Round 3 Community-School Partnership Investment Fund FAQ
Q: How many projects will be funded through Deep Dive 3 Round 3?
A: Round 3 will invest in up to 5 school-community partnerships.
Q: Is the focus of DD3 to fund innovative programs or to affect as many children as possible?
A: These projects need to show depth of partnership and depth of impact with a specific subset of students. Leveraged funds and return on investment will be looked at when creating the project deliverables. These school-community partnership projects are meant to be intensive partnerships that focus on one or a small number of high-need schools and are scalable throughout the region. It is typically more difficult to go ‘deep’ with a project that is large involving many schools and a large student population. It is also more difficult to replicate. One of the overarching goals of the school-community partnerships is to provide lessons learned and replicable projects. Therefore it may be more beneficial to focus efforts on a particular school(s) in order to produce the intended outcomes of the Investment Fund.
Q: What are the metrics we will use to collect data and measure impact? How do you determine numbers served?
A: Each program or project will have different measures; therefore it is necessary to think about what would work for your project the best. It is required for the community-school Investment Fund projects to impact at least one RTT-D Goal Areas or Performance Measure as listed on the RTT website, by subgroup. All projects will need to show which RTT-D targets they will be impacting and what measures they will be using to do so as a part of the project deliverables if selected through the RFI. The specific targets and measures will depend on the project focus. The numbers served will be determined by the student subgroup that the project intends to impact.
Q: How should applicants plan for sustainability?
A: Sustainability should be addressed in submissions. Partners’ commitment to sustaining the project beyond RTT will be scored. This will be a focus throughout the investment fund process as well as in implementation. A strong project will distribute the work and leadership rather than relying on one person and/or set of funds. The technical assistance providers can assist in thinking about how to develop a sustainability plan as part of the development of the scope of work. Future funding sources, relationship building, and establishing systems and structures that support the partnership, are all important to sustainability. Without one of these sustainability elements it can be difficult to continue the partnership work.
Q: If applicants have existing partnerships, can they use the DD3 investment for that?
A: Yes, however partnerships will need to be with identified high-needs schools that have previously not been awarded funds through this investment fund. We would also like to see new and different partnerships through this investment fund and are encouraging schools and community organizations to develop these new partnerships for this final investment fund for community-school partnerships.
Q: Are there restrictions on how partners spend funds?
A: Restrictions align with the federal government in that funding cannot be used for food /drinks or networking. In addition, international travel needs to be approved by the Department of Education. Please see the fiscal section of this FAQ for further information on funding questions.
Q: What is the process for scoring the RFI? Who will score them?
A: A diverse group of professionals representing key areas of the rubric will make up a scoring panel. The scoring panel will score the RFI submissions based on the DD3 RFI Rubric and make recommendations to the RTT Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will then make the final decision on which partnerships will be invited to write full implementation plans and receive awards.
Q: Who is eligible to apply?
A: To qualify, at the time of response to the RFI, an organization must certify that they meet the following qualifications:
· Is partnered with at least one CBO with a 501C3 status (or have a fiscal sponsor/agent with a 501C3 status). Please indicate this on the introduction letter;
· Organization is located within the Road Map Region;
· Has established history and capacity of serving the specific subgroups of students/families the partnership intends to benefit;
· Is partnered with a Road Map RTT school district and an identified high-needs school.
Q: What are the chances of being awarded if an applicant gets accepted through the RFI?
A: Awards are contingent on RTT Executive Committee final decisions. Partnerships selected through the RFI will develop project deliverables, measurements of success, and project components and structures with all partners, the technical assistance providers, and PSESD staff before the Executive Committee makes final decisions to begin the contracting process and implementation.
Q: Are the areas of focus based on data, needs of schools? How is this determined?
A: Areas of focus are identified based on the needs of the student population which the school, district and partners mutually agree will have most impact on the opportunity gap.
Q: If there are a lot of reporting requirements for this partnership work, how can small organizations be supported to address this?
A: Reporting requirements are a part of the partnership projects. This will include data collected to measure impact and reporting reflections on progress and challenges. Through the project development phase, it will be determined who will collect data, when, and by whom. Small organizations will be supported in how this reporting can best happen during this development phase.
Q: Who oversees the process? Who is evaluating progress and project implementation?
A: The PSESD Project Manager will oversee contract development and project implementation. Data collected is reviewed by project lead partners, the PSESD project manager and data staff and incorporated into our annual report to the U.S. Department of Education.
Q: Are organizations that have received awards before through RTT and/or Deep Dives be eligible to apply?
A: Yes, however these organizations will need to partner with identified RTT high-needs schools that have not been previously awarded through Deep Dives. This third round is not intended to continue/extend current Deep Dive projects.
Q: Can a CBO apply to more than one RFI? Regionally?
A: A CBO may apply to more than one RFI, as long as the proposed partnership project(s) focus on a small number of RTT high-need schools not previously awarded for Deep Dives. Regional projects do not meet the criteria and purpose of this targeted school-community partnership approach.
Q: How are CBO and small CBO defined?
A: For this process we are defining a CBO as an organization having 501(c)(3) status or being fiscally sponsored by an organization that has 501(c)(3) status. We define a small CBO as an organization that meets the 501(c)(3) status criteria and has an annual operating budget below $400,000.
Q: Will there be set limits on awards to certain sizes of organizations?
A: In order to address the concerns of equitable funding to differently-sized organizations, at least 1 of the partnerships selected will have a lead applicant that is a small CBO as defined above. Additionally, in order to be eligible through the RFI, it will be required that each submission have at least one formal CBO partner as defined above.
Q: Is there a list of contacts for the districts?
