SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Our organization is currently a Komen grant recipient; can we still apply for the Vulnerable Populations (VP) grant?
No. Organizations with a current Komen Community Health Grant from a local Affiliate and/or Komen National that continues through all or part of 2013 are not eligible to apply for funding.
2. An organization that currently has a local Komen Affiliate grant and thus cannot be the lead applicant but wishes to serve as a partner for this Vulnerable Populations application. Can this organization still receive funding through the primary applicant for its partner activities?
Yes. An organization currently receiving a Komen grant can still partner or collaborate with a lead agency who is applying for the VP grant.
3. As the lead agency applying for the funding, we are proposing to collaborate with another organization that is currently receiving funding from Komen. Can we still partner with this organization even though they are a current Komen grantee?
Yes, if you are the lead agency applying for the funding and currently not a Komen funded organization, you are qualified to apply for funding. This community entity can work with your organization as a collaborator.
4. If we are a national, community-based organization, and we have a Komen Community funding for one site/city, can we apply to national to address challenges for one of our other partner sites in another State?
No. Organizations with a current Komen Community Health Grant from a local Affiliate and/or Komen National that continues through all or part of 2013 are not eligible to apply for funding.
5. If a large university medical system receives a grant from a local affiliate, does that mean the entire organization is ineligible to apply for funding, even a different center, department, etc?
Yes. Organizations with a current Komen Community Health Grant from a local Affiliate are ineligible to apply.
6. We recently applied for a community grant with the local Affiliate and were denied funding; can we apply for the Vulnerable Populations grant?
Yes, your organization may apply for funding through the Vulnerable Populations grant program. However, please note that a completed Affiliate Support Form (please see RFA) must be included in your application.
7. What type of projects are the Vulnerable Populations grant seeking to support?
Organizations that implement quality improvement and process improvement strategies to eliminate breast health disparities in screening, care and/or treatment are encouraged to apply. The use of models that seek to improve processes and systems, such as Breast Healthcare Improvement Initiative Change Package funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is one example of a successful tool in the fight against breast cancer. This tool builds upon formal process improvement techniques and is successful in improving mammography screening rates.
8. The RFA states that priority areas include geographic regions not covered by a local Komen Affiliate. What if local Komen affiliate indicates a service area of the whole state but there is no local presence. Would we be considered a priority area?
No. The RFA states that priority areas include geographic region not covered by a local Komen Affiliate service area.
9. Can you give us examples of leveraging the Affordable Care Act?
The Affordable Care Act aims to increase the number of insured individuals as well as additional provisions to improve healthcare outcomes and streamline the delivery of health care. Proposals may wish to address how newly insured individuals will be linked to breast health care services and increase screenings rates.
10. The RFA states that it supports widespread implementation of evidenced-based interventions, so can a pilot project be eligible for this grant?
Yes, a pilot project is eligible for funding. Komen encourages the use of evidenced-based strategies, so your pilot project should incorporate practices that are evidence-based. For information on the use of evidenced-based practices, go to: http://www.thecommunityguide.org/cancer/index.html
11. What is the maximum amount and duration of the grant?
The lead agency applying may request up to $250,000 over two years on behalf of the partnership, collaboration or coalition. The project period must be two years.
12. How will funded programs be selected?
Applications will be reviewed by independent reviewers who are culturally and professionally diverse. Grant reviewers will have extensive professional experiences from the breast cancer, social service, and medical and patient advocacy sectors. Each application will receive at least three reviews. Final funding decisions will be made by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Board of Directors.
13. What are allowable budget items?
Allowable items include support for program staff salaries; program‐specific supplies; transportation costs; meeting costs, and consultant fees.
Non‐allowable items include the cost of medical services, including mammograms and clinical breast exams or salaries of healthcare professionals performing these examinations or interpreting results; clinical trials, office furniture and equipment; medical supplies and equipment; fundraising events, political campaigns or lobbying, liability insurance, staff development, endowments, and debt reduction.
14. What is the website to access the Komen online application?
https://affiliategrants.komen.org Please note: all users must register and be approved in the system before you can login to start an application.
15. How do I register for GeMS?
To register as a user to submit a grant application for the Vulnerable Populations funding opportunity, please:
For Project Directors:
1) Select “Applicant” for - What is your position at your Affiliate?
2) Select “Texas” for -Affiliate State
3) Select “Special Grants” for –Affiliate
4) Select “Other” for – Organization (this will then prompt you to provide your organization’s information)
For Authorized Signers:
1) Select “Applicant” for - What is your position at your Affiliate?
2) Select “Texas” for -Affiliate State
3) Select “Special Grants” for –Affiliate
4) Scroll down the list and select your organization from the drop down menu
****Please remember, both the Project Director and Authorized Signer should be registered and approved as users in the system before you initiate the application.
