Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2010

Priorities for the FY2010 continuation funding are to provide services in high-need communities as evidenced by low income level and need for academic improvement by:

1. Supporting programs that demonstrate strong and innovative implementation of the Quality Enhancements described in Attachment A. Proposed services and activities under this priority can focus on enhancing one or more of the quality criteria listed in Attachment A: Guidelines for Quality Enhancements in After-School and Out-of-School Time Programs. The goal of these criteria is to support effective ASOST programs that provide a balanced focus on and link to supporting children's and youth's academic success as well as their overall development, including healthy social and emotional development. Grantees may propose a planning process whereby community and school partners would work together to develop strategies for how to better address and sustain the after-school and out-of-school time needs of children, youth, and families within a community.

2. Addressing barriers to student participation. Grantees may apply for funding to address programmatic issues related to facilitating student participation, including but not limited to: providing transportation; promoting effective student outreach activities; and/or providing program services for particular age groups, K-12, that are not being served currently.

3. Increasing comprehensive after-school and out-of-school time programming to children and youth during the school year and summer, including through 21^st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Programs. Activities under this priority may include but not be limited to extending a program's before- and/or after-school hours/days; extending a summer program's weeks of duration or hours per day; or adding a summer program to a school year design.

Current FY2009 After-School and Out-of-School Time Quality grantees are eligible to apply. Individual eligibility amounts will be sent directly to each grantee.

Where appropriate, applicants and partnering programs and organizations applying for funds must demonstrate:

1. adherence to applicable Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) regulations or Department Program Standards for Public School Operated After-School Programs;

2. willingness to serve low-income students through EEC vouchers if the program meets EEC's requirements for subsidized school-age services; and

3. willingness to participate in Department- and/or Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership-sponsored networking meetings.

In addition, grantees receiving more than $50,000 in funds must address the following criteria:

1. developing strong partnerships; and

2. leveraging of additional funds to supplement the work of this grant in the amount of at least 10% of the total budget request.

$1,990,000 is available in the FY2010 Conference Committee Budget for the ASOST Quality Continuation Grants.

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

Funds may be used to provide programs and services, as outlined in the Purpose and Priorities sections and in Attachment A. Budget expenditures may include but are not limited to the following costs:

1. staff and coordinator salaries;

2. contracts/subsidy payments with provider agencies;

3. professional development activities;

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

5. family involvement;

6. 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.

7. program materials and supplies; and

8. transportation. (Vehicles may not be purchased with these funds.)

No more than 10% of the total budget may be used for program coordination and administration. Staff positions related to implementation of specific elements of the proposal's plan are considered direct services and, therefore, should not be included as part of the 10% cap.

In addition, within the 10% cap, costs for Directors, Site Coordinators, staff, utilities, audit costs, and general overhead can only be included in the budget to the extent that administering this grant's plan requires additional responsibilities, supervision, or expenses to the agency that might not otherwise have been incurred. These funds should supplement existing budgets and program structures and not supplant current efforts and expenses. If these expenditures are included, the budget narrative must describe clearly what new responsibilities will be assumed as a result of administration of this grant.

Indirect costs (Line 9) are not an allowable expenditure under this grant.

Example of Direct Services

A grantee proposes a quality enhancement to its after-school and out-of-school time program that will be implemented by the Site Coordinator. Currently, the Site Coordinator works 18 hours per week but in receiving the award, the Site Coordinator would need to work an additional 2 hours per week. The budget will cover 10% of the Site Coordinator's position to implement the plan. The Site Coordinator is not considered a program coordination or administration expense but instead is considered a direct service since new responsibilities have been added to her job description as a result of this grant award.

Example of Program Coordination/Administration Costs

A grantee proposes a quality enhancement to be implemented by a consultant. The budget includes expenses related to the consultant's time but includes 5% of the Site Coordinator's time as she will be responsible for an additional hour of supervision per week to oversee the work of the consultant. The cost of the consultant's time would be considered direct services while the supervision by the Site Coordinator would be calculated as part of the 10% program coordination and administration cap.

Renewed funding for FY2011 school year services may be possible, pending state appropriation, achievement of yearly programmatic benchmarks, and meeting a possible funding match. However, for the purposes of this FY2010 continuation grant RFP, only the following budgets should be submitted:

Friday, July 31, 2009

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

1.      FY2010 School Year Program: Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page -
   (Standard Contract Form and Applications for Program Grants)

2.      FY2011 Summer Program: Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page -
   (Standard Contract Form and Applications for Program Grants)

3.      FY2010 Part II Budget Detail Pages (Include both pages.) - Instructions

4.      FY2011 Part II Budget Detail Pages (Include both pages.) - Instructions

5.     Part III - Required Program Information (Sections A-B), including the Program Summary Cover Sheet

6.     Part IV - Required Statistical Information

7. Letter of commitment from the Superintendent or the Executive Director stating:

   1. attendance at two (2) Department- and/or MAP-sponsored networking meetings;

   2. participation in any Department-sponsored ASOST Quality grant evaluation activities;

   3. assurance that at least 10% in in-kind or matching funds will be leveraged to supplement the ASOST Quality grant budget, if the total budget request is more than $50,000;

   4. if an EEC licensed program is proposing professional development, an assurance must be provided that these opportunities will be registered with EEC's training registry; and

   5. if applicable, assurances that ASOST Quality grant funds will connect to and support, but not replicate, school-day programming, including a redesigned, expanded school day (Fund Code: 225 School Redesign). Schools with a longer school day and/or school year schedule can use funding to address before- and/or after-school programming that may occur in addition to the expanded school day.

1.      Attachment A: Guidelines for Quality Enhancements in After-School and Out-of- School Time Programs

Please note:

1. During FY2010, the Department will continue to work with the Department of Early Education and Care and other partners to consider incorporating grant goals including, but not limited to, program match, public/private partnerships, and/or community planning to identify and maximize resources in an effort to strengthen sustainability efforts and to support local ownership of after-school and out-of-school time programs and services.

2. Grantees may choose to apply for funds to cover services during the school year only, summer only, or both school year and summer. 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 September 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. The second set should reflect dates and costs associated with services to be provided between July 1, 2010 and August 31, 2010.

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