1. Healthcare

IOLA Fund of the State of New York
2015-17 IOLA Grant Cycle
Application Process Questions & Answers
(as of January 30, 2015)
Grants Gateway Interface
Question 1:
Answer:
Our organization downloaded the Application Instructions
and Forms for the 2015-2017 IOLA Grant Cycle from the
New York State Grants Gateway but cannot locate where
on the website to begin the actual grant application.
Only individuals designated with the Grants Gateway
roles of “Grantee System Administrator” or “Grantee
Signatory” are authorized to submit applications via
Grants Gateway. Other roles may allow access to your
vault and enable you to seek prequalification, but will not
necessarily be the correct roles for applying for grant
opportunities.
Please review your designated role before preparing your
application and contact the Grants Gateway help desk for
more information.
Grants Gateway Help Desk
800-820-1890
[email protected]
(Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm)
Question 2:
Answer:
After starting our application (but not submitting it),
logging out and attempting to log in again, the Grants
Gateway system displays a message stating, "You have
already applied for this opportunity." What does this
mean?
Applicants seeking to resume work on a partially
completed application should go to the Grants Gateway
home page and access their application in “My Tasks.” If
the application is not listed, then contact:
Grant Gateway Help Desk
800-820-1890
[email protected]
(Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm)
Question 3:
Answer:
Question 4:
Answer:
How should applicants complete the Grants Gateway
questions relating to matching funds?
Applicants should leave blank the columns in the finance
section of the Grants Gateway relating to Hours, Effort
Funded, Months Funded, Match Funds and Other Funds.
Applicants should complete and upload the Budget
Expenditures and Revenue Worksheet forms (found in
the Application Instructions and Forms), which will provide
the IOLA Fund with information about overall
expenditures and revenue.
How should applicants complete the Grants Gateway text
boxes in the Program Specific Question section? The
Application Instructions and Forms direct applicants only
to upload documents. If the text boxes are left blank,
however, the Grants Gateway system indicates “page
errors” and the application cannot be finalized.
The text boxes in the Program Specific Question section
were configured to require applicants to enter information.
Applicants should indicate “see attached document” or
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similar comment in the text boxes. The substantive
responses, however, should be set forth in documents
drafted per the Application Instructions and Forms and
uploaded.
Question 5:
Answer:
Question 6:
Answer:
What is the RFP/RFA number for the 2015-17 IOLA
Grant?
The IOLA Fund does not utilize the RFP/RFA number
function that is available in the Grants Gateway system.
Currently, the IOLA Fund has only one grant opportunity
available.
At pages 12-13, the Application Instructions and Forms
refer to the Grants Gateway “budget template” and
“Budget Summary.” Is the “Budget Summary” referenced
in the instructions actually the “Expenditure Summary” on
Grants Gateway? Where can applicants find these fields
on Grants Gateway or forms to be uploaded?
The Grants Gateway “budget template” is a collective
reference to the various fields in the Grants Gateway
application relating to expenditures, such as the
“Expenditure Summary,” “Personal Services” and “Non
Personal Services” (including “Detail,” “Narrative,” and
sub-parts such as “Fringe,” “Travel” and “Space/Property
and Utilities”), that applicants will be prompted to
complete as part of the application process in the Grants
Gateway system. There is no document entitled “budget
template” for applicants to upload.
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Question 7:
Answer:
At pages 14-15, the Application Instructions and Forms
refer to the Grants Gateway “Work Plan Summary” and
“Work Plan Detail.” Are these actually the “Work Plan
Overview Form” and “Objectives and Tasks” on Grants
Gateway? How much information should be entered in
the Grants Gateway fields for “”Project Summary” and
“Organization Capacity.”
In Grants Gateway, the work plan is captured in the “Work
Plan Overview Form.” The first two prompts will be to
enter descriptions of your “Project Summary” and
“Organizational Capacity.” Disregard the Grants Gateway
instructions to provide detailed descriptions in these
fields. In the “Project Summary” field, enter a one
sentence summary according to the samples provided in
the IOLA Application Instructions and Forms at page 14.
In the “Organizational Capacity” field, simply enter “see
attached” or like phrase.
