UNC's Committee on Promoting Change is Accepting RFPs
Request for Proposal
The "Committee on Promoting Change", a grant-making foundation through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is looking to award two $1500 grants to non-profits seeking to implement projects to improve educational services for under-represented youth.
I. Introduction, Goals & Purposes
Promoting Change Through the Nonprofit Sector is an undergraduate course made possible by the Carolina Center for Public Service's Public Service Scholars program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Funding for this grant was provided by the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund and Campus Compact's Students4Giving initiative.
The purpose of our program is to improve educational services for underrepresented youth so that such youth have the opportunity to meet the same challenging academic achievement standards that all students in the state are expected to meet. We also seek to provide youth with the services needed to make a successful transition to further schooling or employment. We understand that youth is that phase of life where dreams are built, hope is kindled, and a bright future is foreseen. Youth is an important phase of life. Those are the years to understand yourself, discover your potentials, grab opportunities, and pursue success. Those are the years to foster moral principles, construct your value system, and begin an all-new journey. Education serves as the means to bring about the desired change in society. The importance of education to youth manifests itself in terms of the need to cultivate the youth of society into mature individuals. Funds are intended to supplement and improve the quality of educational services provided to underrepresented youth. We will be awarding two $1500 grants to be used by December 31, 2011. Through our funds, we hope to provide our youth with a new lens in which they view education, goals, and themselves.
II. Target Organizations
Our target organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that are based in and serve underrepresented youth populations in North Carolina. Moreover, approved nonprofit organizations will be organizations that provide educational services such as, but not limited to, mentoring, academic tutoring, after-school programs, etc. Organizations with annual budgets that exceed $250,000 will not be eligible to apply for grants.
III. Objectives
Priorities are: (applications can address one or all)
1. To improve educational services for children and youth from under-represented backgrounds by developing and implementing long term plans to close the achievement gap
2. To provide such children and youth with extended educational programs or after-school programs that are needed to ensure success in academics by offering services such as homework support, tutoring, and other components of academic enrichment
3. To broaden educational options for students with limited English language abilities by creating or expanding programs that focus on English language instruction and basic literacy
4. To prevent at-risk youth from dropping out of school by providing them with a support system to ensure continued education and offering more options for further education by exploring the educational alternatives available
IV. Project Details
Please adhere to the following limitations when formatting the proposal:
● 4 pages maximum
● Send as one attachment.
● Name document according to this standard: “Nonprofit name, Application.doc”
Submit the following information about your proposed project.
● Basic organizational information - Please provide the following information about your organization:
○ Name
○ Contact information (name, email, phone, mailing address)
○ Tax ID number
○ Organizational budget total for current fiscal year (this must be less than $250,000 to be considered for this grant.)
● Statement of Need-- Provide a comprehensive assessment of the need, both geographic and content-specific, for the project that you propose. Include information about populations that will be addressed, the nature of issues addressed and any previous efforts to address this need. If at all possible, you should use data to illustrate need.
● Overview of Organization-- Explain the qualifications and experience of your organization that will enable you to successfully complete this project.
● Project Design-- Provide a detailed overview of the proposed project. This section should include:
○ Objectives
○ Primary outreach strategies (services/activities), why these strategies have been selected, and how they relate to the objectives
○ Populations reached
○ Development process: Provide a tentative timeline of project implementation, including specific objectives for each phase of development.
○ Evaluation strategies: How will you measure the success of this project?
○ Sustainability measures: How will you ensure that your project creates sustainable, long-lasting change in the community?
● Budget Breakdown-- In detail, describe your projected use of the provided $1500 to implement this project.
V. Timeline
October 20th - Request for Proposals becomes available. Application period begins.
November 19th - Proposals are due by 6 PM.
December 1st - Grant awards announced.
VI. Assistance Provided
Please send any questions regarding this application to promotingchange2010@gmail.com.
VII. Post-Funding Evaluation Criteria
Grant money must be used by December 31, 2011. If your organization is selected to receive a grant, we will require a formal evaluation that summarizes the results of your project after this date.
