OVERVIEW, ELIGIBILITY, FUNDING, SUBMISSION AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Background: / The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) provides early education and care services for children in Massachusetts through a mixed delivery system which includes child care centers, out-of-school time programs, family child care homes, public preschool programs, private school preschool and kindergarten, and Head Start programs. EEC is responsible for licensing early education and care and out-of-school time programs throughout Massachusetts and for providing child care financial assistance to low-income families with children from birth to 13 years of age. In addition, EEC provides support for information and referral services, inclusive programming for children with special needs, parenting and family support, and professional development opportunities for educators in the early education and out of school time fields. These efforts affect thousands of early education and out-of-school time providers, who serve more than275,000 children each day. In its broadest role, EEC also serves as a source of information to more than one million families in Massachusetts. In its efforts to provide high quality parenting and family supports to residents of the Commonwealth, EEC has embraced the nationally recognized Parent-Child Home Program (PCHP) model as an effective and innovative literacy and parenting program for families with young children in the Commonwealth.
Purpose: / The purpose of the Parent Child Home Program(PCHP) and the Joint Family Support Programming (JFSP)grants are to:
  • fund PCHP services for eligible families with children who are 18 to 30 months old until their pre-kindergarten year; and
  • complement, not replace or supplant, other family support, family literacy, home visiting, parent education, and early literacy programs in the community.
PCHP is a home-based parenting, early literacy, and school readiness program designed to help strengthen verbal interaction and educational play between parents and their young children. PCHP supports and strengthens parents’ skills in enhancing their children’s cognitive development and school readiness. Program sites serve families challenged by poverty, low levels of education, language barriers, homelessness, and other obstacles to academic success.
The JFSPgrant provides additional funding for the coordination of family outreach, education, and support initiatives through the Massachusetts Family Network.*
*The Massachusetts Family Network (MFN) is a family education and support program for families with children prenatal through age three. MFN programs, under the guidance of a local parent and provider coalition, provide several components: home visits, developmental screening, adult education, family education, parent support groups, playgroups, and family literacy activities.
Goals and Priorities: / The goals and priorities of the PCHP and/or the JFSP Grants focus on a home-based parenting, early literacy, and school readiness program designed to help strengthen verbal interaction and educational play between parents and their young children. PCHP supports and strengthens parents’ skills in enhancing their children’s cognitive development and school readiness. Program sites serve families challenged by poverty, low levels of education, language barriers, homelessness, and other obstacles to academic success.
Grantees are expected to:
  1. Provide parenting, early literacy, and school readiness supports to families with children from 18 to 30 months old through the traditional PCHP model or the PCHP model for working with families experiencing homelessness (SeeAppendix A for a description of each model);
  2. Provide a coordinated approach to family outreach, education, and support in communities with high concentrations of “at risk” families, including, but not limited to, families who are low income, whose first language is not English, who are homeless, and/or who are living in isolation;
  3. Provide families with access to parenting information and support andidentify and link “at-risk” families to appropriate services; and
  4. Establish and maintain linkages with existing EEC funded local planning and other early education and care initiatives.

