2024 MHM Digital Equity Request for Proposals (RFP)

Methodist Healthcare Ministries (MHM), a South Texas non-profit leader dedicated to creating access to health care for uninsured and low-income families, is pleased to share the following Request for Proposals (RFP) to advance digital equity in the region. As essential services move increasingly online — including healthcare, education, and workforce development — internet access and use provide a critical foundation for community wellbeing.

This RFP is intended to increase the capacity of community-based organizations (CBOs) and community anchor institutions in South Texas to provide critical digital resources, services, and support. The opportunity is centered around training and deploying Digital Connectors—community technology ambassadors who apply a lens of health and wellbeing to bringing needed digital services to communities, including: internet-enabled devices, digital skills training, and public benefit adoption support to those experiencing challenges in accessing and using digital resources.

Respondents are invited to propose programs to train, deploy, supply devices to, and otherwise support cohorts of Digital Connectors within MHM’s service area. Building on a foundation of trust that MHM holds with its partners and constituents, the RFP invites responses from both:

  • Organizations that already provide digital support services and device distribution programs; and
  • Organizations that provide other services in their communities and are interested in expanding their capacity to provide digital equity support.

About Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries broadens the definition of healthcare by providing low-cost clinical care for the uninsured and by supporting community-led efforts that improve living conditions that cause people to be sick in the first place. We use our earnings as co-owners of Methodist Healthcare to ensure that people who are economically disadvantaged and uninsured can live their healthiest lives. We do this by advocating for, investing in and providing access to quality clinical care and addressing factors that affect health—including economic mobility, supportive relationships, food security, broadband access, and safe neighborhoods. Ultimately, we fulfill our mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God” by advancing health equity so that more resilient individuals & families living in the 74 counties we serve can thrive. .

 

Click here for a PDF of this RFP.

Click here for a description of our Digital Connector program.

Respondents are invited to propose programs to train, deploy, supply devices to, and otherwise support cohorts of Digital Connectors within MHM’s service area. Building on a foundation of trust that MHM holds with its partners and constituents, the RFP invites responses from both:

  • Organizations that already provide digital support services and device distribution programs; and
  • Organizations that provide other services in their communities and are interested in expanding their capacity to provide digital equity support.

Definitions

Respondents should reference the definitions below when developing their proposals. These definitions have been developed by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) and are used in digital equity contexts across the country.

Digital Equity: Digital equity is a condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy. Digital equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services.

Digital Inclusion: Digital Inclusion refers to the activities necessary to ensure that all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged, have access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This includes five elements:

  1. Affordable, robust broadband internet service;
  2. Internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user;
  3. Access to digital literacy training;
  4. Quality technical support; and
  5. Applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation and collaboration.

Digital Navigators: Digital navigators are trusted guides who assist community members with internet adoption and the use of computing devices. Digital navigation services include ongoing assistance with affordable internet access, device acquisition, technical skills, and application support.

Digital Connectors: Digital Connectors are trusted guides who assist residents looking for resources, skills, and support to use the internet to achieve their goals.  Adapted for MHM’s communities from NDIA’s tried and true Digital Navigator Model, Digital Connector services go beyond providing individualized support, and include ongoing assistance with affordable internet access, device acquisition, technical skills, and more, customized for MHM’s mission, approach, and constituency. In addition to digital navigation training, Digital Connectors also receive orientation to MHM’s core care, wellness, and health competencies and the unique needs and profile of its constituency—allowing Digital Connectors to provide support specifically to improve access to health services in South Texas.

Digital Inclusion Ecosystem: A Digital Inclusion Ecosystem is a combination of programs and policies that meet a geographic community’s unique and diverse needs. Coordinating entities work together in an ecosystem to address all aspects of the digital divide, including affordable broadband, devices, and skills.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP): The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) administers the ACP, a program designed to help ensure that households can afford broadband services. The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

Goals of the Digital Equity Grants Program

MHM seeks to support the growth of the digital equity ecosystem within its service region by providing up to $5M in funding to expand existing programs, as well as to build the capacity of local, constituent-serving community-based organizations (CBOs), public agencies, and mission-driven organizations to deliver digital equity programs and services. MHM is eager to work both with organizations who have digital equity experience, and organizations who are new to the space. With the overarching goal of increasing broadband adoption, this RFP is structured around three funding opportunities intended to build community-based Digital Connector services to achieve the following outcomes:

  1. Device Access – Residents have access to quality internet-enabled devices that meet their needs. Digital Connectors support community outreach and communication strategies to increase device access.
  2. Digital Skills – Residents have access to community members trained as Digital Connectors who support residents in developing the digital skills they need to meaningfully make use of the internet.
  3. Public Benefit Adoption – Residents adopt public benefits that they are eligible for and in need of, such as reduced-cost internet programs, Medicaid, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Digital Connectors facilitate community outreach and communication strategies to increase adoption of these public benefits.