VIII. Selection Criteria
Rubric for how we are going to select an organization:
|
Criteria |
1/Low |
2/Medium |
3/Medium-High |
4/High |
|
ORGANIZATION |
Organization has not demonstrated organization’s feasibility or financial sustainability although it may show promise. Board is not fully developed. |
Organization has demonstrated financial sustainability. Board and staff are representative of the community and diverse in nature or they are working to become more so. |
Organization is financially sustainable and reading the communities it intends to serve. Organization’s leadership is engaged and passionate about the work. Board and staff are representative of the community and diverse in nature or they are working to become more so. |
Organization’s financial sustainability to diversity are high. Organization is committed to the on-going success of the project beyond the year of grant funding. |
|
POPULATION SERVED |
Project engages youth in an unintentional and/or ad-hoc manner. Strategies are not evidence-based and/or centered on building youth assets. |
Project engages youth in structured programming and incorporates at least one support mechanism. Strategies focus on asset- building and may be evidence-based. |
Project focuses on building developmental assets, as defined by the Search Institute, exclusively among youth ages 8-14. Incorporates multiple support mechanisms (family, school, mentors) Engages youth in structured, evidence-based programming over time. |
In addition to Medium-High project elements, project includes best practices such as: low adult to youth ratio (1:6 -10); qualified and trained staff / volunteers; youth involvement in program leadership; and use of ongoing evaluation. At project’s end youth will have increased academic achievement, decreased involvement in risky behaviors, increased access to employment, and/or enhanced life skills. |
FEASIBILITY & IMPACT |
Project is unlikely to fulfill its stated outcomes. Barriers to success are high. Organization does not have a clear plan for overcoming those barriers. |
Project’s anticipated outcomes seem appropriate and achievable. Outlined techniques, timeline and budget make sense. Reviewers may have some concerns about the ability to meet project goals. Modifications of the proposal could result in successful completion. |
Proposal presents a solid strategy for achieving anticipated project outcomes. The proposal includes a well thought-out timeline, relevant/evidence-based techniques and a cost-effective budget. Staff and funding are in place to successfully complete the project. complete the project. |
Proposal presents a solid strategy for achieving anticipated project outcomes and details a comprehensive evaluation plan (including measurement of qualitative/ quantitative indicators, and/or progress benchmarks). Staff and funding are in place to successfully |
|
COMMUNITY NEED OR OPPORTUNITY |
Project is redundant of work in the field and real need is not demonstrated in the proposal. |
Proposal demonstrates a modest, but not critical, need in the community. |
Proposal demonstrates a significant and critical need for this project. The organization is in a key strategic position to meet that need. |
Proposal demonstrates a significant and critical localized and timely need for this project. The organization is in a key strategic position to make progress during the year of grant funding. |
IX. Terms and Conditions
The terms and conditions set forth in this document govern the relationship between PUBA 396, acting as a grant committee, and the grantee, to be determined in the grant-making process.
1. HOW TO RESPOND:
All proposals shall be submitted online through email to promotingchange2010@gmail.com.
If any of the terms and conditions prevent you from responding, consideration will be given, if possible, to a request for a change. This request must be submitted by email.
2. HOW TO AMEND A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL BEFORE DUE DATE AND TIME:
After a Request for Proposal has been filed with the grants-making committee, PROPOSER MAY DO SO BEFORE THE DUE DATE AND TIME set for the receipt of proposals in the Request for Proposal by filing an amendment fully identified with the original proposal submitted by number, commodity or service. All the conditions and provisions of the original proposal will be in effect. NO REQUESTS FOR PROPOSAL OR AMENDMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE DUE DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS AS SPECIFIED IN THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
3. CONTRACT AND EXECUTION OF CONTRACT:
Once the grant-making committee selects a grantee and the grantee accepts the money (via formal contract), they commit to abide by the subsequent terms and conditions. If they violate any of these terms, they are liable to pay back the grants-committee the money granted to them.
I. Grantee must submit budget reports before receiving the money and then receipts documenting the purchases made with the grant money.
II. Grantee must abide by budget or submit a formal “ask” to alter the budget.
III. If a grantee loses 501.c.3 status during the course of the year, that grantee must explain the situation to the grant committee, understanding that they might forfeit the remaining funds.
The proposal must be submitted no later than 6pm on Friday, November 19th, 2010. Contact us at promotingchange2010@gmail.com.
