The Grant & Contract Evaluation Tool (“Tool”) is designed for state staff to evaluate and improve grants and contracts practices to ensure healthy outcomes for all Californians. This Tool is a resource hosted by the California Health in All Policies (HiAP) Task Force. Navigate below to Using the Tool to learn more.
This tool offers the opportunity for agencies to:
- Reflect on diverse grantmaking and contracting approaches, with opportunities to further align standards, systems, and processes for greater consistency.
- Increase the focus on improving the grantee/contractor experience, including simplifying invoicing, reporting, and application requirements to reduce barriers.
- Streamline grant management practices across programs, by strengthening user-friendly and accessible systems and expanding technical assistance.
- Consider Tribes and communities as essential partners, with opportunities to enhance their capacity to access and manage funding.
- Create more flexible funding approaches to advance equity and accessibility.
As a central resource, the Tool supports state staff to build effective, meaningful, and equitable partnerships with Tribes and communities as well as small businesses and organizations that do business with the state.
This tool offers considerations for state staff to:
- Center Tribal and community input in grants and contracts, including development of programs and outreach initiatives
- Develop compensation mechanisms for community participation
- Provide guidelines for accessible language
- Provide technical assistance (TA)
- Gather feedback from past grantees and contractors through outreach and engagement
Using the Tool
The tool includes an interactive section for each of the steps listed below. Each step represents common considerations when administering grants and/or contracts.
Users can explore each section to learn about best practices and questions for consideration to ensure fair and effective partnership building. The tool was built as a living document and may receive additional information and resources over time.
Click on each of the steps below to navigate to each section.
Building the Application
Navigating the Application Process
Application Administrative Requirements
Post-Award Processes
Closing Out a Grant or Contract
Additional Considerations
If you’d like a reference document of the Tool that you can fill out as you evaluate your grant or contract, please reach out to HiAP@sgc.ca.gov.
Acknowledgements
This HiAP Grant and Contract Evaluation Tool meets a commitment of the California Strategic Growth Council to advance capacity building, equity, and partnerships for all Californians, including its most under-resourced communities. This tool is hosted by the California Health in All Policies Task Force and was developed with support from the Equity and Wellness Institute.
Communities know what they need to grow and thrive, but often do not have the same access to sufficient resources to engage in comprehensive planning or access competitive funding to build resilience. State-provided technical assistance (TA) is essential to ensuring under-resourced communities can access the tools, resources, and funding necessary to support equitable community-driven transformation. — Strategic Growth Council Priority 2, Advancing Capacity Building as a Key Equity Strategy