1
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Request for Proposal/Application
I.
GRANT OVERVIEW
Division/Office
Division of Public Schools and Community Education/Bureau of Curriculum,
Instruction and Assessment
Title
21
st
Century Community Learning Centers Program
Specific Funding
Authority(ies)
No Child Left Behind – Title IV, Part B
Funding Purpose
To provide before school and after school or summer programs for school wide
Title I students and their families.
Funding Priorities
The Department will give priority to applications that are submitted jointly
between at least one Local Education Agency (LEA) (including individual
public or private schools, a consortium of schools, or a consortium of school
districts) receiving funds under Part A of Title I and at least one public or private
community-based organization. The Department will give the same priority to
an application submitted by a local education agency if the local education
agency demonstrates that it is unable to partner with a community-based
organization that is within reasonable geographic proximity and of sufficient
quality to meet the requirements of this part.
Target Population
The program is designed to serve students and families of students who
attend schools with a high concentration of low-income, low-performing schools
and schools designated as in need of improvement under Title I (pursuant to
Title I part A, Subpart I).
Eligible Applicants
Local education agencies (LEAs), community-based organizations (including
faith-based organizations), other public and private entities, or a consortium of
two or more such agencies, organizations, or entities. The statute encourages
eligible organizations to collaborate in applying for funds.
Type of Award
Discretionary Competitive (Statewide)
Total Funding Amount
Applicants must apply for a minimum of $50,000 a year.
Funding Period
November 2002 - June 2003
Technical Support
Brandy Bartol, 850/488-1701
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Required Forms
ACCEPTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
(required to be considered for
competition)
•
DOE 100A with appropriate original signature
•
DOE 101
If you fail to meet ALL of these requirements, your application will not be
considered for funding.
Authorization Letter:
If the signature on the DOE 100A is other than the
agency head, a letter authorizing that individual (superintendent, president, chair
person of the board) to sign
MUST
be attached.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
•
ALL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT ONE ORIGINAL AND FOUR
COPIES OF THE APPLICATION
For Community-Based Organizations
please also include the following:
•
List of current Board of Directors
•
Copy of current operating budget
•
Copy of current audit report
Application Due Date
October 18, 2002
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II.
FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS
This Request for Proposal is issued pursuant to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) of 2001. Specifically,
Section 4203(a) describes requirements that the SEA must address in its application to the United States
Department of Education (USDOE). Section 4204(b)(2) describes requirements that an eligible entity at the
local level must address in its applications to the State of Florida Department of Education (DOE).
1.
Assurances
The Department of Education has developed and implemented a document entitled, General Terms,
Assurances and Conditions for Participation in Federal and State Programs, to comply with:
•
34 CFR Part 76.301 of the Education Department General Administration Regulations (EDGAR)
which requires local education agencies to submit a common assurance for participation in
federal programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education;
•
applicable regulations of other Federal agencies; and
•
state regulations and laws pertaining to the expenditure of state funds.
In order to receive funding, applicants must have on file with the Department of Education, Office of the
Comptroller, a signed statement by the agency head certifying applicant adherence to these General
Assurances for Participation in State or Federal Programs. The complete text may be found at
http://www.firn.edu/bin0007/gbook.htm (A hard copy is available upon request.)
2.
School Districts, Community Colleges, Universities and State Agencies
The certification of adherence filed with the Department of Education Comptroller’s Office shall remain
in effect unless a change occurs in federal or state law, or there are other changes in circumstances
affecting a term, assurance, or condition; and does not need to be resubmitted with this application.
3.
Private College, Community-Based Organizations, and Other Agencies
Applicants must submit with the application the complete packet signed by the agency head certifying
applicant adherence to the general terms, assurances, and conditions. Please note that private colleges,
community-based, faith-based organizations and other agencies must also submit copies of the
organization’s current budget, a list of its board of directors, and a copy of its most recent annual audit
report prepared by an independent certified public accountant licensed in this state. These items must be
submitted with the application.
4.
