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640307 - FY26 RFP FWBPECA26002 for Thrive Iowa
Funding Opportunity Details
Early Intervention and Support
Final Application Deadline: Dec 1, 2025 4:00 PM
Status Closed
Posted Date Oct 15, 2025 7:20 AM
Award Amount RangeNo Limit - $138,500.00
Project Dates 01/01/2026 - 06/01/2029
Award Announcement Date 12/15/2025
Categorical Area
Recurring Opportunity
Program Officer Page Humphrey
Phone (515) 343-6459 x
Description
It is the responsibility of the Applicant to review all Attachments listed below for additional details regarding this Funding Opportunity.
The issuance of this Funding Opportunity in no way constitutes a commitment by Iowa HHS to award a contract.
Excerpts from the RFP:
Purpose
The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) # FWBPECA26002 is to solicit applications that will enable the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (referred to as Agency) to select the most qualified applicants to serve as the backbone organization(s) for the Thrive Iowa initiative. Thrive Iowa is a community-led initiative to move families from crisis to career utilizing the collective impact model with support from Restore Hope. The initiative’s overarching goals include family stability in 13 areas of Social Determinants of Health with an emphasis on family preservation and prevention of child welfare crisis. The initiative provides training, collaborative case management, and technical support to create sustainable, impactful changes in each participating site.
Schedule of Important Dates (All times and dates listed are local Iowa time.)
The following dates are set forth for informational purposes. The Agency reserves the right to change them.
EVENT
DATE
RFP Issued
October 15, 2025
Written Questions and Responses
Questions Due:
Responses Posted By:
November 3, 2025
November 14, 2025
Applications Due
December 1, 2025, by 4:00 PM Local Iowa Time
Post Notice of Intent to Award
On or about December 15, 2025
Attachments
| Description | File Name | Type | Size | Upload Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #FWBPECA26002 Thrive Iowa | A. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FWBPECA26002 Thrive Iowa.pdf | 399 KB | 10/15/2025 10:19 AM | |
| B. HHS Application Forms Instruction Guidance (IowaGrants) | B. HHS Application Forms Instruction Guidance IowaGrants.pdf | 2 MB | 10/14/2025 03:43 PM | |
| C. Thrive Iowa Draft Contract | C. Thrive Iowa Draft Contract.pdf | 285 KB | 10/14/2025 03:43 PM | |
| D. Thrive Iowa Draft Scoring Tool | D. Thrive Iowa Draft Scoring Tool.pdf | 74 KB | 10/14/2025 03:43 PM | |
| E. Iowa HHS District Map | E. Iowa HHS District Map.pdf | 384 KB | 10/15/2025 10:20 AM | |
| F. Expectations for Coordinators | F. Expectations for Coordinators.pdf | 87 KB | 10/14/2025 03:44 PM | |
| G. Expectations for Navigators | G. Expectations for Navigators.pdf | 89 KB | 10/14/2025 03:44 PM | |
| H. Standards | H. Standards.pdf | 4 MB | 10/14/2025 03:44 PM |
Website links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| A. IowaGrants Registration and Login Instructions | https://dom.iowa.gov/state-government/grant-management |
| B. General Terms and Contingent Terms | https://hhs.iowa.gov/initiatives/contract-terms |
| Submitted Date | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 20, 2025 9:46 AM | It looks like the RFP is only for districts 3,4, and 6? Will there be another RFP for the other districts? | Correct, this RFP is for Districts 3, 4 and 6. Future opportunities will be posted on IowaGrants.gov. |
| Oct 28, 2025 5:09 AM | Will an awarded grantee be expected to serve all counties in the designated service area, and if so, what is the timeline surrounding the expectation to be operational in all counties? | One Backbone Organization (Contractor) will be selected from each eligible district. Applicants must identify the counties within their district they plan to serve. Applicants may start off serving one county but should include in their application a plan to become a multi-county site. |
| Oct 28, 2025 5:10 AM | Will navigators be meeting in person with those being served, or is the work conducted virtually or by phone? If in person, are there set obligations for the frequency of in person meetings or certain activities that have to be completed in person? | Navigators meet at least once a month in-person with participants in an office or public setting. Navigators also have phone, text and email contact with participants. Home visits are not a component of the Thrive Iowa program. Applicants should refer to Attachment H of the RFP for more information. |
| Oct 28, 2025 5:12 AM | Are two full time (40 hours/week) navigators required, or could the contractor have staff performing the navigator role on a part-time basis, as long as the total equivalent of staffing equaled 2 full-time positions? | Navigator positions are full-time, 40 hours per week. Part-time positions will not be accepted. |
| Oct 28, 2025 5:13 AM | If in-person services are a required component, will home visits be required for clients with transportation barriers? | Home visits are not a component of the Thrive Iowa program. In-person contact with participants occurs in an office or public setting. Other forms of allowable contact include phone, text and email. |
