Long-Term Care Facility Citation Penalty Account Funds, Reports and Grant Application
Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Reinvestment Program Grant
Before completing a CMPRP application, please refer to all guidance on this website and refer to all application materials located on
CMS's website.
The current CMPRP Application Budget Spreadsheet (Excel) and CMPRP Application Form (PDF) are required for submission. The CMPRP Application Handbook can be found on
CMS's website
(towards the bottom of the page, under Downloads, CMPRP Application Resources folder).
1) What is CMPRP?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may impose federal penalties against a nursing home when it is not in compliance with one or more Medicare and Medicaid participation requirements.
A portion of the funds are returned to the states where the CMPs are imposed. These funds are reinvested via a grant process to support activities that benefit nursing home residents by improving their quality of life. Read more about the funding in our
All Facilities Letter (AFL 25-21) (PDF) announcing the opportunity.
2) Who can apply?
Organizations that can apply for CMP funding include (but not limited to):
- State Agencies, Government Entities
- Nursing Facilities and Corporations
- Educational and Research Institutions
- Industry Associations
- Consumer Advocacy Organizations and Resident Representatives
- Commercial
- Quality-Focused Organizations
Approved applicants must be registered with 1) the
Franchise Tax Board (FTB)
and 2) the
California Secretary of
State (SOS) in order for a contract to be executed. It is best for organizations to be registered as soon as possible to avoid any delays in contract processing and execution. A contract with CDPH cannot be processed until the organization is registered and in good standing with both the FTB and SOS.
3) What kinds of projects are allowed (and not allowed)?
Allowable uses of CMP funds:
-
Resident protection and relocation assistance - Support for residents when facilities close, are decertified, or downsize, including time-limited expenses for relocating residents to home and community-based settings or alternative facilities pursuant to agreements with state Medicaid agencies.
-
Consumer engagement initiatives - Programs that engage residents, families, and consumers to improve the quality of care in facilities.
-
Facility improvement and training - Technical assistance and training programs to implement quality assurance and performance improvement initiatives.
-
Mental and Behavioral Health - Projects that focus on delivering evidence-based behavioral health services tailored to nursing home residents' unique needs.
-
Workforce Enhancement – Projects that strengthen the nursing home workforce through improved competency, education, and training, culture change, and professional development for frontline nursing home staff, including Registered Nurses (RNs), Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs).
- Refer to page 8 of the CMPRP Handbook to see a list of allowable uses of CMP funds.
-
Note: The Nursing Home Staffing Campaign (NHSC) is a separate, targeted workforce initiative designed to increase the number of nurses in nursing homes through financial incentives and training opportunities for RNs and CNAs. For more information, visit Nursing Home Staffing Campaign or contact
NHSC@cms.hhs.gov.
Non-Allowable Uses of CMP Funds:
- Refer to page 12 of the CMPRP Handbook to see a list of non-allowable uses of CMP funds.
4) What changed recently?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new CMPRP guidelines and templates in September 2025.
CMS has revised the structure of the CMPRP, including:
- Application and Budget Spreadsheet template
- Funding limits for most CMP Reinvestment Projects
- A comprehensive list of allowable and non-allowable uses of CMP funds
- Letters of Support are required and must follow CMS's formatting guidelines (page 4 of the CMPRP Handbook).
5) How to Apply for Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP) Funding
First, plan the CMP project.
-
Define how the project will meet the goals of CMP. How will the project improve the lives of residents in skilled nursing facilities?
-
Determine the project objectives and goals. Refer to page 19 for details on objectives and goals.
-
Check eligibility and categories. Confirm your organization and project type are eligible and allowable.
-
Determine measurable project metrics.
Then, build the application package using CMS's current templates. Older templates will not be accepted.
- CMPRP Application Form (PDF)
-
Letters of Support: Refer to pages 4-7 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for requirements.
- Letters of Support must be combined into one PDF document and listed in SNF alphabetical order.
-
Allowable Categories and Funding Limits: Refer to pages 8-11 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for details.
-
Non-Allowable Categories: Refer to pages 12-15 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for details.
-
Technology: Refer to pages 16-17 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for details.
-
Objectives: Refer to page 19 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for details about writing SMART Objectives.