Purpose of the 21
st
CCLC program
Authorized under Title IV, Part B, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended
by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the law’s specific purposes are to: (1) provide opportunities
for academic enrichment, including providing tutorial services to help students, particularly students
who attend low-performing schools, to meet State and local student performance standards in core
academic subjects, such as reading and mathematics; (2) offer students a broad array of additional
services, programs, and activities, such as youth development activities, drug and violence prevention
programs, counseling programs, art, music, and recreation programs, technology education programs,
and character education programs , that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic
program of participating students; and (3) offer families of students served by community learning
centers opportunities for literacy and related educational development. Programs are designed to offer
services when school is not in session (before school and after school or during holidays or summer
recess).
OVERVIEW OF 21
ST
CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS PROGRAM
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5.
Required Program Activities
To receive a project under this program, applicants must provide services that address the absolute
priority and must address at least four of the program activities as described below:
•
remedial education activities and academic enrichment learning programs, including providing
additional assistance to students to allow the students to improve their academic achievement;
•
mathematics and science education activities;
•
arts and music education activities;
•
entrepreneurial education programs;
•
tutoring services (including those provided by senior citizen volunteers) and mentoring programs;
•
programs that provide after school activities for limited English proficient students that emphasize
language skills and academic achievement;
•
recreational activities;
•
telecommunications and technology education programs;
•
expanded library service hours;
•
programs that promote parental involvement and family literacy;
•
programs that provide assistance to students who have been truant, suspended, or expelled, to allow
the students to improve their academic achievement;
•
drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, and character education programs;
and
•
serving students with disabilities (Mandatory Requirement).
6.
Project Duration
Pending budget appropriation, continuation of funding will be available for a total project period of 5
years. Continued funding will be based on yearly progress updates, timely submission of required data
that demonstrates the maintenance of attendance levels and program quality, and evidence that the
grantee is working towards sustaining the program beyond the project period.
7.
Competition Priorities
There are two types of priorities for this competition:
absolute
and
competitive
. The absolute priority
is a mandatory requirement and must be addressed by all applicants. Applications that address the
competitive priority will receive preference over other applications of equivalent merit. Each of the
priorities for this competition is discussed below.
•
Absolute Priority
q
The Department of Education will give priority to programs proposing to target services to
students who attend schools that have been identified as in need of improvement (pursuant to
Title I part A, Subpart I, Section 1116).
q
The Department will give priority to applications that are submitted jointly between at least one
LEA receiving funds under Part A of Title I and at least one public or private community
organization. The Department will give the same priority to an application submitted if the
applicant can demonstrate that it is unable to partner with an agency or school within reasonable
geographic proximity and of sufficient quality to meet the requirements of this part.
•
Competitive Priority
q
Applicants that use a significant portion of the program funds to address substantial problems
within D and F schools as identified by the DOE.
q
Applicants that provide nutrition, health and fitness related programs that will help decrease the
national obesity epidemic.
q
Applicants that form partnerships with institutions of higher education, libraries and other private
and public profit and non-profit entities with technology expertise to improve the use of
technology.
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8.
Funding
•
Applicants are eligible to apply for an annual amount of a minimum of $50,000.
•
Applicants are encouraged to:
q
Consider the scope of services, the number of students to be served, and the needs of the families
and community when determining the amount to request; and
q
Allot a minimum of $50,000 - $200,000 annually per site in order to support high quality
effective after school programs.
•
The Department discourages applicants from proposing to charge fees.
•
Funds may be used solely for the purpose of creating community learning centers that provide
students and their families with academic enrichment and a broad array of other activities designed
to complement their school-day programs and advance student achievement. Services must be
offered during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session, including before school
and after school, evenings, weekends, school vacations, or summer.
All projects will be reviewed on a competitive basis. Award amounts will be determined by the
Florida Department of Education.
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1.
Identify the target population, the problem(s) to be addressed and justify the need for the requested
funds for students and their families. Explain how the proposed project will provide services or
otherwise address the needs of students at risk of educational failure. In doing this you must:
•
identify the risk factors and indicators that contribute to the problem; and
•
describe the impact of the problem on the target population.
2.
Applicants must provide information regarding an evaluation of the community needs and available
resources for the community learning center and a description of how the program proposed to be
carried out in the center will address those needs (including needs of working families). Data to validate
the need may include, but is not limited to:
•
the poverty rates in the communities to be served;
•
the percentage or rapid growth of limited English proficient students and families;
•
the percentage of Title I students, the dropout rates; and
•
the literacy rates and education levels in the community.
