Navigating the SEED Grant

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If you’re a county government looking to improve your spatial data management, the SEED grant offers a unique opportunity to secure funding for your projects. This one-time, non-competitive grant program awards state-appropriated funds to eligible subrecipients, with the goal of enhancing key data frameworks. Here’s everything you need to know about the SEED grant, from funding, timeline, and project prioritization, to how success is measured.

Grant Funding Overview

The SEED grant provides financial support for counties, offering awards ranging from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $30,000. Counties demonstrating an exceptional need may request additional funding, provided that extra funds are available.

Counties applying for the grant must develop a detailed budget during the application process. Allowable costs include personnel, fringe benefits, contractual costs, supplies, and other costs. Expenses for supplies such as general office supplies and software are eligible, but only if they are used solely for the project and are properly justified. The total cost for all supplies is capped at $5,000, including any amendments. If you request funds in the “Other” category, it’s crucial to provide thorough details.

Timeline and Application Process

The solicitation for the SEED grant is available for viewing now on the Indiana State Budget Agency (SBA) website , but applications will not open until October 14, 2024. The first application due date is November 12, 2024. Applications will be reviewed monthly for the next 15 months, with a maximum of eight (8) awards given each month. If more than eight (8) eligible applications are received in a single month, those that aren’t awarded will carry forward to the next month.

It’s important to apply early in the cycle because only eight (8) awards will be granted in the final month.

Key Details for Applicants

Here are some key questions and their answers:

• Q: How many times can I apply, and how long do I have to complete the project?
  • A: You can apply once, and you have one year from the date of the award to complete your project.
• Q: How do I get a baseline report of my data quality?
  • A: If you or your vendor have been onboarded to the VEP (Validate – Edit – Provision) system, you can use it to run a validation report.  If not, the IGIO office will provide a report upon request. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) found in the Files section of the solicitation found on the SBA website provides instructions for submitting a request.

Project Prioritization

The SEED grant program prioritizes projects into three levels. While funds may be used for projects in any priority level, you must first verify that all higher priority projects meet the success criteria outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to apply for funding for lower-level priority projects.

• Priority One: Includes creating or improving address ranges, alias street names, and street centerline data.
• Priority Two: Focuses on improving parcel data and incorporated community boundaries.
• Priority Three: Includes improving administrative boundaries, police/fire/EMS boundaries and conducting MSAG and ALI GIS reconciliation

Key Requirements

To be eligible for funding your project must meet several important requirements:

• Inclusive Data Improvements: All data improvements must be countywide, without excluding specific areas like cities or towns.
• Collaboration: Counties are expected to work closely with other agencies and departments ensuring a coordinated approach to data quality management and sustainability once the project is completed.
• Knowledge Assessment: Any party performing data improvements must complete a Knowledge Assessment, which involves reviewing map and attribute data and identifying issues. The Knowledge Assessment is available in the Files section of the solicitation found on the SBA website. Once completed, the Knowledge Assessment should be submitted via email to giogrants@iot.in.gov.

How Is Success Measured?

To demonstrate the effectiveness of the grant program, success will be measured in two ways:

1. Schema and Domain Accuracy: The data must comply with the NG911 data schema, ensuring that fields are correctly populated.
2. Validation Through VEP: The data will be passed through various validation rules using the VEP platform.

What Defines Success?

At the end of the project’s performance period (one-year from date of award), success is achieved when your data:

• Adheres to the NG911 data schema, and
• Meets the minimum passing scores outlined in the NOFO after being validated through the VEP platform.

Applying for Grant Funding

In 2023, the State of Indiana adopted a new grant management system called eCivis. Part of a larger initiative to improve grant management in Indiana, eCivis will track grants from application to closeout, establishing a more effective framework for managing grants. All state agencies are required to use this new grant management system to manage state and federal grants and fulfill their subrecipient monitoring responsibilities.

Applicants for state and federal grants from the Indiana Office of Technology will access grant solicitations via the SBA website or private link. Applications will be submitted electronically through the eCivis Grants Portal, and applicants will receive their award notices via eCivis. Following receipt of their award, applicants will use eCivis to manage their grants, including submitting activity reports, requesting reimbursement, and conducting grant close-out activities.

For training materials, technical support, and other information about eCivis, please visit the Indiana State Budget Agency website at www.in.gov/sba/grants.

To access available grant solicitations, please visit the State Agency Grant Opportunities section of the State Budget Agency website.

Conclusion

The spatial data managed and developed at the county level supports many state agencies, the federal government, non-governmental agencies, and the private sector. The SEED grant offers a valuable opportunity to enhance the quality of these spatial datasets, with a goal of achieving accurate and reliable geospatial data that drives informed decision-making, improves operational efficiency and promotes sustainable practices.

Stay In Touch

For additional information and resources regarding the grant process, please email us at giogrants@iot.in.gov or visit our website.