Diabetes Resources and Opportunities
Request for Proposals: Addressing Diabetes Through Community Solutions for Healthy Food Access
The application period is now closed.
Overview
The MDH Diabetes and Health Behavior Unit requested community-based proposals to address food and nutrition security for people with diabetes or prediabetes.
Project proposals should implement activities that help achieve outcomes outlined in Minnesota’s Action Plan to Address Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes 2035 (MN 2035 Plan). Applicants were asked to describe how they will pilot or expand innovative models that address food and nutrition security among people who are disproportionately affected by prediabetes and diabetes.
Important Dates
- August 2024: Award applicants
- Oct. 1, 2024 or when grant is fully executed: Grant begins
- June 30, 2026: Grant ends
Funding
MDH expects to fund two to four awards of $15,000 - $25,000 annually over two years.
Proposal documents
Addressing Diabetes Through Community Solutions for Healthy Food Access RFP (PDF)
- Attachment A: Addressing Diabetes through Community Solutions for Healthy Food Access Application Form (Word)
- Attachment B: Grant Application Scoring Criteria (Word)
- Attachment C: Workplan Template (Word)
- Attachment D: Budget Summary and Narrative (Excel)
- Attachment E: Due Diligence Form (PDF)
- Attachment F: Applicant Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (PDF)
Information session
MDH hosted a Microsoft Teams one-hour virtual webinar to assist applicants in preparing an application for the RFP on May 9, 2024.
Questions and answers
All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted by email to health.diabetes@state.mn.us. All answers will be posted within seven business days on this webpage. Please submit questions no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time, on May 29, 2024.
Q: Is it acceptable to apply to both the "Addressing Diabetes Through Community Solutions for Healthy Food Access" RFP and the "Creating Community Clinical Linkages to Heart Health" RFP simultaneously or would we need to select one or the other for which to apply?
A: Yes, it is acceptable to apply to both "Addressing Diabetes Through Community Solutions for Healthy Food Access" RFP and the "Creating Community Clinical Linkages to Heart Health" RFP simultaneously.
Q: Why is the grant period 20 months?
A: This RFP follows the Minnesota Department of Health state fiscal year. The next state fiscal year starts on July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. With an October 1, 2024, grant execution, the grant period runs for 20 months.
Q: What is the MN 2035 Plan?
A: Created with the support and input of the communities and organizations most impacted by these diseases, Minnesota’s Action Plan to Address Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes 2035 is a road map and call to action for communities, health care organizations, community and organizational leaders, and individuals to collaborate to prevent, treat, and manage cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes through 2035.
Q: Are there ineligible expenses that cannot be included as part of the budget?
A: Yes, there are a number of ineligible expenses that cannot be covered by this grant. These include, but are not limited to:
- Direct patient care
- Medical equipment
- Construction
- Non-grant-related costs or expenses not contributing to project activities/deliverables
- Cash assistance for personal/family needs paid directly to individuals
- Costs incurred outside grant award period (Unless otherwise indicated)
- Staff gifts/bonuses, personal use goods/services, or meals (except during approved travel)
- Grant writing or research
- Sponsorships of events, trainings or advertisements that are not directly related to the grant
- Fundraising
- Taxes, except sales tax on goods and services
- Lobbyists, political contributions
- Bad debts, late payment fees, finance charges, or contingency funds
Q: Can you provide examples of projects that address food and nutrition security at the community level?
A: The MN 2035 Plan success stories showcase examples of the innovative and exciting ways Minnesotans are helping Minnesotans reduce heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in their communities:
- Hmong American Farmers Association: Veggie Rx
- Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
- Butterfield Hardware Store
Please note the requirements and goals of this specific RFP may be different than these examples, and ensure your approach is in alignment.
Q: Can funds be used to purchase food?
A: Yes, in some cases with spending limits still to be determined by our funder, CDC. These include food for educational and experiential learning purposes (e.g. sampling, cooking) and food prescriptions for pilot projects with a sustainability plan. CDC will have final approval for innovative, sustainable models that require funding for food.
Q: Are providing culturally appropriate and healthy meals for diabetes prevention allowable?
A: Funds can be used to purchase food with spending limits per person still to be determined by our funder. The use of food should align with the goals of the funding, and the sustainability of the approach or impact should be described.
Q: Is refrigeration an allowable expense?
A: CDC will make final decisions on the funding of refrigeration based on written justification, including expected impact and sustainability of the approach proposed.
Q: Is funding solely for new initiatives or can it support programming that is already underway?
A: Improving access to healthy foods and beverages and addressing nutrition and food insecurity takes time and resources. This funding opportunity can be used to strengthen and expand existing efforts in alignment with the goals for the RFP, including a plan for sustainability.
Q: Are other equipment and structure/building expenses allowed for this grant?
A: Funds cannot be used for capital improvements (structure and building expenses). Other equipment may be funded with CDC approval based on justification of impact and sustainability.
Q: What are the options for organizations that don’t have the capacity to manage money?
A: A fiscal agent is required to apply for this grant. Partnerships can be formed to support a community organization without capacity to serve as the fiscal agent, so they can do the important community work identified to achieve the goals of this RFP.
Q: Would this grant fund the ability to support the transportation of delivering healthy food options? What about organizations working on delivering foods to the elderly?
A: CDC will make final decisions on the funding of food delivery based on written justification, including expected impact and sustainability of the approach proposed.
Q: How are the annual reports submitted?
A: MDH will work with grantees to determine how reports are to be submitted (e.g. email, encrypted email, etc.). MDH will provide specific evaluation and reporting guidance including reporting templates within 3 months of the start of the grant period.
Q: If there are many applications with the same scores, how will you make decisions to further identify the top candidates?
A: Final decisions will be made by MDH, by balancing the review committee scores and recommendations with other factors, including:
- Range of projects covering geographic areas
- Range of projects reaching different communities in Minnesota
- Total funding available
Q: Is this a new grant? If not, are there examples of past grantees available to review?
A: This is a new grant opportunity, therefore there are no examples of past grantees projects. The MN 2035 Plan success stories showcase examples of the innovative and exciting ways Minnesotans are helping Minnesotans reduce heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in their communities:
- Hmong American Farmers Association: Veggie Rx
- Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
- Butterfield Hardware Store
Please note the requirements and goals of this specific RFP may be different than these examples, and ensure your approach is in alignment. Please note the requirements and goals of this specific RFP may be different than these examples, and ensure your approach is in alignment.
Q: Is there a specified cap for indirect funds with this grant?
A: There is no specified cap for indirect funds with this grant, but please note that indirect costs are to be included as part of your total budget request. If requesting indirect costs in the budget, a copy of the indirect cost-rate agreement is required. If the indirect costs are requested, include a copy of the current negotiated federal indirect cost rate agreement or a cost allocation plan approval letter for those Recipients under such a plan. If indirect costs are requested, but there is no federal indirect cost rate agreement, you can choose to apply a 10% indirect cost rate. Again, this amount will be included within your total budget request.
Q: Can these grants support immigrants to the United States residing in Minnesota?
A: Yes, these grants are intended for anyone living in Minnesota experiencing health disparities related to diabetes. For this grant opportunity, we have specifically called out American Indian, U.S.-born or other African American/Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latine communities, and people living with disabilities as priority populations that are disproportionately affected by prediabetes and diabetes. Applicants are encouraged but not required to demonstrate ability to reach one or more of these populations.
Q: Under ineligible expenses, direct patient care is listed. What is an example of a direct patient care expense? Does providing an eligible patient with fruits and vegetables be allowed (for example, when they see the doctor for a diabetes follow-up visit)?
A: Examples of direct patient care expenses include health care services, medicine, and medical supplies.
Yes, fruits and vegetables would be allowed with written justification, including expected impact and sustainability of the approach proposed. CDC will determine final allowable amount per person/participant.
Q: Can the grant funds be used to provide social needs, including support?
A: Social needs, such as food prescriptions or transportation vouchers, are allowable with an estimate $80 cap per person to be approved by CDC based on justification of impact and a sustainability plan.
Q: Would the total amount spent on each person for social needs at $80 (including food)? Is transportation separate by participant (e.g. mileage to deliver groceries) or would that be included in the $80 cap as well?
A: The total spent per participant on social needs is capped at an estimated $80 (to be approved by CDC based on justification of impact and sustainability plan). The $80 could go toward one or more social needs.
Q: If we conducted an educational session/cooking lab in which the participants were able to cook a diabetes-friendly meal, would that expense be included in the $80? Could we obtain food items for the instructor demonstration from the budget?
A: Food items used by the instructor for a demonstration would not count towards the $80 cap; however, any food provided to participants to take home as part of the session/cooking lab may count toward the $80 cap on participant social needs. MDH will allow grantees to adjust budgets later and make changes according to CDC guidelines and approvals to be made post-award.