Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grants Program Funded by the PSEG Foundation 2015 Application Information Package Announcement Date: Monday, February 23, 2015 Application Due Date: Midnight on Sunday April 26, 2015 Link to Application: On the Grants and Resources section of sustainablejerseyschools.com Questions All questions regarding the Small Grants Program should be directed to grants@sustainablejersey.com or 609-771-2938. General questions regarding the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Program should be directed to schools@sustainablejersey.com or 609-771-3427 Contents A. Background...2 B. Eligibility Requirements...2 C. Use of Grant Funding...3 D. Grant Proposal...3 $ $10,000 Grant Proposal...3 $2,000 Capacity Building Grant Proposal...5 E. Online Application Portal...6 F. Selection Process...6 $ $10,000 Grants...6 $2,000 Capacity Building Grants...7 G. Grant Awards and Additional Terms...7 H. Grant Recipient Reporting Requirements...8 $10,000 Grant Awards...8 $2,000 Capacity Building Grant Awards...9 I. Sample Budget Template...9 1
A. Background We are pleased to announce that the PSEG Foundation is contributing $100,000 to support the inaugural Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grants Program. With this contribution, the PSEG Foundation has provided over $700,000 in funding to the Small Grants Program supporting progress in municipalities and schools across the state. The PSEG Foundation s ongoing support of the Small Grants Program is an excellent example of how public/private partnerships can encourage local grass roots efforts to improve the quality of life in New Jersey. The grant program is an important program benefit for New Jersey schools participating in Sustainable Jersey for Schools. Funding supports efforts to implement projects that help schools gain points needed for Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification and make progress toward a sustainable future. The funded projects serve as practical and innovative models for the rest of the State and make measurable contributions toward the long-term goal of a sustainable New Jersey. This grant cycle of the 2015 Schools Small Grants Program funded by the PSEG Foundation will award: Four $10,000 awards to school districts Thirty $2,000 capacity building awards to support school green teams ONLINE Applications are due by midnight on Sunday April 26, 2015. Email submission of grant proposals will NOT be accepted. All applications must be submitted online using the links below: $10,000 School District Grant Application: http://app.wizehive.com/apps/sjpsegdistrict10k $2,000 School Capacity Building Grant Application: http://app.wizehive.com/apps/sjpsegschools2k Notifications of grant awards will be made by June 8, 2015. B. Eligibility Requirements To be eligible to apply for a Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grant an applicant must: Be a New Jersey School District or School. Funding may be passed through to a non-profit, partner organization, or contractor, but the school district or school must be the applicant and will be responsible for the reporting requirements. Checks will be made payable to the school district and sent to the identified fiscal agent. Be registered with Sustainable Jersey for Schools program AND have appointed a Green Team that meets the Green Team Action Standard. Individual Schools are the eligible applicant for the $2,000 Capacity Building Grants. Districts are the only eligible applicant for the $10,000 Project Grants. At the discretion of the applying district, project grants can fund programs or projects that benefit the entire school district OR a specific project in one school. Use the $10,000 grant funding to implement an action that is eligible for points in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program (See the list of Sustainable Jersey for Schools actions here). Projects that would score points as an "Innovation Project" action are eligible. 2
Eligible schools may submit only one proposal for a $2,000 capacity grant. All registered schools in a district are eligible to individually apply for a $2,000 Capacity Building Grant. Eligible school districts may submit only one proposal for a $10,000 Project Grant. An individual school may apply for a $2,000 capacity grant AND partner with the district to apply for a $10,000 project grant that will be implemented within the individual school. In this case the $10,000 grant will be considered first. If the $10,000 proposal is not funded, the $2,000 proposal will then be considered. C. Use of Grant Funding Funds for the $10,000 grants must be used to fund all or part of a project that will score points for an action in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program. The Innovation Project action is acceptable. Matching or in-kind contributions are encouraged, but not necessary. Eligible expenses include salary, stipends, supplies, materials, contractors and services. Facilities and administrative (overhead) costs may NOT be charged to the grant. $2,000 Capacity Building Grant funds can be used for school green team expenses. Funding does not have to be for project specific activities. Grant funding may be used for a project that will earn points for an action in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program. For $10,000 Project Grants all funds must be fully expended, projects completed, and final reports submitted by December 14, 2016 For $2,000 Capacity Building Grants, all funds must be fully expended, projects completed and final reports submitted by June 14, 2016 D. Grant Proposal Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grants are intended to help schools make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. The application process is meant to be simple and easy. The $2,000 Capacity Building Grants have a 12-month performance period while the $10,000 Project Grants have an 18-month performance period. Online grant applications are due by midnight on Sunday April 26, 2015. Notifications of grant awards will be made by June 8, 2015. Access the online applications using the links below: $10,000 School District Project Grant Application: http://app.wizehive.com/apps/sjpsegdistrict10k $2,000 School Capacity Building Grant Application: http://app.wizehive.com/apps/sjpsegschools2k The following sections outline the information that will be requested in the online applications. $10,000 Project Grant Proposal Proposal Narrative: School and District Information 3
