Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): FY17 Summer Strong DC Grants Competition Posted: December 22, 2016

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1 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): FY17 Summer Strong DC Grants Competition Posted: December 22, 2016 ELIGIBILITY 1. Can we apply for funding in more than one category or do we have to pick one? Yes. Applicants can apply to more than one category, but applicants may only apply once per category. The maximum number of proposals that any one organization may submit in response to this solicitation is five (5). Additionally, while organizations may apply in more than one category, organizations will be funded for no more than two (2) grants. An organization must submit a separate proposal for each category, indicating that each proposal is serving a different group of children and youth. Applicants MAY NOT apply for money in two different categories to fund the same set of kids. If, for example, an organization would like to serve children and youth in two separate PSAs in the Safer, Stronger category, they should submit one application, but be very clear within the proposal how they will serve each group. In addition, the organization must be able to serve a minimum of 30 children and youth in each PSA. 2. The Dates listed for reach of the categories is not consistent throughout the RFP. Can you please clarify? If you wish to apply in the DCPS or Traditional Categories, you must provide programming for the entire length of the programming period which is June 26, 2017 through July 28, The grant period is June 12, 2017 through August 11, If you wish to apply in the DCPCS category, you must provide programming, at a minimum of three weeks during the programming period which is June 26, 2017 through July 28, The grant period is June 12, 2017 through August 11, If you wish to apply in the SSDC category, you must provide programming for the entire length of the programming period which is June 26, 2017 through August 4, The grant period is June 12, 2017 through August 18, If you wish to apply in the DCHA category, you must provide programming for the entire length of the programming period which is June 26, 2017 through August 11, The grant period is June 12, 2017 through August 25, Can non-united Way member organizations apply? Yes. 1

2 4. Can organizations that are not primarily focused on youth development apply? For example, page 4 of the RFP says This grant competition invites high-performing, nonprofit youth development organizations in Washington, DC Our organization serves individuals and families in affordable housing development. Youth development is one of the areas we address through our Resident Services Department. A summer camp program would be an extension of those services. In the RFP attachments you will find more information on youth development outcomes. If your program is serving the District s children and youth and is working towards meeting these outcomes and can provide programming for the identified dosage for each category, then you organization is eligible to apply. 5. The DC Public Charter School category states that programming must take place for a minimum of three weeks. Is this any three weeks during the grant period? As long as programming takes place between the programming dates of June 26, 2017 and July 28, 2017, any three weeks are acceptable. 6. Does the funding category, "Traditional Summer Programming Sites" require that the programs take place in one of the six designated Police Service Areas? No. If you are applying in the Traditional site category, the program does not need to take place in one of the designated target neighborhoods/police Service Areas. 7. Does the funding category, Traditional Summer Programming Sites include programs located at a Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) site or public school site unrelated to afternoon enrichment? Yes. If you are applying in the Traditional site category, the program can be located at a DPR site or a public school (public charter or DCPS) that is not offering summer school. 8. Our organization operates an initiative in the District of Columbia, providing summer school at two public elementary schools. Can we apply on behalf of both schools since it is under one initiative? In this case, the applicant should submit one application under the DCPS category and state that the organization plans to serve 2 schools. The organization must be able to serve the minimum requirement of 30 youth per school site, however, to be funded for both sites. In addition, the organization must have a letter of support for each school from DCPS s Office of the Chief Operating Officer with the proposal (contact Kathryn Kigera, Interim Director, Out of School Time Programs at Kathryn.Kigera@dc.gov).

