FAQ: Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship (NAT) Program

Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-23-002

• Application Package
• Accreditation
• Program Requirements and Expectations
• ANE Program Specific Data Forms
• Maintenance of Effort
• Funding Restrictions

Application Package

Are applicants required to submit a Research & Related Budget form?

No. You are not required to submit a Research & Related Budget form. 

However, to submit the application package, you need to enter any required information on the Research & Related Budget form. Enter “0” for boxes that require monetary figure and leave the optional boxes blank. 

For Budget Justification attachment, create (and submit) a simple Word document stating that budget justification is not required for NAT Grant. 

For assistance with the application workspace, contact GRANTS.GOV Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Are applicants required to submit the Standardized Work Plan (SWP) form even though it is listed under “Optional forms”?

Yes. The SWP is mandatory for NAT. You must complete and electronically submit the SWP Form as part of the application submitted through Grants.gov. 

Note: You should include a brief workplan narrative in addition to the SWP. The program goals for this NOFO must be entered in the Program Goals section of the SWP Form. For example, Goal 1 in the Purpose section of the NOFO will need to be entered as Goal 1 in the SWP Form. Objectives and sub-objectives can be tailored to your project needs. 

The SWP Form is organized by budget period and must include all activities and deliverables for each objective and program goal. The applicant must complete information on all 4 Budget Years for the NAT SWP.

The Project Director must register in the HRSA electronic handbook (EHB) once award is made, to review and finalize the completed SWP. 

Are applicants required to submit Attachments even though it is listed under “Optional forms”?

Yes. Required Attachments are mandatory. You must complete and electronically submit the Required Attachments Form as part of the application submitted through Grants.gov. Other Not Required Attachments can be submitted as applicable. 

Accreditation

Are new programs that have not been fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation eligible?

You must submit a Letter of Reasonable Assurance from the U.S. Department of Education with your application if you are not accredited at the time of submission. Please refer to Page 17 of the NOFO for more details.

Program Requirements and Expectations

Can you define "secure technical support" under the Program Requirements and Expectations section of the NOFO? 

You are no longer required to secure technical assistance from the HRSA-supported nursing workforce development technical assistance provider for this NOFO. Applicants may modify their applications to reflect this change.

ANE Program Specific Data Forms

On the ANE data specific data forms, should applicants only fill out the NAT column or is additional information about enrollment in colleges of nursing required?

You should only fill out Nurse Anesthetist column in the tables on the ANE data specific data forms for NAT. 

Maintenance of Effort

What should applicants include in the Attachment 4: Maintenance of Effort section?

The NAT award recipient must agree to maintain non-federal funding for award activities at a level that is not less than expenditures for such activities maintained by the entity for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the entity receives the award. Such federal funds are intended to supplement, not supplant, existing non-federal expenditures for such activities. 

Complete the Maintenance of Effort information and submit providing a baseline aggregate expenditure for the prior fiscal year and an estimate for the next fiscal year using a chart like the one in page 18 of the NOFO.

Funding Restrictions

Can the NAT award be used for purchase equipment or software for educational purposes of NAT in support of the proposed plan?

Allowable equipment and software can be purchased to carry out the NAT’s program goals; however, the cost must be within the 8% indirect cost limit. Refer to allowable equipment cost in SF-424 R&R Application Guidance.

NAT Traineeship (direct) funds may only be used to cover full or partial costs of tuition and fees, cost for books, and other reasonable living expenses (such as stipends).   

What are “reasonable living expenses”?   

Costs used to offset general living expenses such as commuting, childcare, and so on. A cost is reasonable if its nature and amount do not exceed what a prudent person would incur under the circumstances at the time the decision to incur the cost was made.