o NJ Department of Education School District Code o NJ Depart of Education School Code (if project proposed is at a specific school) o School District Employer Identification Number (EIN)- Please contact your school Business Administrator to obtain the district s Federal EIN number Project Title: 3-4 word title Brief Project Description: Please provide a brief description (2-3 sentences) of what you plan to accomplish with the grant. Project Description: Explain in more detail what you will do and how you will accomplish it. Project Impact: Describe the impact of your project in advancing your district s sustainability efforts. Please include how this project will augment existing efforts and/or be a catalyst for future initiatives. Grant Funding Impact: What is the impact of the Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant on the project s success? Would it happen without these funds? Are you leveraging funding or financing or in-kind contributions from other sources? Budget Narrative: o Describe how the grant funds will be spent. Include expenses on stipends, salaries, consultant costs, subcontractor costs, equipment, supplies, and other. o If the total project budget is larger than your grant request (which is allowed), what is the total budget for the project? What is the source and certainty of the other necessary funds to complete the project? Do you have an in-kind or cash match that has been approved in the current budget or is proposed in next year s school district budget? Timeline: What do you plan to do and when? What are the key milestones? Note: All funds must be fully expended, projects completed, and the final report submitted by December 14, 2016. Evaluation: How will you assess the impact of your project and what documentation will you submit to demonstrate this impact? Please note that the grant does not require a rigorous or formal evaluation process. Application Contacts: Contact information including name, title or affiliation, email and phone numbers will be requested for the following people: o Primary Project Contact o Superintendent o Additional contact for Superintendent (i.e. Administrative Assistant) o Principal (if the grant project will take place at one school) o School Fiscal Contact o School Media Contact o Key Project Team Members Provide a list of key project team members for the grant project. o District Green Team members (if the proposed project is at a specific school that school s Green Team members will suffice). Required Attachments and Information: Authorization to Submit Grant Application: Please submit documentation that your district is authorized to apply for this grant in accordance with the district s policies and procedures. 4
This can include a School Board Resolution supporting the application or a letter from the Superintendent, or Business Administrator. Click here for a sample School Board Resolution Itemized Project Budget showing all costs including stipends, salaries, wages and fringe benefits, consultant and subcontractor expenses, equipment, supplies, and other. Facilities and administrative (overhead) costs may NOT be charged to the grant. A sample budget template is available here and is shown in Section I. Resumes or bios of key project personnel and their role(s) in this project. Optional Information o Examples include letters of commitment or support from project partners including parent teacher organizations, local union leadership, the municipal Green Team, business or external partners or others. o The additional file upload option can also be used to provide more detailed project information. $2,000 Capacity Building Grant Proposal Proposal Narrative: School and District Information o NJ Department of Education School District Code o NJ Department of Education School Code o School District Employer Identification Number (EIN) (Please contact your Business Administrator to obtain the district s Federal EIN number Project Title: 3-4 word title Brief Project Description: Please provide a brief description (2-3 sentences) of what you plan to accomplish with the grant. Work Plan: The work plan should outline what the Green Team hopes to accomplish. To the extent possible, please identify who will be involved and how it will be accomplished, including key activities or events with target dates. Note: All funds must be fully expended, projects completed and the final report submitted by June 14, 2016. Budget Narrative: Funds can be used for project expenses or as general support for the activities of the Green Team to implement Sustainable Jersey for Schools program actions. Please describe how the grant funds will be spent. For example, what equipment or supplies do you plan to purchase or what expenses will be charged against the grant. Application Contacts: Contact information including name, title or affiliation, email and phone numbers will be requested for the following people: o Primary Project Contact o Superintendent o Principal o Additional contact for Principal (i.e. Administrative Assistant) o School Fiscal Contact o School Media Contact o Green Team members 5
Required Attachments and Information: Authorization to Submit Grant Application: Please submit documentation that your school is authorized to apply for this grant in accordance with your district's policies and procedures. This can include a School Board Resolution supporting the application or a letter from the Superintendent, Business Administrator or Principal. Click here for a sample School Board Resolution. Itemized Budget: An itemized budget is required. Eligible expenses include salary, stipends, supplies, materials, contractors and services equipment, supplies, and other. Facilities and administrative (overhead) costs may NOT be charged to the grant. You can use your own budget format as long as it includes a list of all of the projected grant expenses. A sample budget template is available here. Optional Information: This space is provided to upload additional documentation you would like to include relevant to your proposal. Examples include letters of commitment or support from project partners including parent teacher organizations, local union leadership, the municipal Green Team, business or external partners, or others. The additional file upload option can also be used to provide more detailed project information. E. Online Application Portal The application can be accessed using the links below: $10,000 School District Grant Application: http://app.wizehive.com/apps/sjpsegdistrict10k $2,000 School Capacity Building Grant Application: http://app.wizehive.com/apps/sjpsegschools2k Applications must be submitted using the online application portal by midnight on Sunday April 26, 2015. Only online application submissions will be considered for funding. F. Selection Process $10,000 Project Grant Proposals A Blue Ribbon Selection Committee will evaluate each application based on the selection criteria below. The committee is composed of sustainability leaders and experts from the public and private sectors. It does not include current school consultants, staff or Board of Education members. Grants proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria: Impact on the sustainability in the school, district and in New Jersey Ability to serve as a catalyst for future sustainable practices or initiatives within the school or district Likelihood of success including accurate estimates of the time and resources needed to complete the project and the dependence on additional funding sources. Demonstrated commitment to the project and to sustainable practices by maintaining an active green team and successfully completing previous initiatives 6