Respondent Eligibility

MHM seeks to enable local and regional community groups with deep ties to those most impacted by the digital divide to deliver holistic connectivity and other digital inclusion services. MHM intends for a broad range of entities to partner and work together to deliver the different scopes of services encompassed in the three funding opportunities—including non-profit and public organizations, and coalitions that rely on fiscal partnership to accept funding. These entities may be completely new to digital equity work but hold necessary community trust to advance the work, as well as organizations that are already well-established within digital equity work.

 

The figure below displays the types of organizations and levels of capacities that are suited to respond to this RFP. Respondents may fit into one or many of these categories and are encouraged to respond to any number of funding opportunities based on their competencies and interests.

 

Figure 1. Flow chart to determine existing capacity & potential role(s)

 

For those with digital equity missions or existing digital inclusion services, MHM seeks to understand your experience in and process for delivering the relevant funding opportunity services, and your capacity for supporting organizations new to the digital equity space. For those without existing digital inclusion services, MHM seeks to understand your plan for building the capacity to provide digital equity services and expand the impact of local community Digital Connectors programs.

MHM encourages organizations to submit as teams where applicable. Respondent teams should clearly indicate the roles of each organization within their response. Organizations may also submit individually.

In order to submit a proposal, respondents should:

  • Be recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization or tax-exempt organization.
  • Provide services to a community in at least one of MHM’s 74 service counties.
  • Have a 501(c)3 or tax-exempt status for a year or have a fiscal sponsor whose status has been in place at least one year.

Schedule of Activities

The partner selection process will proceed according to the schedule outlined in Table 1.

Table 1. RFP Schedule of Activities
Date Event
6/21/23 RFP Release
6/28/23 at10:00AM CT RFP Information Session.

Register here

7/7/23 Q&A Submission Deadline
7/12/23 Q&A Release
7/26/23 Proposal Submission Deadline
October 2023 Awards/Declinations Announced

Eligible & Target Areas

MHM’s service area covers 74 counties in South Texas, as shown in Figure 2. Respondents serving any community within MHM’s service area are eligible to apply for this RFP.

Figure 2. MHM Service Area

 

MHM has identified four Target Areas for Digital Equity—two rural and two urban—within its service area that will be prioritized for investment based on indicators of digital equity needs, such as households with access to devices, as well as the presence of digital equity assets, such as local CBOs engaged in digital equity services. Proposals that deliver services to any of the counties within these four Target Areas will be prioritized in the evaluation process. These four Digital Equity target areas are shown in Figure 3 and are as follows:

  1. Lower Rio Grande Valley: Zapata County, Starr County, Hidalgo County, Cameron County
  2. Mid-Border Region: Dimmit County, Maverick County, Kinney County, Edwards County, Zavala County
  3. San Antonio: Bexar County
  4. Austin: Travis County
Figure 3. MHM Target Areas

 

Priority Populations

Proposals delivering services to the following eight “covered populations” will be prioritized in the evaluation process. These populations have been identified by Congress as those most vulnerable to the digital divide and facing the most barriers in accessing and adopting the internet.

  1. Persons who are 60 years of age or older
  2. Incarcerated individuals
  3. Veterans
  4. Persons with disabilities
  5. Members of a racial or ethnic minority group
  6. Rural residents
  7. Individuals with a language barrier, including those who are English learners or have low literacy levels
  8. Individuals living in households with incomes not exceeding 150 percent of the poverty level

While proposals serving these eight covered populations will be prioritized, proposals serving any population(s) will be considered. If Respondents feel that there are other specific populations that face outsized barriers to accessing and adopting the internet that are not covered by these eight covered populations, Respondents can specify these in their proposals.

Respondents or Respondent Teams are encouraged to submit proposed activities for one, multiple, or all funding opportunities. The activities proposed within each funding opportunity require a description of how each activity will incorporate or support Digital Connector programming.

