Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care FY 2009

Department of Early Education and Care

Joint Family Support Programming (JFSP)

Renewal Application

Fund Code: 704

PART I – OVERVIEW, ELIGIBILITY, FUNDING, SUBMISSION, AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Background: / The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) provides 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 birth to 12 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 than 275,000 children each day. In its broadest role, EEC also serves as a source of early education and care information to more than one million families in Massachusetts.
EEC’s family education and outreach goals include:
  • providing family education and support that builds on and enhances family strengths;
  • facilitating active family involvement; and
  • promoting family literacy and school readiness.
The purpose of the Joint Family Support Programming (JFSP) Grant is the coordinationof family outreach, education, and support initiatives through the Massachusetts Family Network and the Parent-Child Home Program.
  • 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.
  • The Parent-Child Home Program (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. PCHP sites serve families challenged by poverty, low levels of education, language barriers, and other obstacles to educational success.

Goals and Priorities: / The goals and priorities of the JFSP Grant are to:
  1. Provide a coordinated approach to family outreach, education, and support in communities with high concentrations of families who are low income, whose first language is not English, who are homeless, and/or who are living in isolation;
  2. Provide families with access to parenting information and support and identify and link “at-risk” families to appropriate services;
  3. Establish stronger linkages in a community among EEC-funded family support programs and services, including those offered by MFN, PCHP, Reach Out and Read, Community Partnerships for Children program, Child Care Resource and Referral agencies and individual early education and care programs; and
  4. Provide parenting, early literacy, and school readiness supports to families with children from 2 to 3 years old through the PCHP traditional or the PCHP model for working with families experiencing homelessness(SeeAppendix C for a description of each model).

Applicant Eligibility: / This is an application for the renewal of FY 2008 grant funds. The11 lead agencies that received JFSP grants in FY 2008 are eligible to apply for grant funds.
A lead agency or subcontracted provider subject to EEC licensure shall be eligible to receive grant funds only if it is in substantial compliance with all applicable EEC regulations.
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 the Department of Early Education and Care.
Funding: / This is an application for renewal of FY 2009 JFSP grant funding. JFSP lead agencies may apply for the same level of funding allocated in FY 2008. (See Appendix B for more information.) FY 2009 funding for the JFSP program is subject to the following: legislative appropriation, legislative authorization, an annual award of grant funds, and any modifications made by EEC.
Fund Use: / Funds may be used to pay for the following:
  • MFN activities established through the original(FY 2007) JFSP RFR, including the following: using MFN infrastructure to identify and coordinate linkages to other home visiting and family support programs;providing enhanced outreach, information and referral services; and linking families with appropriate early education and care programs and services, with particular attention to families eligible for PCHP. Other allowable MFN activities may include establishing parent support groups, playgroups, literacy programs and other support activities. The aforementioned MFN activities may also include families who are not participating in PCHP.
  • PCHP replication sites and services established through the original (FY 2007) JFSP RFR.Grant funds may be used to pay for the following: the PCHP Coordinator’s salary and benefits; Home Visitors’ salaries and benefits; travel/mileage; outreach and families education activities, books/toys,which are known as Verbal Interaction Stimulus Materials (VISM); training; the PCHP site’s operating costs (support staff, telephone, computer and internet access, postage, copying, office supplies, etc.); and fees and technical assistance from the PCHP National Center.

