3/28/2012. Filed under Press Releases.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is pleased to announce the availability of the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) 2012-15 Request for Proposal (RFP) and the opening of the 2012-13 21st CCLC eGrants online application for Cohort 6A.
The 21st CCLC program is authorized under Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (P.L. 107-110), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The 21st CCLC program provides federal funding for the establishment of community learning centers that provide academic, artistic and cultural enrichment opportunities for children during non-school hours. Activities may take place before and after school, weekends, holidays and/or summer. The 21st CCLC program targets students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools, to provide them with aid in meeting state and local academic standards. Programs also offer literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.
Grantees and all sites must provide academic enrichment activities to students attending high-poverty schools to help them meet state and local standards in core content areas, such as reading, math and science.
Pennsylvania’s Funding Priorities:
Five additional review points will be given to applications that:
· Include programs that target and give priority to middle school students (6th grade through 8th grade) and who also:
Ø Have previous experience and success in providing services to middle school students; and
Ø Propose offering services exclusively to students from eligible middle schools. Programs requesting priority to serve middle school students may not serve elementary school students.
Preference for funding will be given to qualified applicants offering credit recovery to high school students. A grantee may use 21st CCLC program funds for a before or after school program or activity for which participants may receive credit toward high school graduation requirements if: (1) such a program or activity is an expansion of the options for receiving high school credit in a particular area that would not have been provided without the 21st CCLC program; and (2) the program or activity does not replace or reduce the courses and programs normally provided by a local school district or private school (i.e., there is no reduction in the course offerings or costs in that particular academic area). More information concerning credit recovery can be obtained from the Center for Schools and Communities’ website at http://www.Tinyurl.com/21CCreditRecovery.
Note: It is important to note that it is the responsibility of the LEA to award the credit. There must be a letter of agreement between the LEA and the grantee clarifying the responsibility of recording the credits.
· Align the proposed afterschool programming with existing research-based programs that demonstrate effective utilization of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Raise the awareness and understanding of students about STEM activities by infusing STEM into expanded learning opportunities, after school and summer programming. Applicants proposing STEM services under Cohort 6A will be eligible for an increased annual technology cap based on the following sliding scale: 15% year 1; 10% year 2; and 5% year 3. More information concerning STEM can be obtained from the Center for Schools and Communities’ website at http://www.Tinyurl.com/21cclcSTEM.
PDE requires program funds for Cohort 6A to be used to:
· Provide extended learning opportunities
· Attend one national, one state grantee meeting and one regional training per year; and
· Complete an external local level evaluation contracted through a third-party evaluator.
Use of 21st CCLC funds for a full time program coordinator is an allowable expense, but is not mandated.
Eligible Applicants and Funding Priorities:
Federal law mandates, per Section 4203 (a) (3), “that any public or private organization may apply for 21st CCLC funding if it proposes to serve:
1. Students who primarily attend:
a. schools eligible for schoolwide programs under (Title I) Section 1114, or
b. schools that serve a high percentage of students (at least 40 percent) from low-income families; and
2. The families of those students described above.”
PDE will give competitive priority to applications that both propose to serve students who attend schools identified for improvement (pursuant to Section 1116 of Title I) and that are submitted jointly between at least one LEA receiving funds under Title I, Part A and at least one public or private community organization.
In determining whether an application has been “submitted jointly,” PDE should look for:
· Evidence of collaboration in the planning and design of the program,
· Substantial roles in the delivery of services and
· Sharing grant resources to carry out those roles;
· Significant ongoing involvement in the management and oversight of the program;
· Grant writer and the fiscal agent; and
· Evidence in the application of integration with the regular school day program.
Only one contract will be issued for each application selected for funding, even for joint proposals.
Consequently, every joint application must identify only one organization to be designated as the grantee.
That entity will have fiscal and contractual responsibility for carrying out the proposed program. It is mandated that eligible entities collaborate with LEAs when applying for funds.
Application Requirements
The electronic application for new grants will be available at http://egrants.ed.state.pa.us/ beginning March 23, 2012, and will be due no later than noon on May 4, 2012.
Pre-proposal Conferences:
In order to assist eligible entities in completing the RFPs, PDE will be hosting a series of 21st CCLC Pre-Grant workshops (both online and on-site) on the following dates. Participation in a pre-grant workshop is strongly encouraged for any eligible community-based organization, school district or charter school planning to submit an RFP for the 21st CCLC competitive funds.
On-Site Pre-Grant Workshops: 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon unless specified otherwise.
