North Carolina Dropout Prevention Grant Application Technical Assistance for New Applicants

1. North Carolina Dropout Prevention Grant Application Technical Assistance for New Applicants North Carolina Committee on Dropout Prevention

2. $13,000,000 Appropriated for Dropout Prevention Grants The purpose of this grant is to focus continued attention and resources on innovative programs and initiatives that have the potential to succeed in keeping students in school when other conflicting factors are pushing them to drop out.

3. Funding Purposes and Amounts

4. North Carolina Committee on Dropout Prevention (NCCDP) SECTION 7.32 of S.L. 2007-323 established the Committee on Dropout Prevention. The Committee shall determine: • which local school administrative units, schools, agencies, and nonprofits shall receive dropout prevention grants; • the amount of each grant; and • eligible uses of the grant funding.

5. The NCCDP Appointments The Committee shall consist of the following 15 members: • The Governor shall appoint five members, of whom one is a superintendent of schools, one is a representative of a nonprofit, and one is a school social worker; • The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint five members, of whom one is a principal, one is a representative of a school of education, and one is a school counselor; and • The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint five members, of whom one is a teacher, one is a member of the business community, and one is a representative of the juvenile justice system. • The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each designate a co-chair of the Committee. The members of the Committee shall assure they are in compliance with laws and rules governing conflicts of interest.

6. Bill Farmer, Co-Chair Charlotte Harriette Davis, Durham Lisa Daye, Marion Arnold Dennis, Durham Angella Dunston, Raleigh Margaret Ellis, Henderson John Gibbs, Hope Mills David Strahan, Co-Chair Cullowhee Virginia Hoover, Madison Zoe Locklear, Pembroke Cynthia Marshall, Charlotte Alfred Riddick, Littleton Peggy Vick, Fayetteville Bennie Walker, Winston-Salem The NCCDP Membership

7. Staff to the NCCDP

8. Eight Education Regions

9. The LAW

10. The law specifies that. . . • Grants shall be issued in varying amounts up to a maximum of one hundred seventy five thousand dollars ($175,000). • Grants shall be provided to innovative programs and initiatives that target students at risk of dropping out of school and that demonstrate the potential to (i) be developed into effective, sustainable, and coordinated dropout prevention and reentry programs in middle schools and high schools and (ii) serve as effective models for other programs.

11. The law specifies that. . . • Grants shall be distributed geographically throughout the State and the eight educational regions. No more than three grants shall be awarded in any one county in a single fiscal year. • Grants may be made to local school administrative units, schools, local agencies, or nonprofit organizations. • Grants shall be to programs and initiatives that hold all students to high academic and personal standards.

12. The law specifies that. . . • Programs and initiatives that receive grants shall be based on best practices for preventing students from dropping out of school or for increasing the high school completion rate for those students who already have dropped out of school. • Priority for grants shall be given to proposals that demonstrate input from the local community and coordination with other available programs or resources and provide clear plans for sustaining the program in future years when State funding will no longer be provided.

13. The law specifies that. . . • Priority for funding shall be given to programs that would serve students in local schools that have a four-year cohort graduation rate of less than sixty-five percent (65%) and have met the Committee’s grant-rating cutoff score. • Priority for grants shall be given to proposals demonstrating the potential for success. • The demonstrated need for additional funding, level of collaboration, ability to increase attendance, persistence, academic success, ability to increase parental involvement, and graduation shall be given more weight than the quality of the written grant.

14. The law specifies that. . . • SECTION 7.13.(e) Additional Requirements for Nonprofit Organizations Receiving Dropout Prevention Grants. – As a condition for release of grant funds to a grantee, the Committee shall require each grantee to enter into a contract that requires the grantee to be (i) subject to monitoring by the Committee, (ii) fidelity bonded unless the grant is for less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), (iii) subject to audit oversight by the State Auditor, and (iv) subject to the requirements of Article 6, Part 3 of Chapter 143C of the General Statutes.

15. The law specifies that. . . • SECTION 7.13.(g) Grant funds shall be expended by June 30 of the first full fiscal year following the issuance of the grants.

16. 2009 Grant Application Process Read the Users’ Manual for New Applicants PRIOR to completing a grant application atwww.ncpublicschools.org/racg/grants/new-applicants/

17. Components of the Application • Logic Model • SMART Outcomes • Partnering Agency Contact Form • Schedule of Projected Expenditures and Receipts • Grant Proposal All Grant Application components must be submitted electronically!

18. Hardware and Software Requirements • Internet Connection • Microsoft Word • Adobe Reader Download Adobe Reader at http://get.adobe.com/reader/otherversions/

19. Logic Model • A Logic Model is an overview or a summary of your proposed grant program. • Access the Logic Model Computer Based Training (CBT) at www.ncpublicschools.org/racg/grants/new-applicants/ any time prior to September 30th. • The CBT will prompt you to complete a Logic Model Survey. After keying in the components of your Logic Model, click “Submit” at the end of the survey. Your inputs will be formatted and sent to you via email within five business days. • Save the emailed document to your hard drive.