Required Services: / All grant recipients must provide the following PCHP services:
  • Home visits to parents using the stated models;
  • Provision of books and toys to facilitate parent involvement;
  • Early literacy and school readiness services to families; and
  • Collection of demographic data on PCHP recipients.
Please see Appendix C for additional program information.
Programs or services may be provided by the lead agency and/or through subcontracts, subject to EEC approval, with other providers.
Fiscal Administration and Oversight
Please note the limit on fiscal administrative costs. The sum of the expenditures listed below cannot exceed 8.0% of the grant award (see Appendix Afor more information).
  1. Salary of the supervisor of the grant coordinator;
  2. Salaries of fiscal staff including, but not limited to, a bookkeeper and contract monitors;
  3. Rental of space, maintenance and repair of space, telephone/utility, and internal audit costs associated with the administration of the JFSP program; and
  4. Administrative costs of the lead agency in combination with any subcontract shall not exceed 8.0% of the total grant award. Please use guidelines equivalent to those provided above (further delineated in Appendix A) to determine the administrative costs of a subcontract (e.g., replace the salary of the supervisor of the JFSP grant coordinator with the salary of the supervisor of contract staff).
Please note: EEC reserves 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.
Grant Term: / This is a one year grant for the period 7/1/2008 – 6/30/2009. Provided they meet all requirements, grantees may be eligible to apply to renew their grants, contingent upon the following: the Legislature’s authorization and appropriation of funds, the annual award of grant funds, and any other modification(s) made by EEC. If additional funding becomes available during the grant duration, EEC may disperse such funds through an open grant award process or may amend existing grants.
Contact: / Gail DeRiggi
617-988-7813
..us
Timeline and Submission Date: / Renewal applications must be submitted and received at EEC’s Central office by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 20, 2008.
Required
Forms to be Submitted: /
  1. Part II–FY 2009 JFSP Budget Detail and Budget Narrative (Attached Separately)
  2. Part III–FY 2009 JFSP Subcontractor Budget Detail and Narrative (Attached Separately)
  3. Part IV- FY 2009 MFN JFSP Budget Detail and Narrative
  4. Part V- Required Program Information
  5. PartVI- FY 2008 PCHP Statistical Information and FY 2009 Projected Statistical Information
  6. Part VII- FY 2009 JFSP Program Contact Information
  7. Annual Parent-Child Home Program Replication Record
  8. KEEP (Key Elements for Establishing Program)
Form numbers 6 and 7 are filed by grantees with the PCHPNationalCenter for FY 2008. These forms can be found in the PCHP Technical Materials Manual and the Annual Record can be generated from the PCHP Management Information System.
Please note: Part I: Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants will be sent to you following programmatic approval of your grant application. You will have to signthe contract form and return to EEC with original signatures (no copies).
Submission Instructions: / Applicants must mail one complete original application (sign in blue ink) and one copy to:
Tresa Glover-Smith
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care
51 Sleeper Street 4th floor
Boston, MA02210
ATTN: Fund Code 704
Please do not include any of the appendices with your application. The appendices contain additional program information and requirements and are included for your reference.
Please make sure to put ATTN: Fund Code 704 on the envelope because there are several EEC grant programs with applications due at the same time.
Additional Information for the Applicant: / Appendix A- Budget Detail and Narrative Instructions
Appendix B -FY 2009JFSP Lead Agencies and Grant Eligibility Amounts
Appendix C- Additional Program Information
Appendix D - Grant Negotiation, Payment Terms, Grant Expenditures, Termination, Recoupment of Funds, and Relevant Laws
Reporting: / In order to recognize accomplishments, identify challenges and inform future funding decisions, mid and end-of-year progress reports are required of all FY09 EEC grant recipients. 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. The mid year report is due by 4:00pm Friday, January 16th 2009 and 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 IV– REQUIRED PROGRAM INFORMATION

ALL APPLICANTS MUST PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WITH THEIR APPLICATIONS. Please limit your responses to two pages.

A. Massachusetts Family Network Activities

Describe in detail the role and activities of the MFN in implementing this joint project in FY 2008 and outline any changes in roles and activities for FY 2009.

B. Parent-Child Home Program Activities

Describe in detail the role and activities of the PCHP in implementing this joint project in FY 2008. In addition, please complete Part V- FY 2008 PCHP Statistical Information and FY 2009 Projected PCHP Statistical Information.

C. Joint Family Support Program

  • Please describe any programmatic or fiscal management changes in JFSP for FY 2009;
  • Please describe the role of the lead agency in supporting JFSP (if the program is subcontracted, please describe the agreement between the lead agency and the subcontractor and the role of the subcontractor in administering JFSP).

PART V – FY 2008 PCHP STATISTICAL INFORMATION

FY 2009 PROJECTED PCHP STATISTICAL INFORMATION

Please provide the following statistical information for FY 2008 (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008) and projected statistical information for FY 2009 (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009). Report only the information for the PCHP state-funded portion of the program unless otherwise instructed.

FY 2008 / Projected FY 2009
1. How many children participated in the state-funded portion of the PCHP at any point since July 1, 2007?
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, 2007? (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 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)?
12. How many of the children reported in Question 11 received EEC financial assistance?
13. 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.

