BEST STARTS FOR KIDS and SCHOOL’S OUT WASHINGTON … · School’s Out Washington and Best Starts...

School’s Out Washington and Best Starts for Kids

Out-of-School Time, Request for Proposal

BEST STARTS FOR KIDS and SCHOOL’S OUT WASHINGTON REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

OUT OF SCHOOL TIME (OST) PROGRAMS

Proposals are due on Friday, November 3rd 2017, by 5:00 PM

I. INTRODUCTION

A. King County and School’s Out Washington: Partnering on High-Quality Out-of-

School-Time through Best Starts for Kids

In June, 2017, King County announced its partnership with School’s Out Washington to create

more opportunities for children and youth to flourish outside of the school day, through

investments in high-quality out-of-school-time (OST) programs.

Best Starts for Kids (BSK) invests in promotion, prevention and early intervention strategies

that promote healthier, more resilient children, youth, families and communities. The priorities

for BSK investments – including quality out-of-school-time programs – were determined

through thousands of hours of consultation with researchers and experts, and extensive

engagement with community partners. The BSK Levy is rooted in the fundamental belief – from

within King County government, and across King County’s richly diverse communities – that ours

is a region of considerable opportunity and that we all benefit when every County child, youth

and young adult is supported to achieve their fullest potential.

School’s Out Washington (SOWA) provides services and guidance for organizations to ensure

all young people have safe places to learn and grow when not in school. SOWA is dedicated to

building community systems to support quality afterschool, youth development and summer

programs for all of Washington’s children and youth. SOWA supports programs through

Quality and Training, Policy and Advocacy, Grants to Programs, and a Commitment to Racial

Equity.

https://beststartsblog.com/2017/06/07/schools-out-but-learning-is-still-in-best-starts-partnering-with-schools-out-washington/



King County has contracted with SOWA to lead the planning for this BSK Out-of-School Time

RFP process, and to manage BSK out-of-school-time investments over the next few years.

Together, BSK, SOWA and community partners will deepen and broaden the system of out-of-

school-time in King County, serve children and youth through more and better OST programs,

and pursue multiple shared goals:

Meaningful Results for Children and Youth

Equity and Social Justice

Community Partnerships

II. SHARED GOALS

A. Meaningful Results for Children and Youth

King County’s vision is that Best Starts for Kids will be the most comprehensive approach to

early childhood development in the nation, starting with prenatal support, sustaining the gain

through teenage years, and investing in healthy, safe communities that reinforce progress. BSK

is funded through a property-tax levy, approved by voters in 2015, which will generate

approximately $65 million per year. Across the initiative, these public funds support

programmatic approaches in three overarching strategy areas:

Investing Early – Prenatal to 5 years old

Sustaining the Gain – 5 to 24 years old

Communities of Opportunity

Across all strategies and investments, BSK will drive toward three overarching results:

Babies are born healthy and are provided with a strong foundation for lifelong health

and wellbeing.

King County is a place where everyone has equitable opportunities to be safe and

healthy as they progress through childhood, building academic and life skills to be

thriving members of their communities.

Communities offer safe, welcoming and healthy environments that help improve

outcomes for all of King County’s children and families, regardless of where they live.

This OST RFP is part of a portfolio of investments, focused on Sustaining the Gain through

programs and services for 5 to 24 year olds. OST programs will contribute toward this BSK

result:

King County is a place where everyone has equitable opportunities to be safe and healthy as they progress through childhood, building academic and life skills to be thriving members of their communities.



King County has identified headline and secondary indicators for evaluating BSK and informing

priorities over time, as the initiative progresses. Secondary indicators are listed in Section IX.

Headline indicators for Sustaining the Gain are listed here:

Headline Indicators for Sustaining the Gain, 5 – 24 years old

3rd graders who meet reading standard

4th graders who meet math standard

Youth who graduate from high school on-time

High school graduates who earn a college degree or career credential

Youth and young adults in school or working

Youth and young adults who are in excellent or very good health

Youth not using illegal substances

Youth who are flourishing and resilient, as described by curiosity and discovery about

learning, resilience, and self-regulation

Applicants for this OST RFP will be asked to explain how their out-of-school-time programs

contribute toward achievement of the headline and secondary indicators for programs serving 5

– 24 year olds. BSK and SOWA do not expect that OST programs will directly affect the headline

indicators; rather, they represent the shared goals of Best Starts for Kids.

