The e-NC Authority released the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the second round of this grant program February 27th.
All questions received before 5pm March 14, 2008 by the e-NC in connection with the PEG_RFP will be posted on this page along with an official response.
Questions should be sent to info@e-nc.org
Q:
Currently, our PEG Channel only displays words. Will the grant provide funding for increased capabilities such as slide shows and images?
A:
Grant funds may be used only for capital expenditures necessary to provide PEG channel programming. You must determine whether the expenditures for resources needed for the activities above, are capital expenditures.
Q:
Can a local government that had a PEG channel previously certified, still has a PEG channel that does not meet certification standards, apply for this grant?
A:
Under this Request for Proposals, qualified PEG channels are defined as channels certified by the North Carolina Department of Revenue as of July 15, 2007, and as any list of such channels may be corrected or updated by the NCDoR. To request funding for a channel, it must have been included on the July 15 certified list, or have been added since that time.
Q:
Are expenditures for PEG-related capital items budgeted for in FY07-08 but have already been made by the time we submit our grant proposal (i.e. between July 1, 2007, and Nov. 28, 2007) eligible as matching funds for the grant we are requesting?
A:
The match must be provided in the same fiscal year as the e-NC grant, and must be provided prior to, or at the same time, as any e-NC grant funding under this program. The matching funds must be used for capital expenditures. If the funding has already been spent, in this fiscal year, the application would need to explain how the matching funds were used, and how this expense qualifies as a capital expenditure.
Q:
I'll be in the area and was wondering if it would be okay if I delivered a PEG channel grant application in person. I'll bring both the CD and printed/signed versions.
A:
Applications may be submitted in person during office hours. The e-NC Authority is housed inside the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center in the Wake County Office Park. The Rural Center is open from 8:00am-5:00pm, Monday-Friday.
The e-NC Authority
At the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center
4021 Carya Drive
Raleigh, North Carolina 27610
Phone: 919-250-4314
Q:
What is the time frame for using the PEG Channel Capital Expenditures grant? If it is awarded in December does it have to be spent in 6 months, 12 months etc.
Second, when will the next grant cycle begin? Is this a yearly program or will it be done every six months etc…
A:
As noted in the Request for Proposals, we anticipate that the grant awards will be made by the end of December 2007. Any grants selected for funding will be awarded conditioned upon execution of a funding agreement. Grant agreements are anticipated to expire on or before June 30, 2008. However, the actual term will be determined based upon the grant application and shall be identified in the grant agreement.
This grant program is contingent upon availability of funding. The funding source for the current year’s program is a one-time allocation of $1 million from the N.C. General Assembly. As of right now, there is only one grant cycle planned. If the full $ 1million is not awarded under this grant cycle, the e-NC Authority will evaluate the best way to coordinate an additional grant cycle.
Q:
We are in the process of establishing a channel with TWC, but are not yet certified. How do we become certified with NCDoR? Have we completely missed the boat this year? What about future years?
A:
To obtain information on how to file the Cable Franchise Tax and Subscriber Fee Certification with the N.C. Department of Revenue (NCDoR), you will need to contact the NCDoR directly.
Under this Request for Proposals, qualified PEG Channels are defined as channels certified by the North Carolina Department of Revenue as of July 15, 2007, and as any list of such channels may be corrected or updated by the NCDoR. It is, however, anticipated that grant awards will be made by December 14, 2007.
As of right now, there is only one grant cycle planned. The funding source for the current year’s program is a one-time allocation of $1 million from the N.C. General Assembly. If the full $1 million is not awarded under this grant cycle, the e-NC Authority will evaluate the best way to coordinate an additional grant cycle. At this time, we do not know the status of future funding for this program.
Q:
In reference to the question posted on the internet "Q: Are expenditures for PEG-related capital items budgeted for in FY07-08 but have already been made by the time we submit our grant proposal (i.e. between July 1, 2007, and Nov. 28, 2007) eligible as matching funds for the grant we are requesting?
A: The match must be provided in the same fiscal year as the e-NC grant, and must be provided prior to, or at the same time, as any e-NC grant funding under this program. The matching funds must be used for capital expenditures. If the funding has already been spent, in this fiscal year, the application would need to explain how the matching funds were used, and how this expense qualifies as a capital expenditure."
Are you saying that the grant money can be used for capital expenses already purchased in this fiscal year of 07-08?
A:
No, the answer you refer to addresses the matching funds. The grant funding provided by the e-NC Authority is not to be utilized for expenses incurred by the Grantee prior to the Effective Date of the Grant Agreement or subsequent to the Termination Date of the Grant Agreement.
Each grantee will be required to enter into a Grant Agreement with the e-NC Authority once the award determinations are made. We will try to get the agreements underway as soon as possible after the awards are made (presumably on December 14). Grant agreements are anticipated to expire on or before June 30, 2008.
Q:
Regarding the Program Narrative portion of the PEG Grant application, specifically:
"Briefly describe the total number of channels provided to the Applicant via their cable franchise agreement, and the type(s) of programming associated with each channel."
Does the "total number of channels" refer to the complete channel lineup that the cable company offers to customers in the jurisdiction, or is it referring to the total number of channels offered to the government for its use?
A:
The “total number of channels” refers only to the PEG channels provided to the local government applicant through their cable franchise agreement.
Q:
Is one piece of equipment that costs approximately $40,000.00 eligible for a grant? In other words the grant would pay for $20,000.00 and we would match $20,000.00 to purchase the equipment.
A:
Yes.
Q:
The county has approached us to apply for funding to provide closed captioning for our county PEG channel. Is the purchase of the equipment necessary to provide this service an eligible request under this program?
A:
Grant funds may be used only for capital expenditures necessary to provide PEG channel programming. The applicant must determine whether it considers the expenditures for the resources mentioned to be capital expenditures necessary for PEG channel programming. If so, this reasoning must be relayed through the application.
Q:
Please clarify the timeline for when grant funding can be spent versus when the matching funds can be spent.
A:
The grant funding provided by e-NC is intended for expenses incurred once the grant award is made (and within the dates of the grant agreement - which will be executed after the awards are made).
N.C.G.S. 66-359(b)(4) states that grantees can receive one grant per fiscal year. Since the grant funds were made available after the beginning of the current fiscal year (FY 07-08), e-NC understands that potential grantees are interested to know whether grant funds must be matched from the grantees' funds spent for capital items after the grant award. The e-NC Authority believes that grant funds and matching funds can be spent only after the grant award. However, the e-NC Authority may consider obligations of funds made earlier in the same fiscal year by the applicant, to count as the match, if the explanation and reasoning provided in the application warrants this consideration. Applicants may supply other information if such is believed to support both the matching requirements and the fiscal year limitations set forth in the statute.
