Amador County
Community Projects
Mini-Grants
2010
About First 5 Amador and Prop 10:
First 5 Amador, formerly the Amador County Children & Families First Commission, was formed as a result of the 1998 California Children and Families First Act (Proposition 10) passed by California voters. Proposition 10 imposed a fifty-cent-per-pack state sales tax on tobacco products to fund early childhood development services for California children ages zero to five. The overall purpose of the initiative is to prepare all California children to enter school healthy and ready to learn.
The mission of First 5 Amador is to “promote, support, and enhance the optimal development of Amador County’s children from zero to five years of age.” Key goal areas include: Child Care, Family Safety, Health, School Readiness, Father Involvement, and Nutrition/Physical Activity Promotion.
Funding Guidelines and Allocations for 2010:
Eligible projects:
One-time mini-grants, from $100 - $3,000;
For programs benefiting or serving children zero-five and their families in Amador County in the following areas: 4 Child Care 4 Father Involvement
4 Family Safety 4 Nutrition & Physical
4 Health Activity Promotion
4 School Readiness
Eligible applicants include individuals, community and neighborhood groups, not-for-profit organizations, public agencies, educational institutions, or for-profit entities;
No funding available for physical improvements (ie: fences, landscaping, permanent construction);
A maximum of $300.00 in capital assets can be requested in any one mini-grant;
Grant applications are reviewed six times a year. Deadlines for the calendar year 2008 are 5:00pm, at the First 5 offices, on the following dates:
January 1, 2010 March 1, 2010
May 1, 2010 July 1, 2010
September 1, 2010 November 1, 2010
Applications must be turned it at least two months prior to the start date of your program, or project. The process for review, clarifications, finalizations of plans, and payment processing can take up to a minimum of two months, please plan accordingly. In addition, please do not announce or advertise your program or project until you have final confirmation that it has been funded.
Successful grantees may be awarded funding no more than two times per fiscal year, for two separate projects; previously awarded grantees are eligible to apply each year.
Projects that meet the funding guidelines may apply for funding by completing the attached application form. Applicants may submit a request to the Commission ranging from $100 up to $3,000.
If approved for funding, applicants will be required to sign a contract describing specifically how the funds will be used and, upon completion, to show how the funds were spent. Grantees will also be requested to complete a marketing/outreach plan and to work with First 5 evaluators to measure the success of the program as required by First 5 California. When appropriate, grantees will be asked to document the project with photos with a disposable camera provided by First 5 Amador (photo release forms provided as well).
Applicant Eligibility:
Grants are available to individuals, community and neighborhood groups, not-for-profit organizations, public agencies, educational institutions, and for-profit entities serving children zero to five and their families in Amador County.
Grantee Responsibilities:
1. After receiving grant money, grantees will need to keep track of their grant activities on an ongoing basis. A one-time expense report on funds spent will be required. A simple report form will be provided.
2. Grantees will need to work with First 5 Amador evaluation staff to measure the effectiveness of grant funds. A simple evaluation report form will also be provided to be turned in as part of the final report. Some grantees may be requested to meet with evaluation staff before the project begins to determine how to best document whether goals have been achieved or not.
3. Grantees may be requested to take photographs of the project or event (where applicable) and provide copies to First 5 Amador. A disposable camera will be provided by First 5 Amador along with a photo release form.
4. Grantees must maintain a tobacco-free environment (including outside areas at all events) for all projects, and each office location.
5. Grantees must agree to a contract that will include a certification that the applicant will comply with all State and Federal law, including, but not limited to: a) a drug-free workplace; and b) all employment and anti-discrimination laws.
6. Due to the nature of working with children 0-5, some grantees may be required to complete fingerprinting and a background check before receiving funding.
7. Grantees requesting money for personnel expenses may be required to invoice First 5 according to a schedule established between First 5 and the Grantee. Proof of attendance at events/classes, etc, when applicable, may also be required. (Appropriate forms will be provided by First 5.) If the grant budget includes personnel expenses and no one attends a class or event, First 5 may opt to reimburse for only half of these personnel costs originally approved in the grant. To ensure attendance, the grantee is responsible for developing a marketing/outreach plan with assistance from First 5 staff.
Application Deadlines:
Applications are read 6 times per year.
Deadlines for submitting a mini-grant are 5:00pm, at the First 5 offices, on the following dates:
Deadline Project Start Date no Earlier Than:
January 1, 2010 March 1, 2010
March 1, 2010 May 1, 2010
May 1, 2010 July 1, 2010
July 1, 2010 September 1, 2010
September 1, 2010 November 1, 2010
November 1, 2010 January 1, 2011
First 5 Amador
Community Projects Mini-Grant Application 2010
Project Title: ______
Amount Requested: $ Proposed Project Dates: ______
Name:
Organization:
Address:
City: Zip Code:
Phone: Fax:
Email:
Please attach a separate sheet of paper to answer the following questions.
1. Describe the project to be funded. Include activities & a proposed timeline.
Please also include a brief background and context for this project, as the Review
Committee may be unfamiliar with this type of program or previous experience in this area.
2. Who will the project serve, how many children 0-5 and/or their parents, and how often, and what is the geographic area in Amador County to be served by the project? If classes or events are planned, please provide a schedule.
3. Which area closest matches what you hope to achieve with your project(choose one)?
m Child Care m Father Involvement m Family Safety m School Readiness m Nutrition and/or Physical Activity
m Health
4. Which individual or organization will be paid to work on this project? Include the method for providing fiscal accountability.
5. Provide a brief description of and a complete budget for how the money will be spent: cost of materials, salaries, and other expenses. Are additional resources available for the proposed project (e.g., matching funds, in-kind services)?
6. How do you plan to market and/or do outreach for this project to ensure participation?
7. How will you know if this project is successful? How will you measure that success?
Signature of Applicant Date