B. Equity and Social Justice

Achieving racial equity and pursuing social justice are core to the vision of both School’s Out

Washington and Best Starts for Kids. The extent and impact of disparities in access to high

quality OST programs requires a full and focused response that will reduce those disparities,

increase opportunities for children and youth of color, and assure that all King County children

and youth have equitable access, leading to positive life outcomes. SOWA believes that access

to high quality expanded learning opportunities offered before and after school and during the

summer is essential for closing the opportunity gap and challenging inequity. Experience from

three decades of work in diverse communities has shown how expanded learning opportunities

can level the playing field, which is why SOWA is committed to increasing access to high quality

programs for children and youth of color so they have opportunities to reach their full potential.

Pursuing equity and social justice is integral to the work of King County government. While

recognizing that for many in our region, King County is a great place to live, learn, work and

play, deep and persistent inequities - especially by race and place - are getting worse in many

cases and threaten our collective prosperity. Launched by King County Executive Ron Sims in

2008, and formalized by Executive Dow Constantine and the Metropolitan King County Council

via ordinance in 2010, Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) is integral to the County’s work and

foundational to the work of Best Starts for Kids. The County’s goal is to ensure that all people,



regardless of who they are or where they live, have the opportunity to thrive, with full and equal

access to opportunities, power, and resources.

To amplify consideration of equity and social justice, SOWA has prioritized communities of color

for OST funding, and designed a program model that will invest in community-based

organizations led by people of color (POC) to improve the reach and scale of high quality OST

programs serving children and youth of color, within communities of color. More information

on People of Color-Led programs is included in Section IV.

C. Community Partnerships

As the intermediary for out-of-school-time investments, SOWA is well-positioned to be

responsive, and accountable, to community partners. Over the last three decades, SOWA has

impacted 950 programs statewide, through workshops and trainings. In 2010, SOWA began

working more closely with community partners such as Youth Development Executives of King

County (YDEKC) and Community Center for Education Results to create an out-of-school-time

system that supports healthy development for all children and youth in King County. In 2013,

SOWA and many partners across the state completed the Washington State Quality Standards

for Afterschool and Youth Development Programs. Since then, through an intensified focus on

quality, SOWA has partnered with approximately 500 programs across Washington State, which

includes approximately 320 in King County, working to improve the quality of out-of-school-

time programs.

Best Starts for Kids is equally committed to community partnerships as a means of achieving

results. Through all of its BSK investments, King County seeks to support organizations that are

reflective of and embedded in the communities they serve, recognizing and addressing the

disparities and disproportionality that exists in communities. With Best Starts for Kids, King

County is working to assure that neither zip code nor family income constrain young people

from pursuing lives of promise and possibility.

III. DESCRIPTION

A. Out-of-School-Time Strategy Rationale and Research

King County detailed the rationale and research behind investing in out-of-school-time

programs in the Best Starts for Kids Implementation Plan which was approved by King County

Council in September, 2016.

Children and youth spend only 20 percent of their waking hours in school. How they spend the

remaining 80 percent of their time has a significant impact on their success and well-being1.

https://ydekc.org/

https://ydekc.org/

http://www.roadmapproject.org/about-ccer/

http://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/elected/executive/constantine/initiatives/best-starts-for-kids/documents/BSK-Plan-final.ashx?la=en



Over a decade of research and evaluation shows that high quality afterschool and summer

programs are directly linked to youth achievement of positive social/emotional, health, and

academic gains. Quality out-of-school-time programs provide children and youth with access to

a range of activities from educational enrichment to cultural and social development activities,

recreation, physical activity and health promotion, visual and performing arts, tutoring and

homework services and leadership skills. They serve a critical role in fostering healthy

communities and providing young people with a safe space keeping them off the streets during

the peak hours for juvenile crime.2

What happens in quality out-of-school-time programs looks and feels different than the school

day, and enhances in-school learning by supporting the holistic needs of children and youth.

