ASHA Personnel Issues Grants: Frequently Asked Questions
Why does ASHA offer these grants?
In 2012, ASHA will be offering personnel grants and reimbursement grants to state associations. ASHA reimbursement grants advance state-level grassroots projects to improve health care plan and Medicaid reimbursement and coverage for member services and assistive technology devices. Personnel grants can be used to address personnel issues, such as: personnel shortages, caseload/workload, and salary supplements.
What types of projects could a personnel issues grant fund?
Grants will be awarded to ASHA-recognized state speech-language-hearing associations to assist in funding activities to address personnel issues in either education or health care settings. Any activity that clearly promotes such an outcome will be considered for funding. Examples of fundable activities include:
- Establishing a state advisory group of stakeholders (e.g., directors of special education, school superintendents, consumers, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and audiologists from schools and health care, State Department of Education, Health Department, or Labor Department, state Hospital Association representatives, etc.) and developing an action plan to meet documented shortages
- Partnering with colleges and universities to educate more professionals
- Gathering data on supply and demand within the state, including geographical differences
- Implementing recruitment and retention plans for school or health care SLPs and audiologists (e.g., developing a state association Web site to include job listings; promoting mentoring opportunities for professionals to gain experience in new settings)
- Educating policy makers on the need for highly qualified professionals
- Developing an infrastructure within the state speech-language-hearing association for timely response to proposed state legislation and regulations
When is the deadline for grant applications?
The completed application (Project Proposal Form, Resource Allocation Form, and Budget Proposal Form) must be submitted to ASHA by February 10, 2012.
Note: Applications that are incomplete or received after the February 10, 2012, deadline will not be considered for a grant. You may wish to e-mail the appropriate Project Officer to verify receipt. Contact information is listed at the end of this document.
Can my state association still apply for a grant, if it received a prior grant?
Yes. Past receipt of a grant award in itself does not preclude a state association from applying for or receiving an ASHA grant.
Can my state association apply for both grant types: a Personnel Grant and Reimbursement Grant?
Yes. A separate application must be submitted to the appropriate Project Officer for each type of grant. Contact information for the Personnel Grant is listed at the end of this document.
Can I get feedback on my application?
You may request feedback on your application at any time after submission. However, applications may not be revised and re-submitted. ASHA reserves the right to provide such feedback after grant award decisions are finalized.
If ASHA denies my state association's grant proposal, can we appeal or request a second review?
ASHA's decisions on grant awards and amounts are final.
When will grants be awarded?
State association presidents will be notified of the status of their grant application by March 2, 2012. Presidents are responsible for notifying any project managers in their state of their award status.
How much money can be awarded to a state association?
The amount of each grant will be determined at ASHA's sole discretion, in accordance with the methods described in this FAQ and application materials. A maximum amount of $10,000 per application may be awarded to a state association.
Who makes decisions on grant awards and amounts?
A review team of National Office staff carefully reviews all grant applications and makes grant award determinations in a confidential process. There is a review team for each grant category (Personnel or Reimbursement).
What should the funds be spent on?
Grant funds are intended to support state association activities directly related to the grant projects set forth in the proposals. Typically, grant funds are used for external consultants, lobbyists, local travel, and other reasonable expenses for project team members to attend grant-related meetings, supplies or equipment needed to carry out grant projects, media access, publications, and similar things. Every effort should be made to utilize available technologies (e.g., Skype™, conference calls, GoToMeetings®) for meetings, when appropriate. Reimbursed air travel, car rental, and hotel accommodations for face-to-face meetings is not encouraged and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Associations are to avoid conflicts of interest with regard to spending grant funds. Payments to state association officers may not be solely self-approved. Please direct any questions about funds usage on personnel issues to the Personnel Issues Grant Project Officer.
What are some impermissible uses of funds?
Grant funds are not intended for and shall not be used for the following:
- Personal gain of any type, including compensation (money or "in kind") to project managers, state association presidents or other officers, to perform grant-related activities. This includes reimbursement for lost practice time or for taking work leave for grant activities, participation in conference calls, etc. Participation is anticipated to be either in the capacity as association officers and/or as grant volunteers.
- Equipment or supplies (e.g., computers or other electronic devices) that are: 1) gratuitous because they are not primarily required for grant activities; 2) primarily given or used as someone's personal possession, rather than being the association's possession loaned for grant activities.
- Education or training of audiologists, speech-language pathologists (or other providers) in clinical practice.
- Grant funds shall not be used for travel or otherwise to attend meetings, conferences, etc., that do not directly further the goals of the grant project. Example: An association president may not use grant funds to underwrite attendance at a general conference for association officers; funds may not be used for travel to ASHA's annual Convention.
- Travel expenses should not be for any more (days, hotel, mileage, meals, etc.) than is required to attend a grant-related meeting.
- Grant funds for services of external consultants, lobbyists, or others should be used only when necessary to carry out grant activities that cannot be reasonably accomplished otherwise. We recommend that the state association require independent contractors to provide proposals outlining intended fees, services, purpose, "deliverables" and their submission dates prior to hire.
- Charges or reimbursement claims should be invoiced directly to the state association that received the grant, not to any intermediaries. If grant funds are kept in a separate account, payments and expenses related to the grant should be allocated from that grant account and must be properly accounted for.
Can we keep and carry over into the next year grant funds that we did not spend in the grant year?
Yes. We realize that it may not be feasible to spend the entire grant amount in the grant year. In such cases, the intent is that the grant funds be used to complete the grant activities as soon as possible. We anticipate that activities and deliverables outlined in grant proposals will be substantially accomplished during the grant year and that those involved in the activities will put forth a good faith effort to accomplish the intended goals.
When are the Year-End Report Grant Summary and Expense Form due and what information should be included?
The Year-End Report, which includes the Grant Summary and Expense Form, are due by December 3, 2012, to enable ASHA staff to review year-end reports and process final grant checks before accounts close for the year. The Grant Summary should provide program details about progress on the grant project in no more than one page. Year-End Reports for 2012 grants cannot be processed after December 3, 2012. Year-End Reports, including Grant Summary and Expense Form, should be submitted online.
What if I miss the Year-End Reporting deadline or do not submit the Expense Form?
Any Year-End Report will not be considered complete without the Final Expense Statement. Late or incomplete Year-End Reports will result in ASHA withholding the second ½ of the grant funds.
Who should I contact with questions?
Project Officers are assigned to each grant category. Please submit applications online and direct questions on the Personnel Issues Grant to Eileen Crowe.
Personnel Grants Project Officer:
Eileen Crowe, Director of State Association Relations
Phone: 301-296-5667
E-mail: ecrowe@asha.org
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2200 Research Blvd. #220
Rockville, MD 20850