Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2010

Priorities for this grant program include the following.

1. Provide creative and innovative programming that supports state and local learning standards and contributes to academic performance and youth development for all students.

2. Provide multidisciplinary activities that engage students in their learning.

3. Integrate school-day and out-of-school-time programs to promote shared learning goals, teaching and support strategies, and staff recruitment and training activities.

4. Contribute to student performance goals outlined in school improvement plans.

5. Create and maintain a school and community-based infrastructure that establishes procedures to improve outcomes for children and youth through successful program implementation and oversight.

6. Establish procedures to evaluate program effectiveness through the collection and analysis of data.

7. Promote efficient use of public resources and facilities through effective partnerships among schools, community-based agencies, adult community learning centers, and other public and private entities.

8. Address the multiple needs of all children, youth, and their families through increased supervision, safety, and access to support services.

9. Create opportunities for student leadership, decision-making, and civic engagement.

10. Create a content-rich creative environment where there is a seamless integration among arts, sciences, civics, mathematics, English language arts, etc. to engage students in their learning.

Eligible entities are school districts, cities and towns, community-based organizations (CBOs), other public or private entities, or a consortium of two (2) or more of such agencies, organizations, or entities. To apply for these funds, applicants must have or commit to having a Community Council that has as one of its primary functions the coordination of the 21^st Century Community Learning Centers Program. See Addendum L for a description of Community Council membership.

Note that current Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) 21^st CCLC grantees are among those eligible to apply for this grant, as part of the competitive process, provided they meet the eligibility requirements and are applying for funding to expand into new sites.

Eligible applicants must meet at least one (1) of the criteria listed below:

1. primarily serve students in schools designated as Title I schoolwide programs; and/or

2. serve students in districts/schools with 15% or more low-income families as indicated on the Department's School and District profiles page.
   http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/

Competitive priority* will be given to applications that:

*Competitive priority means preference over an application of comparable merit that does not meet the criteria.

1. propose to serve children and youth either in schools:

   1. designated In Need of Improvement under Title I; and/or

   2. with a Composite Performance Index (CPI)* at or below in 90.2 in English language arts (ELA), and/or in 84.3 in Mathematics, and/or 72.4 in Science;

   * The CPI is a 100-point index that combines the Proficiency Index (scores of students who participate in standard MCAS ELA and mathematics tests) with the MCAS-Alt Index [scores of those who take the MCAS-Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt)]. The CPI is a measure of the extent to which students are progressing toward proficiency (a CPI of 100) in ELA and mathematics. To view a district's CPI, go to http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/.

2. are submitted in full partnership by a school district and community-based organization(s) or other public or private entity(ies); and

3. propose to serve youth on a year-round basis (includes a summer program).

Applications from agencies and organizations other than a school district, city, or town * will be screened for capacity to administer the program based on the applicant's:

* Any entity that wishes to include indirect costs in the budget and does not have a current approved rate from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and does not have a current Federal rate may apply to the Department for a maximum five percent (5%) indirect cost rate. This rate is only for grants issued by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and is not to be considered as an overall indirect cost rate to be used with any other funding sources. To access a list of approved rates or an application, go to http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/Grants.

1. proven fiscal responsibility, for example, as demonstrated through an annual audit;

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

3. documentation of a clear plan of communication and linkage with the school district and school site.

Grant awards will be between $50,000 and $500,000 in FY2010. Applicants are eligible to apply for an amount related to the number of proposed sites, which is between $50,000 and:

When determining the number of sites to apply for and amount to request, applicants are encouraged to consider:

• the amount of experience the district/community has in developing and implementing out-of-school-time programs; and

• the scope of services, number of students to be served, and needs of the families and community.

Funds must be used solely to support the purpose and priorities detailed above. Services must be offered during non-school hours or periods when school is not typically in session, including before school, after school, evenings, weekends, school vacations, and summer. Funds may be used to offer families of these students literacy and related educational development.