High quality out-of-school-time programs, with a specific focus on improving academic

outcomes for low-income youth and children and youth of color, use data to inform program

practice and measure progress. Engaging with communities, families, and schools to align in-

school and out-of-school learning, with a shared goal of enhancing learning and improving

academic outcomes, is at the core of high quality out-of-school-time programs.3

Investments in quality out-of-school-time have the potential to counter the significant impact of

summer learning loss. Every year, children and youth forget between one-three months of what

they learned in school the previous year.4 Two-thirds of the achievement gap between lower

and middle to higher income youth entering 9th grade can be attributed to summer learning

loss.5 The benefits and social returns of investing in summer learning are compelling and

contribute to a decrease in student dropouts, higher grades and academic performance, and

higher graduation and college enrollment rates.6

B. Quality Matters

SOWA functions as a backbone organization to help build community systems to support

quality afterschool, youth development and summer programs in King County, and across

Washington, for children and youth ages five through young adulthood. Quality afterschool,

youth development and summer programs must have the skills, knowledge and tools necessary

to effectively engage and interact with children and youth. These skills, knowledge and tools are

defined within the Washington State Quality Standards for Afterschool and Youth Development

Programs. Nine overarching domains encompass key areas of quality:

Safety and Wellness - Quality programs provide safe, healthy, and developmentally

appropriate learning environments for all participants.

Assessment, Planning and Improvement - Quality programs have policies and procedures

in place that promote continuous improvement.

Cultural Competency and Responsiveness - Quality programs respect and are responsive

to the diversity of program participants, their families, and community.



Ongoing Staff and Volunteer Development - Quality programs ensure competent,

motivated, youth-centered staff and volunteers through effective orientation, training, and a

philosophy that views professional development as a journey rather than a destination.

Relationships - Quality programs develop, nurture, and maintain positive relationships and

interactions among staff and participants.

Leadership and Management - Effective organizations have a coherent mission, well-

developed systems, and sound fiscal management to support and enhance quality

programming and activities for all participants.

Youth Leadership and Engagement - Quality programs promote a sense of purpose and

individual empowerment in youth through opportunities to engage in a rich variety of

experiences, participate in planning, and exercise choice and leadership.

Family, School and Community Connection - Quality programs establish and maintain

strong, working partnerships with families, schools, and community stakeholders.

Program and Activities - Quality programs offer a variety of activities that are active,

developmentally appropriate, and culturally sensitive and enrich the physical, social,

emotional, and creative development of all participants.

Some of the organizations contracted through SOWA for OST programs will be familiar with

quality standards and youth program quality interventions. For others, this will be new

information. Funding through this RFP will accommodate both scenarios, through opportunities

to apply as Phase One organizations (new to quality supports), or Phase Two organizations

(some experience with quality supports). Additional information is provided in Section IV.

C. Community Involvement in Shaping the OST Strategy

As the intermediary for BSK out-of-school-time funding, SOWA is committed to being

responsive and accountable to the community, and to collaborating closely with King County

staff to ensure ongoing alignment to the goals of Best Starts for Kids. Collectively, community

feedback has assisted SOWA to shape a clear and accessible RFP process, and will inform the

programmatic plan for BSK-funded OST programs in King County, which will be completed by

December.

SOWA conducted four focus groups across King County to engage out-of-school-time

stakeholders and gather input to inform the strategy and the RFP:

Date/Time Location # of Participants7 Stakeholder Partners

7/24/17 – 11:30 AM-1:30 PM Kirkland Library 7 Eastside Pathways

7/25/17 – 3:30-5:30 PM Broadview Library 8 YDEKC8

8/1/17 – 9:00-11:00 AM 2100 Building 14 SESEC9

8/1/17 – 3:00-5:00 PM Kent Commons 15 City of Kent



SOWA’s objective was to engage a broad range of perspectives and geographies, and assure

ethnic and cultural diversity within focus group discussions.10 The stakeholder partners listed in

the chart above helped SOWA plan the focus groups and reached out to their partners and

constituencies to encourage participation in the focus group discussions. A document

summarizing the focus groups is available from SOWA on request.

SOWA convened a final discussion on August 28, 2017 that included King County staff and

community members – most of whom had attended focus groups – to review modifications

resulting from the community focus group discussions, and garner additional input prior to the

RFP release.

D. Landscape Analysis

SOWA commissioned BERK Consulting to complete an Out-of-School Time Landscape Scan to

compile a picture of OST programs in King County. The scan was completed in August, 2017 and

aims to illustrate what is known across King County about: 1) the potential demand for OST

programs; 2) the supply of OST providers and programs; 3) barriers to accessing OST and system

needs; and 4) OST funding sources.

