Grant Opportunities          PROPOSALS DUE JANUARY 12, 2012

Introduction:

The Michigan ADA Steering Committee was formed in 1991 and is comprised of business, government and disability representation.  It serves as a statewide network, providing material and other resources to Michigan's business and disability communities to foster an understanding of and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The committee is one of six steering committees that are funded under the Great Lakes ADA Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  The Great Lakes ADA Center receives its funding through Grant # H133A110029 from the National Institute for Disability Research and Rehabilitation (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education.

Objective of Request for Proposals:

To provide programs across the State of Michigan that meet the training needs of business entities, individuals with disabilities, employers, human resource managers, architect and design professionals, post secondary education institutions, emergency response personnel and/or local and state government entities regarding their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the ADA Amendments Act.

Examples:

Successful proposals may include, but are not limited to, the following topics: 

• 2010 ADA Standards for alterations and new construction effective 3/15/12; 
• Emergency preparedness for people with disabilities;
• Implications of the ADA Amendments Act for businesses.

Funding:

There will be approximately $5,500 in funding available for fiscal year 2011-12.  The committee anticipates funding up to three proposals.

Proposal Format:

1. Summary
2. Organizational Capacity - include information on partners if applicable
3. Qualification of Personnel - include contact person
4. Plan of Work - activities, objectives, presenters, etc.
5. Timeline
6. Means of Measuring Outcomes - i.e. pre/post test of participant knowledge; evaluation followed up by phone/email/online survey after the activity
7. Budget Breakdown - narrative justification and detailed summary

Activity Requirements:

1. All activities shall start after March 1, 2012, and be completed by September 21, 2012.
2. All activities must have measurable outcomes, where change can be demonstrated and measured as a result of the activity.  Activity outcome data shall be submitted to the Michigan ADA Steering Committee by September 26, 2012.
3. The organization shall provide funds or in kind contributions for at least 10% of the total cost of the activity.
4. Any product (handouts, DVDs, presentations, evaluations, etc.) developed pursuant to this grant shall be submitted to the Michigan ADA Steering Committee.  (The committee has the right to use, distribute and/or alter materials as it sees fit.)
5. Any product shall include the following notation: "Funded in part by the Michigan ADA Steering Committee, an affiliate of the Great Lakes ADA Center, through grant # H133A110029 from the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research (NIDRR).
6. Any product developed must be made available in alternative formats and must be demonstrated to be an effective form of communication.  (i.e. DVDs must be captioned and audio descriptive.)
7. The organization shall submit a follow-up report, which includes a compilation of outcome (i.e. evaluation) data and a breakdown of expenditures, to the Michigan ADA Steering Committee no later than September 26, 2012.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria:

Representatives of the Michigan ADA Steering Committee will act as the proposal review committee and use the following criteria: 

1. Quality of Proposed Activity

     a. The activity will provide valuable information;

     b. The activity will reach a large number of people;

     c. The schedule appears workable in terms of completing activities within the grant period;

     d. The budget appears reasonable for the task.

2.  Individual & Organizational Expertise

     a. The organization has a background on disability issues;

     b. The individuals developing the project hold the expertise to produce the project;

     c. The presenters listed have proven speaking ability and disability expertise;

     d. Any additional partners listed are suitable for the activity and have demonstrated expertise in the field of ADA issues.

 

Interested parties must submit a proposal by January 12, 2012,to the Michigan ADA Steering Committee coordinator, Dan Cooper.  Please submit your proposal electronically to dcooper@mpas.org and/or via U.S. Mail to the following address:

MichiganADA Steering Committee

Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service, Inc.

4095 Legacy Parkway, Ste. 500

Lansing, MI 48911-4263

 

The committee expects to notify applicants by February 2012.

 

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is available upon request in alternative formats by contacting Dan Cooper at 1-800-288-5923 (voice/TTY) or dcooper@mpas.org.  Inquiries related to this proposal should also be directed to the above named person.  Information can also be found on the Michigan ADA Steering Committee website at www.adamich.org.