Digital Connectors are trusted guides in the community who can communicate with and assist residents who are looking for resources and skills to use the internet to achieve their goals. These Digital Connectors also have awareness of and orientation to MHM’s core care, wellness, and health competencies and its constituency. Digital Connector services include ongoing assistance with affordable internet access, device acquisition, technical skills, and more. While MHM expects Digital Connectors to be deeply embedded in their communities, and to provide services in-person, whether at constituents’ homes, at MHM facilities, or in other community anchor institutions and gathering places, some services may also be conducted remotely via phone, text message, or other means.

Funding Opportunity I. Device Access

Funding Opportunity Outcome: Residents have access to devices that meet their needs. Digital Connectors support community outreach, communication, and distribution strategies to increase device access.

Respondents to the Device Access funding opportunity should propose projects that increase access to personal devices, hotspots, or community device centers, such as computer labs. Devices provided to the community can be new or refurbished but should have up-to-date operating systems and modern specifications. Projects should detail how they will support and/or leverage Digital Connectors within each proposed activity.

The activities within this funding opportunity include but are not limited to:

Personal Device Access

  • Source low-cost, high-quality devices at scale (e.g. throughout the region)
  • Distribute low-cost, high-quality devices at scale
  • Refurbish devices at scale
  • Repair and service devices
  • Source and distribute low-cost devices locally
  • Establish eligibility criteria and process to administer the free computing devices to residents
  • Facilitate the device administration process, including delivery
  • Facilitate the hotspot administration process, including delivery
  • Develop multilingual community outreach materials that promote the device program Conduct outreach and awareness to increase device adoption
  • Promote Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) device public benefit adoption
  • Provide ongoing tech support for devices, and track and report on support performance metrics.
  • Create, administer, and report on a follow-up survey for the program
  • Provide device storage space

Community Device Access

  • Source and install desktop computers
  • Identify and/or develop community space that can be used for computer centers
  • Conduct outreach and awareness (e.g., community gatherings) to increase use of computer centers
  • Provide ongoing computer lab support, and track and report on support performance metrics

Device Access Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) may include but are not limited to the number of:

  • Devices distributed by type of device
  • Utilization of devices distributed
  • Digital Connectors hired and/or trained to assist with device distribution and maintenance programs
  • Community-based organizations engaged
  • Devices serviced or repaired
  • ACP device public benefit adoption
  • Subsidized hotspot adoption
  • Private telehealth spaces created
  • Desktop computers installed in computer center
  • Community outreach events conducted
  • Attendees at outreach events

Maximum Grant Amount for Device Access: $3,000,000 (over 3 years)

Grant term: Grants will begin January 1, 2024.

 

Funding Opportunity II. Digital Skills

Funding Opportunity Outcome: Residents have access to trained Digital Connectors within their local communities who support residents in developing the digital skills they need to meaningfully make use of the internet.

Respondents to the Digital Skills funding opportunity should propose projects that either 1) employ new Digital Connectors to deliver digital navigation and digital skills training to residents or 2) train and build the capacity of Digital Connectors from other partner organizations to do the same. Projects should detail how they will support and leverage Digital Connectors within each proposed activity.

Respondents should offer digital skills training on topics that are responsive to the needs of their community. Training topics may include:

  • The basics of using a computer or digital device and accessing information online
  • Accessing and using educational, civic, social, and other services and resources on the internet
  • Online safety and cybersecurity
  • Online job readiness and applications
  • Creating digital content

The activities within this funding opportunity include but are not limited to:

Develop Capacity for Digital Navigation and Digital Skills Programming

  • Develop digital navigation and digital skills program standards and performance metrics, and disseminate to local digital equity service delivery organizations
  • Develop centralized tools and resources for digital navigation and digital skills programming, and disseminate to locale DE service delivery organizations
  • Facilitate ongoing coordination of digital connectors, CBOs, and other relevant stakeholders to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing
  • Provide ongoing digital skills and digital navigation train-the-trainer sessions to local DE service delivery organizations

Deliver Digital Navigation and Digital Skills Programming

  • Recruit, train, host, and oversee a Digital Connector cohort (1-10 Connectors) with the support of MHM and partners
  • Conduct local Digital Skills needs assessment, including survey development and dissemination as well as in-person focus groups
  • Based on a local Digital Skills needs assessment, hire and manage local Digital Connectors to lead and coordinate digital navigation and digital skills program delivery
  • Incorporate Digital Connectors into existing community institutions and spaces
  • Identify and/or develop spaces for community members to receive digital navigation support and to hold digital skills trainings
  • Identify and/or develop private spaces for residents to access telehealth services
  • Facilitate, administer, and conduct outreach events to raise awareness of digital navigation services and digital skills programming
  • Track and report on digital navigation and digital skills programming performance metrics

Digital Skills Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) may include but are not limited to the number of:

  • Individuals served by digital navigation services
  • Digital skills and achievements reached based on program performance metrics
  • Digital Connectors hired and/or trained
  • Community-based organizations engaged
  • Digital skills training services delivered
  • Attendees at digital skills trainings
  • Digital navigation sessions conducted
  • Community outreach events conducted
  • Attendees at outreach events

Maximum Grant Amount for Digital Skills: $500,000 (over 3 years)

Grant term: Grants will begin January 1, 2024.

