I am currently working on the Biographical Sketch section of the THIS-WIC application. Can you please explain the difference between “Completed Projects: Responsibilities” and “Accomplishments” as there is potential overlap between these two sections and I want to provide the desired information without duplication.
When addressing ‘completed projects: responsibilities,’ applicants should speak to prior work implementing projects and their role in those projects (e.g., Project Manager). For ‘accomplishments,’ applicants should list awards, trainings, or certifications that would inform reviewers about how these personnel will support successful proposal implementation.
What does Tufts advise regarding sample size?
Applicants should propose study designs that are suitable to the proposed project and feasible for participating local agencies, staff, and participants. The sample size will depend on a number of factors including whether you are submitting a proposal to priority area 1 or priority area 2 and what outcomes you plan to measure. THIS-WIC will work with funded Agencies to finalize evaluation design.
In our state, CPAs do not have to be credentialed as Registered Dietitians (but must have a series of other qualifications). Can you please confirm that these staff members will be considered “qualified professionals” for the purpose of this grant? We felt confident about this, but are second guessing ourselves because of the definition of “qualified professionals” in the RFP and FAQs, and we would like to make absolute sure we are on the right track?
WIC State agencies use a variety of terms to identify the staff that provide WIC nutrition services according to their State policies. The WIC Federal regulations define the Competent Professional Authority (CPA). Additionally, the WIC Nutrition Services Standards provide recommended qualifications for WIC staff that perform nutrition services, including those that provide nutrition services associated with participant’s assessed with a complex (high) nutrition or breastfeeding risk. For purposes of this grant, qualified professionals are staff who provide expertise in complex nutrition and breastfeeding topics that are in accordance with WIC guidance and program scope. This may include Registered Dietitians (RD) and/or breastfeeding experts (i.e., IBCLC) who meet State staffing requirements. Such staff are those who implement individual care plans for participants that are assessed to have complex nutrition and breastfeeding concerns and in need of more targeted nutrition education and/or breastfeeding support contacts for their complex nutrition or breastfeeding concern. Qualified professionals are NOT paraprofessionals or any WIC staff. Therefore, State agencies may identify those professionals on their staff who meet the need of the grant.
Should partnering states applying as a consortium provide an agreement or similar document? We considered having them provide a letter of support, but aren’t sure this would be the appropriate document
Yes. The non-lead State Agencies should each complete a letter of support, addressed to the lead Agency, to document that they agree to the information and assurances provided by the lead Agency.
Given a team may be composed of a number of State Agencies, local agencies, university partners, et cetera, how should we define the key personnel relative to the significant contributors. For significant contributors, would you also like resumes or CVs or do we only indicate who the significant contributors are?
Key personnel will vary by project, so it’s up to each applicant to decide who will be instrumental to the success of the project. Biographical sketches only need to be provided for these key personnel (no more than five individuals). Applicants may use the staffing section of the proposal to describe additional personnel who will contribute to the project.
We do have a question related to the definition of qualified professionals and the description on the call as these being RDs or RNs. Does that mean that services from a nutrition educator or other WIC staff would not be considered?
WIC State agencies use a variety of terms to identify the staff that provide WIC nutrition services according to their State policies. The WIC Federal regulations define the Competent Professional Authority (CPA). Additionally, the WIC Nutrition Services Standards provide recommended qualifications for WIC staff that perform nutrition services, including those that provide nutrition services associated with participant’s assessed with a complex (high) nutrition or breastfeeding risk. For purposes of this grant, qualified professionals are staff who provide expertise in complex nutrition and breastfeeding topics that are in accordance with WIC guidance and program scope. This may include Registered Dietitians (RD) and/or breastfeeding experts (i.e., IBCLC) who meet State staffing requirements. Such staff are those who implement individual care plans for participants that are assessed to have complex nutrition and breastfeeding concerns and in need of more targeted nutrition education and/or breastfeeding support contacts for their complex nutrition or breastfeeding concern. Qualified professionals are NOT paraprofessionals or any WIC staff. Therefore, State agencies may identify those professionals on their staff who meet the need of the grant.
Now that we are submitting the full proposal, do we have to stay within a similar budget to the original request?
No. You can change the budget during the full proposal round. Project budgets should not exceed $1 million.
When might one establish a baseline to evaluate various items, Precovid or Covid?
THIS-WIC encourages applicants to use the timeline template to map out their implementation and evaluation process to assess telehealth solutions. THIS-WIC wants Agencies to think carefully when they might be able to begin the baseline data collection process. As a reminder, applicants have a 24-30-month period to implement and evaluate proposals. THIS-WIC encourages Agencies to speak to their ability to adapt potential research protocols (e.g., surveys, key informant interviews) to the COVID-19 pandemic when appropriate in the evaluation section of the full proposal. If State Agencies have adopted and begun implementing telehealth solutions in response to COVID, please take this into consideration when designing evaluation plans and speak to the extent that these solutions are being implemented in any local agencies you plan to engage for the proposed project.
How much detail in the evaluation design is expected in the proposal?
Descriptions of the proposed evaluation design should provide sufficient detail to allow reviewers to evaluate the proposed intervention with respect to gathering evidence that could inform effective strategies for implementing telehealth in WIC more broadly. Proposals should clearly explain and detail the following:
• Ability to implement the intervention in a randomized fashion or with comparison and treatment groups
• Capacity and commitment to collaborate with the THIS-WIC team on all aspects of the evaluation including ability to collect and share data and/or capacity-building activities to allow the grantee to build capacity to collect and share data
• Data management and, if applicable, current data analysis process
• Ability to provide documentation of procedures used to maintain the quality and integrity of all data and analyses
We encourage all applicants to review the RFP section on Evaluation Design for more information.
Are we able to use an outside entity to assist us with the evaluation piece, or is Tufts taking the lead on evaluation?
THIS-WIC will lead the evaluation of the projects in collaboration with the funded WIC SAs. Applicants will be expected to work with the THIS-WIC team to finalize the evaluation design for funded projects and to provide data necessary to evaluate the impact, feasibility, and acceptability of the intervention.
Academic organizations are allowed to support the proposal; however, academic organizations can only assist SAs and cannot lead any of the evaluation and/or data collection aspects of the process.
Any specific indicators you'll be looking for in the meta evaluation? For example, are you intending to look at reach, fidelity, etc.?
All applicants should review expectations related to evaluation and data collection, including the roles of THIS-WIC and that of State Agencies, please review this table.
Regarding specific indicators, applicants need to consider required outcomes of interest for their proposed telehealth intervention. While we expect that specific outcomes will vary depending on the proposed intervention, THIS-WIC requires that all funded projects include evaluation at each of the following levels:
- Process – Have intervention activities been implemented as intended?
- Intermediate – Are there short-term impacts (i.e., changes in knowledge and attitudes of participants) of the intervention?
- Impact – Are there longer-term changes (i.e., dietary intake, infant feeding practices, retention in WIC) that can be attributed to the intervention?
- Cost – What are the costs associated with the telehealth intervention at various levels, including participant, provider, and WIC agency (SA, local agency/clinic)?
I think I need a more in-depth answer to the baseline question regarding COVID-19 vs. pre-COVID-19. We have been utilizing telephone services recently and the THIS -WIC proposed program will include the video aspect of telehealth. So, in essence we would be building off of the current program design. So, I am still unsure on whether to use a baseline for pre-COVID-19 or during COVID-19?
In the evaluation section, if applicable, applicants should discuss any COVID-19 related data collection or evaluation that has been conducted around the implementation of telehealth solutions. However, THIS-WIC will work with funded Agencies to decide what baseline measurements work best for the proposed evaluation.
