DTN Planning Grant Request for Proposal

The deadline for 2008 planning grants was November 30, 2007. DC CSF is no longer accepting planning grant requests for proposals (RFPs).

The DC College Success Foundation planning grants are awarded to individual college access providers or school based collaborative of college access providers and others to fund the preparation of an action plan to address the gaps in existing services and needs, and to maximize the level of services and efficiencies to ensure that more DC public school students succeed in high school and college. Planning grants of up to $20,000 may be requested to assist in the preparation of a project plan.

Double The Numbers Initiative

Planning Grant Program Requirements

A. The grant will support the development of a formal, written plan for designing a program aligned with at least one of the four strategies designed to ensure that more District of Columbia students succeed in high school and in college. The alignment with one of the four strategies needs to be identified in the proposal with a work plan that identifies the strategy area/s and initial thoughts on the program activity, target population, and expected measurable outcomes.

B. The grant may also support initial activities designed to pilot an approach or create an early success. However, the emphasis of the grant program is on supporting thorough, systematic planning for expanded activities. The grant cannot be used to fund existing activities.

C. The work plan and the approach to planning and the subsequent activities must embrace the principles of positive youth development. Key youth development principles include:

• Challenging youth to reach their full potential;
  providing youth with opportunities to make and implement decisions;
  
  
• Providing environments in which young people can further develop their social, civic, cognitive, and emotional competencies;
  
  
• Ensuring that necessary services and supports are available to young people;
  
  
• Engaging the whole community; and ensuring that youth are engaged by caring and supportive adults.
  

D. Applicants are encouraged to use creative and non-traditional approaches to working with youth. This should include outreach to youth and youth engagement. Efforts to reach and engage youth who do not traditionally participate in services, including youth who have had involvement with the juvenile justice and/or foster care systems are sought.

E. There is a particular interest in supporting results-oriented collaborative activity among college access providers within a school. Most schools are served by more than one college access provider. It is important that services be coordinated within a school to ensure students receive the range of services and supports that increase the likelihood that they will graduate from high school college ready with a plan for college. Examples of planning activities that can be undertaken by a collaborative of organizations serving a school include: how one or more organizations can shift or add to their services to address one or more of the strategy areas based upon an analysis of existing services; how multiple organizations can efficiently and effectively combine their efforts around staffing, materials, programs, outreach and publicity to focus efforts on a strategy area(s); or how a collaborative of organizations develops shared responsibility for results by ensuring each and every student receives appropriate services and supports within a strategy area(s).

F. Planning Grants may be used to pay for the services of a consultant, technical consultants, travel expenses, and other incidental costs involved in the preparation of a project plan. These grants are intended for groups that would otherwise have little access to technical advisors, grant-writing services and have limited staff size dedicated for these purposes. Grants may also be used to provide limited support for staff time dedicated to this activity.

G. The development of a plan through this grant program must include developing a strategy for fundraising to support the activities in the plan.

H. Planning grants must be submitted by November 30, 2007.
THE GRANT PERIOD FOR THIS INITIATIVE IS JANUARY 1, 2008 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2008.

Application Process

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