Friday, June 7, 2019
Request for Application (RFA) Release Date: Wednesday, June 26, 2019, 12 p.m. [view RFA]
As authorized by the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships Grant, 42 USC 9801 et seq. and Early Learning Quality Improvement Network Amendment Act of 2015, D.C. Act 21-231, D.C. Official Code § 4-415, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) – Division of Early Learning, is soliciting grant applications for the Quality Improvement Network (QIN) Grant. The goal of the QIN Grant is to provide services, to include Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (ERSEA), continuous, comprehensive high quality services, job-embedded professional development and technical assistance to licensed child development facilities to ensure low income infants and toddlers and their families have access to programs that meet Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) using a hub-based model. This grant is supported through local funds and federal funds.
Eligibility and Selection Criteria: OSSE will make these grants available through a competitive process. Eligible applications include: non-profit, for-profit and faith-based community based organizations. Eligible organizations to serve as the hub(s) must:
- Have the capacity and experience to serve providers in one or more of the following Wards: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
- Have a proven track record and experience providing technical assistance and training to child development centers and/or child development homes.
- Commit to fully support OSSE’s long term strategy to improve the quality of infant and toddler care in the District, including sharing of data and necessary information and participating in evaluation efforts, as needed.
- Have the capacity to serve as a federal recipient of funds, including current or former status as a recipient or sub-recipient of EHS or Head Start funds or other federal grants currently and be able to provide the date of most recent independent financial audit.
- Demonstrate significant previous experience with and knowledge of federal EHS/HSPPS.
- Be in full compliance with OSSE child care licensing regulations with no enforcement actions within the past two years if the applicant provides child care and early learning services.
Applications will be scored on the following selection criteria: (1) information about the organization; (2) applicant organizational knowledge, including but not limited to experience in providing technical assistance and monitoring of child development facilities and organizational expertise in early childhood development and HSPPS; (3) the process to provide and monitor adherence to HSPPS; and (4) detailed planned expenditures: financial management procedures and proposed budget.
Interested applicants are encouraged to attend an EGMS training on June 26 as well as a Pre-Application meeting (in-person meeting July 2 or online session July 25).
Technical training on OSSE’s grant management system (Wednesday, June 26, 2019, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.): Applicants are encouraged to attend the EGMS to prepare applicants to submit grant applications. Attendees will gain understanding on how to access and log into EGMS and who should have access at their organization. This event is available as a webinar and in-person meeting. Register
Pre-application meeting (in-person: Tuesday, July 2, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. or online: Thursday, July 25, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.): Applicants are encouraged to attend an in-person [Register] or online [Register] session to:
- Understand the major components of the RFA and gain proficiency in EGMS to apply for the grant; and
- Network with other applicants and potentially develop partnerships.
Length of Award: The period for this grant will be five years, ending on Sept. 30, 2024, contingent upon availability of funds. Each budget period will be one year, with the first period ending Sept. 30, 2020.
Available Funding for Award: The total funding available for implementing the QIN is at least $2,300,000 in local funds. Potential range of awards includes $500,000 - $2,300,000 in local funds.
OSSE is anticipating supplementing the awards with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OSSE anticipates, but does not guarantee, approximately $750,000 - $900,000 in federal funds to be awarded to the hub, based on similar amount of funding received for this grant in previous fiscal years.
Application Process: An external review panel or panels will be convened to review, score and rank each application. The review panel(s) will be composed of neutral, qualified, professional individuals selected for their expertise, knowledge or related experiences. The application will be scored against a rubric and each application will have multiple reviewers to ensure accurate scoring. Upon completion of its review, the panel(s) shall make recommendations for awards based on the scoring rubric(s). The State Superintendent or her designee will make all final award decisions. Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2019. OSSE estimates that it will award grants by Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019; however this date may change.
For additional information regarding this grant competition, please contact:
The RFA will be available on the DC Office of Partnerships and Grant Services website. Applications will be submitted through the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS).
Trainings
Tara Dewan-Czarnecki
Program Manager
Division of Early Learning
Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Phone: (202) 741-7637
[email protected]
Rebecca Shaw
Director of Operations and Management
Division of Early Learning
Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Phone: (202) 741-7637
[email protected]