| Oct 28, 2025 5:14 AM | Is the Coordinator allowed to work remotely at all, or must the coordinator's work always be done from an office setting? | The Coordinator position is an onsite position and may not work remotely. The Backbone Organization is responsible for providing the office space for the Coordinator and Navigators. The Coordinator is expected to have an active presence in the community. |
| Oct 28, 2025 5:15 AM | Is the time spent in supervision of the Coordinator (for instance by an agency Director) an allowable cost towards the contract? | Yes, time spent in supervision of the Coordinator would be considered an administrative expense. |
| Oct 28, 2025 5:19 AM | If a contractor runs other programs within their organization, is a navigator allowed to process other program applications or assistance for those on their Thrive caseload. For example, LIHEAP applications, Head Start/EHS applications or recruitment/referrals, etc. | Navigators can assist participants with completing applications but may not supplant the duties of staff in other programs so processing other program applications is not allowable. |
| Oct 28, 2025 5:22 AM | Where do or can referrals come from to build the caseload of 50-75 participants per navigator? Is there a priority for accepting referrals from certain sources? Is enrollment voluntary, or are there certain individuals that the state is requiring to enroll? | Referral sources come from community partners or self-referral. Community Alliance members are often sources of referrals. Participation is voluntary. Iowa HHS does not require enrollment of any participants. Only TANF-eligible participants may participate. |
| Oct 31, 2025 12:42 PM | Will there be an opportunity to negotiate the caseload to better meet the expectations of the program? Not only expectations with families but in addition high number of meetings for coordination of successful programing. | The expectation is that after the initial onboarding period, each Navigator will serve 100-120 families per year. The capacity scales up with expansion to additional counties. |
| Oct 31, 2025 12:43 PM | Is the expectation of the Navigator to meet their caseload of at least 50 in the first six months of the initiation of the program? There is large amount of community work to be done to make this program successful, will there be time to allow the Coordinator and Navigator to build those relationships? (2.03 Scope of Work b. Navigator Role) | See page 12 of Attachment H for case load range expectations. |
| Oct 31, 2025 12:45 PM | Who is providing referrals to THRIVE? (2.03 Scope of Work, B. Navigator role, iii.) | Referral sources come from community partners or self-referral. Community Alliance members are often sources of referrals. Participation is voluntary. Only TANF-eligible participants may participate. |
| Oct 31, 2025 12:51 PM | What are the expected hours for Navigators? What time frames are they expected to be available to meet the needs of the families? (Attachment H, 2.) | Navigators are expected to work traditional work hours Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm, however, there may be times when working earlier or later than 8:00am-4:30pm may be necessary. |
| Oct 31, 2025 12:54 PM | Is there a cost to contractors for the use of or training for the use of HopeHub? | Fees associated with the use of or training for the use of HopeHub are covered by Iowa HHS and not passed to the contractor. |
| Oct 31, 2025 12:58 PM | What do the contacts with the family look like outside of the initial visit. What is the expectation to meet with families in person after the initial visit/intake? Can these be done virtually/over the phone? (Attachment H 1. And 4.) | Navigators are expected to meet in-person at least once a month with the participant. Additional contacts may be made in-person, over the phone, via text message, or email. |
| Oct 31, 2025 12:59 PM | Is there an affiliate fee charged to contractors for the use of the model, Restore Hope? | Iowa HHS is covering costs associated with the use of HopeHub and Restore Hope training and technical assistance. |
| Oct 31, 2025 1:03 PM | Are Monthly Alliance meetings in person or virtual? Where can we find the “playbook” referenced of needing (Attachment G, 3.) | Monthly alliance meetings are held in-person. The playbook is made available to affiliate organizations once an agreement is signed. |
| Oct 31, 2025 1:03 PM | Are the Monthly Alliance meetings per region? Or per county? (Attachment G, 3.) | Monthly alliance meetings are conducted at each Thrive Iowa site which may be a single or multi-county site. |
| Oct 31, 2025 1:05 PM | One of the Coordinator tasks is tracking community data – is this per county or per region? (Attachment G., bullet point 4) | All data is collected in HopeHub for the identified Thrive site service area by county. Coordinators are responsible for reviewing and analyzing data and providing updates to the community alliance members. |
| Oct 31, 2025 1:05 PM | Does THRIVE have a waiting list if a family is interested in the program and the region is at full capacity? If so, how is the wait list managed? | Thrive sites do not maintain waitlists. If necessary, appointments may be scheduled further out with priority placed on families in immediate crisis. As communities reach capacity, strategies will be implemented to increase capacity. |
