Community-based Suicide Prevention Grant Request for Proposals

The Minnesota Department of Health, herein after MDH, is soliciting proposals for community-based suicide prevention in Minnesota, which will serve the needs of Minnesotans at risk of suicide. 

View the complete Minnesota Community-based Suicide Prevention Grant Request for Proposals (PDF)

Funding and project dates

MDH is seeking proposals for the grant period July 1, 2023-June 30, 2027. The department will award up to 2,855,000.00. 

Activity 1: Regional Suicide Prevention Coordinators.

Activity 2: Comprehensive Suicide Prevention: Develop and evaluate a comprehensive suicide prevention model in a targeted community of high need and risk. 

It is anticipated that up to $2,855,000.00 will be available for each year of the grant period. A minimum of four grants or 25% of the available funding is reserved for an American Indian community-based organization (tribal or non-tribal). 

Eligible Applicants

Applicants eligible to apply in this competitive process include, but are not limited to, local public health and social services agencies, nonprofit organizations, tribal governments, tribal organizations, and urban tribal organizations, units of government, schools and/or school districts, health care organizations, faith communities, emergency response organizations and other interested agencies demonstrating experience (or that desire the experience) to provide evidence-based or practice-based-evidence suicide prevention. Applicants must be located within and conduct grant activities in the state of Minnesota.

Multi-organization collaboration is welcomed and encouraged.

MDH recognizes the sovereignty of Tribal nations. MDH will only fund non-Tribal projects led in Tribal communities if the applicant has full support of the Tribal government.

Letter of Intent

Organizations intending to submit a proposal should email a Letter of Intent by 4:30 p.m., by Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Letters of Intent are requested and not used as a screening tool. Letters of Intent are used by MDH to assist staff in planning for adequate agency resources to complete the proposal review process. An email is sufficient.  

Letters should be an email with “Suicide Prevention RFP Grant Letter of Intent” that provides in the body of the email the name of the agency and contact information for people who would like to receive communications related to the RFP. An email acknowledging the Letter of Intent was received will be emailed to the contact person identified for the agency submitting the letter. 

Letters of Intent should be sent via email to: health.suicideprev.MDH@state.mn.us

Questions and Answers

All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted by email to health.suicideprev.MDH@state.mn.us. In the subject line of the email, include the phrase, “Suicide Prevention RFP Question.” All answers will be posted to the MDH website within two business days at Community-based Suicide Prevention Grant RFP Questions and Answers. and can be accessed by navigating to the URL, viewing the “Suicide Prevention RFP Questions Response”  

Questions regarding retrieving data from public data sources will be directed to MDH’s senior suicide prevention epidemiologist, Stefan Gingerich. Applicants may submit data questions by phone to Stefan Gingerich at 651-201-5449 or email at stefan.gingerich@state.mn.us. All inquiries will be responded to within two business days directly to the applicant. The subject line of the email should be “Suicide Prevention RFP Data Question.” 

Please submit questions no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Time, on March 17, 2023. 

To ensure the proper and fair evaluation of all applications, other communications regarding this RFP including verbal, telephone, written, or internet initiated by or on behalf of any applicant to any employee of the Department, other than questions submitted as outlined above, are prohibited. Any violation of this prohibition may result in the disqualification of the applicant. 

While applicants may not communicate with MDH staff regarding the RFP itself, applicants may communicate with MDH staff regarding requests for data. MDH staff may not advise any grantees on their application or review drafts of proposals.  

RFP Information Meeting

MDH hosted a one-hour webinar meeting (Microsoft Teams Meeting) to assist applicants in preparing an application. All prospective applicants were encouraged to attend, but attendance was not required. The PowerPoint and all questions and answers from the one-hour webinar are posted at Community-based Suicide Prevention Grant RFP Questions and Answers.

January 17, 2023: 1 p.m.- 2 p.m. (Central Standard Time)  

Application and Submission instructions

All applications must be received by MDH no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Time, on March 22, 2023. If applications are mailed, they must be postmarked by March 22, 2023, and received by MDH no later than March 30, 2023.  

Late applications will not be accepted. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to allow sufficient time to address all potential delays caused by any reason whatsoever. MDH will not be responsible for delays caused by mail, delivery, computer, or technology problems. The applicant will incur all costs incurred in applying to this RFP. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications via email to health.suicideprev.MDH@state.mn.us with the subject “Community Suicide Prevention RFP Application – (Insert applicant organization name)  

Applicants who are unable to submit via email may submit their application via mail. If submitting by mail, please submit a single printed copy bound with a paper clip (do not staple). Applications may not be hand-delivered to MDH. Applications submitted by mail must be sent to:  

Minnesota Department of Health 

Suicide Prevention Unit – Attn: Tanya Carter 

2312 College Way 

Fergus Falls, MN 56537 

tanya.carter@state.mn.us 

For complete application instructions and additional information, see Minnesota Community-based Suicide Prevention Grant Request for Proposals (PDF)

Application attachments:

• Attachment A: Minnesota Community-Based Suicide Prevention Grant Application Form (Word) (Includes Narrative Questions, Work Plan, Budget Summary and Detailed Budget 
• Attachment B: Sample Grant Agreement (PDF)
• Attachment C: Invoice Template (PDF)
• Attachment D: Application Scoring Criteria Scorecard (PDF)
• Attachment E: Due Diligence form (PDF)
• Attachment F: RFP Checklist (PDF)