Renewal Scholarships and Scholarship Administration Support Proposal Guidelines

Transcription

1 Renewal Schlarships and Schlarship Administratin Supprt Prpsal Guidelines These prpsal guidelines are intended t help yu prepare yur prpsal and gather the required dcumentatin t supprt yur funding request. The guidelines include a checklist f required dcuments and mre detailed instructins abut each cmpnent f the prpsal. All prpsals shuld be submitted nline. When yu are ready t submit the infrmatin described belw, please use this link t access ur nline grantee prtal. We recmmend using Firefx r Chrme as yur internet brwser when using ur nline grant applicatin. Please d nt use Internet Explrer, as yu may encunter issues. Fllw the instructins in yur invitatin regarding lgging int the nline grantee prtal. After yu lg in, click edit next t yur applicatin. If yu are accessing the applicatin fr the first time, the status will say Applicatin Invited. Yu will be asked t submit sme f the prpsal infrmatin directly int fields n the nline frm and yu will be asked t uplad the prpsal narrative and budget and ther supprting rganizatinal dcuments as separate attachments. This nline frm will allw yu t stp and save yur wrk at any time. We recmmend yu save the nline frm frequently as yu wrk n the prpsal. If yu have questins related t the cntent f the applicatin, please cntact yur prgram fficer. If yu have technical questins, r experience any issues in lgging in r submitting the nline applicatin, please supprt@cllegefutures.rg r call Cle, Prgram Assistant at (415) Within tw t three weeks f submitting yur prpsal, yur prgram fficer wh requested the prpsal will cntact yu t prvide feedback, explain the review prcess, and address any questins that yu may have.

2 Prpsal Checklist Please uplad the fllwing as separate attachments n the Attachments page (tab 3) f the nline grant request frm: Grant request narrative (see pages 4-5 fr Narrative Grant Request Guidelines) Prpsed prject budget (see pages 6-7 fr Prject Budget Guidelines) Organizatin s perating budget (revenues and expenses) fr yur rganizatin's current fiscal year*. If the prject will have a fiscal spnsr, please prvide the current fiscal year budget fr the spnsred prgram. (Yur prgram fficer may als request the budget fr the fiscal spnsr rganizatin.) IRS Frm 990 (mst recent)*. Nte that this is nt required fr public schls, schl districts, public clleges r universities r ther gvernment entities. If there is a fiscal spnsr, please prvide the IRS Frm 990 fr the fiscal spnsr. Audited financial statements, including ntes and management letter(s), fr the last tw fiscal year(s)*. If audited financial statements are nt yet cmplete fr the mst recently cmpleted fiscal year, yu may submit unaudited statements fr that year. Fr rganizatins with a ttal annual perating budget under $500,000 and withut audited financial statements, in-huse statements, verified and signed by an authrized representative f the rganizatin, are acceptable. If there is a fiscal spnsr, please prvide the fiscal spnsr s audited financial statements. Current year internal financial statements, including Statement f Financial Activities and a Balance Sheet, and statement f cash flw fr the current fiscal year. Unaudited statements are acceptable. If there is a fiscal spnsr, please include these dcuments fr the fiscal spnsr rganizatin as well as fr the spnsred prgram. A list f grants received by yur rganizatin in the last 12 mnths including surces and amunts. A list f yur rganizatin s Bard f Directrs, with names, affiliatins and Bard fficers (i.e., Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary)*. If there is a fiscal spnsr, please prvide the list f Bard f Directrs fr the fiscal spnsr. In the case f a spnsred prject, a Memrandum f Understanding r fiscal spnsrship agreement frm the fiscal spnsr indicating full acceptance f prgrammatic and fiscal respnsibility fr the grant. All required dcuments must be submitted by the spnsring rganizatin, which will serve as the fficial grantee f the Fundatin, receiving the grant award agreement and payments. * If yu have been awarded a grant within the last year, yu nly need t submit if yu have a newer versin than what yu submitted previusly. Renewal Schlarships Grant Prpsal Guidelines Rev. Apr

