FY2025: MassSTEP ABE and MassSTEP ESOL

Fund Codes: 0671/0661/0359

Purpose:

MassSTEP ABE provides adult education (AE) concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation activities, and workforce training to accelerate learning outcomes, including student attainment of a high school credential and one or more relevant industry-recognized credentials (IRCs). MassSTEP ESOL provides ESOL instruction concurrently and contextually with civics education in addition to workforce preparation activities and workforce training to accelerate learning outcomes, including student attainment of one or more relevant IRCs.

Implementation grants are designed for partnerships among education providers, training providers, employers, and workforce partners to implement an instructional program for adult learners in high wage/high demand career pathways. Grants must be developed consistent with Public Law 113-128, Sections 201 through 243 .

Priorities:

The priority is to support programs that demonstrate:

• a need for MassSTEP ABE and/or MassSTEP ESOL services
• Career pathway development in priority occupations as shown in the WIOA local plan
• Concurrent and contextualized adult education instruction, workforce preparation activities, civics education (MassSTEP ESOL), and workforce training (requirement)
• A program design about 16 weeks in length (requirement)
• Partnership with one or more local area employers in the occupation that includes but is not limited to assistance with job placement/employment (requirement)
• Student attainment of one or more IRCs (requirement) and a high school credential (MassSTEP ABE).
• Collaborations with local MassHire Workforce Boards, MassHire Career Centers, and/or Career/Vocational Technical Education programs.
• Commitment to delivering a program that adheres to the FY24-FY28 Policies for Effective MassSTEP Programs in Community Adult Learning Centers and Correctional Institutions and MassSTEP Brand Standards and Implementation Guide

Eligibility:

This is a continuation grant. All recipients awarded in the FY2024 Open and Competitive process are eligible to apply.

Funding Type:

Fund Code 0661: State Line Item 7035-0002

Fund Code 0671 and 0359: Federal CFDA 84.002

Federal grant funds must adhere to:

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

Funding:

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.

This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.

School	Amount
Boston Public Schools	$191,344
Bristol Community College	$180,000
Bristol County Sheriff's Office	$98,390
The Brockton Adult Learning Center	$65,000
Cambridge Community Learning Center	$100,000
Hampden County Sheriff's Office	$80,000
Holyoke Community College	$195,188
International Institute of New England, Inc.	$100,000
Jamaica Plain Community Centers Adult Learning Program	$100,000
North Adams Public Schools	$39,852
North Shore Community Action Programs, Inc	$90,000
North Shore Community College	$150,000
Northern Essex Community College	$100,000
Notre Dame Education Center-Lawrence	$98,346
Quincy Community Action Programs, Inc.	$143,520
Quinsigamond Community College	$239,587
Randolph Community Partnership, Inc.	$76,328
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth	$100,000
Valley Opportunity Council	$184,560
Worcester Public Schools	$86,920
YMCA of Greater Boston	$90,000
YMCA of Greater Boston - Woburn	$90,000
Total	$2,599,035

Fund Use:

Funds must be used in accordance with the FY24–FY28 Policies for Effective MassSTEP Programs in Community Adult Learning Centers and Correctional Institutions .

Administrative costs may not exceed 25% of the total grant award.

Adult Education and Family Literacy Services is a restricted rate program that is subject to a statutory "supplement not supplant" restriction. For this competition, applicants may include indirect cost rates to recover certain business-related expenses necessary to support the proposed services.

• A non-LEA that has a current federally approved restricted indirect cost rate may use that rate.
• A non-LEA that has an FY24 approved indirect cost rate may use that rate. However, if awarded a grant, the agency must reapply to DESE for FY25 and annually through the grant cycle (2 CFR 200.332).
• A non-LEA that does not have either a Federal or DESE approved indirect cost rate may budget up to 8% percent of the agency's proposed budget to recover certain business-related expenses. However, if awarded a grant, the agency must apply to DESE for FY24 and that there is no guarantee that the rate will be approved (2 CFR 200.332).

Project Duration:

Upon Approval* – 6/30/2025

* Grant start date cannot be prior to DESE receiving a substantially approvable Application Submission as directed in this RFP's Submission Instructions. Goods and Services cannot be procured prior to Grants receiving and approving an application submission. Funds cannot exceed the project duration end date.

Program Unit:

Adult and Community Learning Services

Contact:

Derek Kalchbrenner

Phone Number:

(781) 338-3812

Date Due:

Friday, June 7, 2024 by 3:00 PM

Proposals must be received at the Department by 3:00 p.m. Eastern on the date due.

Additional Information:

FY24–FY28 Policies for Effective MassSTEP Programs in Community Adult Learning Centers and Correctional Institutions

MassSTEP Brand Standards and Implementation Guide

Grants Essential Information

All grants issued to state colleges/universities or state agencies must have an executed ISA in GEM$.

Grant Amendment vs ISA Amendment (for State Agencies & Correctional Facilities)

ISA MMARS Timeline (for State Agencies & Correctional Facilities)

State ISA Grant Amendment Process (for State Agencies & Correctional Facilities)

Federal ISA Grant Amendment Process (for State Agencies & Correctional Facilities)

Submission Instructions:

The FY25 FC 671/661/359 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$)

Please Note: Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off. All these roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to GEM$, maintained at the LEA level or sent in to the DESE RFP contact as described on the individual forms. The user guidance documents and forms are found on the GEM$ homepage under DESE Resources. These form can be accessed without logging in to the system.

Last Updated: May 24, 2024