State Capacity Building Initiative
A one-time funding opportunity by the Lifeline to encourage network capacity-building
About The RFP
The purpose of these temporary, two-year grants is to enhance long-term state support for Lifeline affiliated call centers and boost in-state answer rates. Properly resourcing such centers means more
calls can be answered in-state and fewer calls will be routed into Lifeline’s national backup network. This will result in greater numbers of callers experiencing shorter wait times and more efficient linkages to local treatment, support, and crisis/emergency services. Vibrant Emotional Health will award up to $5 million in grants in FY20 and up to another $5 million in FY21 to the same FY20 awardees so that local, regional and state-wide call centers are better able to manage Lifeline call volume.
The number of awards to be made depends on the budget levels of successful applicants. As the lead applicants, state/territory agencies must partner with Lifeline-affiliated call centers of their choosing and in their state/territory for this grant competition. Special provisions will be made for states/territories with no current Lifeline-affiliated centers (see Section II: Eligibility Information). The applicants must also provide robust sustainability plans in order to ensure answer rate gains are maintained after the grant period ends. States and U.S. Territories eligible for this grant competition are those with in-state answer rates less than 70%: AK, AL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MN, NV, NY, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WY, as well as American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Applications are due no later than August 30, 2019. Directions and application requirements are listed within the RFP. Frequently asked questions will also be added to this page regularly.