Funding Opportunity III. Public Benefit Adoption

Funding Opportunity Outcome: Residents adopt public benefits that they are eligible for and in need of, such as reduced-cost internet programs, Medicaid, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Digital Connectors facilitate community outreach and communication strategies to increase adoption of these public benefits.

Respondents to the Public Benefit Adoption funding opportunity should propose projects that increase public benefit adoption. Projects should detail how they will support and leverage Digital Connectors within each proposed activity.

The activities within this funding opportunity include but are not limited to:

  • Provide train-the-trainer services to Digital Connectors within local service delivery organizations
  • Hire and/or train Digital Connectors to facilitate focus groups to understand local barriers to public benefit adoption
  • Hire and/or train Digital Connectors to create public benefit adoption materials tailored to barriers faced by local residents
  • Hire and/or train Digital Connectors to promote public benefit adoption through local outreach efforts including events, home visits, and partnerships with community institutions
  • Hire and/or train digital connectors to disseminate localized public benefit adoption materials
  • Track and report on changes in public benefit adoption

Public Benefit Adoption Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) may include but are not limited to the number of:

  • Households who have newly adopted an internet access public benefit with the support of Digital Connectors
  • Households contacted about internet access public benefit
  • Households contacted about other public benefits, such as SNAP and Medicaid
  • Digital Connectors hired and/or trained
  • Households who have newly adopted other public benefits, such as SNAP and Medicaid with the support of Digital Connectors
  • Training services implemented
  • Attendees at training services
  • Community outreach events conducted
  • Attendees at outreach events
  • Campaign materials and impressions created

Maximum Grant Amount for Public Benefit Adoption: $500,000 (over 3 years)

Grant term: Grants will begin January 1, 2024.

Respondents will input items 1-6 directly into MHM’s online portal for grant applications and reporting, as described in the Submission Process section. Respondents should include the information requested for items 7-9 in a separate PDF document uploaded as an attachment in the online portal.

1. Grant Purpose

    1. In three sentences or less, describe what the requested funding will support. “MHM funding will…”

2. Project Overview

    1. A brief narrative of how the proposed project will help achieve the funding opportunity outcome, as well as the overarching RFP goal of increasing internet adoption within MHM’s service area.

3. Grant Location and Population Served

    1. Who will this project serve geographically?
      1. The estimated number of households that will be served.
      2. Indicate which specific regions, counties, and/or zip codes this project will serve.
    2. Who will this project serve demographically? Will certain “covered populations” be prioritized?

4. Request Amount and Budget

MHM generally provides grants that are up to 20% of the overall organizational budget for each year requested.  Indirect costs may not exceed 15% of direct costs. Organizations may still include up to 15% indirect costs in the MHM request budget, even if established indirect cost rates are included as part of federal grants.

In order to facilitate capacity building, any funding distributed will be eligible for multi-year use. Respondents should indicate the duration of funding requested within the Budget section of the Proposal Narrative. Applicants can request up to three years of funding.

  1. Narrative:
    1. How many years of funding are you requesting?
    2. For those who are already offering these services, how will the additional funding expand or enhance existing work?
    3. What other funders are supporting this project?
    4. What types of tools, materials, training, or other types of support would be helpful to make this project successful?
  2. Upload Workbook:
      1. Each funding opportunity is reflected on a separate tab in the Budget Workbook. Please complete the workbook tabs that are relevant to this proposal. Respondents may add as many line items as necessary to reflect their budget.

5. Program Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Evaluation

    1. Identify the goals for the request. Include a maximum of five goals that capture the impact of the request. Goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timebound).
    2. For each proposed funding opportunity activities, indicate:
      1. The key performance indicators (KPIs) you will use to measure the success of each activity.
      2. Proposed method for collecting these KPIs.