Expected Outcomes / Each recipient of funds under the PCHP and JFSP grants shall aim to demonstrate the following expected outcomes:
  • Children experiencing literacy, language and print rich environments at home and in their family child care program (if applicable) (All PCHPs and JFSPsmust follow the prescribed program model(s) as described in Appendix A.);
  • Involving families in literacy rich activities and retention for the full two years of the PCHP strategy;
  • Outreach mechanisms engaging hard to reach families including but not limited to those for whom English is a second language, families experiencing homelessness, families living in isolation and families experiencing multiple risk factors;
  • Families participating in meaningful leadership opportunities in their communities, schools and programs, e.g.recruiting and trainingqualifiedparent participants as home visitors; and
  • Providing all PCHP/JFSP families transition support out of their program into other community options. e.g. preschool, Head Start, prior to making a transition to a new program;
Data will be collected locally and aggregated state-wide to measure the need for and effectiveness of local early education and care strategies and programming.
Applicant Eligibility: / Lead agencies that were awarded PCHP grants or JFSP grants for FY 09 are eligible to apply through this Renewal RFR for FY 2010 funding. Please refer to Appendices B and C forLead Agency Grant Eligibility amounts and the minimum number of children that must be served.
Please note that EEC encourages applicants to jointly submit applications, in an effort to consolidate functions and reduceadministrative costs.Please note: The lead agency and all subcontracted providers must comply with all applicable statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures, inclusive of any changes made as a result of enacted legislation, duly promulgated regulations, or policies implemented by the Board and/or Department of Early Education and Care.
Funding: / This is an application for the renewal of PCHP and JFSP grant funding only. Therefore, eligible Lead Agencies may only apply for the funding allocated for the Parent-Child Home Programand the Joint Family Support Program.
Continuation funding for all EEC grant programs is subject to legislative allotment appropriation and authorization, as well as EEC Board approval.
Please note: The approval of renewal applications and requests for funds is contingent upon completion of all required FY 2009 data reports.
Fund Use: / Funding used to support the desired outcomes described in this grant application* may include the following:
  • Salaries and fringe benefits;
  • Contracted consultants, group leaders, and trainers;
  • Supplies and materials to implement direct service activities;
  • Non instructional supplies and materials;
  • Printing and reproduction;
  • Equipment;
  • Travel, mileage, family transportation;
  • Operating costs (i.e. support staff, telephone, computer and internet access, EEC approved indirect rates, postage, copying, office supplies, etc.)
  • Fees and technical assistance from the PCHPNationalCenter (where applicable)
  • Rental of space for program implementation and coordination; and
  • Administrative costs as outlined below.
*For JFSP renewal grants, funds may be used to pay for MFN and PCHP activities and services established through the original (FY 2007) JFSP RFR.
Subcontracting
Services may be provided directly by the lead agency and/or through subcontracts (subject to EEC approval) with other providers. A lead agency or subcontracted provider subject to EEC licensure shall only be awarded funds if it is in substantial compliance with applicable EEC regulations.
Fiscal Administration and Oversight
Please note the limit on fiscal administrative costs. The sum of the following expenditures cannot exceed 8% of the grant award:
  1. Salary of the supervisor of the grant coordinator;
  2. Salaries of fiscal staff (including but not limited to: bookkeeper, contract monitors);
  3. Rental of space, telephone/utility, maintenance and repair, an internal audit costs associated with the administration of the program; and
  4. Costs of administrative caps on subcontracts. Administrative costs of any subcontract shall not exceed 8% of the subcontract award. Please use guidelines equivalent to those provided above to determine the administrative costs of a subcontract (e.g., replace the salary of the grantsupervisor with the salary of the subcontractor’s supervisor).
Please note: EEC has reserved the right to include the above categories in its calculation of an approved administrative cap. Federal indirect rates may not be applied to this grant.
Required Services: / Objective 1. Promote family education, engagement and literacy.
Desired activities to meet this objective:
  • Support family literacy and school readiness through the Parent Child Home program model (All Parent Child Home and Joint Family Support Programs submitting this renewal application must follow the prescribed program model as described in Appendix A);
  • Provide family education and support services that build on and enhance family strengths, support parental resilience and encourage social connections;
  • In collaboration with CCR&Rs, provide outreach and engage family, friend and neighbor care-givers.(also known as informal or kith and kin care); and
  • Through direct services and/or referrals, provide families with:
  • family literacy and school readiness activities;
  • family and community events;
  • parent leadership opportunities; and
  • informationabout early education and care opportunities and other community resources that support parents in their role as their child’s first teacher.
Objective 2.Increase knowledge of and accessibility to high-quality early education and care programs and services for families with children prenatal through school-age.
Desired activities to meet this objective:
  • Conduct universal outreach through a variety of methods and languages, ensuring that all populations of children and families, especially those at-risk are engaged and are provided with opportunities to receive information and other supports; and
  • Provide targeted outreach to underserved and/or high risk families.

Objective 3. Participate in collaboration and community planning between local early education and care partners and other community stake holders or partners.

Desired activities to meet this objective:
  • Participate in communitybased early childhood governing council of stakeholders, including parents.
  • Participate in community-wide needs assessment.
  • Partner in the development of a community plan for supporting the needs of children and families.
  • Participate in collaborative community-wide activities for families with children from prenatal through school-age. e.g. literacy fairs
  • Collaborate across EEC funded agencies, including but not limited to public schools, Head Start programs and CCR&Rs, in order to build on and foster efficiencies within the local array of services available to children and families, and
  • Promote the inclusion of in kind contributions as well as public and private resources to service.

GrantTerm: / Subject to appropriation, this is a grant for the period of 7/1/2009 – 6/30/2010
(provided applicants continue to meet all grant requirements, including reporting requirements and appropriate use requirements).
Please note: PCHP programs may run for a nine month period (September-May).
Initial payments will not be received from EEC until the state budget is finalized.
Contact: / Gail E. DeRiggi
Director of Family Engagement and Support
617.988.7813

