October 6, 2020

INvestments Supporting Partnerships In 

Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative

Workshop
2

Welcome! 

Britt Jones & Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas

Overview and Objectives of the Program 

Andrew Howard

Overview of RFP 

Britt Jones & Karen Fabiano

Question & Answer

Agenda

1

2

3

4
Background
arc.gov

Appalachian Region

13 states

420 counties

205,000 square miles

25 million people

73 local development 

districts
arc.gov

ARC VISION STATEMENT

Appalachia is a region of 

great opportunity that will 

achieve socioeconomic 

parity with the nation

ARC MISSION STATEMENT

To innovate, partner and 

invest to build community 

capacity, and strengthen 

economic growth in 

Appalachia

Appalachian Region
arc.gov

Economic Distress v. Drug Overdose
arc.gov

INvestments Supporting 

Partnerships In Recovery 

Ecosystems (INSPIRE)

What is INSPIRE?

• The purpose of this initiative is to help individuals in recovery get the support services and training they need to maintain

recovery and successfully enter or re-enter the workforce.

Why did ARC create the INSPIRE Initiative?

• This effort is informed by earlier and on-going work of the ARC’s Substance Abuse Advisory Council, including six Recovery-ToWork Listening Sessions held in the region in Summer 2019. 

AH
arc.gov

ARC Strategic Plan and State Plans

• ARC Strategic Plan, Investing in Appalachia’s Future: ARC’s Five-Year Strategic Plan for Capitalizing on Appalachia’s 

Opportunities 2016–2021, Goal 2: Ready Workforce: Improve the education, knowledge, skills, and health of residents 

to work and succeed in Appalachia.

• If a project includes ARC counties from more than one state, applicants need to demonstrate how the proposed 

project aligns with each ARC state plan, specifically how the project supports a ready workforce.

AH
arc.gov

Recovery Ecosystem

The recovery ecosystem in Appalachia is 

complex, spanning multiple sectors, to 

include; health, mental health, social work, 

criminal justice, housing, income support, 

transportation, education, and 

employment services. The availability of 

services to support the recovery 

ecosystem varies in each community, 

determined by a number of factors such 

as existing recovery infrastructure, 

prevalence of stigma, resources and 

funding, employment opportunities, and 

the length of time and experience 

communities have in working to address 

the crisis.

AH
arc.gov

Partnerships

Overall project team membership can be comprised of, but is not limited to, 

the following types of organizations:

• Economic development organizations

• Local governments

• Planning organizations and development districts

• Labor unions and labor-management apprenticeship programs

• State and local workforce agencies

• Institutions of higher education, including (but not limited to) community colleges and other job training and adult 

education providers

• Not-for-profit and community-based organizations including community action agencies that provide supportive 

services and human services providers

• Chambers of commerce, industry and trade associations, local and regional business owners, and other 

representatives from the private sector

AH
RFP Overview
arc.gov

Important Reminders

• Letters of Intent due October 16, 2020 at 5 PM Eastern Time

• Letters of Intent required for Implementation and Planning grants

• Letter of Intent template available at www.arc.gov/SUD

• Failure to submit Letter of Intent by due date disqualifies applicant to 

submit full application

• Final application due November 13, 2020 at 5 PM Eastern Time
arc.gov

Grants Overview

Eligibility

• Local development districts

• Native American tribes or a consortium of Native American tribes

• States, counties, cities, or other political subdivision of a state, including a special 

purpose unit of a state or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure 

development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions

• Institutions of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education

• Public or private non-profit organizations or associations

BJ
arc.gov

Grant Activities

Implementation grants

• Organizations with linkages to various sectors that may include employers, social 

services, treatment/recovery, criminal justice systems, and educational vocational 

training institutions, among others;

• Peer support systems (if other funding sources are not available), e.g. peer recovery specialists, 

24/7 access to peer support services;

• Health/behavioral health networks that support SUD recovery;

• Job training programs (classroom, on-the-job) that have a demonstrated focus on serving 

those in recovery and incorporate recovery services with appropriate evaluation measures;

• Recovery to work transportation solutions (if other funding sources are not available);

• Liaison positions that educate and strengthen collaboration among employers;

• Workforce development agencies;

• Infrastructure supports, such as housing, income support and soft skills development;

• Innovative, pilot concepts designed to address the economic impacts of the substance abuse 

crisis in Appalachia.
arc.gov

Grants Overview

Planning Grant Activities

• Developing of strategies/plans for strengthening 

partnerships/coalitions/consortia with the addition of new partners;

• Conducting community needs assessments, including input from those in 

recovery. In addition to exploring the need for direct recovery services, the 

assessment should explore the community’s infrastructure to support this 

effort, including housing, transportation, and social services;

• Developing short-term/long-term training and employment readiness plans;

• Developing education programs for employers on sample human resource 

policies, positive supervisory practices, and development of methods to 

organize and use employee peer support services;

• Developing service delivery and sustainability plans.
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Application Elements

Project Description

• Identify behavioral health services, training, job placement and support activities

• Explain how the proposed elements

• Identify by name the workforce development organization(s), training provider(s), and 

organization(s)

• Explain how the organization(s), provider(s), employer(s), and other partner(s) are 

strategically positioned to support the services and activities that will help to expand or 

create a recovery ecosystem.