We suggest that you use specific and relevant data regarding the students and families to be served by
the project.
3.
The plan of communication between the 21
st
CCLC site and the schools the students attend, including
how you will:
•
assure the alignment of the regular school day;
•
access necessary student academic records;
•
assure that the participants were in attendance during the regular school day;
•
share information on students' progress between school day and 21
st
CCLC program staff;
•
eliminate barriers that could impede equitable access to participation in activities due to target
populations’ need for specialized support (e.g. adaptation and/or modification of the curriculum,
staff support, staff development, and specialized resources); and
•
equitably serve non-public school students and their families, if those students meet the eligibility
requirements of your 21
st
CCLC program.
Applications proposing to provide services at a non-school site must provide the following additional
documentation:
4.
Evidence that the program will be as safe and easily accessible as it would be at a school site, including
evidence that the transportation costs of a school vs. non-school-based program was considered when
deciding on the program location.
5.
Evidence that the LEA and collaborating partners are in agreement on the alternate site, including a plan
to ensure safe transportation between the school and the alternate site.
COMPONENT ONE
NEED FOR PROJECT
(
25 POINTS
)
Application must include all objectives in order to receive all 25 points
DEVELOPING YOUR PROPOSAL
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Suggestions/Guidance for applicants:
Please include letters of commitment that clearly indicate the role and capacity of each partnering
organization discussed in the application. Applicants are advised that the quality of letters of support
with a clear demonstration of buy-in from senior administrators of the partnering organization(s), is
more important than the quantity. Most successful applicants have involved their community partners in
planning and writing the application, as well as in helping to implement the project once awarded.
For programs that take place at non-school-based sites, it is important that you demonstrate an
established plan of communication with the school(s) the students attend. Describe how the school and
off-site program will communicate regarding daily school-day attendance of program participants,
academic needs, homework assignments, etc.
Proposed Instructional Services
Provide a detailed description of the program goals, design, and activities. Describe how the activities
will be designed to be developmentally age appropriate. Include the following information about the
programs and services that you propose to deliver. (If programs/services will significantly vary from
site to site based on student need, describe the following for each site.)
1.
Describe the before school and after school or summer recess activities to be funded, and how they are
expected to improve student achievement.
2.
Describe how programs will meet the principles of effectiveness by being based on the:
•
assessment of objective data regarding need for the before school and after school programs and
improved student achievement (including summer recess periods);
•
an established set of performance measures aimed at ensuring the availability of high-quality
academic enrichment opportunities; and
•
if appropriate, scientifically based research that provides evidence that the program will help
students meet the State and local academic achievement standards.
3.
A description of how students participating in the program carried out by the community learning center
will travel safely to and from the center and home.
4.
A description of how the eligible entity will disseminate information about the community learning
center (including its location) to the community in a manner that is understandable and accessible.
COMPONENT TWO
QUALITY OF PROJECT DESIGN
(25 POINTS)
Application must include all objectives in order to receive all 25 points
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5.
If an applicant plans to use senior volunteers in activities carried out through the community learning
center, a description of how the eligible entity will encourage and use appropriately qualified seniors to
serve as the volunteers.
6.
Assurance that each 21
st
CCLC before school and after school or summer program will operate at least 4
days per week at a minimum of 15 hours per week.
7.
Identify the program plans for professional development for staff delivering program activities and
provide evidence of qualified staff with adequate student-to-staff ratios.
8.
Identification of Federal, State, and local programs that will be combined or coordinated with the
proposed program to make the most effective use of public resources.
9.
Assure that the program will offer a daily, nutritious snack that meets the requirements of the USDA
National School Lunch Program for meal supplements. Florida 21
st
CCLC Programs that operate on
Saturday or non-school days will be required to operate either three or four hours dependent on the
amount requested for core funding and will offer a daily nutritious breakfast and/or snack that meets the
USDA requirements specified above.
This funding cannot be drawn from 21
st
CCLC funds and
must come from other resources.