Timeline and Submission Date: / Applications must be receivedby Monday, June 26, 2009 at EEC’s Central office by 4:30 p.m.
Required
Forms to be Submitted: / Please only send in the following forms in the order below (do not attach appendices):
  1. Part I: A. Budget Detail and Narrative; B. In Kind Contributions and Fundraising (excel doc)
  2. Part II: Subcontractor Budget Detail and Narrative (excel doc)
  3. PartIII: Program Consolidation Question
  4. Part IV:FY 2010 Program Contact Information
  5. Part V: FY2009 PCHP Statistical Information/FY2010 Projected PCHP Statistical Information (if applicable)
  6. Annual Parent-Child Home Program Replication Record and KEEP (Key Elements for Establishing Program) documents found in the PCHP Technical Materials Manual. The Annual Record can be generated from the PCHP Management Information System (if applicable)
Please note: A Standard Contract Form and any applicable contract forms will be sent to you following programmatic approval of your grant. You do not need to submit this with your application but it is a required submission before any payments will be processed.
Submission
Instructions: / Applicants must mailone complete* original(sign in blue ink) and one complete copy including all required forms to be submitted to:
J. Kevin Roach
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care
51 Sleeper Street 4th floor
Boston, MA02210
ATTN: Parent Child Home Program
or
ATTN: Joint Family Support Programming
*A complete response shall include Part I through Part IV, plus Part V and the annual PCHP record and KEEP documents articulated in #6 above, if applicable.
Please do not include any of the appendices in your mailing. The appendices contain additional program information and requirements for your reference. Please make sure to put the ATTN: line on the envelope as we have several grant applications due to us at the same time.
Please note that applicants must additionallyemail Parts I and II (if applicable) to . Please include the Lead Agency and name of grant program in the Subject Line of your e-mail.
Additional
Information for the Applicant: / Appendix A: Parent Child Home Program Guidelines
Appendix B: PCHP Lead Agencies, Communities, Grant Eligibility Amounts and Minimum Number of Children Served
Appendix C: JFSP Lead Agencies, Communities and Grant Eligibility Amounts
Appendix D: PCHP Budget Instructions and Guidelines
Appendix E: JFSP Budget Instructions and Guidelines
Appendix F: Grant Payment Terms, Grant Expenditures, Termination, Recoupment of Funds, and Relevant Laws
Reporting: / In order to recognize accomplishments, identify challenges and inform future funding decisions, all FY10 EEC grant recipients are required to submit quarterly reports. These reports will provide EEC with information regarding the successes and challenges in meeting grant goals and objectives. A template for reporting this information will be forthcoming. Receipt of the end-of-year report will be required for approval of final grant payments. These narrative reports are in addition to the existing reporting requirements below.
PART III: Program Consolidation Question

All PCHP andJFSP Grantees choosing not to file a consolidated renewal application must explainin this renewal RFR the factors that led to the decision not to apply through a consolidated application. Please include a description of how you will work towards aligning your program with other local grant programs in the future to develop a more consolidated local approach to supporting the goals described in theCoordinated Family and Community Engagement Grant. (See theCoordinated Family and Community Engagement Grant application@

This information may be used by EEC to determine directions for a possible competitive bid of grant funds for 2011.

PART IV: FY 2010 Program Contact Information
  1. SUMMER CONTACT - Must be available to the Department from June 10, 2009 through September 1, 2009.

Name:
Name of Lead Agency:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail: *
  1. JFSP/PCHPCOORDINATOR

Name:
Name of Lead Agency:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail: *
  1. LEAD AGENCY CONTACT

Name:
Name of Lead Agency:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail: *
  1. FISCAL CONTACT

Name:
Name of Lead Agency:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail: *

PART V – FY 2009 PCHP STATISTICAL INFORMATION

FY 2010 PROJECTED PCHP STATISTICAL INFORMATION

Please provide the following statistical information for FY 2009(July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009) and projected statistical information for FY 2009 (July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010). Report only the information for the PCHP state-funded portion of the program unless otherwise instructed.

FY 2009 / Projected FY 2010
1. How many children participated in the state-funded portion of the PCHP at any point since July 1, 2008?
2a. How many of the children reported in Question 1 were enrolled in Program I? (See Appendix C.)
2b. How many of the children reported in Question 1 were enrolled in Program II? (See Appendix C.)
3. How many Program I and II children were enrolled for less than a full program year (less than 17 weeks)*?
4. How many families participated in state-funded portion of the PCHP at any point since July 1, 2008? (This number should be equal to or just less than Question 1.)
5. How many additional families were served in PCHP this year with funds other than the state grant program?
6. How many families are planning to continue into the next program year?
7. How many families with age-eligible children are on the program’s PCHP waitlist?
8. How many teen parents participated in PCHP?
9. How many families experiencing homelessness participated in PCHP?
10. How many family child care providers participated in PCHP? (Approved Sites Only)
11. How many family, friend and neighbor (informal) caregivers participated in PCHP?
12. How many PCHP children were also enrolled in an early education and care program (i.e., Head Start, family child care, and center-based or public preschool program)?
13. How many of the children reported in Question 11 received EEC financial assistance?
14. Of the total number of children who participated in PCHP, please list the number served by community in your program area.

*Twenty-three weeks is considered a full program year. The number of children who participated in less than 17 weeks of the program is collected for statistical purposes only.

APPPENDIX A:Parent Child Home Program Guidelines

The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) will awards grants to sites to implement the Parent-Child Home Program (PCHP). The 25 lead agencies that received PCHP grants in FY 2009are eligible to apply for FY 2010 PCHP grant funds. The 11 lead agencies that received JFSP grants in FY 2009 are eligible to apply for FY 2010 grant funds. Please refer to AppendicesB and C for PCHP and JFSP Lead Agencies and Grant Eligibility Amounts for more information.