Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2007

Students and youth benefit from a variety of supports that can lead to their success in school and in other aspects of their lives. Through this quality grant program, the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Early Education and Care, seeks to provide students in grades K-12 with access to high quality after-school and out-of-school time programs and services that meet the needs of the student, the family, and the community. The purpose of this new state program is to increase comprehensive after-school and out-of-school time programming, outside of the regular school day, for public and non-public school age students during the school year and over the summer months.

It is the intent of the Departments of Education and Early Education and Care to coordinate this program with other such programs in each agency in order to strive towards a comprehensive system that addresses program quality, accessibility, affordability, and continuity of care of after-school and out-of-school time services.

Priorities for funding are to:

1. Assist after-school and out-of-school time programs to provide comprehensive services, including but not limited to:

   1. academic tutoring and homework centers where content is linked to and based on the Department of Education's (Department) curriculum frameworks;

   2. programs that improve the health of students, including physical activities, athletics, nutrition and health education, and exercise;

   3. art, theater, and music programs developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, local cultural councils, or cultural organizations in the Commonwealth funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council;

   4. enrichment activities not otherwise provided during the school day;

   5. advanced study for the gifted and talented;

   6. community service programs; and

   7. other activities, such as family outreach and involvement.

2. Assist programs to expand upon quality initiatives related to the guidelines established by the Departments of Education and Early Education and Care in Attachment A: Guidelines for Quality Enhancements in After-School and Out-of-School Time Programs while taking into consideration access to and affordability of the services provided.

3. Assist programs to better serve students with disabilities who are being educated in inclusive settings with their non-disabled peers and to serve students whose first language is not English, including but not limited to the provision of staff training and family involvement.

Massachusetts public school districts, non-public schools, public and private community-based programs, Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) programs, and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply for funding. Preference will be given to proposals developed collaboratively by public schools (school district) and non-public schools and private community-based programs.

Applications from agencies and organizations other than a school district or an institution of higher education must demonstrate the capacity to administer the program based on the applicant's:

• proven fiscal responsibility as demonstrated, for example, through an annual audit; and

• previous experience with similar amounts of funding at the state or federal level through government, foundation, or private grants.

$950,000 is available. Of this amount, at least $100,000 must be expended for services that actively include students with disabilities in after-school programs that also serve non-disabled students and for services that include students for whom English is a second language.

Applicants may apply for the following amounts. Please note that the minimum and maximum amounts listed with each level refer to costs of services/programs up through August 31, 2007. Applicants can choose to expend these funds for School Year only services, Summer only services, or both.

• Level I: $300 per child with a minimum budget of $5,000 and a maximum budget of $10,000

  Note: Applicants applying for funds at this level must demonstrate:

  • adherence to applicable EEC regulations or DOE Program Standards for Public School Operated After-School Programs;

  • willingness to serve low-income students through EEC vouchers if the program meets EEC's requirements for subsidized school-age services as will be documented by signing a voucher agreement with EEC if funded;

  • ability/willingness to serve students with disabilities in inclusive settings (Criterion #3a on Attachment A);

  • a partnership between a public school, non-public school, and/or a community-based organization (Criterion #2 on Attachment A); and

  • a commitment to advance one additional quality enhancement criteria as listed in Attachment A.

• Level II: $400 per child with a minimum budget of $5,000 and a maximum budget of $25,000

  Note: Applicants applying for funds at this level must demonstrate:

  • adherence to applicable EEC regulations or DOE Program Standards for Public School Operated After-School Programs;

  • willingness to serve low-income students through EEC vouchers if the program meets EEC's requirements for subsidized school-age services as will be documented by signing a voucher agreement with EEC if funded;

  • ability/willingness to serve students with disabilities in inclusive settings (Criterion #3a on Attachment A);

  • a partnership between a public school, non-public school, and/or a community-based organization (Criterion #2 on Attachment A); and

  • a commitment to advance two additional quality enhancement criteria as listed in Attachment A.

  • Level III: $500 per child with a minimum budget of $5,000 and a maximum budget of $40,000

    Note: Applicants applying for funds at this level must demonstrate:

    • adherence to applicable EEC regulations or DOE Program Standards for Public School Operated After-School Programs;

    • willingness to serve low-income students through EEC vouchers if the program meets EEC's requirements for subsidized school-age services as will be documented by signing a voucher agreement with EEC if funded;

    • ability to serve students with disabilities in inclusive settings (Criterion #3a on Attachment A);

    • a partnership between a public school, non-public school, and/or a community-based organization (Criterion #2 on Attachment A); and

    • a commitment to advance three or more additional quality enhancement criteria as listed in Attachment A and be able to demonstrate in-kind contributions and/or matching funds of at least 15% of this grant request (Criterion #2 on Attachment A).

