Questions and Answers from RFP Information Sessions

Contents

General

Clarify the timeline of funding?

How do we submit applications?

Does this system let you cut and paste?

Does this mean apricot is going away?

What if our program is not doing all the program requirements, will our application still be considered for funding?

What the plan for organizations that apply for different RFPs?

If I have a question that is not listed below who should we contact?

If an agency has a program that would work well as a partnership will you provide email list of others that were invited to these sessions?

If United Way changes something on the RFP can you set an alert of some nature, if something substantial changes how will we know?

What happens if we submit an application and do not receive an auto reply stating the rfp has been received?

Is there a size limit for the document that we email back?

What is the word count for each question?

Can you consider word count vs character count?

Is there any one section that weighs more than the other?

Are they going to evaluate the on independent merits, or are they merits

Section 1:Contact Info & Authorization

Is there a dollar amount we need to aim for?

Section 2:General Agency & Program Information

Please give examples of leveraged resources.

Are you interested in how an agency would leverage funds for new and/or existing program?

Is it a requirement to leverage funds?

Define Unduplicated count?

Question 11, would that United Way funding include designations?

Section 3:Third Grade Reading

Is the 1,100 entering kindergarten ready to learn by 2021 for Akron Public Schools?

Define Barriers?

If we have not been tracking indicators in the past does that preclude us from funding?

High Quality Preschool Experiences

Home Visitation Programming

Out-of-School Time Programming (K-3)

If we have after school, are you talking about both school and OST?

Do we report on only the APS kids we work with?

If the program you are applying for is both after school and other what do we do?

Is there a target population for out of school programming?

What is the best direction for an agency to go to if you have a program that provides services that overlap between age groups?

There is no OTHER option in the current version on the website.

Section 3:College & Career Ready

If the program you are applying for is both after school and other what do we do?

How will we know what the scores are for our children?

Define Barriers?

Do we report on only the APS kids we work with?

If we have not been tracking indicators in the past does that preclude us from funding?

Math Tutoring/Programming

Out-of-School Time Programming (4-12)

Is there a target population for out of school programming?

What is the best direction for an agency to go to if you have a program that provides services that overlap between age groups?

What is the definition of dual generation?

Mentoring program would not be dual generation program?

Does the chronic absenteeism apply to the OST Programs?

What if the OST program does show absenteeism for sports programs do we count those instances?

If we have after school, are you talking about both school and OST?

Can you put in different amounts for different years to show how we are growing the program?

Section 3:Addiction & Recovery

Define Barriers?

Harm Reduction & Prevention

Advocacy & Awareness

Family & Peer Support

Section 3:Basic Needs

Define Barriers?

Does providing clothing fit into the area of basic needs?

If we address one or more of those areas do we need to submit one proposal, or separate?

Information and Referral is that for large volume I&R Services?

Explain leverage funding?

Is it a requirement to leverage funds?

For outcomes, are we required to include 2 indicators?

When would the reporting period be?

Is there a specific amount of money set aside for basic needs?

Section 4:Financial

If you are on a calendar year and budgets are not finalized and you cannot get a projected number, what should we do?

We have changed corporations, and now is absolved by another agency?

Our corporation provides services statewide, how should we handle that?

Fiscal year end and Calendar year end, does that go the same for measuring the objectives?

Program budget – should we list any United Way donor designations used strictly for our program we are submitting an RFP for?

Should you change your budget form into pdf document before we submit?

Only pages 1, 9 and 10 of the 990?

If you do have leverage funds for this one?

What if the agency is not required to file a 990 what do we do?

Will not having an independent audit will that affect the merit of the application?

Most financial statement?

Do you want all this info by organizations, or by application?

Section 5:Additional Info

Is there a word limit in Section 5?

General

How do we submit applications?

Application must be submitted in word and in pdf. The PDF will have the signatures.

Program budget in word or PDF
Individual PDFs for
Current year agency budget
IRS form 990 (pages 1 (parts 1 & 2), page 9 (part 8) and page 10 (part 9)
Most recent audited financial statements
Most recent yearend financial statement
Any attachments

Clarify the timeline of funding?