Suggestions/Guidance for applicants:
We suggest that you clearly describe the activities to be provided by the project and elaborate on how these
goals and objectives are linked to the identified needs. Be clear in addressing how specific activities will
assist students in their area(s) of need. Merely asserting that the project will assist students in meeting or
exceeding local and state standards in academic areas does not provide the reviewers with a full
understanding of how this will occur
Explain how your project will provide services and activities during extended hours that are not currently
available during the regular school day, how project staff will vary their approaches to help meet a child’s
individual needs, and how staff will collaborate with regular school day teachers.
Sustainability
One of the goals of this program is to continue activities beneficial to students after the project period is
over. Therefore, the proposal should be structured in such a fashion that it will become self-sustaining.
Applicants will receive 100% of the funding for the first two years of the program. During the 3
rd
year, the
recipient must demonstrate a match of 20%, 40% the fourth year and a 60% match in the fifth year of the
project. Matching funds cannot be derived from other Federal or State funds. The requirement to provide
matching funds applies to the entire proposal and should not be the sole responsibility of any individual
collaborating partner. The Department of Education will allow all or a portion of matching funds to come
COMPONENT THREE
ADEQUACY OF RESOURCES
(20 POINTS)
Application must include all objectives in order to receive all 20 points
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from in-kind contributions and will evaluate proposals based on a sliding scale. The Department will
review:
Ø
the relative poverty of the population to be targeted by the eligible entity; and
Ø
the ability of the eligible entity to obtain such matching funds.
Ø
The Department will not consider an eligible entity’s amount of matching funds when determining
which eligible entities will receive awards.
1.
Describe the experience or promise of success by the LEA and all partners in providing out-of-school
time educational and related activities that will complement and enhance academic success and positive
youth development for students, (e.g. include a brief summary of any evaluation studies, reports, or
research that may document evidence of previous success and effectiveness of the proposed
activities/services).
2.
Assure that the application was developed in active collaboration with appropriate LEAs (specifically
the schools students attend), community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, private and non-
profit agencies that are interested in administering after school programs.
3.
A description of a preliminary plan for the ongoing maintenance of a partnership between the LEA,
community-based organization and/or other public or private entity (if appropriate) to support the
implementation of the proposed program after the five year funding cycle ends, including:
•
investments of each of the partners (e.g., in-kind support, staff development, transportation, cash
investments by local partners such as cities, counties, school districts, and private/community
foundations); and
•
the activities (i.e. counseling, assessment, serving a particular population, purchasing materials and
supplies) that each agency has responsibility to provide and the amount of program funds allocated
to each partner, if any.
4.
Provide evidence that the community was given notice of the applicant's intent to submit an application,
and any waiver request will be available for public review after submission of the application.
Suggestions/Guidance for applicants:
We suggest that you describe the resources that partners are contributing, such as the use of community
recreational areas, staff, supplies, etc. You are advised that costs should be allocated and will be judged
against the scope of the project and its anticipated benefits. In past competitions, successful applicants
provided evidence that their program has the support of program designers, service providers, and
partners.
1.
Describe the adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time
and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for
accomplishing project tasks.
COMPONENT FOUR
QUALITY OF MANAGEMENT PLAN
(15 POINTS)
Application must include all objectives in order to receive all 15 points
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2.
Describe how the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives are brought to bear in the
operation of the proposed project, including those of parents, teachers, private and public schools, the
business community, a variety of disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of
services, or others as appropriate.
3.
Assurance that the title to property acquired under the 21
st
Century Community Learning Centers
Program will remain within the appropriate facility for the continued use in the 21
st
CCLC program after
the funding period has expired.
4.
Assurance that the fiscal agent will adopt and use proper methods of administering each program,
including the:
•
enforcement of any obligations imposed on agencies, institutions, organizations, and other recipients
responsible for carrying out each program; and
•
correction of deficiencies in program operations that are identified through audits, monitoring, or
evaluation.
Suggestions/Guidance for applicants:
We suggest that you clearly delineate the roles to be played by each of the partners, describing who will do
what, when, and where, and with what anticipated results. Providing job descriptions for key staff is
particularly helpful in describing the structure of the project and the procedures for managing it
successfully. Successful projects typically employ a full-time project director.