The “Work Plan Detail” refers to the “Objectives” and
“Tasks” on Grants Gateway. Applicants should (a) select
only those objectives that apply to their organizations,
(b) enter the appropriate “Performance Measure Name”
when prompted (e.g., “cases to be closed”) and (c) enter
a numeric goal. Applicants should not enter “Objective
Descriptions;” to the extent necessary, these have been
preprogrammed already.
Question 8:
Answer:
The Grants Gateway “Salary Detail” form seems to have
space for only one “Position/Title.” How should applicants
indicate “Legal Staff” and “Other Staff” as directed by the
IOLA Application Instructions and Forms?
In Grants Gateway, an applicant should enter the name of
one “Position/Title,” click “Save,” and then click “Add”
(which can be located in the blue ribbon at the top of the
page). The applicant will then be able to enter another
“Position/Title.”
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Question 9:
Answer:
Where can applicants find additional instructions about
answering Grants Gateway application questions?
The Grants Reform website has a page for grantees and
potential grantees that includes “Quick Start Guide:
Applications” and a Training Calendar. Webinars on
applying for grants are currently scheduled each Tuesday
and Thursday morning. For more information, go to:
http://www.grantsreform.ny.gov/Grantees or contact:
Grant Gateway Help Desk
800-820-1890
[email protected]
(Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm)
Eligibility
Question 10:
Answer:
Are programs that provide legal services to immigrants
eligible for IOLA grants? Are there any restrictions on the
use of IOLA grants in serving immigrant clients with
regard to the kind of legal work or whether an immigrant
is detained? Should a program that serves the civil legal
needs of a specific, immigrant community apply for a Civil
Legal Services grant or an Administration of Justice
grant?
Programs serving the civil legal needs of immigrants are
eligible for IOLA grants, regardless of immigration status
or whether detained. Programs are ineligible for IOLA
funding if they provide legal assistance with respect to
any criminal proceeding or any action in the nature of
habeas corpus collaterally attacking a criminal conviction.
Administration of Justice grants are awarded to programs
providing direct civil legal services to groups of clients
currently underserved by legal services, including
immigrant communities. An applicant serving a specific,
immigrant community would likely fit best within this
category.
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Question 11:
Answer:
Question 12:
Could IOLA funds be used to hire a pro bono coordinating
attorney to expand a small legal department’s ability to
serve its community?
Programs coordinating pro bono efforts to meet the civil
legal needs of their communities are eligible for IOLA
grants, regardless of the size of the programs’ legal
departments. Administration of Justice grants have been
awarded to such programs.
Are the following kinds of programs eligible for a Civil
Legal Services grant or an Administration of Justice
grant?
a. A program that provides treatment and community
resources as an alternative to incarceration for low
income criminal offenders with serious mental
illnesses?
b. A program that provides civil legal information, pro se
assistance and community legal education, but not
legal representation to individual clients?
c. A program that provides volunteer advocates to
children in foster care to ensure that children removed
from their homes due to abuse or neglect are returned
to rehabilitated, safe, loving parents, freed for adoption
or are prepared to leave foster care and live on their
own. The volunteers may or may not be attorneys, but
may attend court proceedings and contact government
agencies.
Answer:
Civil Legal Service grants are awarded to programs that
provide direct civil legal services. A program that does
not provide legal representation to individual clients likely
would not be eligible for a Civil Legal Service grant.
Programs that do not provide direct civil legal services
may be eligible for Administration of Justice grants where
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they fall under one of the following Administration of
Justice categories:
(a) enhance civil legal services to low income
persons through innovative and cost-effective
means;
*
*
*
(c) provide legal, management or operational
training, or legal, management, support service,
or technical assistance, or direct legal
assistance, informational advocacy or litigation
support to qualified legal services providers; or
(d) otherwise promote the improvement of the
administration of justice.
A program that provides civil legal information, pro se
legal assistance and community legal education would
likely be eligible for an Administration of Justice grant.
A program that provides alternatives to incarceration
would likely not be eligible for an Administration of Justice
grant.
A program that provides volunteer advocates to children
in foster care may be eligible for an Administration of
Justice grant, depending on the program’s involvement in
providing legal information and advocacy.