Full funding starts April 1. Quarterly disbursements will be done regardless of the program timeline, if its less than $10,000 it will be paid up front in one lump sum (April, July, October and January) on the grant side.

Does this system let you cut and paste?

Yes it will.

Does this mean apricot is going away?

If you are currently receiving UW funding, you will be required to fill out one last form towards the end of 2017. Apricot is going away after April 1, 2018

What if our program is not doing all the program requirements, will our application still be considered for funding?

Yes, if you are not doing all the program requirements, we want to know how you are going to move towards doing them.

What the plan for organizations that apply for different RFPs?

No limit on how many RFPs can apply for. If you have multiple programs that fit, apply for what you need, we are much more focused this year. Please apply in any area you think your programs fit

In most cases, think of it this way: 1 program budget = 1 RFP, Multiple program budgets = multiple RFPs

If I have a question that is not listed below who should we contact?

Please contact the staff contact for the RFP you are applying for or staff listed for general question.

If an agency has a program that would work well as a partnership will you provide email list of others that were invited to these sessions?

We don’ plan on sharing the email list. There is a specific question around collaborations in the application, and we do welcome that.

If United Way changes something on the RFP can you set an alert of some nature, if something substantial changes how will we know?

If that does happen, we will notify organizations immediately via email. If we find out a table is not working, or auto calculating, we will send a mass email notifying people immediately. The RFPs that are on the web is what we will use.

Final versions of all RFP documents were loaded on August 25.

What happens if we submit an application and do not receive an auto reply stating the rfp has been received?

You should immediately also send the RFP to Sue Schaad at and Seth Kujat

Is there a size limit for the document that we email back?

Our email system can handle 24 megabytes.

What is the word count for each question?

1,000 character count.

Can you consider word count vs character count?

No.

Is there any one section that weighs more than the other?

No, not that this time.

Are they going to evaluate the on independent merits, or are they merits

Merits of the grant will be the initial, we will be looking at these collectively. The committee reviewing this has been spending 18 months. It will be looked at collectively.

How long is the funding good for?

Funding is for a two year cycle. Please keep that in mind when determining what you will need per year.

Section 1:Contact Info & Authorization

Is there a dollar amount we need to aim for?

No, we have $4 million dollars to invest this year that is spread. We don’t want to limit innovation and creativity.

Section 2:General Agency & Program Information

Please give examples of leveraged resources.

This would be an in-kind resource that you can put a value on (i.e., you get funding for X counselors and because of receiving funding, another agency provides X counselors).

Are you interested in how an agency would leverage funds for new and/or existing program?

Yes.

Is it a requirement to leverage funds?

Only in the basic needs rfp

Define Unduplicated count?

Unduplicated within the program year for that program. If you have 2 programs and the child comes to both programs he would count one time in each program.

Question 11, would that United Way funding include designations?

No, this question is specific to prior year allocations.

Re: “Leveraging Funds,” where can an agency explain this?

Although leveraging funds is only a requirement if you are applying for a Basic Needs grant, please add the explanation in Section 5 if you have a plan to leverage United Way dollars.

Do we need to list all of our agency’s site locations?

No, you only need to list the site locations that are specific to the program for which you are applying for funding.

Section 3:Third Grade Reading

Is the 1,100 entering kindergarten ready to learn by 2021 for Akron Public Schools?

Yes, this is based on current data for APS.

Define Barriers?

How to serve the parent, families, what limits you internally and externally consider so if capacity building is something that you need we want to know organizationally what can we do to help you meet all these goals and reach more people.

If we have not been tracking indicators in the past does that preclude us from funding?

No, if you cannot currently report on these things, you will not be penalized for the past but will be required moving forward.

High Quality Preschool Experiences

Home Visitation Programming

Out-of-School Time Programming (K-3)

If we have after school, are you talking about both school and OST?

Yes, both, good after school programs can improve good school attendance.

