GRANT DEBRIEF AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES FOR APPLICANTS

DSLBD follows the below procedures subject to modifications in an individual Request for Applications (RFA) for a specific grant program.

Notification of Grant Applicant Selection

DSLBD will notify applicants about its grant funding decisions within forty-five (45) days of the closing date of the grant application process. The notification will state whether the application was awarded or not awarded. If not awarded, the notification will provide instructions for applicants to schedule an optional debriefing. The debriefing will address the applicant’s application and relevant processing factors, including the (1) application’s strengths and weaknesses; (2) comments, ranking, and other appropriate data points by the independent reviewers using the criteria established in the RFA; and (3) Director’s general discretion which may account for a variety of factors such as the agency’s priorities (e.g., hyperlocal and equity), the feasibility of the proposal, experience with the applicant (e.g., by the agency or community in terms of previous collaboration or lack thereof), and applicant’s history of following best practices and delivery of services or its ability to do so.

Grant Applicant Debrief and Grievance Process

• An applicant must request a debriefing to initiate the debriefing process and to subsequently engage in the grievance process.
• To engage in the debriefing process, an applicant must request a debrief within three (3) business days of the notification of grant selection.
• The request to meet with relevant staff shall be made via the booking link provided in the Notice of Non-Award. (Other meeting options may be made available as needed.)
• DSLBD will conduct these meetings at a mutually agreeable time as soon as practicable.
• The debriefing will be limited to discussing:
  • A summary of the reasons for the declination of the application.
  • A summary of the application’s strengths and weaknesses under the evaluation criteria published in the RFA.
  • A summary or overview of grant reviewers’ relevant comments from the review process.
  • Any other relevant questions from the applicant regarding the RFA evaluation and selection procedures.
• After the debriefing process, an applicant may submit a request to discuss a grievance after an appropriate filing.
  • The request shall be made in writing and sent via the email address of record for the grant program, as highlighted in the grant’s RFA.
  • The request must be made within three (3) calendar days of engaging in a debriefing call with relevant staff.
  • In the written request, the applicant must provide a detailed statement of its grievance.
• DSLBD will review the grievance. DSLBD will explain the next steps in addressing the matter if the grievance is upheld or the agency notify you, accordingly, if the grievance is not upheld.

Notes

• Applications that are non-compliant with the RFA’s technical submission requirements will not be eligible for an award. An applicant that does not receive an award for failing to comply with these requirements is not eligible for a debriefing process.
• During the debriefing process, DSLBD staff will not compare the respective application to others. Further, reviewers’ names, unedited comments, and actual scores are considered deliberative and, therefore, not subject to public disclosure.