3 Funding Guidelines Overview f Cllege Futures Fundatin Mre Graduates fr a Thriving Califrnia We believe that a vibrant future fr Califrnia s ecnmy and cmmunities requires mre bachelr s degrees and that every student in Califrnia shuld have the pprtunity t succeed in cllege. Accrdingly, we seek t increase the rate f bachelr s degree cmpletin amng Califrnia student ppulatins wh are lw-incme and have had histrically lw cllege success rates. T achieve ur gal, we have adpted a student-centered strategy with the fllwing three utcmes aimed at remving barriers t cllege success: 1. Successful Transitins: Institutins ensure student readiness and effective transitins frm secndary schl t cllege, and frm cmmunity cllege t fur-year clleges and universities. 2. Aligned Institutins: Reginal partnerships align leaders, resurces and decisin-making amng schl districts, clleges, and their partners t advance student prgress tward bachelr s degrees. 3. Imprved Plicy & Practice: Plicymakers and practitiners address gaps between plicies and practices at all levels affecting student success. The fllwing crss-cutting themes and underlying principles define ur apprach. 1. Fcus attentin n students. We fcus n the experience and success f lw-incme and underrepresented students in higher educatin and encurage institutins t fcus n and track student success. 2. Use data effectively. We wrk with ur grantees and their partners t set clear gals fr student success and degree prductin, and develp prcesses fr mnitring prgress that include embedded feedback and learning lps. We prmte the use f data that fsters innvatin, inquiry, and lcal slutins t vercming cllege transitin and degree cmpletin barriers. 3. Emphasize reginal appraches. Califrnia s size and diversity requires differential strategies tailred t fit real ecnmic, cultural, and institutinal differences acrss the regins. Mrever, slutins t the challenges facing students must be grunded in data and culture- and cmmunityrelevant. 4. Value the rle f lcal crss-sectr leadership. Creative and effective supprt fr students needs t be dne by educatin, cmmunity and ther leaders wh are cmmitted t imprving cllege attainment fr lw-incme students in their cmmunities and wh are simultaneusly cllabrative and highly fcused. 5. Ensure resurce allcatin factrs int decisin-making. We ensure, wherever apprpriate, that a fiscal perspective is integrated int any imprved prcesses at the pst-secndary institutin and system-wide by aligning spending with gals and pririties. 6. Build capacity t empwer leadership. Thrugh ur grants and funding f technical assistance, we seek t help lcal leaders access and use reginal and inter-segmental data t pinpint issues and identify interventins, and adpt new plicies, practices and prcedures that help students Renewal Schlarships Grant Prpsal Guidelines Rev. Apr

4 transitin frm ne educatin system t anther and ultimately, cmplete a bachelr s degree. We are nt prescriptive in the specific changes that we expect institutins t make, rather we supprt discvery, experimentatin, and innvatin and empwer leadership with the language, skills and tls t address barriers and drive change. Grant Request Narrative Guidelines The fllwing utline prvides suggestins t help yu write the prpsal narrative. It is nt necessary t adhere t this utline r t include all f these items in yur prpsal narrative. Rather, these suggestins are prvided t help yu understand hw we will assess the prpsal and clarify which infrmatin Fundatin staff finds t be mst useful. Please limit yur prpsal narrative t n mre than 8 pages. Clarity and cncisin is f greatest imprtance. As a first step, please read carefully ur Review Criteria (see sectin abve) and ur Schlarship Award Plicies (click here t dwnlad). We encurage yu t cntact the Fundatin staff member wh requested the prpsal frm yu if yu have any questins. Please uplad the narrative dcument as a MS Wrd dcument r PDF in the Grant Request Narrative sectin f the Attachments page (tab 3) f the nline grant request frm. 1. Descriptin f Prject Prvide a cmplete descriptin f what yu are seeking t d and accmplish with the requested funds, including: Brief prject verview and ratinale: What will this renewal grant accmplish? Gals, bjectives and prjected utcmes (click here t dwnlad definitins): State the gal, bjectives and utcmes fr this prject (n mre than half a page). Target ppulatin: Are there specific grups f students r ther individuals that will be targeted in terms f gender, race/ethnicity, academic perfrmance r ther high need ppulatins? Is the prgram fcused n a specific gegraphic area(s), schl districts and/r high schls? Which nes? Please explain any differences in yur target ppulatin relative t the prir grant yu received frm the Fundatin fr schlarships. Prject strategy and activities: Describe any changes t yur strategy r apprach fr awarding schlarships since the last grant yu received frm the Fundatin, including: The apprach and implementatin plan fr awarding student schlarships and hw schlarships fit int yur prpsed strategy, larger prgram r ther activities. The kinds f ther student supprts ffered t schlars, their parents and ther prgram participants t supprt cllege search, chice and matriculatin, including cllege advising, assistance with FAFSA and Cal Grant applicatin cmpletin, financial aid advising r financial literacy training, and any cllege persistence and cmpletin strategies. It is expected that at a minimum, the prgram will ffer assistance t students t cmplete their financial aid applicatins. Renewal Schlarships Grant Prpsal Guidelines Rev. Apr

