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Application Review Process

NFIA staff will review applications for eligibility and absolute priorities which include:

-Proof of 501(c)3 status
-Mission and goals of parent-led organization to help parents to prevent drug use among children
- Demographics support for neighborhood surrounding selected schools
-At least 6 worksheets detailing information about school characteristics
- Signed Letter of Agreement stating willingness to fulfill roles and responsibilities of NFIA’s state Parent Corps partners
- Signed Letter of Agreement to collaborate with NFIA to increase Parent Corps funding

Eligible applications will then be sent to outside reviewers, who will comment on and score the applications. Two reviewers will review and score each application and their scores will be averaged for a final score. In the event that scores for the same application differ by 20 points or more, a third reviewer will score the application. An average of the two closest scores will constitute the final score.

Using these scores and comments, NFIA will select one applicant per HHS region as required by the Corporation for National and Community Service. All 10 state partner organizations will be announced by March 10 on the NFIA website (www.nationalfamilies.org).

In collaboration with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI), NFIA will select 5 partner organizations as Phase I states, to begin work with the Parent Corps May 1, 2004 and 5 other partner organizations as Phase II states, to begin work with the Parent Corps December 1, 2004. Partner organizations will be notified which phase they are in as soon as possible after March 10.

Reviewers will score the applications on the basis of the following questions:

Narrative
Does the applicant describe why it wants to implement the Parent Corps in its state, and its capacity to do so and what it hopes to achieve through participation with the Parent Corps?
25 points possible

Does the applicant describe relationships with state or federal agencies charged with substance abuse prevention or demand reduction; other organizations; foundations or corporations in the state? Has the applicant already raised funds to support the Parent Corps or does it have commitments for funding?
20 points possible

Does the applicant detail the relationship with schools, state agencies, other organizations, local foundations and businesses that can increase the reach of the Parent Corps?
15 points possible

Supporting Demographics
Does the applicant describe the neighborhood surrounding the selected schools by including the following information?
- Descriptive statistics on racial and cultural constituencies
- Data describing the household situations of the residents
- Statistics on enrollment in school and educational attainment
- Statistics on income and employment status
- Descriptive data describing the extent of adolescent drug use in each school community
15 points possible

Does the applicant describe the six schools selected as potential sites and include demographic data to support the selection?
10 points possible

Attachments
Are the following attachments submitted?
- A Letter of Agreement stating that the organization is willing to work with NFIA to fulfill the roles and responsibilities of NFIA’s state Parent Corps partners.
- A Letter of Agreement stating that the organization is willing to lead NFIA to potential funding sources in the state that may fund NFIA to expand the Parent Corps in the state beyond the scope of this grant. -Worksheets (Appendix C) detailing information about school characteristics of at least 3 matched pairs of schools that are candidates for random selection to implement the Parent Corps in the state.
- Other letters of support.
- Signed Assurance of Participation in the Evaluation (Appendix D)
15 points possible (3 points each)

Bonus Points
Has the applicant already raised funds to support the Parent Corps or does it have commitments for funding as attachments in the application?
5 points possible

Does the applicant provide letters of agreement from parent drug-prevention organizations that have formed a coalition in their state to become a NFIA partner to implement the Parent Corps?
5 points possible