6. Organization Summary

  1. A summary of the Respondent Organization or Respondent Team, indicating which funding opportunities and activities each organization will lead.
  2. A brief staffing plan and each staff member’s relevant experience.
  3. A summary of the Respondent Organization or Respondent Team’s experience serving the Target Populations and conducting community outreach.
  4. An explanation of interest in participation in this program. How will this serve your clients/community? How will it advance your organization?
  5. Upload: Organizational Budget. The budget most recently approved by your board for operation of the organization.
  6. Upload: IRS Determination Letter.
  7. Upload: W-9 form.

Respondents should include the information requested for items 7-9 in a separate PDF document uploaded as an attachment in the online portal. Please limit this document to four (4) pages.

7. Funding Opportunity Specific Questions

For each funding opportunity you are responding to, please complete the following questions.

I . Device Access Questions:

  1. Do you have experience in device distribution?
    1. If yes, please describe:
      1. How many devices do you distribute annually? How many households do the devices serve?
      2. The covered populations served by the devices.
      3. The types of devices distributed.
      4. The process for sourcing the devices.
    2. If no, please describe the services related to device access you plan to provide (e.g. provide device storage space, source and install desktop computers, etc.).
  1. Do you have experience conducting outreach activities to increase awareness of available devices or other public subsidies? If so, please describe:
    1. How many individuals have been contacted through your outreach efforts.
    2. The local community organizations or institutions you partner with to conduct these outreach efforts.
    3. The specific methods of outreach employed (e.g. local events, door-to-door visits, etc.).
    4. If you have experience conducting this outreach in languages besides English. If so, please list the languages.
  2. Do you have space currently used as a computer lab, or space that has the potential to be used as a computer lab? If so, please describe:
    1. The level of effort that would be needed to convert the space into a computer lab, or into private computer booths for telehealth use.
    2. The number of desktop devices the space could host.
    3. A description of the space and location, including address.
    4. If and how the space is currently being utilized by community members.

II. Digital Skills Questions:

  1. Do you have experience hiring, training, and/or managing staff to directly interface with community members?
    1. If yes, please describe how many community-facing staff members your organization currently manages, and what their specific roles are.
    2. If no, please describe how many community-facing staff members your organization is interested in managing, and your organization’s proposed strategy for training and deploying these potential staff members.
  2. Do you currently offer digital skills training and support?
    1. If yes:
      1. Which digital skills are covered in your training or support services?
      2. Do you have curricula for these activities? Please describe.
      3. How many people does your program serve, and from which populations?
      4. Do you have experience providing community programming or training in other languages besides English? If so, please describe what languages.
      5. What kinds of program evaluation methods do you use for your digital skills programming?
        1. If no:
          1. Do you currently offer training to residents on other topics? If yes, please describe.
  3. Do you have experience conducting outreach activities to increase awareness of and attendance in community programming or training? If so, please describe:
    1. How many individuals have been contacted through your outreach efforts.
    2. The local community organizations or institutions you partner with to conduct these outreach efforts.
    3. The specific methods of outreach employed (e.g. local events, door-to-door visits, etc.).

III. Public Benefit Adoption Questions:

  1. Do you have experience conducting outreach activities to increase awareness and use of Affordable Connectivity Programs (ACP) or other public subsidies? If so, please describe:
    1. How many individuals have been contacted through your outreach efforts.
    2. The local community organizations or institutions you partner with to conduct these outreach efforts.
    3. The specific methods of outreach employed (e.g. local events, door-to-door visits, etc.).
    4. The time and frequency of outreach (e.g. during regular working hours, outside of regular working hours, on weekends)
  2. Do you have experience conducting outreach activities to increase awareness and use of the ACP or other public subsidies in other languages besides English? If so, please describe what languages.
  3. Do you have experience conducting outreach to increase awareness and use of the ACP or other public subsidies for any of the following populations? If so, please expand.
    1. Aging individuals
    2. Individuals with a disability
    3. Individuals living in a rural area
    4. Incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals
    5. Members of a racial or ethnic minority group
    6. Low-income individuals
    7. Veterans

8. Partnership Strategy

  1. What organizations will you work with to successfully provide the proposed services? Please organize your partner organizations as:
    1. Public organizations and institutions
    2. Schools
    3. Healthcare organizations
    4. Faith-based organizations
    5. Community-based organizations
    6. Private sector companies, including ISPs
  2. Do you have an existing relationship with any of the partner organizations identified? If so, please describe the nature of the relationship.

9. Digital Connector Strategy

    1. For each of your proposed scope of service activities, please describe how you will leverage the Digital Connectors model to ensure adoption within local communities. This should include both a strategy for hiring and training Digital Connectors, as well as a strategy for how they will support the specific scope of service activities.