5 If yur strategy invlves wrking clsely with different partners (rganizatins, schls, clleges, universities, agencies r thers) t accmplish yur prpsed gals and bjectives, please prvide the fllwing: The rles and respnsibilities f each partner and their expertise in prviding a specific aspect f the prgram. Descriptins f any previus wrk that yu have dne with these partners and accmplishments t date. Prpsed cmmunicatins activities including gals, utreach strategies and messaging (r plans fr develping messaging). Prpsed plan t attract ther funds fr student utreach, supprt and schlarships and plan t grw r sustain prgram activities. 2. Outcmes Indicatrs and Data Cllectin Plan The Fundatin requires grantees t cllect and submit student-level data fr all students wh receive schlarships funded by the Fundatin. See table belw fr a list f indicatrs and related data that the Fundatin requires f its schlarship grantees. Outline any ther specific data and/r indicatrs that yu plan t cllect t track yur prgress and t measure yur utcmes, in additin t thse required by the Fundatin. Prvide yur prpsed plan and timeline fr data cllectin and analysis. List f Individual-level Student Data Required fr Schlarship Prgrams Individual-level Student Data Fr schlarship students, we request individual-level student data fr each funded pst-secndary academic year. Signed cnsent frms are required befre yu reprt individual-level student data. Demgraphic and educatin infrmatin: Full name, birth date, gender, race/ethnicity, first generatin cllege ging status High schl name, graduatin year and GPA Attending pstsecndary institutin in fall Expected family cntributin Student s living situatin when attending cllege Financial aid infrmatin: Cllege Futures and/r LASIF 1 schlarship infrmatin Financial aid awards, including Pell grants, Cal Grants and BOG waivers and all ther types f aid, if applicable 1 If applicable. The Ls Angeles Schlars Investment Fund (LASIF) is a c-funding partnership between the Califrnia Cmmunity Fundatin and Cllege Futures Fundatin. Renewal Schlarships Grant Prpsal Guidelines Rev. Apr

6 3. Prject Management and Timeline Describe the prpsed staffing fr the prject, identifying prject persnnel and any cnsultants r advisrs wh wuld be invlved with the prject. Prvide the timeline fr accmplishing the stated activities, bjectives, and prjected utcmes. 4. Organizatinal Ratinale Prvide any updated infrmatin abut yur rganizatin, its experience and its track recrd since the last grant yu received frm the Fundatin. Prvide a brief descriptin f any changes t yur rganizatinal structure ver the last year. Include brief bigraphies f any new members f the leadership team and the key staff wh will lead prgram implementatin. 5. Prject Lessns, Risks r Challenges Describe the lessns learned frm awarding schlarships funded by prir grants frm the Fundatin. Describe any risks that yu fresee in undertaking the prpsed strategy. Fr example, des it invlve untested strategies? Are there imprtant implementatin challenges t cnsider? Is the prject cmplicated because it is cllabrative in nature? What are yur strategies fr mitigating these risks? 6. Prject Budget Narrative Indicate the ttal annual prject budget and the specific amunt f that ttal requested frm the Fundatin; if the request is fr a multi-year grant, indicate the amunt requested n an annual basis and in ttal. Prvide a brief descriptin f each budget line item. Fr the budget line item fr schlarships, indicate the number f students t whm yu expect t award schlarships. Renewal Schlarships Grant Prpsal Guidelines Rev. Apr

7 Prject Budget Guidelines As nted in the Prpsal Checklist, please uplad the prject budget as an Excel dcument in the Prpsed Prject Budget sectin f the Attachments page (tab 3) f the nline grant request frm. Dwnlad and cmplete the apprpriate PROJECT BUDGET frm (either fr a One-Year grant r a Multi-Year Grant) lcated n tab 3. As per the attached frm, please prvide an annual budget fr the prpsed activities and prpsed grant perid that prvides the verall prgram budget and within that budget, indicates the specific expenditures t be funded thrugh the Fundatin s grant. Fr each year f the grant, please clearly indicate the amunt f funds requested fr student schlarships, and csts directly related t administering the schlarship prgram. In the apprpriate sectin in the frm, prvide a list f 1) funders that are already cmmitted t the prject including dllar amunts f grants secured and 2) any key funding prspects (pending r prjected) alng with estimated dllar amunts. The prject budget shuld clsely align with the activities yu describe in yur prpsal narrative. Therefre, the budget shuld be an apprpriate prjectin f the expenses necessary t carry ut the planned activities. Yur prject budget will be reviewed and, in many cases, discussed with yu t ensure that it aligns with the gal and bjectives f yur prpsal. Prpsal negtiatin with Fundatin staff may lead t budget revisins. If yur grant request is apprved, a final apprved budget will be included in the grant agreement, and financial reprts relative t this budget must be prvided t the Fundatin as per the grant requirements. Renewal Schlarships Grant Prpsal Guidelines Rev. Apr