Purpose of Funds
Through this RFA, OPCSFS is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants for the following grant program:
Teacher Pipeline Grants
- The purpose of this funding program is to impact the quality and quantity of the teacher supply for DC charter schools by providing support to non-profit organizations with a demonstrated history of success working with charter schools on projects that are designed to: a) recruit, or partner with LEAs or other organizations to recruit, high-quality candidates new to teaching for DC charter school teacher residency or teacher roles, and b) train and/or certify these teachers.
- Grant awards will be made on a per-teacher basis and may not exceed $7,500 per teacher. SOAR grant funds may not be the sole source of funding the proposed project and applications must include a description of how the full costs of the program will be covered, e.g., other grants, philanthropy/fundraising, school contributions, teacher contributions, etc.
- All projects should be designed to have direct and rapid impact on academic achievement and outcomes for students in the partner LEAs.
- Proposed initiatives must demonstrate LEA interest for partnership.
- As described in the application, priority points may be awarded to initiatives that focus on partnering with schools serving high-need populations, including English language learners, a high percentage of economically-disadvantaged students, and/or students with disabilities; proposals that address hard-to-staff grade levels and subjects; and proposals seeking to reduce achievement and equity gaps between subgroups of students.
- The theory of action for each project must be supported by data and research.
Pre-Application Conference
The mandatory pre-application webinar will be held on the following dates:
Teacher Pipeline Grants – Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, from 1-2 p.m.
- To register for this webinar, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6023032723939412483
Teacher Pipeline Grants – Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, from 10-11 a.m.
- To register for this webinar, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4654076975683970563
Each interested non-profit organization must have at least one representative attend one of the above webinars in order to meet the attendance requirement for this grant. Webinar attendance is tracked electronically through registration and online attendance. The organization representative should be someone who is familiar with the organization’s past teacher pipeline work with charter schools.
Intent to Apply
All eligible entities seeking to receive funding under this RFA must submit a Notice of Intent to Apply (Appendix A), signed by an authorized official of the organization, via email to [email protected] on or before Oct. 27, 2017. Failure to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply will result in disqualification and the organization’s application will not be reviewed.
Contact Person(s)
Applicants are advised that the following OSSE staff members are the authorized contact persons for this grant competition:
- Ronda Kardash, Director, Office of Public Charter School Financing and Support, [email protected].
Applications Due
Applications are due Dec. 1, 2017, by 3 p.m. and must be submitted through EGMS. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications early to avoid any technical difficulties. OPCSFS strongly encourages submitting applications at least one day early to ensure that avoidable technical issues do not cause you to miss the submission deadline.
Related Content: Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act Grant