Eligibility does not guarantee funding. IOLA funds
available for distribution may not be sufficient to make
distributions to all qualified recipients and IOLA Fund’s
Board of Trustees considers a number of factors in setting
its funding priorities among qualified applicants.
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Question 13:
Answer:
At page 3 of the Application Instructions and Forms, it
states that applicants must be “tax exempt under section
501(a). Is this typo? Do you mean 501(c)?
This is not a typo; in Section 7000.12, the IOLA
regulations provide:
Qualified recipients.
(a) Qualified recipients shall be not-for-profit
entities, tax-exempt under section 501(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code,…
Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code provides:
501(a) Exemption from tax on corporations,
certain trusts, etc.
(a) Exemption from taxation
An organization described in subsection (c) or (d) or
section 401 (a) shall be exempt from taxation under
this subtitle unless such exemption is denied under
section 502 or 503.
Question 14:
Answer:
Will a program that is operated by two related entities
(that file a unified tax return) be considered a “grantee in
good standing” where the applicant utilized one corporate
name in its current grant contract (cycle ending 3/31/15),
but intends to use the other corporate name in the 201517 IOLA grant application?
In determining whether an applicant should be considered
a “grantee in good standing,” the IOLA Fund will focus on
the identity of the program and services, emphasizing
function over form.
Whatever corporate entity applies, however, must be
prequalified and would be the entity with which the IOLA
Fund would enter into a grant contract. For this reason,
the same corporate entity that applies must hold the
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required insurance policies, register with NYS
Comptroller’s SFS, complete the NYS Comptroller’s
Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire and register with the
NYS Attorney General’s Charities Bureau.
Question 15:
Answer:
On page 3 of the Application Instructions and Forms, it
states that the “IOLA Fund will accept only one
application from each organization, regardless of whether
in the CLS or AOJ category and regardless of whether the
applicant is in a joint venture with another applicant.”
Does this rule apply to an entity acting as a fiscal sponsor
for an unincorporated association?
The prohibition on multiple applications from one
organization does not apply to entities acting as fiscal
sponsors. Grants Gateway will allow an organization to
submit its own application and an application on behalf of
another organization.
Narrative
Question 16:
Answer:
On page 12 of the Application Instructions and Forms,
Section C.5. of the Narrative directs applicants to
describe “dollar benefits obtained and avoided.” Please
explain.
In Section C.5. of the Narrative, applicants should provide
a summary of their significant achievements in the prior
fiscal year. “Dollar benefits obtained and avoided” refers
to the financial benefits achieved for clients that IOLA
grantees report on the annual Grantee Activity Report at
Part II, Section E (which can be found at
www.iola.org/grantees). “Dollar benefits obtained” refers
to affirmative dollar awards to clients (e.g., SSI, TANF,
unemployment compensation). “Dollar savings” refers to
savings achieved for clients through judgments or
payments avoided (e.g., bankruptcy, garnishments,
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foreclosure, back rent, medical debt).
Question 17:
Answer:
If an applicant has not tracked “dollar benefits obtained
and avoided,” how should it answer Section C.5. of the
Narrative?
In Section C.5. of the Narrative, applicants should provide
a summary of their significant achievements in the prior
fiscal year. This may include clients served, cases
closed, or any other metric appropriate to the program.
Budget
Question 18:
Answer:
At pages 12-13 of the Application Instructions and Forms,
it states that applicants should assume a 24 month
budget. This appears to contradict the Pre-submission
Documents that ask for “Year 1 Only.”
The IOLA Fund will award funds for a two year period
(4/1/15 to 3/31/17). The cover sheet should indicate the
total amount requested for the full two year term of the
contract.
All other Pre-Submission Documents, including the
budget forms, are available on the IOLA website and
should be uploaded to the Grants Gateway as part of an
applicant’s application. These ask for detailed expense
and revenue information but include only information for
the first year of the grant, April 1, 2015 through March 31,
2016.
The Grants Gateway fields for “Expenditure Budget”
(including “Expenditure Summary,” “Personal Services”
and “Non Personal Services” and including “Detail,”
“Narrative,” and sub-parts such as “Fringe,” “Travel” and
“Space/Property and Utilities”) should reflect your total
request for the two year period.