3 9. If programming starts before the programming date, is an organization still eligible to apply? Yes. An organization may provide programming before June 26, However, an organization must meet the time frames articulated in the answer to question 2 above. 10. What other District dollars, other than those with the City Fund, present a barrier to organizations obtaining summer funding? For example, can an organization receiving 21 st Century grant dollars through OSSE also receive summer funding through the United Way NCA s FY16 Summer Strong Initiative? An organization is not allowed to receive other local funding to fund the same group of children and youth. If an organization is receiving 21 st Century dollars for a given group of children and youth, for example, they could apply for a DC Summer Strong grant to serve a different set of children and youth. 11. Have DCPS Summer sites been determined yet? Yes. The following have been identified as DCPS summer school sites: Drew ES (Ward 7, K-5) Payne ES (Ward 6, K-5) Seaton ES (Ward 6, K-5) Simon ES (Ward 8, K-5) Brightwood EC (Ward 4, K-8) Nalle ES (Ward 7, K-5) Savoy ES (Ward 8, K-5) Wheatley EC (Ward 5, K-8) *NOTE these sites are subject to changes should unexpected facilities issues or other unforeseen circumstances arise REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION 12. "Copy of currently valid Charitable Solicitation or Charitable Exempt License" - is this a Business License or the document issued by the Office of Tax and Revenue entitled "Certificate of Exemption" which enables us to purchase as a tax exempt organization and on our document does not have an expiration date? The Charitable Solicitation License comes from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), and is a license that enables organizations to solicit funds. It is essentially a business license. This license is usually good for two years. The 3

4 Certificate of Exemption from the Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) enables organizations to be exempt from local taxes for purchases. *You will find a copy of each of these required documents in the attachments of the RFP. 13. Is a charitable solicitation license the same as a business license? What is the price of the license? A charitable solicitation and business license are one and the same and it costs $412. Organization must have a valid Charitable Solicitation or Charitable Exempt license. The application for this form can be found at: Which date stands for the clean hands certificate? Receipt of the clean hands certificate generally coincides with obtaining your business license. Your business license must be renewed every 2 years, as does your clean hands certificate. Both your business license and your clean hands certificate must be valid throughout the duration of the grant period. If either of these documents expires midway through the grant period, please make sure your organization renews it quickly and provides documentation of this renewal to United Way NCA. The application for this form can be found at: formerlycertificate-good-standing 15. Is there a particular date for the certificate of good standing? How long does it last? Organizations must have a valid Certificate of Good Standing (March 27, 2015 or later) with the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, showing the organization is in good standing. The application for this form can be found at: Can you please provide a sample of the required documents? Sample documents can be found in the PDF version of the RFP located on United Way NCA s website: Where can I find information on the outcomes referenced in the RFP? Information regarding youth development outcomes can be found on United Way NCA s website in the attachments for the RFP: summer-strong-dc-initiative

5 18. Where can an organization receive a certificate of occupancy? Certificates of occupancy should be obtained by whomever owns the building or space within which you are working. You should be able to ask a landlord or someone similar. 19. Do you need a new certificate of occupancy if an organization has moved? The certificate of occupancy should rest with whomever owns the building or space within which you are working. Yes, you do need a new certificate, but it should be with the building. SAFETY & CLEARANCES 20. What resources can you recommend for National Sex Offender, Child Protection Registry and FBI Clearances? a. National Sex Offender Public Registry: Website-US Department of Justice ( US/Search/Verification?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1) b. DC Child Protection Registry: the DC Child and Family Services Agency Child Protection Register provides free local search for persons listed on the child abuse registry. The process takes 30 days and requires a notarized application to process the search. Go to and click on Reporting/Investigations then Child Protection Register Information to utilize this service. c. FBI (Live Scan): Grantees are strongly encouraged to use the Live Scan FBI background check since it returns results via within about twenty-four hours. (The fingerprint cards, outlined in the next point, can take three months or more to return.) o Citiwide Computer Training o 1818 New York Avenue, NE, Suite 116 o Washington, DC o (202) o Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00am-2:00pm o Cost: $36 application fee (credit card or money order only) + $5.00 processing fee (cash only) o Other live scan venders can be found by searching for FBI Live Scan channelers in your state. 5

6 FBI (finger-print based): Finger prints and applications can be submitted through the below services. (Note that this service can take three months or more to return search results. Please consider using the Live Scan services outlined above.) Federal Services Inc I Street, NW Washington, DC (202) Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-5:00pm; Saturdays by appointment You can also download the fingerprint form from this page: (the link says the FBI ). Staff/volunteers will need to bring this form with them to the site where they get fingerprinted. Note: The FBI does not accept personal checks. Fingerprinting Services: Federal Services, Inc Eye I Street, NW, Suite 915 Washington, DC (202) Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-5:30 pm Saturday, 11:00 am-2:00 pm $10 per card The Law Offices of Frederic W. Schwartz, Jr Eye I Street, NW, Suite 406 Washington, DC (202) Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-5:00 pm 21. What resources can you recommend for TB and CPR clearances? TB: B&W Stat Lab: 3104 Georgia Avenue, NW. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 am-2:00 pm. The cost is $15 (cash only).