We suggest you show that appropriate resources and personnel have been carefully allocated for the tasks
and activities described in your application. Successful applicants make sure that their budget will
adequately cover program expenses including transportation. It is important to demonstrate how you will
leverage existing school resources, such as computer labs, libraries, and classrooms to carry out your
activities.
We suggest you include a schedule for council meetings and professional development as well as program
implementation. Make sure the timeline is set up with reasonable expectations for start-up dates, etc.
We also suggest that you address the issue of planning for sustainability after the program period and
elaborate upon how your LEA and partnering organizations will assist in sustaining the project. It is our
experience that successful projects plan and provide resources for ongoing staff development and training.
Each year, grantees will be required to submit an Annual Performance Report (APR) that describes project
activities, accomplishments, and outcomes. The two purposes of the APR are to (1) demonstrate that
substantial progress has been made toward meeting the objectives of the projects as outlined in the project
application; and (2) collect data that addresses the performance indicators for the 21
st
Century Community
COMPONENT FIVE
QUALITY OF PROJECT EVALUATION
(15 POINTS
)
Application must include all objectives in order to receive all 15 points
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Learning Center program. All applicants must address each of the performance indicators and discuss how
they will evaluate improvement in these areas.
There will be two types of data collected on the APR: Descriptive data and achievement data. The sections
of the APR that include descriptive data will be due to the Department approximately two months before the
anniversary date of the project, usually in April. The section of the APR containing achievement data will
be submitted by all grantees on a due date to be set by the Department, usually in October. Recipients are
required to submit to the DOE data on students who are enrolled in programs and services funded by this
grant, including identifying the percentage of students participating who meet or exceed the proficient level
of performance on the FCAT. In the last year of the project, in addition to the APR, a brief final report
summarizing the major challenges and accomplishments achieved during the project period will be required.
This report will be due no later than 90 days after the end of the project. Grantees will also be required to
participate in any national evaluations that the USDOE may conduct of the program.
1.
Describe the goals of your program as well as the method of evaluating the goals. Applicants must
determine the goals for their program based on each of the performance indicators listed below:
•
Participants in 21
st
Century Community Learning Centers program will demonstrate educational and
social benefits and exhibit positive behavioral changes.
q
Achievement. Students regularly participating in the program will show continuous
improvement in achievement through measures such as test scores, grades, and/or teacher
reports.
q
Behavior. Students participating in the program will show improvements on measures such as
school attendance, classroom performance, and decreased disciplinary actions or other adverse
behaviors.
•
21
st
Century Community Learning Centers will offer a range of high-quality education,
developmental, and recreational services to students and their families in high need communities.
q
Core educational services. Programs will offer high quality services in core academic areas, e.g.
reading and literacy, mathematics, and science to improve FCAT scores and current school
grades (i.e. D, and F schools).
q
Enrichment and support activities. Programs will offer enrichment and support activities such as
health, and fitness activities to decrease the national obesity epidemic.
q
Partnerships. Grantees will establish and maintain partnerships within the community that
continue to increase levels of community collaboration in planning, implementing, and
sustaining programs.
q
Services. Programs will offer services to family members of students participating in the 21
st
CCLC program.
q
21
st
Century Community Learning Centers will serve children and family members with the
greatest needs for expanding learning opportunities.
q
High-need communities. Programs are located in high poverty communities.
2.
Applicants must provide assurance that:
•
the applicant will cooperate in carrying out any evaluation of the program conducted by state or
federal officials;
•
the local education agencies and partnering agencies will share pertinent student data required for the
evaluation components with each other and the public upon written notice; and
•
if appropriate, scientifically based research that provides evidence that the programs or proposed
activities will help students meet state and local student academic achievement standards.
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3.
The results of the yearly evaluation will be used to refine, improve, and strengthen the program or
activity, and to refine the performance measures.
