Refugee Integration Fund Q&A

This page includes questions about the Refugee Integration Fund that were received during the Q&A period of January 9-20, 2023.

General Questions

• Can you apply for more than one opportunity?

  • Yes, eligible entities may apply for both opportunities.

• What is the deadline to apply for funding?

  • Tuesday, February 7, 2023, by 5 p.m. MT.

• What types of organizations are eligible to apply for these opportunities?

  • Eligible organizations include public and private nonprofit agencies operating in Colorado, including community- based organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), school districts, and public housing authorities. Additional eligibility criteria can be found in the Request for Proposals (available here).

• Is funding specific for Greater Denver area organizations or all of Colorado?

  • Eligible organizations include Colorado agencies with experience serving ORR-eligible populations in metro Denver, Greeley, Colorado Springs, and/or with the capacity to provide in-person or mobile services to various locations in Colorado, including rural areas. Additional eligibility criteria can be found in the Request for Proposals.

• How long is the grant term? Is this a single year or multi-year grant opportunity?

  • The anticipated contract term is through September 30, 2024, to align with the federal fiscal year calendar. For the Mental Health grants, extensions beyond federal fiscal year 2024 may be possible at the sole discretion of the State, under similar procurements upon receipt of additional federal funding and Contractors’ successful completion of the initial grant cycle and contractual requirements.

• Are these funds 100% federal funding or is any part of it from the community raised funds through Rose Community Foundation?

  • The Refugee Integration Fund is 100% federal funding.

• We do not fit in the legal or mental health categories; is there another opportunity for which we would be a better fit?

  • If your organization feels it can provide services that will satisfy the requirements listed in the application(s) either alone or in partnership with another organization, we welcome your proposal and look forward to reviewing it. Otherwise, please view current and upcoming grant opportunities offered through Rose Community Foundation. There may also be grant opportunities administered by the state that may be of interest to your organization. These can be found here.

• Can organizations that are already receiving funding directly from CRSP apply?  Our current grant is for refugee integration.

  • As long as the services/program that is being proposed is not already funded by other federal funds, your organization can apply for additional ORR funding to support the new program which is proposed.

• We are receiving formulaic funds to support Afghan students; we were not allowed to include capital or emergency rental assistance in our proposal. Does the competitive grant funding allow these types of expenditures?

  • Under the policy letters governing these funds, those are not allowable expenses.

• Can we submit joint applications if we want to work with a partner on a year-long project?

  • Applicants are welcome to submit joint proposals. Applications must be submitted via the online grants portal under one organization’s profile. If approved, this is the organization that would enter into the grant contract and be responsible for reporting requirements.

• What do you mean by the organization chart?

  • A list or chart of the staff members in the organization and their positions.

Questions related to both cycles

• I saw that decisions will be announced in mid-March, but is there an expected date when the contracts/ SOW would start and when funding would actually be made available?

  • The start date of awarded grants will depend on the length of time necessary for the grantee and CRSP to develop and finalize the Statement of Work and Budget for the projects. Once completed and approved, 50% of the total grant amount will be released within 30 days of contract execution.

• There are community-based organizations that have received federal funding for Afghan new arrivals. Can such organizations also apply for this grant if the proposal is appropriate?

  • As long as the previous federal funding for Afghans does not fund the same services that are being proposed in the current grant proposal, organizations are able to apply for additional federal Afghan funding.

• Should our budget reflect an 18-month period (~March 2023- Sept 2024)?

  • The proposed budget should be written for the anticipated term of March 2023 through September 30, 2024, in alignment with the federal fiscal year calendar.

Questions about Legal Services cycle

• In the RFP it says that for legal services, grant awards may range, on average, from $250,000 to $850,000. Would it be permissible to apply for less than $250,000?

  • The listed range is provided as a general guide to potential applicants. Proposed budgets do not need to fall within this range to be considered for funding.

• We would likely need to hire an attorney and/or paralegal, so there would be a delay as we fill these positions. Would that be acceptable if the services didn’t start for 1-3 months after the award?

  • Grantees are expected to begin grant activities upon full execution of the contract as detailed in their Scope of Work. Some activities may require more time to complete than others, and overall progress toward program implementation will be discussed with CRSP at regular check-in meetings.