Date/Time | Location | Address | Region |
March 28, 2012 (also will be archived on Eduplanet website) | Hershey Lodge and Convention Center | 325 University Drive Hershey, PA 17033 | Annual Federal Programs Conference |
April 2, 2012 | Appalachia Intermediate Unit #8 | 4500 Sixth Avenue Altoona, PA 16602 | Central |
April 3, 2012 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. | Allegheny Intermediate Unit #3 (Sullivan Room) | 475 East Waterfront Drive Homestead, PA 15120 | South West |
April 3, 2012 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Midwestern Intermediate Unit #4 | 453 Maple Street Grove City, PA 16127 | North West |
April 9, 2012 | BLAST Intermediate Unit #17( Tioga Room) | 2400 Reach Road Williamsport, PA 17701 |
North Central |
April 10, 2012 | Northeast Educational Intermediate Unit #19 | 1200 Line Street Archbald, PA 18403 | North East |
April 11, 2012 10 a.m. -1p.m. | Delaware County IU #25 (Room 25) | 400 Yale Avenue Morton, PA 19070 | South East |
Funding:
In keeping with the “21st CCLC Non-Regulatory Guidance” larger grants often precipitate more effective programs, applicants may request funds ranging from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $500,000, but cannot exceed $500,000. No funds will be available for summer-only applicants in this grant round.
Amount of Funding Available: Approximately $18,000,000
Grant Awards: Minimum $50,000; Maximum $500,000 (per year for three years)
Period of Availability for Year 1: June 1, 2012 – Sept. 30, 2013
Due Date
The online eGrants application will be deactivated at 12:01 p.m. on May 4, 2011. No extensions will be granted. All paper applications must be received at PDE by 4 p.m. on May 11, 2012.
Submission Process
Procedures
All applications for 21st CCLC program funding must be submitted electronically via PDE’s eGrants system. No applications will be accepted by mail, email, facsimile or any other method. Please print a paper copy of your completed application for your own records. Program guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), proposal narratives, assurances and budget summaries will be available for printing through the eGrants system.
Eligible entities may apply for funding on behalf of one or more public schools within the applicant’s district through a single eGrant application process.
1. Notify PDE via email or fax of the applicant’s intent to submit an application. Submit Letter of Intent to Apply via email to ksykes@pa.gov. Include the legal name of entity, and either the AUN (school districts/charter schools/IUs) or EIN# (all other organizations) for the lead organization. Due Date: April 20, 2012
2. Complete and submit the online application prior to 12 p.m. on May 4, 2012.
3. If your agency is not a school district, charter school or IU, you will need to register for access to the eGrant Application (http://egrants.ed.state.pa.us). Click on “21st CCLC” at the top left and then select the “Sign up your Agency” link and complete the entire online form. If you fail to provide complete responses in all boxes, your application will be disqualified.
4. If your agency is a school district, charter school or IU, ensure that all fiscal and program reports for other grants have been submitted in a timely manner.
5. Consult with eligible nonpublic entities located within the attendance area of LEA regarding participation in the proposed 21st CCLC program.
6. Print and mail five (5) copies of the submitted application to: PA Department of Education, Division of Federal Programs, 333 Market Street, 7th floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333 (Attn: 21st CCLC Grant Program) Printed applications must be received no later than
4 p.m. on May 11, 2012, in order to proceed to the peer review. Applicants who fail to meet this deadline will be disqualified.
Submission of Copies for Peer Review
After submitting the online grant, the applicant must print the grant application and make five (5) copies. An envelope containing five (5) copies of the applicant’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers Application must physically arrive at PDE’s Division of Federal Programs by 4 p.m. on May 11, 2012, according to the options below:
Print and mail five (5) copies of the submitted application to:
U.S. Postal Service Delivery,
(Return-receipt-requested)
Postmarked: No Later Than April 27, 2012
To: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Division of Federal Programs
Attn: Cindy Rhoades, Federal Programs Regional Coordinator
333 Market Street, 7th floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
U.S. Postal Service Priority/Overnight Delivery, FedEx, UPS, etc.
Mail Receipt Date: 4 p.m. May 11, 2011
To: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Division of Federal Programs
Attn: Cindy Rhoades, Federal Programs Regional Coordinator
333 Market Street, 7th floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Hand Delivered with Receipt Issued
Hand to: Ms. Erin Oberdorf, Administrative Technician or
Ms. Daniella Care, Administrative Technician
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Division of Federal Programs
333 Market Street, 7th floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Deadline: 4 p.m. on May 11, 2012
Printed applications must be received no later than May 11, 2012, in order to proceed to the peer review. Applicants who fail to meet this deadline will be disqualified.
NOTE: Failure to receive the paper copies of the submitted application by the deadline will result in the disqualification of the grant and failure to proceed to the peer review. |
Application Information
Detailed information outlining grant terms and conditions, pertinent regulations and the application process is contained in the 2012-13, 21st CCLC RPF, which can be accessed by:
· Visiting PDE’s website: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/21st_century_community_learning_centers/7414
· The eGrants system: http://egrants.ed.state.pa.us.
· Email request: RA-21stCCLC@pa.gov.
For additional program information, please contact:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Susan D’Annunzio, 21st CCLC Program Supervisor
Division of Student Services
333 Market Street, 5th floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Phone: 717.346.3186 Fax: 717.783.4392
sdannunzio@pa.gov