IV. SHAPING OST PROPOSALS

A. Overview

Two program models are defined in this RFP: Place-Based Partnerships, and People of Color

(POC)-Led. Within each of the program models, organizations will have the option of applying

as Phase One or Phase Two which will assure that a range of organizations have the opportunity

to participate. Over the course of the contract period, SOWA will provide quality supports –

through coaching, training and technical assistance – to all funded organizations, based on

need.

Full details on elements of both models are provided below. SOWA will offer four information

sessions, as well as technical assistance opportunities to support organizations considering

applying for this funding to determine the best fit by program model, and program phase

(details found in Section VI). School’s Out Washington and Best Starts for Kids are eager to

engage a diverse range of place-based partnerships, and POC-Led organizations, to contribute

toward building out an out-of-school-time system in King County that provides more and

better programming for young people.

B. Phase One or Phase Two

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0515/3189/files/Landscape_Scan_September_2017.pdf?12945729401719137010



Proposals for both Place-Based Partnerships and People of Color-Led models will have the

option of entering into OST contracts at Phase One or Phase Two. Applicants will self-identify

an appropriate phase in their proposals.

Phase One programs will be those that are new to Youth Program Quality Standards,

and/or those creating new or greatly expanded programming or partnerships, which will

require time and support to plan and implement. These programs will receive funding in

January, 2018 and will work with SOWA for approximately nine months, to prepare for

OST program implementation in fall 2018.

Phase Two programs will be those which don’t require as much preparation and

planning time. These programs will receive funding in January 2018, and will begin

implementation in spring 2018.

In designing program models that allow for these two phase options, SOWA intends to assure

greater accessibility to BSK OST funding for organizations which may need additional time and

supports to prepare, but which are well-positioned to provide high quality OST programming

for children and youth in communities of color and/or underserved geographies.

C. Quality Supports

School’s Out Washington will provide quality supports to funded Place-Based Partnerships and

People of Color-Led organizations over the course of their BSK-funded OST contracts.

Quality supports provided by SOWA to Phase One organizations will include:

Quality and capacity assessments (external and self)

Introductory trainings

Enhanced coaching and planning support

Monthly peer learning community meetings.

Quality supports provided by SOWA to Phase Two organizations will include:

Quality and capacity assessments (external and self)

Trainings based on assessment and plan/goals

Coaching

Quarterly peer learning community meetings.

D. Place-Based Program Model

Place-Based program models will serve neighborhood and school communities that lack

sufficient access to high quality out-of-school-time programs. Priority will be given to programs

with a focus on serving youth from low income families, youth of color, or other disadvantaged

populations in geographies that lack adequate access to high quality OST programs. Both the



landscape scan, and SOWA’s online mapping tool can help partners identify these areas of high-

need.

SOWA’s goal is to converge the programmatic strengths of multiple organizations – which may

include larger providers, as well as smaller ones – to work together as partners to offer high

quality out-of-school-time programming that meets the needs of neighborhoods and school

communities. The intent of Place-Based programs is to maximize the strengths of multiple

organizations working within a single geography, and to support each of the Place-Based

partners to provide elements of an afterschool and summer program that plays to the strengths

of each organization, and collectively meets the needs of neighborhoods and school

communities, and their children, youth and families.

SOWA will require that a minimum of two organizations work together, although three or more

is preferred. Partnering organizations will be engaged in continuous quality improvement at

either Phase One or Phase Two.

Programming may be provided in school buildings, community centers, housing communities or

other sites as determined by the partner organizations. While it is encouraged that schools be

one of the partners, it is not required. However, a school relationship of some kind must be

developed through the partnership. Successful applicants will be asked to obtain a letter

confirming schools’ endorsement of the partnership.

All organizations within a Place-Based Partnership must provide programming. Through

combined efforts of the partners, Place-Based programs must encompass the school year and

summer. Applicants should consider all of the following requirements for a Place-Based

Partnership proposal:

o Average daily attendance of 50-100 children and youth.

o Collectively, the Place-Based partnership must provide 2-3 hours/day, for at least 4/days

each week, over 32 weeks during the school year.

o Collectively, the Place-Based partnership must provide 6 hours/day, for 5 days each

week, for at least six weeks during the summer.

o Programs must focus on elementary and/or middle school youth.