Suggestions/Guidance for applicants:
We suggest that you submit a strong evaluation plan that will shape the development of the project from the
beginning of the project period. Programs should identify clear benchmarks to monitor progress toward
specific goals, and outcome measures to assess impact on the performance indicators. Applicants should
identify the individual and/or organization that have agreed to serve as the evaluator for the project and
describe his/her qualifications. It should describe the evaluation design, indicating: (1) what types of data
will be collected; (2) when various types of data will be collected; (3) what designs and methods will be
used; (4) how the data will be analyzed; (5) when reports of results and outcomes will become available;
and (6) how information will be used by the project to monitor progress and to provide accountability
information to stakeholders about success at the project site(s).
Successful applicants have included the evaluator in the actual writing of the application.
III.
STATE REQUIREMENTS
State requirements are listed throughout the proposal.
IV.
FISCAL REQUIREMENTS
1.
Projects may use up to 5 percent of the total amount available to it for local administration and indirect
costs. Specifically, a project may use up to 2 percent of the amount available for administrative costs.
A project may use up to 3 percent of its allocation for the following activities (1) monitoring and
evaluating programs and activities; (2) providing capacity-building, training, and technical assistance
specific to the program; and (3) comprehensively evaluating (directly or through a contract) the
effectiveness of programs and activities. Project funds can be used for travel, personnel, and contracted
support as necessary and reasonable to carry out project monitoring, evaluation, technical assistance, and
training functions. Projects should utilize the remaining 95 percent of funding to support
activities/programming within the 21
st
CCLC program.
2.
Budgets must include funds for at least two project staff members to attend a two-day annual regional or
federal after school meeting, each year of the project. You must also include funds to cover travel and
lodging expenses for at least three people to attend two state 21
st
CCLC training's during each year of
the project.
3.
Funds will not supplant any other district, state, or federal program. Federal projects can supplement,
but NOT supplant.
4.
Non-allowable expenditures include district-level expenses, facilities, capital improvements, plaques,
entertainment, refreshments, and decorative items.
5.
Allowable expenditures include appropriate training, professional and technical services, software,
books, materials, supplies, and indirect costs in accordance with the approved in-direct cost rate.
6.
The application must include the DOE 100A form completed and signed by the appropriate agency
head, and the DOE 101 form completed in accordance with the form instructions. These are attached
hereto.
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7.
Distribution of Funds
•
Federal Cash Advance: Federal cash advances will be made to LEAs, universities, community
colleges, and other governmental agencies by state warrant or Electronic Fund Transfer for
disbursements. Request for Federal Cash Advance must be made on the Electronic Federal Cash
Advance Request System.
•
Performance-Based Funding: As expressed in the Performance-Based Schedule of Payments,
performance-based payments to community-based organizations, public and private entities, will be
distributed upon receipt of a properly prepared invoice and acceptance of units of deliverables by the
DOE Program Manager; or
•
Reimbursement Funding: Projects that are funded on a reimbursement system should be reported on
a monthly basis. All reimbursement request must be made using the appropriate DOE forms, in
accordance with the instruction of each form. The invoices and the entries on the detail forms
should correspond with the agency's account codes. Request for reimbursement should be submitted
to the DOE Comptroller's Office. Distribution methods to community-based organizations, public,
and private entities will be determined by the Department at a later date.
V.
APPLICATION REVIEW CRITERIA
1.
Peer Review Process
•
The Department will allocate funds utilizing a statewide competitive process for awarding projects
to eligible recipients. This funding model does not mean that the funds will automatically be
awarded to any particular agency. All recipients must meet the minimum score of 70 to be
considered for funding.
•
Project applications will be read, evaluated and scored by a team of non-Division employees. The
team(s) of readers will consist of three individuals with knowledge and experience in implementing
programs.
•
The applicant's scores of the three readers will be averaged and all applications will be ranked in
order of highest to lowest score.
•
Funding will be recommended for those with the highest score.
•
DOE staff will review recommended applications for compliance with the programmatic and fiscal
policies of the project.
•
DOE staff may contact you for additional information and/or clarifications should an application fail
to adequately address program intent.
2.
Applicants will be scored on the following criteria:
•
Need For Project - 25 points
•
Quality of Project Design - 25 points
•
Adequacy of Resources - 20 points
•
Quality of Management Plan - 15 points
•
Quality of Project Evaluation - 15 points
•
Maximum Total Points = 100 Points
Required application format
Carefully read the entire application package before beginning to prepare an application. The
application package clearly identifies who is eligible to apply under this competition, what applicants
must propose to do, what must be contained in an application and what criteria will be used to evaluate
applications.