20. SMART Outcomes • SMART Outcomes are the specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound goals of your proposed grant program. • Access the SMART Outcomes Computer Based Training (CBT) at www.ncpublicschools.org/racg/grants/new-applicants/ any time prior to September 30th. • The CBT will prompt you to complete a SMART Outcomes Survey. After keying in the components of your SMART Outcomes, click “Submit” at the end of the survey. Your inputs will be formatted and sent to you via email within five business days. • Save the emailed document to your hard drive.

21. Partnering Agency Contact Form • Download the Partnering Agency Contact Form from www.ncpublicschools.org/racg/grants/new-applicants/ . • Complete this form for EACH (up to five) local education agency (LEA), school, agency, or non-profit organization with which you will partner in your proposed program. • Save EACH document as a separate file to your hard drive.

22. Schedule of Projected Expenditures and Receipts • Download the Schedule of Projected Expenditures and Receipts from www.ncpublicschools.org/racg/grants/new-applicants/ . • Complete this form indicating your proposed budget. • Save this document to your hard drive.

23. Grant Proposal • Download the Grant Proposal from www.ncpublicschools.org/racg/grants/new-applicants/ . • Complete this form indicating your proposed program. • Save this document to your hard drive.

24. Grant Proposal • PROGRAM/INITIATIVE (65 Points) A. Goals and Objectives (10 pts) B. Description of Target Students (15 pts) C. Description of Program/Initiative (15 pts) D. Description of Best Practices (5 pts) E. Innovation/Model for Other Programs (10 pts) F. Community Input and Collaboration (5 pts) G. Sustainability (5 pts) • EVALUATION PLAN (20 Points) • BUDGET (15 Points) Scoring Guide The Grant Proposal consists of the following narrative descriptions:

25. Submit the Application Online • Go to www.ncpublicschools.org/racg/grants/new-applicants/ to submit your grant application online. • Enter the following information: • Legal Name of Applicant • Type of Organization * All non-profits, including both community and faith-based organizations, must certify that they have received 501(c)(3) status by providing your Tax ID Number.  You will also be prompted to provide your NC Secretary of State ID number. • Program Name

26. Submit the Application Online (cont.) • Enter the following information (cont.): • Applicant’s contact person’s name and his/her contact information • County(s) to be served • Education region(s) to be served • Total funding requested • Number of students to be served • Estimated cost per student • Names of students’ middle schools, if program targets middle school students • 4-year cohort graduation rate of students’ high schools

27. Submit the Application Online (cont.) • Upload the Logic Model saved to your hard drive. • Upload the SMART Outcomes saved to your hard drive. • Upload each of the Partnering Agency Contact Forms (if applicable) saved to your hard drive. • Upload the Schedule of Projected Expenditures and Receipts saved to your hard drive. • Upload the Grant Proposal saved to your hard drive.

28. Submit the Application Online (cont.) • Review and submit the Application. • You will receive a “Thank You” message if your submission was successful. • Applicants will also receive an email confirming the successful submission of a 2009 Dropout Prevention Grant application.This email will also contain your unique grant application number. Please retain this information for subsequent correspondence about your application. • All grant applications MUST be submitted by 12:00 NOON on October 15, 2009.

29. Submit the Application Online (cont.) If you do not receive the “Thank You” message, please email Susan Nunn at susan@wellkeptweb.comfor technical support. Allow up to 48 hours for a response. Remember, applications are due on October 15th at Noon.

30. Submit Application Online (cont.) Let's Practice www.ncpublicschools.org/racg/grants/new-applicants/

31. Review and Selection Process • Impartial, experienced reviewers from various professions will evaluate each application. • Two reviewers will assess each application using the Scoring Guidedetailed in the users’ manual. • A reviewer may award up to 100 points for each application. The maximum number or points awarded by two reviewers will be 200. • If the review scores for an application vary by 15 points or more, a third reviewer will assess the application. The two closest scores will be retained. • Using the scores from the reviewers, the Committee on Dropout Prevention will select grant recipients.

32. Please Note… • Faxed and emailed copies will not be reviewed. • All applications must be submitted online by 12:00 noon on October 15th. . No exceptions. • Supplementary materials such as videotapes, CD-ROMs, files on disks, publications, press clippings, testimonial letters, etc., will not be reviewed nor returned. • Failure to adhere to the above submission requirements will result in disqualification.

33. Questions Recorded Webinar will be available at www.ncpublicschools.org/racg/grants/new-applicants/ After September 14 through October 15, 2009