Funding for Place-Based Partnerships will be between $100,000 and $300,000 annually, to be

allocated across the partner organizations based on their differing program offerings as part of

the collective model. Up to 15% of the grant award may be used for coordination functions by

the coordinating organization, which is chosen by the partners.

E. People of Color-Led Model


http://berk.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c3d5964e4c4141d19d6bc440145118c7



SOWA and BSK are prioritizing funding to organizations that are led by people of color, and

which serve children and youth of color, within communities of color. By partnering with POC-

Led organizations, SOWA will support organizations’ infrastructure and growth as they develop,

or expand, their capacity to implement high quality OST programming for their communities’

children and youth.

In this RFP, People of Color-Led organizations are defined as single organizations which center

communities of color; in which the majority of leadership, board, staff and youth engaged are

People of Color (POC), and which has an expressed and demonstrated commitment to racial

equity and/or communities of color as reflected in its mission and program strategy.

Applicants should consider all of the following requirements for a POC-Led proposal:

o Average daily attendance of at least 20 children and youth.

o The POC-Led organization must provide at least 2-3 hours/day, for 2-4/days each week,

over 32 weeks during the school year.

o Providing summer programming is optional.

If POC-Led organizations do not provide summer programming, it is

recommended that they provide more than 2 days of afterschool programming

during the school year.

If POC-Led organizations do provide summer programming, they must provide 6

hours/day, for 5 days each week, for at least 4 weeks during the summer.

o Programs must focus on elementary and/or middle school youth.

Funding for POC-Led organizations will be between $60,000 and $100,000 annually.

F. Organizations Considering Multiple Proposals

Place-Based Partnerships. Organizations proposing to provide OST programs may

participate in more than one Place-Based partnership proposal. However, the children

and youth proposed to be served as part of a Place-Based partnership must be

different/unduplicated children and youth than those served by any other Place-Based

partnership proposal in which the organization participates.

POC-Led Organizations. In addition to proposing to provide OST programming within

their communities, POC-Led organizations may choose to partner with other

organizations to develop a Place-Based partnership proposal. However, if POC-Led

organizations both submit a proposal as a single, POC-Led organization, and partner on

a Place-Based partnership proposal, the two proposals must serve different/unduplicated

children and youth.

G. Data Resources for Proposal Development



BSK and SOWA value the use of multiple sources of data and information. The Landscape

Analysis may be a helpful resource. Applicants may also choose to use this mapping tool to

determine current programming available in King County, and to prioritize high-need areas.

Other sources include the BSK indicators website and the Communities Count website as well as

these maps, providing data by Regions and Health Reporting Areas across King County.

H. Eligibility

This announcement is only open to not-for-profit organizations, community-based

organizations, tribes and tribal organizations, schools and school districts, and public or

governmental agencies serving communities in King County. Small non-profits and community-

based organizations are encouraged to submit proposals.

V. EVALUATION and REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

A. Data Collection

Organizations receiving funding from Best Starts for Kids will be asked to participate in data

collection and reporting activities to support evaluation and learning. This includes:

Building evaluation into the project budget (up to 10%)

Connecting work to long term BSK results, listed in Section I/Introduction.

Organizations are NOT required to submit a detailed evaluation plan as part of their

applications. After funding decisions are made, BSK evaluation staff, and SOWA staff, will work

collaboratively with grantees to identify mutually agreed upon evaluation goals.

B. Reporting Requirements

Reporting requirements will be finalized as part of the contracting process for successful

bidders. At a minimum, SOWA expects that each Place-Based partnership, and POC-Led

organization, will be asked to submit brief written summaries, and provide program data, twice

annually. Reporting requirements may change over the course of the contract, and where

appropriate, SOWA will seek opportunities for in-person reporting and sharing of progress and

challenges across programs as part of the overall process of quality supports.



http://berk.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c3d5964e4c4141d19d6bc440145118c7

http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/community-human-services/initiatives/best-starts-for-kids/dashboards.aspx

http://www.communitiescount.org/

http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/data/community-health-indicators/definitions.aspx



VI. INFORMATION SESSIONS AND PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

SOWA will offer four information sessions to explain the RFP in detail, and answer questions.

