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New
Guidelines for Partnership Funds
Approved
by the GCDD on April 19, 2008
General Information and Policies
The purpose of the Partnership Fund
is to support the participation of persons with developmental
disabilities and their family members in educational, training,
policymaking, and advocacy activities by awarding small grants up to
a maximum of $2,500 to persons with developmental disabilities and
their family members, groups, and organizations. A grant could
cover, for example, a registration fee for a conference as well as
related costs of lodging, transportation, and meals.
The Partnership Fund operates under a
reimbursement policy. The Council issues a check to grantees in the
amount of their award after an activity and following
submission of receipts for paid expenses and completion of all
required paperwork. No funds are awarded in advance of an activity.
The Partnership Fund operates under
the definition of developmental disability found in the
Developmental Disabilities and Bill of Rights Act (The DD Act).
This federal law defines a developmental disability as a severe,
chronic mental or physical disability or combination of both that
occurs before age 22 and is expected to last for a lifetime, and
that requires supports in three or more of the following life
activities: self-care, communication, learning, mobility,
self-direction, or being able to work or live independently.
The Partnership Fund supports
activities that reaffirm the values, vision, and mission of the
Council and that fall under, and enhance the lives of persons with
developmental disabilities and their family members in, one of the
Council’s five main or “Real” areas: Real Careers, Real Homes, Real
Learning, Real Influence, and Real Supports.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants and grant
recipients are people with developmental disabilities and their
family members who live in Georgia, and groups and organizations
located in Georgia. Eligibility rules are applied based on a
federal fiscal year.
The Council operates on a federal fiscal year which runs from
October 1 in one year to September 30 in the following year, as
distinguished from the calendar year, which runs from January 1 to
December 31 in the same year.
Eligible applicants and grant
recipients are also organizations, including corporations,
non-profit entities, and state agencies. State agencies have a
required 50% match. All other applicants have a required 10% match
for grants under $1,000 and a required 25% match for grants from
$1,000 to $2,500. A match is required under federal regulations and
includes any other sources used to pay event-related expenses other
than federal funds. Examples include volunteer time or
out-of-pocket expenses.
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Priority will be given to people
with developmental disabilities, family members, groups, and
organizations who have never accessed The Partnership Fund.
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Council Members and Council Staff
are ineligible for Partnership Fund grants.
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Organizations applying for a
Partnership Fund grant must have an active Federal Employer
Identification Number.
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Individual applicants not
affiliated with an organization must provide a valid personal
Social Security Number in order to be able to apply for a
Partnership Fund grant.
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An individual enrolled in a
course, project or program funded by the Council is ineligible
to apply for a Partnership Fund during the fiscal year(s)
covering his or her enrollment.
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An individual, family, group or
organization may receive only one Partnership Fund grant per
fiscal year.
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An organization may receive or be
a sponsor of only one Partnership Fund grant per fiscal year.
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During the federal fiscal year
that an organization receives any other type of Council funding,
it is unable to receive a Partnership Fund grant.
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An individual, family, group or
organization may not apply for a Partnership Fund grant while a
current one is pending (even into the next fiscal year)
People with disabilities and family
members, groups, and organizations who have been awarded a
Partnership Fund grant are ineligible to apply for a Partnership
Fund grant the following federal fiscal year. That is, no
individual, family member or organization can receive a Partnership
Fund grant for two federal fiscal years in a row. However, after
this time period previous recipients of Partnership Fund grants are
eligible to apply to the Partnership Fund again.
Only one individual or family member
(or both) can qualify for a Partnership Fund for the same event in a
given fiscal year, unless the event is one for which the Council has
awarded a Partnership Fund grant to a group or an organization to
cover the registration fee for several individuals or family
members.
The Council reserves the right to
deny applications as it sees fit.
Application Process
Applications must be submitted on the
form provided or online at
http://www.gcdd.org/programs/partnershipfund. Alternative formats
are available upon request.
Applications must be accompanied by a
budget and relevant printed literature about the event (e.g.,
brochure or program) or a Web-site address where information can be
viewed and is downloadable.
Applications for Partnership Fund
grants should be submitted between 60 and 30 days prior to the
event. If applications are submitted more than 60 days in advance,
they may be held until the next quarter for review.
Covered Expenses
Expenses that are reimbursable under
a Partnership Fund grant awarded to an individual include an event
registration fee, lodging, meals, and transportation (e.g., airfare,
mileage, car rental). Hotel, meal, and mileage expenditures are
reimbursed according to the per-diem rates and guidelines set by the
U.S. General Services Administration. (See
www.gsa.gov/perdiem ) The
Council has established a maximum of $200 per person for air
travel. Car rental fees are capped at $200. Registration fees must
be reasonable as determined by the Council. The Council reserves
the right to determine the amount and covered expenses of
Partnership Fund awards as it sees appropriate.
The expenses of an entire family are
ineligible for payment under the Partnership Fund. A grant will
cover the expenses of one parent or family member of an individual
with a developmental disability in addition to those of the
individual with a developmental disability, provided of course he or
she is accompanying the parent or family member.
Partnership Fund grants to groups and
organizations are limited in scope to enabling the attendance of
persons with developmental disabilities and their family members at
events (e.g., providing scholarships to individuals who might
otherwise be unable to afford to attend).
Partnership Fund grants do not cover
operational costs (e.g., salaries or honorariums), recreational
activities (e.g., camps, field trips), therapies or medical
services, fundraising events, capital campaigns, social events
(e.g., award ceremonies, dinner dances), and campaign contributions
to a political candidate or political party. Nor can Partnership
Fund grants be used for the purchase of equipment (e.g., computers
or furniture) or to pay for supplies (e.g., programs, invitations,
awards, hand-outs) or materials. In addition, the Council
cannot pay for certain direct services such as day habilitation or
vocational training/support. Check with the Program
Administrator for all covered and uncovered expenses.
Award/Reimbursement Process
Due to the limited funding for The
Partnership Fund, the Council awards grants based on a quarterly
budget. Awards are made on a first-come-first-served basis each
quarter (October 1-December 31, January 1-March 31, April 1-June 30,
July 1-September 30). Applications should be for events taking
place within six months.
To qualify for reimbursement,
grantees must submit to the Program Administrator by mail various
documents, some before the event, some after the event. Before the
event: a W-9 and Signature Page, general information on the event
(e.g., a brochure, flier, program), and, where applicable, the names
and contact information (home address, phone number and, if
available, e-mail address) of scholarship users. After the event:
a letter (which provides the grantee’s name, address, telephone
number, and Social Security number, requesting the amount to be
reimbursed and a brief report), an evaluation form, an in-kind
report form, an invoice (listing the dates of the event and the
total reimbursement amount being requested), and original receipts
for reimbursable expenses.
No reimbursements will be made until
all required or requested documents are received and deemed complete
by the Program Administrator. Mandatory or requested paperwork
received later than 60 days after an event may result in the
cancellation of a Partnership Fund grant. Failure to respond to
repeated requests for information by the Program Administrator may
also result in the cancellation of a Partnership Fund grant.
Groups or organizations that receive
a Partnership Fund to cover the costs of transportation or
registration for its members or other individuals must provide their
names and contact information in order to receive reimbursement.
By accepting a Partnership Fund
award, grantees agree not only to comply with all paperwork
requirements but also to share the information they acquire at the
event for which they received a Partnership Fund grant. This
sharing should be with individuals with the developmental disability
that was the focus of the event grantees attended, or with their
family members or interested groups or organizations. Grantees also
agree to share information with individuals, groups or organizations
referred to them by the Council.
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