CATCH Grantee FAQs

Your CATCH project begins when your fiscal agent receives the funds. If you don't have all your paperwork into the CATCH Staff by the specified deadline, your grant may be closed.  The project period is 12 months, but you can ask for one 6-month extension.   

• The completed Award Agreement form - signed by the grantee and fiscal agent 
• A copy of the federal tax-exempt letter to your fiscal agent (this letter should be on file in the accounting department of your fiscal agent)  
• An original letter from your fiscal agent on the organization's letterhead stating that it will manage your funds with the understanding that grant funds may not be used for physicians' salaries or fees, administrative overhead, fiscal agent's fees, indirect costs, or fringe benefits. The letter should also include all pertinent contact information. A template of this letter will be sent to you. 

A fiscal agent is a non-profit, tax exempt organization that you appoint to receive your grant award distributions. The fiscal agent will deposit your funds and will write checks to providers for services rendered (eg, your project staff, consultant, a print shop for materials printed), or to reimburse you for expenses incurred, such as the purchase of refreshments or meals for meetings or incentive gift cards for focus group participants. 

Not only is it a CATCH requirement but also by appointing a tax-exempt organization (charitable, educational, religious or other nonprofit entity) to receive your grant award distributions, you may avoid personal tax liability. 

The following suggestions may help you locate an appropriate fiscal agent for your grant funds: 

• Ask your community partners whether one of them would be willing to serve as your fiscal agent. Remember that the fiscal agent must be a nonprofit entity. 
• Investigate whether there is a nonprofit agency in your community that would be willing to serve as fiscal agent. Examples include 
  • the local YMCA 
  • a family services agency 
  • a faith-based or cultural organization 
  • a local health advocacy agency 
  • the hospital where you have admitting rights 
  • a college or university with which you are affiliated. 

• Call your local AAP chapter to determine its willingness to act as your fiscal agent. 

• Keep in mind that some agencies or chapters will want to charge an administrative fee for this service. CATCH funds cannot be used for fiscal agent fees. 

As part of your award notification, you may be asked to submit a revised budget. This is done to add clarification to various line items, to eliminate unallowable items, or to add suggested items that had not been previously included. Please see the guidelines for the grant cycle in which you applied (these guidelines change each year, so please save a copy). Please note that these guidelines are not exhaustive.

Although the expectation is that you will complete your project in 12 months, you are allowed to request up to one 6-month extension. Complete the extension request form on which you will need to provide a brief summary of program activities to date, reasons for requesting the extension, and an action plan for the 6 month extension period.

The Chapter CATCH Facilitators, District Resident CATCH Liaisons and CATCH staff are available to give you technical assistance on your project. 

Additional resources that can help you with your CATCH project: 
Database of previously funded child health projects
Medical Home resources 

While we don't allow for you to alter your proposals, some changes to the project may be made as long as your goals remain the same. You must have all changes, including budget revisions, approved by the CATCH coordinator. If you do not have approval for budget changes, you may not be reimbursed for the costs of those items. 

Yes, as agreed upon in your award documents, you are required to submit an online final report, which includes a separate narrative section, as well as a final expense report, within 60 days after your project ends.

The expectation is that you would finish your project, but we know that isn't always possible. If you find yourself in this situation, contact the CATCH Technical Assistance Coordinator.

Please have the check written to the American Academy of Pediatrics.  In the transmittal note, please include the pediatrician’s or trainee’s name, and the word “CATCH” so we can identify the funds.

Checks should be mailed to: 
American Academy of Pediatrics
PO Box 7526
Carol Stream, IL  60197-7526