Organizations considering responding to this RFP are strongly encouraged to attend one of the

information sessions. They are scheduled for:

Date/Time Location

10/2/17, from 1:30-3:30 PM

Rainer Beach Library Meeting Room

9125 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98118

10/3/17, from 12:30-2:30 PM

Lake Hills Library Meeting Room

15590 Lake Hills Boulevard, Bellevue, WA 98007

10/4/17, from 1:30-3:30 PM

Lake City Library Meeting Room

12501 28th Avenue Northeast, Seattle, WA 98125

10/5/17, from 1:00-3:00 PM

Kent Library Meeting Room

212 2nd Avenue North, Kent, WA 98032

Additionally, technical assistance is available to organizations needing support in applying. If

you have never applied for government funding before, are new to responding to a Requests for

Proposal (RFP), or are needing support with your application, contractors will be available

through King County for assistance at no cost to the applicant.

Please check SOWA’s Best Starts for Kids webpage for information on additional opportunities

to receive technical assistance and support in applying for these funds.

VII. TIMELINE

The timeline details the tentative schedule of the entire process, from RFP release to project

implementation. Dates listed here are subject to change.

RFP released September 27, 2017

Information sessions October 2-5, 2017

Final day to ask questions October 27, 2017

RFP responses due November 3, 2017 no later than 5:00 PM

Interviews with applicants (if necessary) November, 2017

Responses reviewed and rated November, 2017

Notice to selected and non-selected

organizations

December, 2017

List of selected organizations published. December, 2017

Project implementation. January, 2018

https://www.schoolsoutwashington.org/pages/king-county-best-starts-for-kids



VIII. RATING CRITERIA

Proposals will be read and evaluated by a review committee. The process for choosing funded

projects will include evaluation of the narrative and accompanying documents. The selection

criteria that will be used during the evaluation/review process are listed below. Please consider

using the rating criteria headings below to organize your project narrative.

CRITERIA Points

1. CAPACITY TO MEET COMMUNITY NEED

Highly Competitive Less Competitive

Place-Based Partnerships identify a

high-need neighborhood or school

community and define clear roles

among the partners.

Roles of each organization within Place-

Based Partnerships and the

neighborhood or school community are

unclear.

15

People of Color-Led organizations

define their role and history in

communities of color.

Role and history of POC-Led

organization is unclear.

Applicants detail the need for quality

OST programs in their focus areas,

children and youth to be served, and

their goals for community impact.

Need for quality OST programs, children

and youth to be served, and/or goals of

bidding organization are unclear.

Applicants have a rationale for how

their work will contribute toward the

BSK result and indicators.

Connection between applicant’s

proposed program and BSK result and

indicators is unclear.



CRITERIA Points

2. OST PROGRAM


Applicants define their proposed

program as Phase One or Phase Two

and detail a rationale for their phase

and an understanding of the role of

program quality supports.

Program phase is not defined or is

unclear. Applicants do not sufficiently

discuss program quality supports.

25

Applicants detail milestones and overall

timeline for preparation and

implementation that is likely to result in

quality OST programming.

Milestones and timeline are unclear,

and/or unlikely to support quality OST

programming.

Applicants provide full details on OST

programming, including dosage and

roles among Place-Based Partnerships.

Programming proposed is high quality,

and focused on supporting children and

youth in building lifelong skills,

improving academic performance, and

discovering their individual passions.

Details, dosage and/or roles are unclear

or inadequate. Programming proposed

is not of sufficiently high quality to

assure the desired results for children

and youth.

CRITERIA Points

3. EQUITY


Applicants clearly define how their

programs will address gaps in access to

high quality OST programs among

children and youth of color, and

children and youth living in poverty.

Applicants provide limited explanation of

how the program will address gaps in

access to high quality OST programs

among children and youth of color, and

children and youth living in poverty.

10

CRITERIA Points



4. BUDGET

o Proposed budget costs are reasonable and justified

o Budget is complete and aligns with proposed activities

o Up to 10% of the budget is assigned to evaluation activities

Not

rated

A. Application Review Process

Review committees may consist of SOWA staff, King County staff, external subject matter

experts, evaluators, members of the BSK Children and Youth Advisory Board (CYAB), community

members, and members or designees of the King County Council (as nonvoting members). Final

selection of awardees will be made by division directors based upon recommendations from the

review committees. SOWA will execute contracts based upon the final selection.