Programs/services that may be funded under this grant:

1. academic enrichment activities that support and contribute to academic achievement;

2. academic enrichment activities that assist in closing the achievement gaps where they exist currently;

3. mathematics and science education activities;

4. arts and music education activities;

5. entrepreneurial education programs;

6. Community Service Learning;

7. tutoring (including those provided by senior citizen volunteers) and mentoring programs;

8. activities for English language learners that emphasize language skills and support academic achievement;

9. inclusive after-school activities for students who receive special education services that emphasize social skills and support academic achievement;

10. health and physical activities;

11. telecommunications and technology education programs;

12. activities that promote parental involvement and family literacy for families of participating students;

13. assistance to students who have been truant, suspended, or expelled that emphasizes the student's adjustment and supports academic achievement; and

14. drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, and character education programs.

Funds may be used to pay for staff and coordinator salaries; contracts with provider agencies; professional development activities; stipends for professionals, students, or family members involved actively in the delivery of services; transportation; and program materials.

No more than 20% of the total budget may be used for program coordination and administration and no more than 10% may be used for program materials. Districts or agencies including indirect costs in their budget proposals can use their most recently approved indirect cost rates. If the approved rate is higher than 5.0%, the agency can use only a maximum rate of 5.0% for this grant.

9/1/2009 - 8/31/2010

Pending budget appropriation, continuation of funding will be available for a total grant period of three (3) years. Continued funding in years two (FY2011) and three (FY2012) will be based on meeting all grant requirements including:

1. submission of yearly progress updates;

2. timely submission of required forms and data;

3. the ability to use data to inform and demonstrate continuous program improvement;

4. maintenance of attendance levels and program quality;

5. evidence that the grantee is working towards sustaining the program beyond the grant period; and

6. submission of a yearly reapplication.

Please note that programs are encouraged to coordinate services with efforts funded through other federal and state dollars, but technically those funds are not considered official matching funds, per NCLB Title IV B Section 4204 (d) requirements.

Recipients are required to:

1. implement the Assessment of After-School Program Practices (APT) observation tool;

2. implement all the components of the Department developed Survey of After-School Youth Outcomes (SAYO) evaluation tool;

3. submit Program Activity Forms within two weeks of the start of each session;

4. submit data to the Department three times each year on students who are enrolled in programs and services funded by this grant; and

5. attend 21^st CCLC coordinators meetings and trainings.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

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

1.      Part I - General - Program Unit Signature Page - (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)

2.     Program Summary Cover Sheet

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

4.     Budget Narrative

5.     Part III - Required Program Information

6.     Addendum B - Administrative Assurances and Signature Page

7.     Addendum C - Program Assurances and Signature Page

8.     Addendum D - Community Council Membership Form with Original Signatures

9.     Addendum E - Composite Performance Index (CPI) Data

10.     Addendum F - Documentation of Non-Public School Participation

11.     Addendum G - Program Components

12.     Addendum H - Survey of After-School Youth Outcomes Form

13.     Addendum I - Assessment of Afterschool Program Practices Form

14.     Addendum J - Community Resource Map Form/Sample Resource Map

15.     Addendum K - Additional Sources of Revenue/In-Kind Contributions Form

1.     Addendum A - Elements of a Content-Rich Out-of-School-Time Program

2.     Addendum L - Community Council Membership Description

3.     Required Forms Check List

4. Rubric - available upon request

The pages must be numbered, single-spaced, printed only on one side, with a one inch margin. The font size should be no smaller than 10-point Arial type. It is in the best interest of the applicants to ensure that the proposal is easy to read, developed logically in accordance with the selection criteria, and addresses each question fully.

Non-required support materials information is limited to no more then 10 pages in total.

In cases when applications are scored similarly, some consideration will be given to funding high-quality proposals that will serve a diverse range of geographic areas and grade levels.

Title IX (Uniform Provisions) of the No Child Left Behind Act

School districts are mandated to consult with non-public school administrators about the non-public school students' needs and how those needs can be best addressed by federal programs. This must occur in a timely and meaningful way during the design and development of the program. Schools/districts must provide equitable services to non-public school students and their families, if those students are part of the target population.

Submit five (5) sets, each with an original signature of the Superintendent/Executive Director. Mail to: