Arkansas Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities

inclusion. integration. independence.

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Programs & Funding

State Councils on Developmental Disabilities are federally funded, self-governing organizations charged with identifying the most pressing needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their state or territory. Councils are committed to advancing public policy and systems change that help these individuals gain more control over their lives. GCDD is authorized under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (the “Act”) of 2000 (P.L. 106‐402) to receive federal funds and act as an agent for systems change, capacity building and advocacy on behalf of people with intellectual developmental disabilities and their families. The Federal funding source is the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Community Living. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number is 93.630. The Council has the discretion to allocate these funds through a competitive grant process, solicitation of work, direct expenditure or a combination of these approaches. The Council is bound to grant awards only to the extent that the funds are or become available.

GCDD Arkansas grant awards are reimbursement grants, unless stated otherwise. A reimbursement grant provides funding to grant recipients after expenses have been incurred. The grantee must follow a certain procedure to obtain the reimbursement for project expenses. After the organization has submitted sufficient documents to verify expenses, reimbursements are provided for expenses.

Through its grants program, the Arkansas Council only funds projects supporting its five year state plan. The Council’s 2022-2026 plan outlines GCDD’s goals and objectives in the following federal areas of emphasis: Employment, Community Supports, and Quality Assurance.

The Council has two types of grant programs: Competitive and Solicited. Funding recommendations are made by the State Plan and Implementation Committee comprised of Council members with a final determination made by the full Council. All grants are subject to the same administrative, program and financial requirements. GCDD grants funding to non-profits (in good standing) and to state/local government agencies that support Arkansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. We do not issue grants to individuals or for-profit businesses with our federal funding. Our grant funding may not be used for construction, to purchase vehicles or to supplant other funds already budgeted, along with other expenses deemed unallowable per GCDD policy and procedure or state/federal laws.

Competitive Grant Program: The Council develops and distributes Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for its Competitive Grant Program. The RFPs are specifically designed to achieve the goals and objectives of the Council’s state plan. The program has an application process that includes the submission of a grant proposal. The competitive nature of these grants requires extensive review of all proposals.

Requests for Proposals under the Competitive Grant Program will be published in a newspaper with statewide circulation. Copies of the notice will be provided on this website, on GCDD social media and to GCDD mailing list recipients and/or to other organizations upon request.

Solicited Grant Program:  The Council may identify projects for which specialized expertise or experience may be needed to accomplish specific goals and objectives in the state plan. In these cases, the Council may solicit a proposal from a state agency or university, or other expert organization. Solicited proposals may occur at any time.

The Council has the discretion to allocate these funds through a competitive grant process, solicitation of work, contracting, direct expenditure or a combination of these approaches. The Council is bound to grant awards only to the extent that the funds are or become available.

For additional information contact:  DDCStaff@dfa.arkansas.gov or 501-682-2897.

Announcements

CHECK HERE OFTEN FOR NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS!

GCDD Arkansas grant opportunities will always be listed on https://www.ddsuite.org/ when available.

THE NEXT COMPETITIVE FUNDING CYCLE IS PLANNED FOR MARCH 2025.

Visit the Apply for funding page to learn more.

MARCH 2022

Notice of Funds Available/Request for Proposals (NoFA/RFPs)

The Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities posted a Request for Proposals on March 15th, 2022, on https://www.ddsuite.org/ . Funded projects began on 07/01/2022.

MARCH 2020

Notice of Funds Available/Request for Proposals (NoFA/RFPs)

The Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities posted a Request for Proposals on March 16th, 2020, on https://www.ddsuite.org/ . Funded projects began on 07/01/2020.


SEPTEMBER 2019

The next Notice of Funds Available/Request for Proposals (NoFA/RFPs) for a GCDD competitive grant funding opportunity will be published in March of 2020.


JUNE 2019

The Council has voted to change the standard funded project period to July 1 through June 30.

Council Funding

State councils on developmental disabilities, such as GCDD, are federally funded, self-governing organizations. GCDD is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Community Living (ACL) through the Administration on Disability’s Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (OIDD).

Federal Source of Funds

CFDA # 93.630

Funding Source: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES/Administration for Community Living

Title of Program: (SCDD) DD Act State Councils on Developmental Disabilities

Award Authority: P.L. 106-402 (DD Act)

Grantee: Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration/Governor’s Council on DD Arkansas

The Stevens Amendment Acknowledgement

As of 08/16/2022 – This website and current GCDD programs are supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of financial assistance awards granted during Federal Fiscal Year 2021 (FFY21) and FFY22 to the Arkansas Council totaling $1,555,510.00 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS.  The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

In accordance with the Stevens Amendment, GCDDAR is required to acknowledge its federal funding amount when publicly communicating via assets produced by projects or programs funded through HHS federal financial assistance.

The GCDD Arkansas does not receive any funding from non-governmental sources.

Active Federal Awards as of 09/16/2022 – The Federal Fiscal Year 2021 Award totaling $786,508.00 was issued 10/26/2020 and was fully expended by 09/16/2022. The Federal Fiscal Year 2022 Award totaling $769,002.00 was issued 11/10/2021 and will be fully expended by 09/30/2023. 

What is the Stevens Amendment?

Beginning in 1989, the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) annual appropriations included a provision known as the “Stevens Amendment” to ensure transparency and accountability in federal spending. The Stevens Amendment requires all HHS grant and cooperative agreement recipients to acknowledge federal funding when publicly communicating projects or programs funded through the HHS annual appropriation.

When issuing statements, press releases, publications, requests for proposal, bid solicitations and other documents –such as toolkits, resource guides, websites, and presentations (hereafter “statements”) — describing the projects or programs funded in whole or in part with HHS federal funds, the recipient must clearly state:

  1. the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the program or project funded with federal money; and,
  2. the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or program funded by non-governmental sources.

When issuing statements resulting from activities supported by HHS financial assistance, the recipient entity must include an acknowledgement of federal assistance.

https://www.hhs.gov/guidance/document/stevens-amendment

State Source of Funds

The GCDD Arkansas receives approximately $36,567.00 annually from state funds through its designated state agency’s (Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration) annual state appropriation. These funds shall only be utilized to pay a portion of the Executive Director’s annual salary.

Act194 (2022-2023)