• Explain how the proposed project will assist employers in meeting their workforce and 

business needs

• Explain how the project expands or creates linkages

BJ
arc.gov

Application Elements

Timeline

• List the project deliverables

• Provide a timeline for each deliverable

• Identify key personnel who will execute each deliverable

Additional items

• 50-page limit this total includes both the narrative and the 

uploaded attachments

• The narrative must be limited to 15-pages, single-spaced in 12 font 

size.

• Please include executive summary (this will be found on the 

application doc)

BJ
Application Review
arc.gov

High Level Overview

• Statement of Need

• Strategic Alignment

• Project Description

• Partnerships

• Projected Outputs and Outcomes

• Budget and Budget Narrative

• Applications must meet minimum criteria

• Applications will be scored up to 100 points

KF
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Statement of Need

Up to 30 Points

• Description of service area

• List of ARC counties

• Target population description

• Community needs tied to SUD

• Identify gaps in behavioral health, 

training and support services

• Provide third-party documentation 

related to SUD

• Provide third-party documentation 

related to local economic impact

• Community capacity expand or create 

recovery ecosystem

• Identify economic and workforce 

challenges

• COVID-19 challenges

KF
arc.gov

Strategic Alignment

Up to 12 Points

• Align with ARC strategic Plan Goal 2

• ARC State Plan (s)

• More than 1 state need to align with 

each ARC State Plan

• Identify needs of businesses, including 

organizations provide wraparound 

services for individual recovery

• Required documentation includes the 

following:

• Letters from local businesses or groups 

demonstrating need or labor market 

analyses conducted by federal or state 

sources

• Letters of support from organizations 

provide wraparound services for 

individuals in recovery demonstrating 

need for services

KF
arc.gov

Project Description

Up to 29 Points

• Project design

• Identify training, job placement and 

support activities

• Proposed elements meet the needs of 

businesses and target populations

• Identify workforce development 

organizations, training providers and 

organizations providing wraparound 

services for individuals in recovery

• Explanation of organizations and 

providers strategically positioned to 

support services and activities to expand 

or create a recovery ecosystem

• Explanation of project assist employers 

in meeting workforce and business 

needs

• Description of project expanding or 

linking workforce development 

organizations, training providers and 

organizations providing wraparound 

services

• Workplan, timeline and key personnel

KF
arc.gov

Additional Tips Project Description

• Proposals should leverage program funds from multiple sources (public and private)

• Must have multiple stakeholders (private, public, nonprofit sectors, multiple disciplines)

• Strong evidence of input and engagement from community with planning and project 

design

• Clear understanding of each partner's roles

• Demonstration of community and regional commitment with combination of resources

KF
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Partnerships

Up to 6 Points

• Submission of at least three letters of engagement from partners participating in the 

proposal

Additional Tips:

• Expectation to assemble new or existing partnerships including community and 

economic development stakeholders serve on project team

• Collaborations should include health, behavioral health, law enforcement, education, 

employers, faith-based organizations, existing community substance abuse coalitions

• Partners may include organizations not eligible for ARC funding but integral to proposal

KF
arc.gov

Projected Outputs and Outcomes

Up to 15 Points

Implementation Grants must include:

• Businesses served (output) and improved (outcome)

• Workers/trainees served (output) and improved (outcome) and/or students served 

(output) and improved (outcome)

• Additional performance measures can be identified

Planning Grants:

• Output is plan developed
arc.gov

Budget and Budget Narrative

Up to 8 Points

• Submit 424 forms

• Submit 424a

• All items in the budget and budget narrative must align

• All items in the budget and budget narrative, including personnel, equipment and minor 

construction must align with the described project

• All items in the budget narrative must reflect level of detail requested in the section
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Cost Sharing or Match

• Matching funds must be identified as accessible and available

• Match is determined by ARC classification of county/counties served by project

• Refer to the RFP for further determination of match and maximum share of ARC 

assistance

• Additional guidance on ARC economic designation is located at www.arc.gov/SUD

• Matching sources may be non-federal, other federal or combination of sources including 

in-kind
arc.gov

Additional ARC Requirements

• Registered for SAM before awarding of federal funds

• If requesting indirect costs must follow guidance in accordance with federal 

requirements. Refer to page 16 of the INSPIRE RFP

• Funding restrictions to consider include treatment services restricted to behavioral 

health services, including post-SUD treatment wraparound services, to assist those in 

recovery

• Prior to submission of application, every applicant is required to contact the State 

Program Managers of the state impacted by the project proposal
arc.gov

Important Reminders

• Letters of Intent due October 16, 2020 at 5 PM Eastern Time

• Letters of Intent required for Implementation and Planning grants

• Letter of Intent template available at www.arc.gov/SUD

• Failure to submit Letter of Intent by due date disqualifies applicant to 

submit full application

• Final application due November 13, 2020 at 5 PM Eastern Time
Question & Answer