  • Level IV: Up to $50,000

    Note: Level IV funding is for applicants seeking to create a new after-school and out-of-school time program. Applicants requesting this level of funding must demonstrate:

    • adherence to applicable EEC regulations or DOE Program Standards for Public School Operated After-School Programs;

    • use of the Guidelines for Quality Enhancements in After-School and Out-of-School Time Programs as outlined in Attachment A;

    • willingness to serve low-income students through EEC vouchers if the program meets EEC's requirements for subsidized school-age services as will be documented by signing a voucher agreement with EEC if funded;

    • new programs that will be subject to EEC licensing regulations and requirements must use the EEC regional school-age rates when developing their budget. In addition, these same programs may apply for funding under Level I, II, or III so long as the overall funding request does not exceed $50,000. For information on EEC school-age rates, go to:

      http://www.eec.state.ma.us/docs/EEC_FY06_ALL_Rate_Charts.pdf;

    • an ability to serve students with disabilities in inclusive settings (Criterion #3a on Attachment A);

    • a commitment to community support as can be demonstrated by in-kind contributions and/or matching funds of at least 15% of this grant request (Criterion #2 on Attachment A);

    • how they plan to use EEC's School-Age Waitlist when identifying eligible students to enroll in the program; and

    • continuity of services for participating students between the school year and summer programming.

Applicants will be required to detail funds received from all sources for after-school and out-of-school programs related to this grant program and describe the types of services/programs offered and students served by these various sources of funding.

Funds may be used to enhance and/or expand current programs or to create new programs in order to provide more comprehensive services, as outlined in the Purpose and Priorities sections and Attachment A.

Funds may be used for:

• staff and coordinator salaries;

• contracts/subsidy payments with provider agencies;

• professional development activities;

• stipends for professionals and students actively involved in the delivery of services;

• family involvement;

• additional costs related to serving students with disabilities and/or students who are English Language Learners ( Expenditures for serving students with disabilities or students whose first language is not English may include increased per-child reimbursement rates, additional staff, specialized training, and technical assistance.);

• transportation; and

• program materials.

No more than 10% of the total budget may be used for program coordination and administration.

Indirect costs are not an allowable expenditure under this grant.

Please note: Priority points will be given to proposals that maximize the percentage of funds that are allocated to direct services for students and minimize the amount allocated to administration and indirect costs.

School Year Program: Upon Approval - 6/30/2007

Summer Program: 7/1/2007-8/31/2007

Monday, September 11, 2006

Competitive proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. on the date due.

1. Applicants intending to apply for funds should submit a Letter of Intent to Apply no later than Monday, August 28, 2006, indicating the name of the agency applying for the grant along with any partnering agencies and the level of funding that will be requested. Letters of Intent should be emailed to asostrfp@doe.mass.edu.

2. Several considerations will be made when recommending applications to the Board of Education. Funding recommendations will strive to have this grant program:

   1. represent a geographic distribution of grants in order to reach students and youth in need of services throughout the Commonwealth, especially those from school districts with demonstrated need for academic improvement as measured by performance on the MCAS;

   2. fund a cross-section of program organizations and program sizes in order to ensure that the grant recipients are reflective of the state's mixed delivery system; and

   3. support enhancements, innovations, and program designs that can be replicated.

3. Applicants can choose to apply for funds to cover services during the school year only, summer only, or both school year and summer services. Applicants wishing to include school year and summer services must submit two Standard Contract Forms and two Budget Detail Pages. The first set will be for services to be rendered between the award of the funds and June 30, 2007. The second set should reflect dates and costs associated with services to be provided between July 1, 2007 and August 31, 2007.

4. Applicants having questions about the RFP or its process must email them to asostrfp@doe.mass.edu in order for them to be answered. A Question and Answer document will be posted to the Department's website at www.doe.mass.edu/asost/ so that all applicants will be able to access the information. The ASOST RFP Question and Answer document will be updated by 5:00 every Tuesday and Thursday through September 7, 2006.

Submit three (3) sets, each with an original signature of the Superintendent/Executive Director. Instructions: Mail to: