Events Stipends
Contents
Request for Proposals
Note: In order to apply for Event Stipends grants, organizations must read and agree to the TCDD Assurances.
Events Stipends
The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities has funds available for stipends grants. Funds for this grant are made available to the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities.
DD Council Intent
Stipend funds are provided to Texas organizations to enable individuals with developmental disabilities and their family members to attend established in-state professional or informational conferences, workshops, or legislative advocacy skills training events. The intent of this RFP is to promote participant direction and involvement in activities that enhance independence, productivity and community inclusion of people with developmental disabilities. Stipends support is limited to Texas residents who are not eligible for conference, workshop, or training reimbursement from other organizations of which they are an employee or member.
Individuals are not eligible for these grants.
Project Components
Applications for funding must be received by TCDD at least 90 days in advance of the starting date of the meeting, conference, workshop, or legislative advocacy skills training event. The request must:
- demonstrate that the meeting, conference, workshop, or legislative advocacy skills training event has educational and/or advocacy objectives related to developmental disabilities issues;
- outline how the stipends will be used consistent with the mission, philosophical principles, goals, and/or objectives of the Council;
- provide assurance that funds will be used only to support the participation of persons who have disabilities that also meet the federal definition of a developmental disability (and their family members) and who have no other organizational or agency source of funding to attend the meeting, conference, workshop, or legislative advocacy skills training event;
- provide assurance that a priority will be given to individuals who have not previously received TCDD stipend support; and
- describe the potential recipients of the stipends.
Limitations
It is not the intent of the Council that these funds be used for weekend retreats, summer family camps or similar recreation activities.
- Applications will be considered only for in-state meetings, conferences, workshops, and legislative advocacy skills training events and will not be considered for organizational board meetings.
- Stipend funds are intended to enable additional Texas residents that have not previously received TCDD stipend support to attend a meeting, conference, workshop, or legislative advocacy skills training event that would occur without DD funds for stipends. Therefore priority will be given to support individuals who are attending an event with TCDD stipend support for the first time. Stipend funds are not intended to fund the meeting, conference, workshop, or legislative advocacy skills training event. DD funds are only available for up to 49% of the cost of the event.
- The organization applying for funding to provide stipends must be a sponsoring organization of the meeting, conference, workshop, or legislative advocacy skills training event.
- TCDD funds can only be used for direct costs relating to transportation, meals, lodging, registration, personal assistance services and respite for individuals with developmental disabilities (and their family members). Transportation and meals are allowable at state designated rates. Meals are only allowable for stipend recipients participating in events of such duration that limits one's access to meals and typically require out-of-town travel and/or an overnight stay. In allowing TCDD funds to be used to cover transportation and meals, it is the intent that participation by first time participants would increase.
- Match (cost sharing) expenses are those direct costs relating to lodging, registration, meals, transportation, and personal assistance services for recipients and respite for individuals with developmental disabilities attending the sponsored event.
- No more than one stipend grant will be awarded to any one organization annually during the period June 1 – May 31 with the following exceptions:
- TCDD may consider more than one application annually for a stipends grant when the event is a national conference hosted by the state affiliate in Texas, and
- TCDD will consider an additional application for a stipends grant annually from the same organization if the second request is related to a legislative advocacy skills training event.
- Documentation and receipts will be required for all expenditures.
- Verification of developmental disabilities will be required for all stipend recipients.
Products
- Program report summarizing the results and benefits of the activity.
Terms
- Organizations that receive funds will be responsible for complying with all rules and procedures of the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.
- Obligations must be liquidated within 30 days of the meeting, conference, workshop, or legislative advocacy skills training.
- A minimum of 10% matching funds as a share of direct costs are required.
- Funds are limited to one $6,000 grant per organization, per year, for one in-state meeting, conference, or workshop. TCDD may consider an application for a second $3,000 stipend grant during the same year for a legislative advocacy skills training event only; however, first priority will be given to requests from organizations who have not received stipends during that annual period.
- Exception for co-sponsored events:
If two or more organizations jointly sponsor a single event, each organization is eligible for a stipends grant award for that event if they have not received a stipends grant during that annual period. No one organization may receive more than $6,000 for a jointly sponsored event. If multiple applications are submitted for the same event by co-sponsoring organizations, funds are limited to not more than $15,000 for all stipends grants awarded for that event. Co-sponsoring organizations that have received a stipends grant during the same year may apply for a $3,000 stipends grant if, and only if, the event is a legislative advocacy skills training event. If one or more co-sponsoring organizations requesting stipends is only eligible for a $3,000 stipends grant, funds are limited to not more than $7,500 for all stipends awarded for the event.
Application and Submission Process
- To obtain the required stipend information the TCDD Assurances must be read and the applicant agrees to certify compliance with stated requirements.
- If the applicant agrees with the requirements, highlight the "accept" box and proceed to download and complete the application.
- Two hard copies, one with the original signatures, should be submitted. Proposals may be delivered by hand or mailed to TCDD's physical office at 6201 East Oltorf, Suite 600, Austin, Texas, 78741-7509. Proposals should be directed to the attention of Barbara Booker. Faxed proposals cannot be accepted.
- TCDD also requests that applicants send an electronic copy at the same time the hard copies are submitted. Electronic copies should be addressed to Barbara.Booker@tcdd.state.tx.us.
Exceptions
- TCDD reserves the right to waive limitations on this RFP on an individual or case-by-case basis based on the merits of the proposal submitted.
Revised May 2011
