CCAP CCAP Grant Writing & Fund Development 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal agency administers Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds that most Community Action Agencies rely on?
- Office of Community Services (OCS) within HHS (Correct answer)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
- Small Business Administration (SBA)
Correct answer: Office of Community Services (OCS) within HHS
The Office of Community Services, part of the Administration for Children and Families within HHS, oversees the CSBG program.
Question 2: What does the term 'match requirement' mean in the context of a federal grant award?
- The grantee must contribute a specified percentage of non-federal funds alongside the federal award (Correct answer)
- The agency must hire staff whose qualifications match the grant description
- The proposed budget must match the previous year's spending
- Program outcomes must match the original application targets
Correct answer: The grantee must contribute a specified percentage of non-federal funds alongside the federal award
A match requirement obligates the grantee to provide non-federal resources (cash or in-kind) equal to a specified portion of the total project cost.
Question 3: An agency's grant writer discovers that a foundation's Request for Proposals prohibits multi-year funding. The best response is to:
- Design a one-year project with a clear sustainability plan for future funding (Correct answer)
- Apply for the maximum one-year amount and plan to reapply annually
- Request an exception citing the agency's track record
- Submit a letter of inquiry asking the foundation to reconsider
Correct answer: Design a one-year project with a clear sustainability plan for future funding
Designing within funder constraints while demonstrating long-term sustainability shows the agency's competence and respects funder guidelines.
Question 4: Which element of a logic model represents the direct products of program activities, such as workshops held or clients served?
- Outputs (Correct answer)
- Outcomes
- Inputs
- Impact
Correct answer: Outputs
Outputs are the measurable, countable products of activities (e.g., number of training sessions delivered), distinct from outcomes which measure change.
Question 5: When preparing a grant budget, 'in-kind contributions' are best described as:
- Non-cash resources such as volunteer time or donated goods that support the project (Correct answer)
- Cash donations from community members
- Fees waived by partner organizations billed to the grant
- Unspent funds returned to the funder at year-end
Correct answer: Non-cash resources such as volunteer time or donated goods that support the project
In-kind contributions are non-monetary resources—volunteer hours, donated space, or materials—that have a documentable dollar value.
Question 6: A CCAP professional notices that 80% of the agency's revenue comes from one federal grant. The most appropriate action is to:
- Develop a diversification plan targeting new foundations, local government, and earned income sources (Correct answer)
- Negotiate a larger award from the existing funder to reduce administrative overhead
- Cut programs not funded by the primary grant to streamline operations
- Hire a development director funded entirely by the existing grant
Correct answer: Develop a diversification plan targeting new foundations, local government, and earned income sources
Over-reliance on a single funding source is a critical sustainability risk; diversification across funding types and sources is the standard corrective action.
CCAP CCAP Grant Writing & Fund Development 2
Which federal agency administers Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds that most Community Action Agencies rely on?