• Can you provide examples of in-kind contributions related to administering a legal services program? (on page 8 – under “Proposed Staffing and Duties” – “provide a summary of proposed project staffing and duties, and how volunteers and in-kind donations will be used in support of this project”).

  • In-kind contributions may vary depending on the program design, and could include the time and effort of volunteer pro bono attorneys or other staff time or materials which the organization plans to contribute to the grant program for which it will not be paid through the grant.

Questions about Mental Health and Wellness cycle

• What would the proper documentation for mental health services look like?

  • In order to ensure eligibility, the client’s name, alien number, date of birth and country of origin will be required and will be kept confidential. Other data needed for program evaluation will depend on the specific outcomes and evaluation tools specified for the grant. This data will be reported in aggregate and no individually identifiable personal information will be needed.

• Regarding the three target areas (increase mental health literacy; coordinate mental health referrals and care; organize and facilitate wellness groups): could we incorporate case management, including helping clients gain access to housing, food, transportation to medical appointments, assistance with application for disability if indicated, etc.? These services would be performed with the idea of helping clients integrate better in society.

  • The federal funds for these grants cannot be used for any services already funded through other federal dollars, such as Medicaid. Case management services not covered by Medicaid reimbursement can be included in a proposal for a program that meets the goals and specifications for the grant.

• I see mental health has opportunities for social engagement. Could psychosocial programming qualify, without a therapy component (i.e., women’s programming)?

  • As long as the psychosocial programming will meet the specified goal in the grant description of the funding, and addresses one or more of the target areas through the specified activities, there is not a requirement to provide mental health counseling services. Rose Community Foundation will ensure there will be program options for all gender identities across the grants funded.

• It seems that mental health is a broad spectrum of needs, inclusive of creating opportunities for social engagement. Our organization is discussing partnering with another organization to offer intensive English language classes, digital skills classes and soft skills workshops. The idea is to not only improve language skills and workforce opportunities, but also to prepare participants to be advocates in their communities and create opportunities to share and find community resources.

  • We are not able to answer questions regarding individual grant proposals, nor partnerships. Please refer to the specifications in the Request for Proposals for additional details on the types of program proposals we are seeking.

• Our organization is currently funded by CRSP to provide social integration support for ORR eligible youth including Afghan youth. In reading through the focus of the Mental Health and Wellness Grant, it seems like we would fit in the category of improving health for newcomer Afghan youth by being a support service that creates space for positive and healthy social integration. It seems like a fit from that lens, but I was unsure after reading through the main focus areas of increasing mental health literacy and coordinating health care. I can think of ways that we can incorporate those focuses into our work but those are not areas we specialize in at this time. Do you think our organization makes sense as an applicant based on the focus areas and priorities of the grant?

  • While we are unable to comment on whether or not a particular program should apply for this grant funding, guidance regarding this question can be located in the mental health grant description under the specific activities which can be utilized to meet the grant goal. Grant applications need to address how the goal of the grant funding will be met, which target areas will be addressed, and the activities which will be utilized. One additional consideration is that this grant funding cannot be used to pay for services already funded by other federal grant dollars.

• On page 5, the RFP states, “women’s sewing group,” as an example of a wellness group/mental health care. Can proposed programming be restricted to only serve one gender (female/male)? Is this allowable by the funder (in order to be culturally appropriate)?

  • Rose Community Foundation will ensure there will be program options for all gender identities across the grants funded.

• Can multiple programs/initiatives that address mental health and wellness all be included in the same application? Or, should an organization submit separate applications for each proposed program/initiative?

  • Multiple services/activities can be included in a single grant application as long as they are part of an overall program focused on meeting the grant goal and addressing one or more of the target areas through the activities listed under each.

• On page 5, the RFP states that, “services should be offered at a variety of times, such as during the day, evening, weekend or online to increase accessibility of services…if online services are offered, programs are encouraged to increase equitable access to digital services.” If an organization surveys refugee community members and has supporting data to demonstrate one preferred date/time, is it allowable then to only offer programming during the most-preferred time of day? Will an organization be penalized for not offering virtual programming, if data again supports a desire for in-person offerings?

  • This ORR guidance is intended to ensure that barriers to accessing services have been considered and are being addressed by, for example, finding the most convenient time to offer services and the most effective means of accessing them.