RFP Information Session

A non-mandatory information session will be hosted on June 28, 2023 via Zoom from 10:00 am – 11:00 am CST. Registration link is available here.

Q&A

Applicants may submit an initial set of questions based on their review of this RFP. Questions should be submitted via email by 11:59pm on July 7, 2023. Questions received after this time and date may not be answered. Questions must be submitted in the body of the email or as an attachment to the email. Each individual question should include reference to specific RFP sections and subsections. Questions should be sent to comminvestments@mhm.org. The email should include the subject heading: “MHM Digital Equity RFP– [Respondent Name] –Questions”. MHM will release responses to the questions on July 12, 2023. To ensure the fair and consistent distribution of information, no individual responses will be provided. Any questions or concerns not submitted by the stated time and date will be deemed waived.

Notification of Award

All applications will be reviewed from July – September and will receive a decision notice in October of 2023.

Submission Process

MHM uses an online platform for application and reporting submissions. Respondent teams should designate one member to complete the online form and upload required documents on behalf of the group. Please contact comminvestments@mhm.org with any questions related to technical difficulties.

 

INITIAL LINK: https://us.grantrequest.com/application.aspx?sid=1143&fid=35336

  • IMPORTANT: Once you have started the form and saved it, DO NOT use the initial link again. The initial link creates a new form each time it is used. It is important you use the second link below to get back to the existing form. 

SAVED FORMhttps://www.grantrequest.com/SID_1143/?SA=AM

  • Use this link to get back to a saved form. Once logged in to your account, select the form in progress using the drop-down menu.

 

NOTE FOR ALL: Once you use the initial link and have access to the form, do not use the link again. Each time you click on the initial link, the system will create a completely new form and save it on your online account.

 

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria.

Table 2. Evaluation Criteria
Category Criteria Percent
Respondent Profile
  • Demonstrated experience serving identified Target Populations and conducting outreach
  • Staff qualifications and experience delivery relevant scope of work activities
10%
Funding Opportunity Outcome Alignment
  • Clarity of how the proposed project will support relevant Funding Opportunity outcomes
  • Clarity of respondent interest in relevant Funding Opportunities
  • Alignment of proposed services with Target Areas and Priority Populations
25%
Partnership Strategy
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate with local CBOs and partner organizations
  • Robustness of partnership strategy presented, including diversity of community partners and level of direct constituency relationships among partner organizations
20%
Digital Connector Strategy
  • Robustness of strategy for leveraging Digital Connectors in relevant funding opportunity proposal
20%
Budget
  • Clear and logical budget is presented in Excel format
  • Budget is reasonable and comprehensive for project
15%
KPIs and Reporting
  • Clarity and effectiveness of program goals and KPIs identified for evaluating project performance and success over the lifetime of the project
10%
TOTAL 100%

Post-Award Expectations

Reporting

If your organization is selected to be a digital equity grantee, you will be expected to provide a written mid- and year-end report on the progress of your request. Grantees with multi-year grants may be asked to submit updated financial statements at year-end.

Disbursements

Based on annual grant award amount, MHM will disburse funds as outlined below:

Grants of $150,000 or less:

  • Total award disbursed at beginning of grant period. If grant funds are allocated for device distribution, partner will work with MHM staff to determine disbursement schedule.
  • Provide a budget to actual with mid-year and year-end report.
  • At the conclusion of the grant, any unspent funds will be returned to MHM. At MHM’s discretion it may allow Grantee to retain all or a portion of unspent funds to further their mission.

MHM grants of more than $150,000 are not fully disbursed upon execution of the award.

Grants over $150,000:

  • Grantee may be disbursed half of grant at the beginning of the grant period. If grant funds are allocated for device distribution, partner will work with MHM staff to determine disbursement schedule.
  • If progressing toward goals, the remaining grant funds will be disbursed after mid-year report has been submitted. Lack of progress on goals may delay disbursement. Grantee will work with MHM staff to determine next steps on disbursement when necessary.
  • Provide a budget to actual with mid-year and year-end report.
  • At the conclusion of the grant, any unspent funds will be returned to MHM. At MHM’s discretion it may allow Grantee to retain all or a portion of unspent funds to further their mission.

Subject to Audit

Your organization may be subject to in-person or virtual desk audit. Staff will give at least a 3 week notice prior to the review.

If you have a question(s) about our RFP process or strategic direction, visit our FAQs or contact comminvestments@mhm.org.