PART VI – JFSP PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION

  1. JFSP COORDINATOR INFORMATION:

Name:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:
  1. LEAD AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION (if different than the JFSP Coordinator):

Name of Agency:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:
  1. SUPERINTENDENT OR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LEAD AGENCY:

Name:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:
  1. SUMMER CONTACT INFORMATION:

Name:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:

1

JFSP Renewal Application

Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care FY 2009

APPENDIX A – BUDGET DETAIL AND NARRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS

Your JFSP budget is in the form of an Excel spread sheet. Its purpose is to provide budgetary information, using a line item or object of expenditure format. All amounts on budget lines must be rounded to whole dollars.

Specific budgetary information is structured in an object of expenditure or line item format and containing sufficient sub-line item information to comply with the relevant laws is required.

Grant recipients must do the following:

  • Maintain separate and auditable records for each project;
  • Maintain time and attendance records to support payrolls;
  • Maintain time distribution records for salaries and wages of employees that are chargeable to more than one grant program; and
  • Administer funds in compliance with relevant federal, state and local laws, regulations and/or policies, including but not limited to 815 CMR 2.00 et. seq.

General Instructions

Open the Excel document entitled Budget Detail Information and Narrative attached to your email. Save this document to your computer. Rename the file so it includes the name of your JFSP (e.g., Budget Detail _Lead Agency Name_Town Names).

Each budget contains the following:

  • Expenditure Category: Delineates the specific expenditure categories that reflect JFSP program goals and allowable expenditures;
  • Proposed FY 2009 Expenditure: Report the proposed funding you intend to allocate to specific expenditure categories. This column will auto-sum all of the figures entered to provide a subtotal where indicated and total grant award amount at the bottom of the spreadsheet. This amount should not exceed your given allocation as listed in Appendix B;
  • Expenditure Description: Please provide a detailed explanation of how the funding proposed in the Proposed FY 2009 Expenditure column will be used. Do not reiterate the definitions that are included in the tab entitled Expenditure Parameters; and
  • Expenditure Parameter tab: Provides definitions and parameters for appropriate expenditures.

Specific Instructions

  1. Please enter your Lead Agency Name in row 1.
  2. Please enter the communities served in your formal catchment area.
  3. In the Expenditure Category column, you will find the allowable expenditures for Program Coordination and Services.
  4. Please indicate the amount of funding you propose to allocate to an Expenditure Category for each portion of funding (MFN, PCHP, or both). You will do this by filling out the Proposed FY 2009 MFN portion and the Proposed FY 2009 PCHP portion columns. The Proposed FY 2009 Total Expenditures column will automatically calculate the sum of each for you.
  5. Expenditure Description: Please provide a detailed explanation of how the funding proposed in the Proposed FY 2009 Expenditure column will be used to meet the goals prioritized in the grant. Include hours and rates where appropriate. Do not reiterate the definitions that are included in the next tab entitled Expenditure Parameters.
  6. Number of Staff: Please indicate how many staff is funded under each line item for the total amount of funding budgeted in the line. Complete this for lines 1 through 5 on your JFSP budget.
  7. FTE: Please indicate the full time equivalency of the individuals reported under “Number of Staff”. For instance, if the line item funds two (2) staff that each work half time, their FTE is 1.0 (100%).

For Example: MFN is allocating JFSP grant funding to support .5 FTE on the JFSP Coordinator Salary line and PCHP is allocating funding for .5 FTE on that same line. You will indicate 2 in the # of staff box and 1.0 FTE for the JFSP Coordinator Salary line.

  1. Please then describe the breakout of the # of staff and FTEs in the Expenditure Description section per funding portion as explained in the example above.
  2. The JFSP Grant Total may not exceed the allocation listed in Appendix B.

Please note:

  • Rows numbered 1 through 10 (highlighted in yellow to far left) reflect costs to the Lead Agencyassociated with coordination and implementation of the JFSP Grant.
  • Row number 11(highlighted in yellow to far left) should reflect costs associated with subcontracted services for coordination and implementation of the grant. For each subcontractor who conducts program coordination and implementation support, please complete Part III: FY 2009 JFSP Subcontractor Budget Detail and Narrative.
  • Row number 12 (highlighted in yellow to the far left) reflects costs of any individual contractors for delivery of services other than program coordination and implementation.

In the section entitled Grant Administration and Oversight, please indicate in the Proposed FY 2009 Expenditure column, the amount your lead agency will expend on approved administrative costsby funding portion. Approved administrative costs are delineated in the Expenditure Parameter tab of this budget. You must indicate the administrative costs of the lead agency and any subcontract separately. Administrative costs for the lead agency in combination with all subcontractscannot exceed 8% of the total grant award.