Application Review Process
Review of the programmatic merits of Contracted Human Services applications are made by the Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC).

The objective of the advisory council is to utilize Contracted Human Services funding to fund the services that are identified and prioritized as being most critical or strategically effective to the well-being of the community.

The members of the Human Services Advisory Council have adopted a specific rating criteria to be used to evaluate the requests for Contracted Human Services funding. These criteria are described in the following sections:

	Agency Capacity (25 points)
	Program Capacity (50 points)
	Evaluation (85 points)
	Financial Capacity (40 points)

Rating Criteria
Agency Capacity (25 points)

A. Administrative (12 points)

• Is the background and previous experience of the agency administrator/director consistent with the responsibilities of the position?
• Are the agency’s credentials, accreditations, and licenses current and appropriate for the programs being proposed?
• Does the agency utilize volunteers?
• Is there an effective plan describing how volunteers will be recruited, what skills and qualifications will be expected, and how volunteers will be utilized to supplement the work of agency staff?
• To what extent has the agency been successful in securing matching funds from other sources to supplement County resources?

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B. Governance (9 points)

• Does the agency have an effective governing board, i.e. one that meets on a regular basis, with active members that are knowledgeable of the agency’s operations?
• Does the governing board have a significant role in establishing policy for the agency; in monitoring operations and service quality; in reviewing, approving, and overseeing the agency’s budget? 
• Does the agency make effective use of advisory committees?
• Do clients have an opportunity to participate through these committees or otherwise have a voice in the agency’s policies and procedures? 
• Do new employees receive orientation/training at the beginning of their employment?
• Do program staff receive pre-service training regarding their job responsibilities?
• Do they receive in-service training? [source: site visit]

C. Facility (4 points)

• Is the facility to be used by this program clean, adequate for the program, and in good repair?
• Is the facility accessible to persons with disabilities?
• If there are problems in this area, does the agency have plans in place to address these problems?

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Program Capacity (50 points)

A. Justification of need (20 Points)

• Does the proposal provide sound documentation that the program meets an identified need in the community?
• How was the need for the program identified? (cite source data) [Source: Program Narrative Question 2]
• What are the anticipated adverse effects of not providing services to meet the unmet needs? [Source: Program Narrative Question 2]
• Is there a formal waiting list for the services to be provided?
• If yes, how many persons are on the list and what is the average wait time to receive services? [Source: Program Narrative Question 4]

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B. Target Population (15 points)

• Does the proposal clearly identify the target population to be served by the program? How many clients are to be served? Where is the target population located? [Source: Program Narrative Question 4]
• Is the basis for the selection of the target population reasonable and logical? [Source: Program Narrative Question 4]
• Does the agency have previous successful experience in serving this target population? [Source: Program Narrative Question 4]
• Will the program be readily accessible to the target population?
• Is the facility located in an area which is convenient to the program’s clients?
• Is the facility accessible by public transportation?
• Are the program’s services offered at times which are appropriate and convenient for the target population? [Source: Program Narrative Question 4]
• Does the agency have a plan for marketing its services?
• How will clients be referred to the program? [Source: Program Narrative Question 4]
• Does the program make accommodations for persons with special needs? [Source: Program Narrative Question 4]

C. Program Resources (15 points)

• Is the agency’s proposed staffing plan for the program sufficient to operate the program? What is the proposed staff/client ratio, and is it reasonable? [Source: Salaries By Program]
• Is the agency’s staff culturally diverse, consistent with the population served? [Source: Salaries By Program]
• Are the minimum job requirements (education, training, and experience) of program staff appropriate for their responsibilities? [Source: Salaries By Program]

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Evaluation (85 points)

A. Program Evaluation (7 points)

• If this is an existing program, has there been a formal program evaluation completed in the past two years? If yes, has the agency made effective use of the evaluation results? [Source: Site Visit]
• Are clients and/or direct care staff involved in the evaluation of services?
• How is the feedback utilized to improve services? [Source: Site Visit]
• Does the agency have an effective mechanism for determining client satisfaction with the programs and services it offers? How is the client feedback utilized to make program improvements? [Source: Site Visit]