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A completed application must contain the following sections, in the order provided below. Copies of all
forms discussed in the following section are provided in the "Required Forms" part of this document.
1.
Cover Page.
Use Form DOE 100A (Florida Department of Education Project Application).
2.
Program Summary and Abstract.
The applicant must provide the contact information and descriptive
information requested. The abstract should briefly describe the community needs being addressed,
including the participants to be served, the objectives and the activities proposed to meet them, and the
intended outcomes. Applicants may include a continuation page of no more than two pages.
3.
Table of Contents.
Include a one-page table of contents.
4.
Program Narrative.
Applicants shall limit the application narrative to no more than 20 pages double-
spaced, 12-point font. In previous competitions, reviewers have found that applicants can successfully
describe their programs within this limit. In preparing the Program Narrative, applicants should keep in
mind the selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications, and ensure that each of these
criteria is addressed. Applications should describe how activities are designed to assist students to meet
or exceed the Sunshine State Standards in core academic areas, as appropriate to each child.
Applications must also describe how community-based agencies will collaborate with local education
agencies.
5.
Budget Narrative.
Using the enclosed Florida Department of Education Budget Narrative Form, to
provide a complete narrative for the first funding period. Include in the narrative : (1) the basis for
estimating the costs of professional personnel salaries, benefits, project staff travel, materials and
supplies, consultants and subcontracts, indirect costs, and any projected expenditures; (2) how the major
cost items relate to the proposed activities; (3) the cost of evaluation; and (4) total budget should reflect
what applicant will need to carry out the program for the first funding period.
6.
Assurances and Required Forms.
Each of the forms and assurances provided in the "Required Forms"
section must be completed and included in the application.
7.
Appendix.
Each application may be accompanied by an appendix, limited to the following:
•
A list of consortium members or partners. List all consortia members or partners, contact persons,
addresses, telephone and fax numbers. Letters of commitment should be included in this section of
the Appendix to clearly document the role and contribution of each member.
•
Evidence of previous success. Include a brief summary of any evaluation studies, reports, or
research that may document the effectiveness or success of the consortium or the activities/services
proposed in the narrative section of the application.
Suggestions/Guidance for applications:
Other attachments to the application are strongly discouraged! Reviewers will have a limited time to
review applications, and their consideration of the application against the selection criteria will focus on
the sections of the application and the appendix listed above. Supplementary materials such as videotapes,
CD-ROMs, files on disks, publications, press clippings, testimonial letters, etc., will not be reviewed nor will
they be returned to the applicant.
15
Application procedures
The deadline for transmitting applications is October 18, 2002. All applications must be received on or
before that date. This closing date and procedures for guaranteeing timely submission will be strictly
observed. No supplemental or revised information from applicants- including letters of recommendation
mailed separately- will be accepted after the closing date, or after an application has been submitted.
Applications may be delivered by mail, courier or hand before the deadline date. We encourage
applicants to carefully review the procedures for submitting their materials. Only those applications that
contain ALL identified forms and objectives will be considered for funding. If you have questions, they
should be directed to Grants Management at (850) 488-3473.
All applicants must submit one signed original and four additional copies of the entire application,
beginning with the Cover Page (DOE Form 100A). All copies of the application must be submitted
together in one package, to ensure that Grants Management does not log in the same application more
than once. Do not send your application, or copies of your application, to any other address within the
Department of Education or it will not be accepted. Applications submitted by mail or hand delivery
must be submitted to the following address:
21
st
Century Community Learning Centers
Attn: Grants Management
Florida Department of Education
325 West Gaines Street, Room 325
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Applicants are also encouraged to periodically check the program's Website, http://www.firn.edu/doe/
and go to keyword 21
st
Century Community Learning Centers Program, for information or resources
that may be useful in helping applicants to prepare high quality applications. You may also call or write
Brandy Bartol (phone: 850/488-1701; e-mail Brandy.Bartol@fldoe.org at the Florida Department of
Education, 325 West Gaines Street, 444 Turlington Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400.
