Press Office Federal Emergency Management Agency 500 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20472 FY 2008 Competitive Training Grants Program (CTGP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Who was eligible to apply for FY 2008 CTGP funding? Eligible applicants include: state, local, tribal and territorial governments; national associations, organizations and for-profits with a demonstrable expertise relevant to the focus area for which grant funding is being requested; non-profit higher education institutions with existing programs that address the focus area for which grant funding is requested; and nonprofits, including community and faith-based organizations, with a demonstrable expertise relevant to the focus area for which grant funding is requested. How much funding is available for the FY 2008 CTGP? A Congressional appropriation of $27,202,000 million will be provided competitively to eligible applicants under the FY 2008 CTGP. Funding will be provided in the form of cooperative agreements awarded directly to the selected applicants. What is the purpose of the FY 2008 CTGP? The FY 2008 CTGP awards funds to competitively selected applicants to develop and deliver innovative training programs addressing high priority national homeland security training needs. The primary purpose of the CTGP is to support training initiatives that are national in scope and further the FEMA mission to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters, by leading and supporting the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation. What are the eligible activities that will be funded with CTGP grants? Training should be designed for and delivered to appropriate state and local personnel with homeland security-related responsibilities. In FY 2008, the emphasis is on the development and delivery of courses in one of the following five focus areas: • Intelligence/Information Sharing and Dissemination • Critical Infrastructure and Protection • Regional Collaboration • Citizen Preparedness and Participation • Citizen Evacuation and/or Shelter-In-Place How does the FY 2008 CTGP improve homeland security? The CTGP provides funds directly to training institutions, national associations, non-profit and for-profit organizations and state, local, territorial and tribal governments to develop and deliver training to the nation’s first-responders to assure they are prepared to respond to any terrorist incident or natural disaster that may occur. What changes were made to the CTGP program since last year? The FY 2008 CTGP contains significant changes based upon stakeholder input. FY 2008 focus areas are closely aligned with the Administration’s larger, coordinated effort to strengthen homeland security preparedness. The CTGP focus areas reflect the National Preparedness Guideline’s priority investments, as appropriate. How many applications were received for FY 2008 CTGP funding? The National Preparedness Directorate (NPD) received 232 concept papers. An administrative and component review was conducted to eliminate submissions that failed to describe a proposal that was national in scope, neglected to follow the prescribed format, or did not address the required concept paper elements. After identifying eligible concept papers based on the required elements and criteria, 75 applicants were invited to submit full proposals. How are awards determined? Each year, NPD coordinates independent peer reviews by subject matter experts for each full proposal, concluding in consensus review panels. The purpose of the peer review process is to ensure objective and unbiased subject matter expert input into the strengths and weaknesses of proposals submitted under the CTGP. Peer reviewers are selected based on their technical expertise and/or their knowledge and experience in the development of training curricula for the prevention, deterrence, response to and recovery from terrorism or catastrophic incidents. After the independent peer review, participants were required to attend the Consensus Review Panel. Consensus Review Panels were conducted in Washington, D.C., during the week of Aug. 11, 2008. The purpose of the panels was to discuss each proposal in detail, resolve disparate scoring issues among members of the panel and reach a consensus on which proposals should be recommended for funding. While individuals may have rated differently, it was incumbent upon panel members to reach a consensus on each proposal as to whether it is recommended or not recommended for funding. There is no predetermined number of proposals that will be funded. The panel may recommend all, some, or none of the proposals for funding, with the proper justification. NPD reviewed each consensus review report to analyze the justifications and determine the final list of training programs to recommend to the FEMA leadership for approval of funding. When will all the awards be announced? Awards were announced on Sept. 15, 2008. Was preference given to those who applied for fire grants last year and didn't receive them? No. All applications were considered as new grant proposals and were reviewed independently, based on the specific grant requirements and criteria identified in the solicitation. What are the requirements for matching funds? This year’s CTGP does not require the applicant to provide matching funds. Can the grant funds be used to pay for items obligated prior to an award? No. Under no circumstances will expenses incurred prior to an award be considered for reimbursement. A grant recipient may not obligate, expend, or draw down funds until it receives a grant award and has an approved budget. The budget submitted with the applicant’s proposal is not considered an approved budget unless it has been approved by FEMA’s Financial Accountability and Oversight Division. All 2008 CTGP awards contain a special condition prohibiting the obligation, expending and draw down of funds until final budget approval. Can award recipients use grant funds to replace existing budgeted positions or items? No. The purpose of grant funding is to supplement, grant recipients may not supplant existing programs and budgets.