7 CVS s Minute Clinics!: Various locations in DC, MD, and VA. The cost is $20. Unity Healthcare: several locations around the city. Northside Medical: 4121 Minnesota Avenue, NE. (202) Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-3:00 pm. The cost is $25. Stanton Road Health Center: 3240 Stanton Road, SE. (202) Carl Vogel Center: th Street, NW, #700 NW. (202) The cost is $25. American Vaccine Center: Hyattsville, MD. (301) The cost is $38. Capitol Travel Medicine: Arlington, VA. (703) The cost is $35. Travel Advisory & Immunization Clinic: Rockville, MD. (301) The cost is $25. Student health centers at local universities. Prices are set by each university. CPR/First Aid Certifications: EnjoyCPR: 1629 K Street, NW. (800) Who needs to have clearances? Anyone staff and contractors, full-time and part-time, regardless of contact with participants being charged to the United Way NCA grant, must have all clearances and certifications laid out in the RFP. 23. Can the grant dollars be used to pay for clearances? Yes. 24. What is the purpose of the background clearances when working with youth? How could a person s background hinder an agency from being approved for a grant? The purpose of background clearances is to ensure a safe environment for youth program participants. Organizations and individuals must provide current background checks for any individuals whose positions will be funded through this grant. Although a criminal record alone does not disqualify anyone from being funded by the grant, background clearances must be carefully screened and provided to the United Way NCA to ensure that individuals do not pose a danger to youth. A cleared background check means the individual s name is not listed on the National Sex Offender Public Registry or on the DC Child Protection Registry, and that the individual has not been convicted of a violent felony (sexual assault, rape, murder, etc.) in the last 10 years. Individuals not 7

8 meeting this clearance criteria may not be approved for positions funded through this grant. 25. Will DCPS background checks suffice/meet the requirements for this initiative? DCPS clearances that have been issued within the requisite eligibility timeframe and include the required clearances (FBI finger print-based search, National Sex Offender and DC Child Abuse Registry) will be accepted. The actual results are required. A copy of your fingerprint card alone will not suffice. A letter from DCPS can also be used to show TB and CPR clearances, but these letters are only good for a year after the letter was issued. 26. Do you have to have background checks done before you apply? No. background checks do not need to be completed before you apply for the grant. Background checks must be submitted and cleared before programming begins. 27. Who do individuals contact to get the required FBI clearance? FBI clearances can be obtained through the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) or by using a private service. FBI clearances obtained through MPD cost $35 and can take six to eight weeks to process. For more information, visit A number of private services offer FBI background checks that return results via in 24 hours. One such service is Citywide Computer Training, located at 1818 New York Avenue, NE Ste. 116, Washington, DC, (202) Citywide Computer Training charges a $36 application fee (credit card or money order only) plus a $5 processing fee (cash only). 28. What clearances will volunteers will need? United Way NCA requires that anyone being charged to the grant have the required clearances. 29. Do staff under the age of 18 need clearances? Yes. Any staff being charged to the grant need clearances. 30. Do vendors (consultants, DOH contractors etc) need to have clearances? Vendors that come into contact with children and youth only once during the course of a program period do not need to have clearances, but must be supervised by a program staff person who has been cleared under all of the requirements. If a vendor is going to be working with children and youth more than once, they must be cleared under all of the requirements.