B. Appeals Process

School’s Out Washington will notify all respondents in writing of the acceptance or rejection of

their proposals and, if appropriate, the level of funding to be allocated. Written notification will

be sent via email to the email address(s) submitted on the proposal cover sheet.

Any applicant wishing to appeal the decision must do so in writing within four working days of

the email notification of SOWA’s decision. An appeal must clearly state a rationale based on the

following criteria: 1) violation of policies or guidelines established in this RFP; and/or 2) failure to

adhere to published criteria and/or procedures in carrying out the RFP process.

SOWA will review the written appeal, will confer with King County, and may request additional

oral or written information from the appellant organization. A written decision from King County

will be sent within four working days of the receipt of the appeal. This decision is final.

IX. APPLICATION AND PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PROCESS

Proposals are due by 5:00 PM on Friday, November 3, 2017. Late proposals will not be accepted.

Proposals must have three components:

1) A narrative response to the five questions detailed below.



2) A budget using SOWA’s BSK OST budget template.

3) An online organizational summary form.

Organizations should complete the narrative first, preferably as a Word document, followed by

the budget, using the budget template. Upon completion of the narrative and the budget,

organizations should complete the online organizational summary form. Once the online

organizational summary form is completed, the narrative and the budget, should be uploaded.

Further detail on each of these three steps is provided below:

Narrative. Proposal narratives should be formatted with 11-point font, single-spaced, and

one-inch margins. Please address all of the questions below in no more than five pages.

Place-Based Partnerships, please begin your proposals by answering question #1a, followed by

questions 2 through 5. People of Color-Led Organizations, please begin your proposals by

answering question #1b, followed by questions 2 through 5.

1. Partnership/Organizational Overview

a. Place-Based Partnerships:

i. What are your partnership’s overall goals in applying for BSK funding for

out-of-school-time programs? What is the impact your partnership

hopes to make for children and youth in the school-based neighborhood

or community you have identified?

ii. List each organization in your partnership (there must be at least two, but

three or more is preferred) and explain why you’ll be a strong partnership

to provide OST programming as part of Best Starts for Kids.

iii. Which organization will serve as the coordinating organization? Why did

the partner organizations make that choice? In addition to providing

some of the OST programming, what do you expect will be the primary

functions of the coordinating organization? (Up to 15% of the overall

project budget may be directed toward the coordinating organizations,

for functions agreed to by the partnering organizations.) Attach a letter

confirming agreement to the Place-Based Partnerships among all partner

organizations. You can use the sample Intent to Partner letter found on

SOWA’s Best Starts for Kids webpage.

iv. Detail how many children and youth each of the partner organizations

currently serve, their demographics, the locations of your current

programs, and the types of programming provided.

v. Describe the school-based neighborhood or community your program

will serve and explain why you’ve focused on that area, and how you used

information from the landscape scan and other sources to make that

decision.

vi. What is the need in this area?





vii. Provide demographic information on the children and youth your Place-

Based Partnership intends to serve.

b. People of Color-Led organizations

i. What are your organization’s overall goals in applying for BSK funding for

out-of-school-time programs? What is the impact your organization

hopes to make for children and youth?

ii. Describe your organization, including your history and mission, the

community(ies) you serve, your leadership and staff, and why you feel

your organization is a good fit with the RFP’s priority on POC-Led

organizations.

iii. Describe the racial, ethnic and/or cultural community(ies) on which your

organization focuses its work. Detail how many children and youth your

organization currently serves, the locations of your current programs, and

the types of programming provided.

iv. Explain the need in your community, and why your organization has

decided to establish, or expand, out-of-school-time programming?

v. If awarded funding through this RFP, describe the geography(ies) within

King County where you will provide OST programming for children and

youth. What data/information informed your geographic focus?

vi. Provide demographic information on the children and youth your POC-

Led program intends to serve.

2. Discuss how your work will contribute to achieving BSK’s Sustaining the Gain result, and

headline and secondary indicators.

3. Are you proposing as a Phase One or Phase Two organization? Explain why you’ve chosen

that phase, and discuss how SOWA quality supports will be, or are, essential to your

organization’s ability to provide high quality OST programming.

4. Detail key milestones and the overall timeline you expect from notification of funding

through program implementation.

