Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2024: Diversifying the Educator Workforce

Fund Code: 0251

Purpose:

The competitive Diversifying the Educator Workforce Grant is designed to support non-profit organizations and institutes of higher education efforts to diversify the Massachusetts educator workforce. This RFP is directly aligned to the third strategic objective listed in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's new educational vision , which sets an ambitious and long-term expectation of the learning experiences for students across the Commonwealth. The Department is deeply committed to providing aligned support to districts, schools, and programs so that this vision may become a reality and will continue to work with districts, schools, and educators to promote teaching and learning that is antiracist, inclusive, multilingual, and multicultural; that values and affirms each student and their families; and that creates equitable opportunities and experiences for all students, particularly those who have been historically underserved.

Grant recipients will develop and implement thoughtful, high-impact strategies intended to directly impact the recruitment and retention of diverse Massachusetts educators. Priority funding will be given to proposals that support diverse individuals who identify as career changers, aspiring teachers, high school students, and first-generation college students.

Strategies should be evidence-based and informed by qualitative and quantitative data related to diverse educator recruitment and retention efforts.

Applicants may propose using grant funds to strengthen existing teacher recruitment and retention programs in one or more ways.

Option A: Existing Programs
Grant funds may be used to enhance and expand the organization's existing programs designed to increase the recruitment and retention of diverse Massachusetts K–12 educators.

Option B: New Programs
Grant funds may be used to support the development of new programs designed to increase the recruitment and retention of diverse Massachusetts public K–12 educators.

Option C: School and District Partnerships
Grant funds may be used to develop new partnerships between the organization and Massachusetts public schools and districts (traditional public schools, districts, charter schools, career vocational technical education schools, approved private special education schools, and regional collaboratives). The partnerships must be designed to increase the school or district's diverse educator recruitment and retention efforts.

To ensure this RFP supports the Department's priority to create a more diverse and culturally responsive Massachusetts educator workforce, organizations must describe how cultural proficiency training needs for prospective educators will be determined and provided.

Priorities:

Competitive priorities for this grant will be given to:

Organizations that support education-specific pathways for high school students.
Organizations with established teacher recruitment and retention programs, which include, but are not limited to paraprofessional-to-teacher programs.
Proposals that support diverse individuals who identify as career changers, aspiring teachers, high school students, and or first-generation college students.

Eligibility:

This grant is open to non-profit organizations and Massachusetts institutes of higher education.

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA: 84.425 Federal Coronavirus Relief Programs — Federal Grant Programs

Federal grant funds must adhere to:

UGG (2 CFR 200)
EDGAR As Applicable
EDGAR General Fiscal Administration 34 CFR Part 76

Funding:

Approximately $1,500,000 will be awarded to non-profit organizations and Massachusetts institutions of higher education.

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

This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.

The requested amount should be appropriate and reasonable for the size and scope of the proposed program.

Fund Use:

Funds must be used to support Massachusetts's efforts to create a more diverse and culturally responsive public K-12 educator workforce. Activities must be reasonable, appropriate, and consistent with all applicable state and federal requirements.

Project Duration:

FY24 Upon Approval* – 6/30/2024
FY25 7/1/2024 – 9/30/2024

All grant-funded activities must be paid by the project duration end date of September 30, 2024. All grant recipients will be expected to provide an annual summary report on grant-funded activities and outcomes once the grant is completed.

Program Unit:

Center for Strategic Initiatives

Contact:

CSI@mass.gov

Date Due:

Friday, April 12, 2024*

Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on the date due.

* All responses must be received by the due date and time listed in this RFP. All responses must be submitted as directed in the Submissions Instructions section of this RFP. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not submitted on time will not be reviewed. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed in this RFP.

Required Forms:

Part III — Required Program Information Form
Part IV — Grant Assurances Copies of the non-profit organization or Massachusetts institutions of Higher Education's strategic plan which demonstrates a focus on educator diversification.

Submission Instructions:

The FY25 FC 0251 Diversifying the Educator Workforce Grant will be submitted in our new GEM$ system. GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that will eventually phase out the use of EdGrants.

Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)

Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the Superintendent / Chief Executive approves the grant application in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application by the due date listed in the RFP.

The Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved Step allows for the organization lead to review and approve the grant application. Removing the requirement for the Part I Standard Contract Form, this step signifies Superintendent /Chief Executive sign off. Any grant budget changes requiring signature, will re-execute this step when amended signifying the organization lead is approving these changes.

Please Note: Grant Submission requires applicants to have their organization established in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization in GEM$ must contact the DESE Program Unit issuing this grant at a minimum 5 business days prior to the grant due date for temporary organization access.

Failure to provide DESE with GEM$ Request Form at least 5 business days prior to the due date may result in not meeting the submission due date listed above. DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date.

Last Updated: April 2, 2024