Involvement and support for the project by internal and external stakeholders Innovativeness and uniqueness of the proposed project and its ability to lead to new best practices Sustainable Jersey for Schools reserves the right to reallocate the funding based on the quality and quantity of grant applications received in a given funding cycle. The review process will also consider the regional distribution of grants throughout the state. Note Regarding Energy Audits & Upgrades: Due to funding available through the NJ Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program for energy audits and upgrades, these activities are not eligible for funding from this cycle of the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grants Program. However, projects that leverage Sustainable Jersey for Schools funds with other BPU funding or other government incentives in an innovative way will be considered. $2,000 Capacity Building Grants: Grants proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria: Strength of the work plan that will guide the Green Team s activities Likelihood of success as demonstrated by a reasonable budget; The demonstrated commitment of the Green Team and school community to move forward on sustainability issues in their school. An individual school may apply for a $2,000 capacity grant AND partner with the district to apply for a $10,000 project grant that will be implemented within the individual school. In this case the $10,000 grant will be considered first. If the $10,000 proposal is not funded, the $2,000 proposal will then be considered. If the $10,000 proposal is awarded then the school will no longer be eligible to receive the $2,000 grant. If the number of qualified Capacity Building Grant applications exceeds the funding available, the program reserves the right to consider other selection criteria. Sustainable Jersey for Schools also reserves the right to reallocate the funding based on the quality and quantity of grant applications received in a given funding cycle. G. Grant Awards and Additional Terms Grant Awards Decisions will be announced by June 8, 2015. School districts and schools selected to receive a grant will be notified through their designated contacts. $10,000 Project Grants must be completed, funds fully expended, and final reports submitted by December 14, 2016. $2,000 Capacity Building Grants must be completed, funds fully expended, and final reports submitted by June 14, 2016. For $10,000 grant awards, fifty percent (50%) of the grant funds will be disbursed upon initial award and the remainder will be transmitted upon completion of the grant funded activities and acceptance of the recipient s final fiscal and project report. The $2,000 Capacity Building Grants will be disbursed in full upon award. 7
Additional Terms All $10,000 Project Grant recipients are required to notify Sustainable Jersey for Schools of any project related ribbon-cutting ceremonies or milestone events so that media outreach can be coordinated with Sustainable Jersey for Schools and the PSEG Foundation. The purpose of these events is to celebrate the district's accomplishments in completing the grant project and to highlight the benefits of the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grants Program. Additionally, school districts receiving a $10,000 Project Grant will be required to install a sign indicating the project was funded by the PSEG Foundation/Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grants Program (where applicable). H. Grant Recipient Reporting Requirements $10,000 Grant Awards Grantees will be required to complete an interim and final report using an online reporting template. Reminders will be emailed to the primary project contact in advance of the reporting submission deadline. The following information is required for each report: Nine-month Interim Report Due March 15, 2016: Project progress to date Project expenditures to date Modifications to the original project plan outlined in the grant proposal (if needed). All substantial project or budget modifications must be preapproved by Sustainable Jersey for Schools. Final Report Due December 14, 2016: Project accomplishments in terms of quantitative measures (i.e. dollars saved, greenhouse gas emissions reduced, number of participants, etc.) and qualitative feedback. Final Project expenditures including grant and other funding sources documented with invoices or other appropriate documentation. Discussion of modifications to the original and/or interim project plan outlined in the grant proposal and Interim Report (if needed). Challenges faced and how were they overcome. Recommended improvements if this project were to be undertaken again. Grantee s Certification and Declaration signed by school business administrator or other authorized representative. Photographs of the project or activity Optional- Samples of press or news coverage about the grant Dispersal of the final 50% of the grant funding will be on a reimbursement basis after the receipt and approval of the documentation listed above. 8
Failure to submit the required documentation will make your school district ineligible to apply for future Sustainable Jersey for Schools grants. $2,000 Capacity Building Grant Awards Grantees will be required to complete a final report using an online reporting template by June 14, 2016. Reminders will be emailed to the primary project contact in advance of the reporting submission deadline. The final report must document the completion of the Green Team work plan activities described in the application (or the portion of the project for which the grant was intended). The following information is required in the final report: Narrative that addresses the following questions: o What has been achieved? Answer with relevant quantitative measures (number of participants, flyers handed out, dollars saved, greenhouse gas emissions reduced, etc.) and qualitative assessments (describe school impact). o How was the grant funding spent? Were other resources provided by other program partners? o Did the project differ from the original proposal? o What challenges were faced and how were they overcome? o What improvements could be made if this project were undertaken again? A detailed accounting of expenditures Photographs from Green Team activities related to the grant Grantee s Certification and Declaration signed by school business administrator or other authorized representative will also be required. 9
I. Budget Template 10