9 SITE USE APPROVAL/VETTING LETTER/LETTERS OF SUPPORT 31. From who do I acquire a letter of support if I am planning to have a program in a DCPS Summer School Site? Applicants must be officially vetted by DCPS and must obtain a current letter of support from Najla Husseini (najla.husseini@dc.gov) at DCPS s Office of the Chief Operating Officer with the proposal. If you have not yet been vetted, but are awarded funding, your organization must be vetted and approved during the March/April vetting period to secure funding. 32. From who do I acquire a letter of support if I am planning to have a program in a DCPCS Summer School site? If planning a program in DCPCS Summer School Site, and the applicant is not the DCPCS LEA itself, applicants must provide a current letter of support from the DCPCS s central office. 33. If you have already approved in a school building currently, do you currently need a support letter from the DCPS school for the summer? Is that the same as the vetting letter? If an organization is planning to work in a DCPS building during the summer, even if they have worked in that building during the traditional school year, the organization is required to receive a letter of support from Najla Husseini (Najla.husseini@dc.gov) in DCPS s Office of the Chief Operating Officer. 34. If we are having summer programming at an independent private school is a vetting letter/letter of support still required? Yes. We need to know that an organization has been approved by the school to be on the school premises during the given programming hours. 35. Will a principal s letter of support suffice to provide programming in a DCPS building? No. In order operate in a DCPS building, you must have a letter of support from Najla Husseini (Najla.husseini@dc.gov) in DCPS s Office of the Chief Operating Officer. DC FREE SUMMER MEALS 36. Where can I find information on DC Free Summer Meals sites? Funded organizations will receive technical assistance to help enroll in the DC Free Summer Meals Program. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Wellness 9

10 and Nutrition Services Division, can help summer programs enroll or connect with a sponsor. For more information, please contact Lindsey Palmer at lindsey.palmer@dc.gov. Applicants can include participation in the DC Free Summer Meal as a match. (NOTE: A match is not required for this grant. Please disregard the previous statement regarding summer meals as a match). Sites will be required to report whether they enrolled in the program on their own, worked with a sponsor, or took children and/or teens to a nearby DC Free Summer Meal sites and how many children or teens ate meals each day. The USDA approved reimbursement rates have been released and are available at: Funded organizations will receive technical assistance to help enroll in the DC Free Summer Meals Program. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Wellness and Nutrition Services Division, can help summer programs enroll or connect with a sponsor. For more information, please contact Lindsey Palmer at lindsey.palmer@dc.gov 37. Our organization s site cannot host a summer meals program and our students will have off-campus lunch. May we include a nearby DC Summer Meals site as one of their options to satisfy the requirement? If your organization is unable to provide meals on site, the organization should coordinate having meals delivered or assist students with accessing the closest available site. 38. If you are operating outside of DC (fieldtrips) are you still eligible for FREE lunches? If an organization chooses to take children and youth on a fieldtrip outside of DC, free meals can still be made available. TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES 39. Will the Center for Excellence in Youth Development be offering classes in FY17? The RFP states that the 30-hour Advancing Youth Development (AYD) class was a necessity for staff. Does this include the entire team? Yes, the Center for Excellence in Youth Development will off trainings in FY17. Courses will include the AYD 30 Hour, AYD Supervisors, and Navigating Youth Culture. It is recommended that at least two staff funded by the UWNCA FY17 Summer Strong DC

11 Grant attend the AYD 30 Hour Training and at least one supervisor attend the AYD Supervisor's Training. CATEGORY SPECIFIC 40. What other sites are acceptable for use for the Traditional category other than the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) sites? The traditional category is pretty all-encompassing. Generally organizations are using their own sites if applying in the traditional category. However, a DPR or a Library site might also be used. Whatever site is used, just be sure to have approval for its use if it is not your own. FISCAL SPONSORSHIP 41. Is an organization able to use a fiscal sponsor for the FY16 Summer Funding grant? Yes. PROGRAM DESIGN 42. There are a number of DCPS school buildings that have extended school year. Because many students that are historically served by our program attend these schools, it will be difficult to meet the dosage requirements. In which category, if any, is it appropriate to apply if we are trying to serve students who will only need programming for a shorter window of time? Unfortunately, in order to apply in either the DCPS or Traditional categories, you must meet the dosage requirements. Providing services for only three weeks will not suffice. 43. If you have multiple group of children can you split the hours of programming between them? No. In order to meet the minimum requirements of the grant, each organization must serve at least 30 children and depending on the category in which you apply, provide a minimum dosage of programming per day/per week. Hours may not be split among multiple groups of children. Organizations may not apply to serve a group for three (3) weeks and another group for three (3) weeks. Each youth must have the opportunity for 5-6 weeks of programming, depending on the category. 11