| Oct 31, 2025 1:05 PM | The case size for each Navigator is 50-75, the caseload for each Navigator as it states is based on need. How is the need measured to determine the size of caseload for each case Navigator? | The case size must be between 50 and 75. Contractors may determine Navigator caseloads within those parameters. |
| Oct 31, 2025 1:06 PM | Will there be an opportunity to negotiate the caseload to better meet the expectations of the program? Not only expectations with families but in addition high number of meetings for coordination of successful programing. | The case size for each Navigator must be between 50 and 75 families. |
| Oct 31, 2025 1:06 PM | Are there penalties if you do not meet capacity or meet specific outcomes? | Yes, contractors are expected to enroll at least 100 families in the first full year of the program period (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). HHS may choose not to continue contracting if capacity is not met. |
| Oct 31, 2025 1:06 PM | How long is the training, on boarding process for new staff? | Each Backbone Organization will have their own organizational onboarding process which varies based on the needs of the organization. The Coordinator onboarding process typically occurs over a period of 16 weeks, during which time the program may be enrolling participants. The Navigator onboarding process typically occurs over a 12-week period, during which time the Navigator would be onboarding participants. |
| Oct 31, 2025 1:07 PM | What is the expectation for office locations in each region? | Staff should be able to meet with families in-person in public spaces or an office setting in each county identified in the application. |
| Nov 3, 2025 1:44 PM | Q1: Community Alliance For the Thrive Iowa initiative, under Section 1.04 (“Service Delivery Area”), the RFP states that “Single county service areas may be identified in the initial application with the understanding that sites will become multi-county sites within the specified district in subsequent years.” Could you clarify the intended structure of the Community Alliance? Specifically: Is the expectation that one Community Alliance will be established per county to ensure strong local engagement, and as the initiative expands across additional counties, new Alliances will be formed in those counties? Or, is the expectation that the initial Community Alliance will scale and grow geographically (covering multiple counties) via virtual engagement and periodic in-person meetings, rather than setting up separate Alliances in each county? Q2. Training eligibility Is the training provided through the Thrive Iowa initiative (via Restore Hope/“Hope HUB,” as referenced in the materials) limited to the Thrive Coordinator and 2 FT Navigator roles, or may other members of our navigation team take part? If broader participation is permitted, are there capacity limits or costs we should anticipate? Q3. Participant eligibility (TANF vs. broader population) Must all participants meet TANF eligibility to be served and counted for performance/funding, or may we help non‑TANF individuals when doing so support the program’s stated goals (e.g., family stability across SDOH)? If non‑TANF participation is allowed, please clarify any reimbursement or reporting distinctions. | A1. Those decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis as sites expand to become multi-county sites. In some areas, it may be appropriate for two counties to share a community alliance. In other areas, each county may be required to have their own community alliance. A2. Only staff working on the Thrive Iowa initiative will receive the full Coordinator and Navigator trainings. Training is available in the HopeHub Learning Management System for additional providers. There is no additional cost to access the trainings in the LMS. A3. All participants must meet TANF eligibility requirements to be served and counted for performance/funding. |
| Nov 3, 2025 2:22 PM | Asking for clarification; is it permissible for a contractor to propose a service area that is anywhere in the range of 1 county all the way up to all counties in the contractor's district? | Applicants may propose a service area that is one county and includes a plan for becoming a multi-county site (two or more counties). It is not expected that all counties in a district will be served by the contractor. |
| Nov 3, 2025 3:01 PM | Can intake appointments be virtual or is in-person required per the Standards document? | Intake appointments are completed in-person. |
| Nov 3, 2025 3:58 PM | Does the Agency anticipate any incentives/disincentives within the initial caseload and community alliance member engagement expectations? Section 2.03 F 1. A minimum of 50 families shall be enrolled in the initial 6-month contract period. 2. Community Alliance Development. A minimum of 10 community alliance members shall be engaged in the initial 6-month contract period. | Not in the first contract period. |
| Nov 3, 2025 4:02 PM | Are there any subscription, training/technical assistance, etc. fees associated with the Hope Hub Case Management System and/or Restore Hope that would be the responsibility of the awarded Contractors? | No, those costs are covered by Iowa HHS. |