Quality Enhancement Grants
A Funding Opportunity for Improving Before and Afterschool Programs!
The Quality Enhancement Grant project, an annual funding opportunity administered by School's Out Washington, is designed to improve the quality of Washington State's licensed or certified afterschool programs for school-age children ages 5-12, particularly those from low-income families, communities of color and those with special needs. School's Out hopes that, through this project, children and youth can be engaged in enriching supervised activities in their afterschool time.
Information on applying in 2012 will be available in the fall of 2012 with applications due in November.
The 2011-2012 winners are:
- High Point Community Center $3,000.00
- El Centro de la Raza $3,000.00
- Community Day School Association (CDSA) $1,500.00
- YMCA of the Inland Northwest - Downtown Spokane Branch $3,000.00
- Nurtured Heart Academy $3,000.00
- Kids World Northwest and Firehouse $3,000.00
- North Cascades Child Development Center $3,000.00
- Orcas DayCare Association $3,000.00
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton & Franklin Counties - Ruth Livinston $3,000.00
- SWCCC @ Fruit Valley $3,000.00
- Jessie Kinlow Early Childhood Learning $1,500.00
Timeline
- December 12, 2011: Grants of up to $3,000 were awarded to selected programs. Priority for funding as given to programs that plan to serve high percentages (over 50%) of children from low-income communities, children of color and/or children with special needs (physical, mental, behavioral and/or language). All grant awards are final.
- June 8, 2012: Contract period ends. Funded programs must expend all grant dollars and submit all evaluation materials and paperwork.
Eligibility Requirements
- Applicant must be a licensed or certified program through the Washington State Department of Early Learning (School-age providers who have been subject to revocation, suspension or probation are not eligible to apply).
- Applicant must provide direct, regular, structured, formally organized services in Washington State for school-age children ages 5 to 12 during their afterschool time. Services must be provided at least twice a week and may be provided before school, after school, during school breaks, on weekends or in the evenings.
- Applicant must be able to meet a 25% local matching requirement. For example, if a program requests $3,000, it must provide $750 in cash or in-kind donation. In-kind donations may include supplies, labor, space, equipment, and/or any other type of item that benefits the program's planned grant activity. The cash or in-kind match may not include any federal funds provided under any authority except in the case of tribal organizations, which may use federal funds in their match.
- School districts, public entities, for-profit and non-profit groups in Washington may apply. Programs must be open to all children regardless of race, religion, gender, national origin, marital status of their families, sexual orientation, political ideology or ability. Since funding for Quality Enhancement Grants comes from federal dollars, programs that have a religious affiliation will be required to provide assurances that grant funds will not be used for religious instruction.
- Applicant must demonstrate the capacity to ensure proper administrative and accounting procedures.
- Applicant must have liability insurance and be able to provide proof if funded.
- Recipients of 2010-2011 Quality Enhancement Grants (funded January - June 2011) may not apply.
Pease contact Danielle Baer at (206) 336-6924 if you have questions.