12 44. If an organization is providing more than the required hours per day, but is meeting less frequently, can an organization be funded? No. An organization must provide the required minimum hours of funding per day/per week. 45. If the children ages cross categories, do we mark more than one age group? If an organization would like to serve both younger and older youth, they will need to submit one application, but detail in the proposal how the needs of each group will be met. In addition, the organization will need to be able to serve a minimum of 30 children and youth in EACH age group. 46. Do participants have to reside in the PSA of the safer stronger category? No. If you are applying in the Safer, Stronger category, the program must be located in the given PSA and must make a concerted effort to serve children and youth who live and/or go to school in that PSA. 47. Does all programming have to take place within the district? No. Programming can take place outside the District; however, the program must be serving children and youth who are residents of the District. 48. Under safe and stronger target neighborhoods, can one organization apply for 2 different neighborhoods if you provides services in both? An organization may apply to serve youth in more than one PSA. However, the organization should submit only one application and describe within the proposal how children and youth within each PSA will be individually served. In addition, the organization will need to be able to provide services to a minimum of 30 children and youth in each of the PSAs for which it applies. 49. Youth development outcomes (YDO), how do programs gage which outcomes will best serve their youth? Do programs just pick the best ones that work for youth from what has been done before? How do programs capture that in reference to a matrix? Programs should use outcomes that apply to the majority of the youth in their program and evaluate these outcomes before the next program period for any changes that should be made. The United Way NCA will post resources to help programs with capturing the youth development outcomes.

13 BUDGET 50. Can you still charge a registration fee? Non-United Way NCA-funded participants may be charged a fee for programming. United Way NCA-funded participants may not be charged a fee for program activities, but can be charged a one-time nominal (i.e., less than $50) program registration fee to encourage good attendance. However, if parents cannot afford the registration fee, then their child(ren) cannot be prevented from participating in the program. 51. Is a match required? It is mentioned in the DC Free Summer Meal section of the RFP? No. A match is not required for this grant. Please disregard the reference to a match in the DC Free Summer Meal section of the RFP. PROPOSAL FORMAT 52. The RFP asks for Letters of Support- that item is not on the checklist - do you want letters of support? If yes- do they get included in the group of attachments without noting it anywhere? Letters of support should be attached to your application. They will be reviewed regardless of whether they are on a checklist. 53. The forms include a Projected Revenue Form - but this is not included in the Checklist- Do you want the projected Revenue or not? If yes- do we just add it into the group of attachments without noting it anywhere? Yes. Please include the projected revenue form. 54. Signed Non- Discrimination Policy and Anti- Bullying Policy- It is not clear- do you want us to provide copies of our own policies as attachments or do we just certify compliance on the cover sheet and show the policies if/when you visit? The checklist states that you need to provide a signed policy. On the cover sheet, you will also need to check the box, certifying that you organization has such a policy. 55. Budget Form- narrative is at the bottom- not next to the budget item. So do you want us to repeat the item with a narrative at the bottom or can we simply put the narrative in one of the unused columns next to the item so we don't have to repeat it? You do not need to repeat the narrative. A new budget form will be provided to all applicants. 13

14 REVIEW PROCESS 56. How will United Way allocate the 10 points for new applicants that have no history of funding with United Way or DC United Way NCA? Upon further consideration, the additional 10 points will not be a part of the review process. The scores will now be out of 90 points. TIMELINE FOR REVIEW AND AWARDS 57. By when will United Way NCA have made its decisions about who will be funded for the summer? The United Way NCA will provide award and denial letters to all applicants no later than February 23, How many applicant organizations will be funded? There is not a set number of organizations that will be funded. The number of grantees will depending, in part, on the quality of the applications. MISCELLANEOUS 59. When will the first payment be available for summer programming? First payments for summer programming will be made prior to the start of the grant period. The exact payment schedule is To Be Determined. 60. Is it okay if youth are paid through SYEP? Youth participating in an organization s program may be paid through SYEP. 61. Will United Way NCA be offering CPR classes? No. You can receive CPR training at a variety of sites around the city. Here are a few the recommendations: American Red Cross American Heart Association

15 62. Where are the attachments for the RFP located? All attachments can be located on United Way NCA s website: 15