16. I cannot find my Affiliate in the drop down menu. What is my assigned Affiliate?
On the registration page, you must select “Texas” as the Affiliate State; “Special Grants” will be the Affiliate and then select your organization from the drop down menu. If you do not see your organization as an option, please select “other” and complete the required sections. Please be sure to press the pink go button after each selection to initiate options in the next field and please select save when you are done. If you are successfully registered you will receive a green light at the top of the page. If there is an error(s) you will receive a red light and details on how to make the corrections.
17. I’m registered but my login information is not working.
a. If you are the Project Director please check to see if you have received an approval email from the system. Remember you must be approved before you are able to login and start an application.
b. If you are not sure if you have been approved as a user, please email to confirm your approval status.
18. How do I submit the application and how do we confirm that it has been received?
Completed applications must be completed through the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® online system – Grants e-management System (GeMS). This system can be accessed at https://affiliategrants.komen.org.
Once you have submitted a completed application, the system sends an automatic email notification instantly in most cases to both the project director and authorized signer for your organization. The notification will be sent to the email address you used at the time of registration, so please check to make sure the email you registered with is entered correctly. For questions regarding GeMS, please call us at (972) 701-2130 or email . Please allow 24 to 48 hours to respond to your question(s).
19. I’m logged into the system but I do not see any Available Proposals on my home page.
If an application is initiated before all users are approved in the system, they may not be assigned to the application and the application will not show up. However, the Project Director is able to add individual users to the application after the application has been started. Please note: in order to add a person to the application they must first be registered in the system. Once registered and approved in the system, the Project Director has the ability to add them. You may also contact for assistance with approving multiple users.
20. When I attempt to initiate an application I receive an error message, what should I do?
Please note: We are aware of this system error message and are working to correct it. However, the application has been initiated. To navigate past the error and to gain access to your application, please:
1) Click on “My CG Applications” in the upper left hand corner of the homepage
2) Next click on the pink “Execute” button in the upper right had corner of the page.
3) This will then provide a result(s) list of applications previously initiated, you should then click on the name link which begins with “CGA (B)”
4) You should then click the pink “View Forms” button under View, Edit and Create Forms. From here you may begin completing the application pages.
21. How do I add users to the application after the application has been started?
First, the individual must be registered and approved in GeMS. From the application menu page, go to Access Management Tools and click “view management tools.” Next, click on the “add/edit people” link and it will list everyone who is currently tied to the application. If they have a check next to their name they are currently active users and it will also show their role on the application. If they do not have a check next to their name you will need to check them and select their role before hitting the save button. No additions will be made unless you hit the save button. If you need to change someone’s role this is also where you would do so by just changing their role in the drop down menu and hitting the pink save button at the upper right hand corner of the page.
22. How do I print a hard copy of the application? Can I save a copy of my application?
Print versions of the blank application and completed application are available within the Access Management Tools section of the application menu. Yes, you can save a PDF copy of your application in this same section.
23. Why do I have multiple applications “In Progress” in the system? What should I do?
The first time you log into the system to create your application you will use the “View Available Proposals” link to initiate your application. However, each subsequent time there after you will need to use the “My CG Applications” button at the top of the page to gain access and avoid creating duplicates. To navigate back to your original application, click on the “My CG Applications” button, then click the pink “Execute” button in the upper right hand corner of the page. The results will appear at the bottom of the page. All applications you have in progress should appear under this section. Simply click on the application name which will start with “CGA-2013…….” and resume working on your application. If for some reason you or another user have created multiple applications, do not worry, simply click on the application name for the duplicate and go down to “Change Status” and click on the pink “view status options” button and select the cancel application button. This will not delete the application but it will change the status to “application cancelled” which will prevent you from having to click into each individual application to determine which one you were actually working on.
24. We have completed the online application and submitted it but we did not receive a confirmation email. When can we expect the confirmation email? The system sends an automatic email notification instantly in most cases to both the project director and authorized signer for your organization. The notification will be sent to the email address you used at the time of registration, so please check to make sure the email you registered with is entered correct. If the email address on file is correct and you did not receive a notification, please contact . Please note: all system notifications are also stored on your home page in GeMS and you can log into the system to check for your confirmation as well.
25. Some of the information for my organization is incorrect in the system. How do I correct it? To correct any of the contact information for your organization, please login and click on the “My Organization” tab in the upper right hand corner. You can then make changes to any of the information for your organization such as legal name, address, phone number tax id, etc. If there is any missing information on this page you may add it. Please just be sure to hit the pink save button.
26. I need to update my email address or other contact information in the system. How do I do make those changes?
To update your contact information in GeMS, login and click on the “My Profile” tab in the upper right hand corner. You can then make any necessary changes to your contact information. You may even change your password on this page. Again, please be sure to hit the pink save button before exiting the page.
27. I still have a question(s) about GeMS, can I call you?
Yes, you may always call us at (972) 701-2130 or email . Please allow 24 to 48 hours to respond to your question(s).
28. I still have a question(s) about the RFA or my project and/or program, can I contact you?
Yes, you may send an email to . Please allow 24 to 48 hours to respond to your question(s).