5. Describe the OST programming your Place-Based Partnership or POC-Led organization will

provide. Include detail of what activities will be available to children and youth each day, the

dosage of programs provided, and in the case of Place-Based proposals, explain which

organization in your partnership will provide each element of the overall OST program.

Provide the same information for summer programming. This information may be

summarized in a chart, in narrative, or in a combination of the two.



Budget The budget template is an Excel spreadsheet, which must be downloaded from

SOWA’s BSK webpage. Budgets, and proposal narratives, should be completed prior to

completing the online organizational summary form.

Online Organizational Summary Form After completing the narrative and the budget,

organizations must complete the online organizational summary form. The link to the form is on

SOWA’s BSK webpage. After completing the online form, organizations will be provided

directions on how to electronically submit their proposal narratives and budgets.11

The online organizational summary form will request all of the following information.

Organizations should compile this information before they begin the form.

Organization Name(s) (For Place-Based Partnerships, list all partners and note the

coordinating organization.)

Total amount requested

Project/Program Name

Summary of proposed project (2-3 sentences maximum)

Demographics of children and youth to be served.

Geographical areas to be served. They include:

o North King County

o East King County

o South King County

o City of Seattle (specify neighborhood(s)

o Other cities or neighborhoods in King County

Headline and/or secondary indicators your proposed work will influence:

5 to 24 HEADLINE INDICATORS: o 3rd graders who meet reading standard o 4th graders who meet math standard o Youth who are flourishing and resilient o Youth and young adults who are in excellent or very good health o Youth who graduate from high school on time o Youth and young adults in school or working o High school graduates who earn a college degree or career credential o Youth not using illegal substances

POTENTIAL SHORTER-TERM CHANGES (SECONDARY INDICATORS): o Lowering the rate of adolescent births o Youth who have supportive adults o Youth believe in their ability to succeed o Youth are not chronically absent from school o Youth are getting good grades in school o Youth are completing 9th grade o Young adults participate in civic activity and are engaged o Youth are not justice system involved o Youth have positive social-emotional development





o Youth are not suspended/expelled from school o Youth are physically active o Youth have strong family relationships o Youth have strong peer relationships o Youth have strong school relationships o Youth live in supportive neighborhoods o Youth and young adults are successful beyond school or employment

X. CHECK LIST

Please use the following checklist to ensure that your application is complete. Incomplete

applications or applications that do not follow instructions will not be considered.

COMPLETE ITEM

□ Yes Proposal narrative completed in 11-point font, 1-inch margins, page-

numbered and no more than 5 pages long.

□ Yes

Intent to Partner agreement included in narrative (for Place-Based

partnership proposals). Sample letter can be found on SOWA’s BSK

webpage.

□ Yes Budget completed, using budget template found on SOWA’s BSK

webpage.

□ Yes Online organizational summary form, found on SOWA’s BSK webpage,

completed and narrative and budget uploaded and submitted.

1 Making the Case: A 2008 Fact Sheet on Children and Youth in Out-of-School Time National Institute on Out-of-

School Time, Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College, 2008; Outcomes Linked to High Quality Afterschool

Programs D. Lowe Vandell, E. Reisner & C. Pierce, 2007. 2http://www.schoolsoutwashington.org/UserFiles/File/Executive%20Summary%20of%20State%20Plan%202013%20-

%20Print.pdf 3 ibid 4http://www.schoolsoutwashington.org/UserFiles/File/Summer%20Learning%20Policy%20Brief%2006-

11%281%29.pdf 5 http://www.schoolsoutwashington.org/1750_198/SummerLearningResources.htm 6 Fairchild, R., McLaughlin, B. & Costigan, B. P. (2007, Spring). How Did You Spend Your Summer Vacation?: What

Public Policies Do (and Don’t Do) to Support Summer Learning Opportunities for All Youth. Afterschool Matters,

Occasional Paper Series, 8 7 As reflected on sign-in sheets 8 YDEKC - Youth Development Executives of King County 9 SESEC – South East Seattle Education Coalition 10 Rosters of attendees from each focus group meeting are included in the focus group summary. 11 If necessary, organizations may mail a hard copy of their proposal, however, the online organizational

summary form must still be completed. SOWA’s mailing address is 801 23rd Avenue South, Seattle,

Washington, 98144.






BEST STARTS FOR KIDS and SCHOOL’S OUT WASHINGTON … · School’s Out Washington and Best Starts...

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