All questions concerning the proposal guidelines should be submitted by email to information@valleyinnovation.org by close of business on February 28, 2008. To ensure maximum collaboration and limit duplication of questions across the region, these questions and answers will be posted on the VIA website for reference. This does not constitute assistance in preparation of the proposal nor does it provide any special consideration in evaluation.
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Are the letters of support to be addressed to anyone in particular? |
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Please address letters of support to Mr. Howell Lee, Calhoun Community College, P O Box 2216, Decatur, AL 35609-2216. |
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Can WIRED funding be used for the purpose of assisting economic development efforts, including recruiting the appropriate workforce to the Tennessee Valley and Huntsville for newly created jobs (i.e. BRAC)? |
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Expenditures must fall within the categories outlined on the spreadsheet provided in the grant proposal package. |
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Can a consultant/provider of services be clearly identified in a proposal with assigned tasks and budget OR would defined work have to go through the RFP process? |
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Fees for PROFESSIONAL services may be exempt from Alabama Bid Law; however, grantees must seek approval from the appropriate authorities for such services before contracts can be awarded. |
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Can funds be used under goal one (regional collaboration and partnerships) for career awareness/employer outreach efforts for the region in terms of attracting new employees and/or new companies to the region? |
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Career awareness activities are allowed if targeted at students aged 16 and older. As stated in the RFP, if your proposal targets students younger than 16, the project must be approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. |
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Can a proposal be submitted that overlaps into two goal areas (ex. Regional Collaboration and Partnership through cultivating cluster-based STEM competencies)? |
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Yes. |
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Is there a set amount defined to be awarded for each of the three goal areas? |
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No. Grants will be awarded based on the criteria outlined in the RFP. |
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If awarded a grant, what is the process for receiving funding? How will money be dispersed to grantee? |
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Grantees will be notified by mail with an award letter. All VIA grants are on a reimbursement basis; therefore, funds will be expended after appropriate documentation is received and approved by the Calhoun Community College Business Office. |
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Within budget sheet, explain the difference between the budgeted and expended columns? Would expended be place to identify in-kind sources or should this be defined elsewhere? |
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The expended column is used to calculate the balance available in each line item throughout the grant period. For example, if $1,000 was available under “equipment” and an item costing $500 was purchased, the $500 would be shown under the “expended” column and reflect a balance of $500. The expended column would be left blank at the time the grant proposal is submitted. In-kind or other leveraged funding should be listed separately and fully explained in the budget narrative. |
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Can we apply for more than one school or for our district? |
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Yes. There is no limit on the number of applications from a single entity. |
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Do you have a grant writer that could assist with this grant? |
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No. However, rural areas may seek grant writing assistance from their local regional Council of Governments. |
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Where on your web site does it give the maximum we can apply for? |
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Grant award amounts are listed under “Amounts of Awards” found on the Review Process/Awards page and will range from $10,000 - $200,000. Larger awards will be reserved for projects that are regional in scope and serve at least a 3-county area. Allowable budget categories are listed in the Budget Form |
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Can salaries be included? |
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Stipends for substitute teachers or a percentage of an employee’s time that is devoted to grant activities can be covered under the “Other” category in the budget spreadsheet. Time and effort sheets are required for documentation and must be completed before reimbursement. |