-
Detailed instructions to complete a CMPRP Application Form are located on pages 23-26 of the CMPRP Application Handbook.
-
Budget: Refer to page 24 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for more details.
-
Goals: Refer to page 25 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for more details.
-
Metrics: Refer to page 25 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for more details.
- CMPRP Budget Spreadsheet (Excel)
- Detailed instructions to complete a CMPRP Budget Spreadsheet are provided on Sheet 1 of the CMPRP Application Budget Spreadsheet and on pages 30-31 of the CMPRP Application Handbook.
- All costs must be itemized and justified on the CMPRP Budget Spreadsheet.
- The total project cost in sheets 4-6 must match the annual amount requested in Section IV of the CMPRP Application Form.
- The Total CMP Funds Requested in sheet 7 must match the Total CMP Funding Requested Amount in Section IV of the CMPRP Application Form.
- Total Indirect Costs:
- The formula in the spreadsheet (cells G102 or G103, depending on the year),
must be changed.
- The formula should sum all direct cost subtotals
except Contractual. Then, multiply the sum by the percentage entered in F102/F103.
Finally, submit completed CMP application package to California at
CMPGrantApplications@cdph.ca.gov. A complete application includes:
- Application Form
- Budget Spreadsheet
- Letters of Support
- California SNF Table
- Any other supporting documentation
California accepts CMP applications year-round.
6) What happens after the CMPRP application is submitted to CDPH?
- Applications will be reviewed by CDPH within 30 business days of receipt, subject to change based on quality and volume of applications received.
- CDPH will reach out with questions or information requests, if needed.
- CDPH will notify the applicant whether the application is approved at the State level.
- Once approved by CDPH, the application will be forwarded to the CMS CMPRP Team for review (refer to pages 28-29 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for CMS's review timeline).
- CMS CMPRP makes the final funding determination and issues a formal decision letter to the State Agency (CDPH). CDPH will then notify the applicant of CMS's decision.
7) What happens after the CMPRP application is approved by CMS?
- CDPH will send approved grantees CMS's decision letter and CDPH's award letter.
- CDPH will initiate the contract development process and provide to grantees contracting documents and invoicing guidance.
8) When can the project start?
- Grantees shall not start project work or incur costs prior to the execution of the contract.
- Once your contract is developed and all parties have signed, your contract is considered executed. The executed contract will provide the project start date.
9) What happens during project implementation?
- Start project activities based on the executed contract's Scope of Work.
- Grantees will cover project costs upfront and invoice the CDPH with supporting documentation for expense reimbursement during the contract period. Funding for approved CMP grant projects is not provided up-front in a lump-sum deposit.
- During and upon completion of the project, all grantees must submit project results to the State Agency according to a reporting schedule based on project duration for State Agency review, and upon project completion (refer to pages 34-35 of the CMPRP Application Handbook for the reporting schedule and reporting criteria).
10) How to avoid common mistakes?
- Always use the most updated templates located on
CMS's website
- When completing a CMPRP application, please ensure all responses are presented in clear, plain language, as reviewers may not be subject matter experts on the proposed CMP projects.
- Ensure totals match between the Budget Spreadsheet and Application Form.
- Letters of Support must be included and follow CMS's guidelines.
- Letters of Support must be combined into one PDF document and listed in SNF alphabetical order.
- Follow the invoicing guidelines, including submitting all supporting documents.
11) Helpful links
Prior Funded Projects
More information about CMP-funded projects in California can be found on the
CMS CMP Reinvestment Resource
website page.
CMP California Communication Technology and In-Person Visitation Aid funding ended on January 1, 2025. Information regarding the discontinuation of this program is on the memorandum posted at the following link:
CMS Admin Info: 25-04-NH
CMP Fund Statements
Appropriations
Annual Budget Act appropriations from both the state and federal accounts are provided to CDPH, for all of the purposes previously identified. CDPH uses the funds primarily for temporary manager appointments and improvement of quality care in long-term healthcare facilities.
The Department of Aging receives an annual Budget Act appropriation from the State Health Facilities Citation Penalties Account for its Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.
* If you are having difficulty accessing any document, please contact CDPH at
CDPHCHCQFiscalForecastingSection@cdph.ca.gov to request the information in an alternative format.