A: Yes, this contact list is located on our website with additional information on what the process is for districts partnering with organizations. https://roadmapracetothetop.org/doing-business/deep-dive-3-investment-fund-to-develop-additional-site-based-community-school-partnerships/
Q: If the CBO or district takes the lead of the project are they in charge of everything? (budget, fiscal, all the federal grant pieces)?
A: During the project development phase we will have time to develop a plan for what each partner will be responsible for. This will be specific to each project/partnership, but it would be unlikely that the lead CBO or district would be in charge of everything, as a part of the project development and implementation is focused on shared accountability and leadership.
Q: What happens if fewer than five partnerships apply?
A: The scoring panel’s recommendations and the Executive Committee decisions will decide which partnerships to select regardless of how many apply.
Q: Is there an expected minimum number of partners to be involved with one project? How many CBOs should a district partner with?
A: There is no minimum number of partners in a project outside of one CBO and one district/school. The number of partners involved should be based on the needs of the students the partnership intends to serve.
Q: How should applicants navigate the relationship with the education associations (EA)?
A: The EA will need to sign off on the final plan for the partnership. Therefore the level of collaboration with the EA will be dependent on the strategies of the project during the development phase. During the RFI phase, only a communication of partnership intention is needed. We can provide support and TA when/if barriers arrive.
Q: Should applicants include letters of support from corporate partners?
A: Letters of support from all partners who are contributing to the project, including corporations and/or community leaders, are encouraged.
Q: Should the application budget for all partners? For example, if a CBO is the lead applicant, should the application include a budget for the district partner?
A: Ann estimate for all partners’ work is needed.
Q: Is there a cost to CBOs for accessing technical assistance?
A: There is no cost to access technical assistance for this investment fund. The technical assistance is paid for through PSESD. In order for a CBO to access technical assistance before the RFI is due, please contact Matthew Gulbranson. This is only eligible for small CBOs as defined earlier. If selected through the RFI, technical assistance is available to each partnership to develop the project scope, deliverables, budgets, etc.
Q: Are school districts aware of the timelines for this RFI?
A: Timelines have been widely communicated with district leaders.
Q: When a year is mentioned does that mean school year 16-17?
A: A ‘year’ is a school year. The 2016-17 year is the full year of implementation for the awarded partnership projects.
Q: When would implementation begin?
A: Implementation would begin in the summer of 2016 for projects selected.
Q: Do all the funds need to be expended by the end of August 2017?
A: Yes, all funds will need to be expended by the end of August 2017. This is a federal requirement and already reflects a one-year extension from the U.S. Department of Education. It is not possible to obtain any further extension.
Q: May partnerships include organizations that are not formalized?
A: Yes. As long as the partnership includes one CBO, and a district/RTT high-need school.
Q: Can a CBO partner with a school without including the district?
A: It is required to partner with the district.
Q: Can the application be longer than 5 pages due to the attachments?
A: The narrative section of the RFI submission cannot be longer than 5 pages. Another maximum 5 pages is allowed for attachments, for a total maximum of 10 pages all together. Any pages beyond the limits will not be reviewed.
Q: Can we submit application through email?
A: No. Only hard copies submitted by mail or hand delivered as detailed in the RFI will be accepted.
Fiscal and Policy FAQs
Consortium Members (Districts): Follow existing fiscal guidance FAQs on website- https://roadmapracetothetop.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/PSESD-RTTT-D-Fiscal-FAQ-10-21-13.pdf
Q: Will payments only go to the lead applicant? How will the pay outs be handled? What will be the financial management model?
A: In most cases, PSESD will contract with the lead CBO or district. Lead partners will then contract with non-lead partners. This arrangement is intended to allow the lead partner to effectively oversee and be accountable for the whole project. There will be support available to determine the financial management process for each individual partnership. This will be addressed during the project development phase with support from PSESD and the technical assistance providers depending on the specifics of the support needed.
Q: Do all CBO employees need background checks?
A: Yes, in accordance with Washington State laws, any Puget Sound ESD Contractors who will have contact with or near children are required to be fingerprinted and pass a Washington State Patrol background check before they begin work.
Q: What kind of insurance do CBO partners need in order to provide work for the PSESD?
A: a) Commercial General Liability. The contractor shall provide Commercial General Liability insurance written on an occurrence basis with limits no less than $2,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence for personal injury, bodily injury and property damage. Coverage shall include, but not be limited to: blanket contractual; products/completed operations; broad from property damage; and employer’s liability.
b) Proof of Insurance. Certificates and or evidence satisfactory to the PSESD confirming the existence, terms and conditions of all insurance required above shall be delivered to the PSESD within five (5) days of the Contractor’s receipt of a request for proof. The policy(ies) of insurance required to be maintained in accordance with this contract shall not be cancelled or given notice of non-renewal nor shall the terms and conditions thereof be altered or amended without thirty (30) days written notice being given to the PSESD.
PSESD shall be named as an additional insured on the Contractor’s policies as set forth above, and a copy of the endorsement naming PSESD as additional insured shall be attached to the Certificate of Insurance. PSESD reserves the right to receive a certified copy of all required insurance policies.
Q: How often partners we get paid? How do partners invoice for payment?
A: Partners contracting with PSESD will follow PSESD policies, including the following. No payments in advance or in anticipation of services to be provided under this contract shall be made by the PSESD. All payments to the Contractor are conditioned upon (1) Contractor’s submission of a properly executed and supported invoice for payment, including such supporting documentation of performance and supporting documentation of costs incurred or paid, or both as is otherwise provided for in the body of this contract under Duties of the Contractor, and (2) Acceptance and certification by the PSESD or designee of satisfactory performance by the Contractor.