B. Previous Program Performance (20 points)

• If this an existing program currently funded through the Contracted Human Services Program, how well the program meet its outcome measures included in the agency’s contract for FY 2002-2003 and FY 2003-2004? [Source: Performance Report Provided By Staff]

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C. Consistency with CHS Program Policy Framework (25 points)

• To what extent is the proposed program consistent with the mission statement, the priority outcome areas and sub-areas, and the service definitions included in the Contracted Human Services Program policy framework? [Source: Program Narrative Intro and Question 1]
• To what extent does this program directly impact the FY 2007 Community Outcome Targets included in the policy framework?
• Is the linkage between the program and the community outcome target(s) clear, logical, and reasonable? [Source: Program Narrative Question 3]
• Does the program provide services which directly benefit individuals or families? [Source: Program Narrative Question 1]
• If the services to be provided do not directly benefit individuals or families, do the services build the community’s capacity to meet the needs of individuals and families indirectly through enhancing infrastructure? [Source: Program Narrative Question 1]

D. Program Design (18 points)

• Does the program goal clearly state what the program is intended to accomplish? Is the program goal consistent with the agency’s mission statement? [Source: Program Narrative Intro]
• Is the program logic model complete (inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes), clearly stated, and reasonable? [Source: Logic Model]
• Is the program outcome measurement plan complete (outcomes, indicators and targets, data source and tool, and frequency), clearly stated, meaningful, and reasonable? [Source: Outcome Measurement Plan]

E. Collaboration (15 points)

• Does the proposed program represent a collaborative effort with other agencies or organizations? If yes, does this collaboration involve joint funding with other partners and/or coordination of service delivery?
• Is there evidence that the collaborative efforts can be expected to produce better results and/or lower costs? [Source: Program Narrative Question 5]
• How would the proposed program work with other provider agencies to better serve the target population? Does the agency have formal linkages with other agencies to accomplish this? [Source: Program Narrative Question 6]
• Does the applicant have a plan to minimize duplication between the services offered by this agency and those of other organizations? [Source: Program Narrative Question 6]

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Financial Capacity (40 points)

A. Agency Fiscal Capacity (20 points)

• Does the agency have the financial capacity to provide and manage the program? (Operating Efficiency)
• Has the agency developed a diversified funding base? Would programs/services be critically affected if one funding source were to be reduced or eliminated? (Funding Diversity)
• Has the agency demonstrated successful (consistent or growing) fund-raising efforts? (Funding Diversity)
• Has the agency actively sought out funding from governmental sources (local, state, federal) and/or private or public foundations? (Funding Diversity)
• Does the agency have a foundation? If yes, does the foundation generate funds for operations? If yes, how are these funds used? (Funding Diversity)
• Does the agency demonstrate a history of stable income and expenses? (Operating Efficiency)
• Has the agency been audited within the past two years? Were significant audit exceptions reported? (Fiscal Controls)
• Does the agency maintain adequate fiscal controls? (Fiscal Controls)
• Are there significant changes in the agency’s budget? (Significant Changes in Budget)
• Does the agency have fiscal reserves? (Conclusion)

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B. Program Budget (20 points)

• Is the proposed budget complete, accurate, and adequately explained? (Significant Changes in Budget)
• Has the agency secured funding for this program from other sources in order to leverage the Contracted Human Services Program funds being requested and reduce dependence on County funds? (Funding Diversity)
• Are the proposed revenue projections from other funding sources clearly defined and are they realistic? (Funding Diversity)
• Are fees charged to clients for the services provided through this program? If yes, are the fees based on a means test [sliding fee scale]? (Funding Diversity)
• If this is an existing program, are the variances between the current year budget and the proposed budget for FY 2005 adequately explained and are they reasonable? (Significant Changes in Budget)

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