and one-on-one communications.
O. For more information on this application or on Arthritis:
Visit the NACDD website at
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