Do we report on only the APS kids we work with?

You should tell us all about the kids you work with, we want to know who you serve. We will only fund kids that attend APS in your programs.

If the program you are applying for is both after school and other what do we do?

Check off both and in the blank space type in both. If you check off the “other” box, the program in the “other” must clearly meet objectives, tracks and carries out the program requirements and meets the bold goals.

Is there a target population for out of school programming?

Yes, we will fund programs that serve Akron Public School children.

What is the best direction for an agency to go to if you have a program that provides services that overlap between age groups?

The applications are almost the same except questions 2 & 3 on section 3. Your agency should add an addendum of the other or you could submit an RFP in both bold goal 1 and 2.

1 program budget = 1 RFP

OST K-12 = 1 RFP with section 3 of both bold goals as an attachment (make sure we know!)

*(let us know on #1 of section 3 √other serves both bold goals)

There is no OTHER option in the current version on the website.

The correction was made.

Section 3:College & Career Ready

If the program you are applying for is both after school and other what do we do?

How will we know what the scores are for our children?

Everything is tracked through SEI’s portal. Children’s attendance at school and test scores will be in the portal. For you to receive funding you must use the portal.

Define Barriers?

Do we report on only the APS kids we work with?

You should tell us all about the kids you work with, we want to know who you serve. We will only fund kids that attend APS in your programs.

If we have not been tracking indicators in the past does that preclude us from funding?

No, if you cannot currently report on these things, you will not be penalized for the past but will be required moving forward.

Math Tutoring/Programming

Out-of-School Time Programming (4-12)

Is there a target population for out of school programming?

Yes, we will fund programs that serve Akron Public School children.

What is the best direction for an agency to go to if you have a program that provides services that overlap between age groups?

The applications are almost the same except questions 2 & 3 on section 3. Your agency should add an addendum of the other or you could submit an RFP in both bold goal 1 and 2.

1 program budget = 1 RFP

OST K-12 = 1 RFP with section 3 of both bold goals as an attachment (make sure we know!)

*(let us know on #1 of section 3 √other serves both bold goals)

What is the definition of dual generation?

A program that uses the entire family to help the child to succeed. Example: Home visitations work with both the child and parent.

Mentoring program would not be dual generation program?

No, unless there is a parent engagement components to it, it must be very intentional with build in programming.

Does the chronic absenteeism apply to the OST Programs?

Yes, attendance is important in both areas

What if the OST program does show absenteeism for sports programs do we count those instances?

You do not need to count that absenteeism.

If we have after school, are you talking about both school and OST?

Yes, both, good after school programs can improve good school attendance.

Can you put in different amounts for different years to show how we are growing the program?

My suggestion would be attach an extra word document explaining the numbers so you can show how , we do not encourage that but this is how the agency plans to grow the program?

I made notes on 4 things I'd ask that you'd include in the FAQ's.

Info on:

OSTP Portal,

Step Up To Quality Plan alluded to,

MAP assessment data, and

APS Clusters.

Section 3:Addiction & Recovery

Define Barriers?

Does reducing ER visits related to overdoses cover youth and adults?

Yes, it covers any and all overdoses that have shown up in our local emergency rooms.

Is it required that all the indicators be met by the proposal?

No, you do not need to meet every indicator we have identified in the RFP. In your application, please indicate which indicators you will be focused on. Include any indicators you will be tracking that we may not have listed in the RFP. The more info your program can track, the better.

Regarding Bold Goal 4 – Addiction, Recovery and Prevention - are you only focusing on zip codes associated with where the person lives or where the overdose happens?

We are focused on the zip codes that local emergency rooms mark as where their overdose patients are currently residing. Your program does not need to focus only on these zip codes, though we prefer that your program at least focus on a few. An explanation of where your program’s geographic impact will be focused and why is required in Section 3.

Regarding Overdoses, were you able to capture any data from the university?

Our information comes from the Summit County Department of Public Health. We are working with them to further break down the info so that we can analyze it at a deeper level, and University involvement could be a statistic we look at in the future.