FY2020: Development and Expansion of High Quality Summer Learning

Fund Code: 527

Purpose:

The purpose of this state competitive grant is to support the development and expansion of high quality, comprehensive summer learning opportunities for students in districts with high concentrations of economically disadvantaged students.

Key Grant Requirements:

1. Supports the development of a new summer program or the expansion of an existing summer program by adding more students and/or time;

2. Offers at least 150 hours of programming with a focus on academic and college and career readiness skills, including critical thinking, collaboration, perseverance and other social and emotional areas;

3. Offers engaging and innovative hands-on programming;

4. Offers enrichment activities that will help to close opportunity gaps;

5. Connects to evidence/researched-based programming;

6. Creates a culturally responsive and welcoming environment; and

7. Collaborates with a variety of organizations and leverages cost-sharing partnerships with local districts, private funders and non-profit institutions.

Priorities:

Competitive priority will be given to:

• FY19 FC 527-250 recipients that met all grant and funding requirements.

• Proposals developed collaboratively by community-based organizations and districts/schools demonstrating a significant cost-sharing match.
• Proposals submitted by school districts for schools classified as requiring assistance or intervention as part of the school and district accountability system.
• Proposals that support the successful transition of students into or out of elementary, middle, and/or high school

Eligibility:

Massachusetts public school districts, non-public schools, and public and private community-based organizations (CBOs) working with youth from districts and/or schools where at least 45% of the student population is categorized as economically disadvantaged.

Please Note: All applicants other than public school districts, cities or towns must demonstrate the capacity to administer grant funding through:

• Proven fiscal responsibility as demonstrated, for example, through an annual audit; and
• Previous experience with similar amounts of funding from government (state/federal/local), foundation, or private grants.

If the applicant also receives the FY20 Increased Access Fund Code 528 or 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Fund Code 644 Summer Enhancement grant funding opportunity, the school/program(s) for which you are applying must be different.

Funding Type:

State

Funding:

Approximately $500,000 is available through the state line item 7061-9814.

Applicants may apply for one program per organization/district for up to $40,000. FY19 FC527-250 recipients requesting more than their FY19 award should address in Part III narrative budget section a justification for the increased request.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.

Fund Use:

Funds must be used in alignment with the purpose and priorities outlined and as described in a budget, budget narrative, and required program information that is submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (Department's) Office of Student and Family Support. Indirect costs are not allowed.

Important Note: Students being served by these funds cannot be charged to participate. Additionally, funds cannot be used to pay students to participate in these programs.

Project Duration:

School Year: Upon Approval — 6/30/2020 (for planning and recruitment and/or any summer programming prior to 7/1)

Summer: 7/1/2020 – 8/31/2020 (for summer programming)

Funding may also continue in Year 2 (upon approval – 8/31/2021) pending state budget appropriation, successful utilization of prior funding, and submission of all required documents and awarding of funds through a continuation grant process.

Program Unit:

Office of Student and Family Support

Contact:

Allison Smith
(781) 338-3232

Date Due:

Full Proposals: Thursday, February 27, 2020

Required Forms:

 

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

FY20 School Year Part I

FY21 Summer Part I

Part II - FY20 and FY21 Budget

Part III — Required Program Information

Note: Applicants must submit a separate signature page (Part I) and budget (Part II) for both school year (upon approval – 6/30/2020) and summer (7/1/2020 – 8/31/2020) activities/expenditures.

Additional Information:

Questions Webinars: Due to the competitive nature of this grant program, questions beyond eligibility or logistics of applying will be addressed during Grant Question Webinars. Please email questions to asost@doe.mass.edu (with the subject: FC 527 Question). Date(s) and time(s) for webinar(s) will be confirmed after question(s) are received, if necessary. If you would like to listen in on any webinars even if you did not submit a question, please also email asost@doe.mass.edu (with subject FC 527 Webinars).

Recipients serving students who will be in grades 1–12 are required to utilize the Survey of Academic and Youth Outcomes (SAYO) for all students served by these funds. A free online training course will be provided to recipients on the SAYO tool.

A narrative evaluation on the funded activities and outcomes of the program(s), including a section on outcomes collected from SAYO, must be submitted by September 30, 2020.

For Grant Management processes, including information about requesting funds beyond the initial payment, and additional details on managing your grant, see this webpage.

Submission Instructions:

Email one (1) complete set of all required documents, in their original Word or Excel formats (i.e., not converted to a PDF), and one scanned version of both signed Part I documents (school year and summer), to asost@doe.mass.edu by the date noted above.

Upon award, recipients will be required to enter the approved budget in EdGrants and upload required documents. Once selected, grant recipients will be contacted with further instructions on the process.

Last Updated: February 11, 2020