FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
JIM HORNE
Commissioner of Education
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
SALLY BRADSHAW
LINDA J. EADS, ED.D.
CHARLES PATRICK GARCÍA
JULIA L. JOHNSON
WILLIAM L. PROCTOR, PH.D.
M E M O R A N D U M
TO
: Selected School Superintendents and Non-Profit Organizations
FROM
: Jim Warford
DATE
: August 19, 2003
SUBJECT
: Governor’s Mentoring Initiative: Rural District Initiative
Conference Report on Senate Bill 2A, Specific Appropriation 4C, authorizes the Commissioner
of Education to award grant dollars for discretionary projects focused on providing mentoring
services for students as part of the Governor’s Mentoring Initiative. The total allocation for this
initiative is $950,000. For the Rural District Initiative, an amount of $80,000 has been allocated
to provide funding for small or rura
l districts throughout the state.
This initiative is designed to assist school districts with enrollment populations of less than
30,000 students.
This funding provides incentive dollars to districts to partner and match
dollars with nonprofit groups and community-based organizations to support a district-
level coordinator position for mentoring services.
The Department, in consultation with the
Governor’s Office, invites your district/non-profit organization to submit proposals in
conjunction with your respective district office for the Rural District Initiative projects. Funds
are competitive and each project is limited to $20,000 per district/non-profit organization. This
allocation is granted for use only during the 2003-2004 school year. Preference will be given to
applicants whose proposals are designed to implement the Governor’s Mentoring Initiative’s
Mentor Reading Curriculum Guide. Please note that a completed district or nonprofit group
application package should include separate Department of Education 101 forms that represent
each proposed school’s budget as well as an aggregate DOE 101 budget summary from the
district.
JIM WARFORD
K – 12 Chancellor
325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0509 • www.fldoe.org
Memorandum
August 19, 2003
Page 2
Non-profit applicants should complete and submit the enclosed
General Terms, Assurances,
and Conditions for Participation in Federal and State Programs
form only if one is not
already on file with the Department of Education. Additionally, non-profit organizations are
required to include a copy of the overall current budget, the date of operating fiscal period, and a
list of the board of directors if applicable.
Project proposals are due by September 15, 2003.
To receive these funds your district/non-profit organization must submit an application using the
attached Request for Application.
Please note that three new elements are being requested for
the grant application narrative: (1) how your organization will support Florida’s reading
initiatives, (2) how you will report outcomes, and (3) what will be your dissemination and
marketing plan. The Governor’s Mentoring Initiative Office has requested that you use its
logo on any products you disseminate.
If funded, collaborating schools may need to amend School Improvement Plans for 2003 - 2004
to incorporate the mentoring strategies for the project. Goals, measurable objectives, activities,
timelines, and professional development may need to be developed or revised as schools address
the components of the program.
Please submit an original proposal with original signatures and three copies to the following
address:
Grants Management Office
Florida Department of Education
325 West Gaines Street
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Turlington Building, Suite 332
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Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400
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Questions may be directed to Traci Cotton in the Office of Family and Community Outreach by
e-mail or phone as follows: traci.cotton@fldoe.org, (850) 245-0815 or SunCom: 205-0815.
Additionally, frequently asked questions pertaining to this initiative, updates, and other
information related to mentoring services can be obtained from the following web address:
www.flamentoring.org.
JW:tcm
Enclosure
Page 2