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Question 19:
At pages 12-13 of the Application Instructions and Forms,
it states that applicants should complete the Grants
Gateway budget summary template “showing only those
anticipated costs related to the provision of CLS or AOJ
services consistent with your Program Narrative and
supported by an IOLA grant.”
If an applicant seeks IOLA funding for Personal Services
only, should the Grants Gateway budget forms only
reflect Personal Services expenses?
If an applicant seeks IOLA funding for only the portion of
a staff member’s salary relating to the IOLA-funded
project, should the Grants Gateway budget forms reflect
the staff member’s full salary or only that part relating to
the IOLA-funded project?
Answer:
An applicant should indicate in the Grants Gateway
Budget Summary, Salary Detail and Non-Personal
Service Detail only those expenses that would be charged
to its 2015-17 IOLA Grant.
In the case of an applicant seeking an IOLA Grant to
support only its Personal Services expenses, the
applicant should list only those anticipated Personal
Services expenses in the Grants Gateway Budget
Summary and Salary Detail.
In the case of an applicant seeking an IOLA Grant to
support only the portion of staff salary expenses relating
to its IOLA-funded project, the applicant should list in the
Grants Gateway only those salary expenses relating to its
IOLA-funded project.
In the Pre-Submission Documents (available on the IOLA
website and to be uploaded to the Grants Gateway as
part of an applicant’s application), the applicant should
indicate all personal services and non-personal services
expenses for their entire organization (organizations with
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multiple missions, e.g., civil legal services plus criminal
legal services or shelter services, should include only
those expenses properly attributable to the civil legal
services program).
Question 20:
Answer:
Question 21:
Answer:
The Personal Services Salary Detail section on Grants
Gateway asks for the “Annualized Salary Per Position,”
which the IOLA Application Instructions and Forms
instructs should be the average salary for all staff in each
position. Given that applicants should indicate in the
Grants Gateway budget all those expenses that would be
charged to its two year IOLA Grant, should the
“annualized” salary detail correspond to one year or two
years?
Applicants should follow these instructions, as they move
through the Grants Gateway forms and fields:
 “Expenditure Summary” – enter the two year budget
total
 “Personal Services-Salary Detail” fields – enter the
annualized (12 month) salary per position (which
positions should be labeled as Legal Staff and Other
Staff)
 “# Months Funded” – enter “24” months
 “Total Grant Funds” – enter the two year total amount
of the application
In Grants Gateway budget forms, there is a field for
“Other Funds.” Should applicants fill this in with expected
revenues from non-IOLA sources?
Applicants should leave blank the Grants Gateway budget
fields for “Hours,” “Effort Funded,” “Months Funded,”
“Match Funds” and “Other Funds.”
One of the IOLA budget forms (available on the IOLA
website and to be completed and uploaded as required
Pre-Submission Documents), requires applicants to
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provide detailed revenue information. Note: The IOLA
budget forms ask only for information regarding the first
year of the grant, April 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016.
Question 22:
Answer:
Question 23:
Answer:
Should a program classify an attorney staff member who
is retired a “Legal Staff” or “Other Staff?”
All attorneys, regardless of retirement status, should be
included in the “Legal Staff” salary category.
May applicants request funding for administrative
expenses (staff and non-staff expenses)? If so, how?
Can federally approved indirect cost rates be applied?
Applicants may seek funding for administrative expenses.
Administrative staff should be requested in the “Other
Staff” category and non-staff expenses should be
requested in the Non Personal Services category,
allocating any expenses in the appropriate sub-categories
for Equipment, Contractual Services and Travel,
Space/Property, Utilities with the balance of any
administrative expenses in the Operating sub-category.
Federally approved indirect cost rates should be indicated
in the Non Personal Services category under the “Other”
sub- category.
Question 24:
Answer:
Are expenditures of IOLA funds by IOLA grantees subject
to the New York State Minority and Women-Owned
Business Enterprise requirements?
The terms of the Master Contract (available here:
http://www.grantsreform.ny.gov/information-stateagencies) will govern IOLA Fund grant. Applicants with
questions regarding the New York State MWBE rules
should review the Master Contract.
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Goals
Question 25:
Answer:
Should the Work Plan Detail reflect goals for the entire
two year time period of the grant?
Yes, an applicant should indicate in the Grants Gateway
Work Plan Detail its goals for the entire 2015-17 time
period of the IOLA Grant. These goals should include all
activities of an applicant’s entire civil legal services
program, not just the portion to be supported by IOLA
funding. This is intended to be consistent with the
quarterly Progress Reports and the annual Grantee
Activity Reports (GAR) that IOLA Grantees are required
to submit.
Attachments
Question 26:
Answer:
How should applicants handle signatures on the
Application Cover Sheet? Is a letter of intent permitted or
required? Is a letter of intent different from the
Application Cover Sheet?
Applicants should complete the Application Cover Sheet;
the IOLA Fund does not require or use a letter of intent.
The Application Cover Sheet should be signed by the
Program Director (e.g., Executive Director) and the Chair
of the Board of Directors and then uploaded to the Grants
Gateway as a Pre-Submission Document. Where
authorized to be signatories on behalf of the organization
(through bylaws, resolution or otherwise), the IOLA Fund
will accept applications signed by Board officers or
members other than the Chair of the Board.
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Question 27:
Answer:
Question 28:
Answer:
Question 29:
Answer:
How should applicants handle the Master Contract?
Should applicants complete any portions of the Master
Contract and, if so, can instructions be provided?
The terms of the Master Contract (available here:
http://www.grantsreform.ny.gov/information-stateagencies) will govern IOLA Fund grant and, therefore,
applicants may want to review it in advance. Applicants
should not take any action with regard to the Master
Contract. In the event a grant is awarded and in an
amount less than the requested amount, an applicant will
have an opportunity to revise its budget and program
goals, which will be integrated into the Attachments to the
Master Contract.
How should an applicant respond to the request to upload
client eligibility guidelines and client grievance policies
where the applicant is not a direct service provider and
does not maintain such documents?
Client eligibility guidelines and client grievance policies
are supporting, not required, documents. Applicants
lacking such documents may still be considered for
funding.
How should an applicant respond to the request to upload
documentation of professional liability insurance where
the applicant does not have professional liability
insurance because it does not provide direct legal
services?
“Professional liability insurance” includes legal
malpractice insurance, which for most providers is the
appropriate coverage. If a provider does not maintain
legal malpractice insurance, it should submit
documentation of insurance that covers its professional
activities.
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Question 30:
Answer:
Is there a template or preferred format for submitting the
roster of an applicant’s Board of Directors?
No, there is no template or preferred format for the Board
of Directors roster.
Formatting
Question 31:
Answer:
Question 32:
Answer:
Question 33:
Answer:
In one of the required questions with a drop down menu,
there is no option for “CLS-Statewide.” How should an
applicant that has received CLS funding from IOLA for
statewide services complete this question?
Applicants for CLS funding should select the unit that
corresponds to the location of their main office.
Can an application include footnotes or endnotes and, if
so, are they counted toward the page limits?
Footnotes and endnotes are permitted, but count toward
the page limits.
Please provide an example of a formatting error that
might result in a point deduction.
Points may be deducted on applications that, inter alia,
violate the page limit, font or margin rules, include
extraneous materials, or fail to include the designated
sub-headings.
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Miscellaneous
Question 34:
Answer:
How much funding does IOLA allocate for CLS and AOJ
grants?
For the 2015-16 fiscal year, the IOLA Fund anticipates
disbursing approximately $8 million in interest generated
from attorney IOLA accounts. In addition, the Chief
Judge’s Task Force to Expand Civil Legal Services in
New York recommended, and the proposed Judiciary
budget for 2015-16 includes, an additional $15 million for
the IOLA Fund. The possible addition of $15 million is
subject to the New York State budget process. For
budgeting purposes, the IOLA Fund will assume level
funding 2016-17, for an anticipated two-year total of $46
million in grant awards.
New York State Finance Law 97-v requires the IOLA
Fund’s Board of Trustees to allocate no less than 75% of
the total grant funds available to qualified civil legal
services providers and no more than 25% of the total
grant funds available to programs that improve the
administration of justice. The Trustees have not made
the allocations for the upcoming IOLA Grant Cycle.
Question 35:
Answer:
How many grants will be awarded?
The IOLA Fund’s Board of Trustees has not set a total
number of grants that it will award for the upcoming IOLA
Grant Cycle.
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