Investments in Neighborhood Change

INVESTMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE RFP

CRADLE-T0-CAREERThe Boston Promise Initiative (BPI) is a strategy designed to create a community of opportunity, centered around strong schools, family and community, that allows every child to learn, grow, and succeed. Toward this end, BPI seeks to transform the Dudley Street neighborhood of Boston into the Dudley Village Campus (DVC), creating a neighborhood where every child has access to a continuum of services and support systems that can guide them from cradle to college to career.

DSNI: BOSTON PROMISE INITIATIVE'S LEAD AGENCYDudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) is a thirty year-old resident-led, non-profit planning and organizing group in the Roxbury/North Dorchester area of Boston. DSNI’s mission is to empower

Dudley residents to organize, plan for, create, and control a vibrant, diverse and high quality neighborhood in collaboration with community partners. In order to realize the neighborhood’s vision of a vibrant urban village, DSNI has organized to make significant strides in the areas of land control, affordable housing, community facilities, urban agriculture, youth development, and community building.

DSNI is the lead agency for a 2012 US Department of Education Promise Neighborhood implementation grant. We have organized this effort under the umbrella of the Boston Promise Initiative.

2 Boston Promise Initiative c/o Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative 617-442-9670 x126 - [email protected]


THE DUDLEY VILLAGE CAMPUSThe Dudley Village Campus (DVC) encompasses the DSNI neighborhood (see map on the left) surrounding the Blue Hill Avenue and Fairmount Corridors, The Dudley Triangle, and three other major commercial and residential centers within the Roxbury and North Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston.

The DVC is bound to the East by Columbia Road from Grove Hall to Edward Everett Square, to the North via Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard reaching Harrison Avenue in Dudley Square, and to the West by Warren Street which, in turn, travels south back to Grove Hall at its intersection with Blue Hill Avenue. Roughly 1 in 3 residents lives below the federal poverty level within these boundaries; the majority of those being children.


https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zvLALzNtuiJI.kX-eBkiDfHNQ


FOUNDATIONAL OUTCOMESBPI has been designed to build a community of opportunity by investing and connecting resources within a neighborhood. We will achieve this mission by pursuing the following foundational outcomes:

1. Strong & healthy families2. Vibrant & thriving communities3. Children entering school ready to succeed4. Successful students and schools5. Post-secondary completion and career readiness

INVESTMENT CONTINUUM & FRAMEWORKBPI's partner organizations deliver high-quality academic, health, family, and community programs and services year-round to the Dudley Village Campus. Here are some examples of how the pipeline works:

PROMISING PRACTICES PROVEN STRATEGIES

- Investment in innovations - Investment in impact & growth

- Pilot programs - Grounded in research & best practices

- Create new partnerships - Increase the number of children/families served



PRIORITY INVESTMENTSSuccessful applicants will be closely aligned with our priorities:

1. Leveraging the strengths and assets already existing in the community, such as residents' specific skills, the neighborhood's public spaces, institutions, businesses, faith-based organizations, schools, and/or other partners.

2. Retaining knowledge and building the skills and capacity of the community.

3. Committing to the use of data and evidence-based practices to address community needs.

4. Implementing strategies that lead to systems improvement and change.

KEY EVALUATION CRITERIA1. Strategic Alignment: Successful applicants will be closely aligned with our

priorities and indicators.

2. Collaboration: Complex, long-standing social challenges require creative, multidisciplinary approaches that are often beyond the capacity of a single organization. BPI is interested in supporting organizations with a track record of collaboration and collaborative groups of agencies working together to address the priorities we have identified. In the case of new or innovative projects, prior collaboration on the proposed project is not required, but organizations should still provide evidence of related previous successful collaborative efforts.

3. Financial & Programmatic Capacity to Manage the Proposed Project: Successful applicants will provide evidence that they have a solid, stable financial and program management team, a strong balance sheet and program plans that give us confidence that their work will be sustained beyond our investment.

4. Measurable Results: Applicants must be able to articulate partnership or project goals, present a clear plan for achieving results and track outcomes and impact on the people and communities served.



INVESTING IN PROMISING & PROVEN PRACTICESBPI Indicators : What Drives Our Strategic InvestmentsIn 2014, we will fund and build relationships with community partners who propose to implement projects or programs focused on realizing the promise of eight BPI Indicators.

BPI Indicators are proven measures of community health and stability, and we will use them to measure the success of its efforts within the Dudley Village Campus. Below, we have listed the eight (8) indicators we have prioritized for improvement during this funding cycle. Your proposed project or program must address one or more of these Indicators.

BPI INDICATORS



TIMELINE & REQUIREMENTSAs the lead agency for BPI, DSNI will award up to three (3) grants of up to $25,000 each for pilot/innovation strategies and up to three (3) grants of up to $75,000 each for evidence-based/high impact strategies. Submissions will be reviewed by the Boston Promise Initiative Implementation Team.

ELIGIBLITY1. Non-Profit Organizations with tax exempt status or an affiliate of

a corporation having a not-for profit charter with a fiscal conduit/sponsor.

2. Proposed program/project must support children who live within the DVC boundaries and/or attend one of the following BPI schools: Boston Day & Evening Academy, Burke High School, Dearborn STEM/Early College Academy (6-12), Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School, Haynes Early Education Center, Lila G. Frederick Pilot School, Martin Luther King School (K-8), Mason Elementary School, Orchard Gardens School (K-8), Winthrop Elementary School.

3. Proposed projects and activities must employ and build on the strengths and assets already existing in the community, such as residents' specific skills, the neighborhood's public spaces, institutions, businesses, faith-based organizations, schools, or other partners. Projects can include advocacy campaigns, direct services, partnerships with schools, parent support, and youth-led projects.


Information Session at DSNI: June 13th at 5:30PM

Proposals due: July 11th by 5PM

Interviews for selected submissions: Week of July 21st

Notified of decision: August 1st

Funds awarded: August 15th


PLANNING & REPORTING REQUIREMENTSAfter receiving a grant, awardees are required to:

• Submit an assessment plan which outlines goals that will be accomplished during the grant period and a modified budget.

• Enroll all family and children supported by BPI funds as BPI students/families/households using the standard enrollment form.

• Consult the BPI Director prior to changing the project or your originally proposed grant budget.

• Submit quarterly performance reports, including collecting data and reporting results for individual participants, as well as on an aggregate level for all participants in:

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS EXPECTATIONSAwardees will be expected to:

• Include DSNI in outreach and marketing plans for programs and events.

• Acknowledge the support of Boston Promise Initiative in project materials, media releases, and at project events. This includes using provided communications templates.

• Invite DSNI & Boston Promise Initiative affiliates to key project events.

• Send us project fliers, advertisements, newspaper stories, photos, etc., to help BPI disseminate your project story to the community.

APPLICATION BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE


• December 2014• March 2015

• June 2015• September 2015


APPLICATION CHECKLISTAgency Name:Program Name:

Submit by 5:00 PM, Friday, July 11, 2014 to:

Sheena CollierDudley Street Neighborhood Initiative

504 Dudley StreetRoxbury, MA 02119

[email protected]

Applicants are to organize and submit 5 paper copies of the application, postmarked by July 11th. Bind application with one staple, upper left-hand corner,

Applicants are also required to submit 1 electronic version of the application to [email protected] by July 11th at 5 PM.

Required:This completed checklist 501(c)(3) confirmation letter5 paper copies of a completed application Financial audit/internal balance sheet 1 electronic version via email Job descriptions for each position for which funding is requested Memorandum of Understanding and/or letters of support for collaborative programs/orgs

Boston Promise Initiative Proposal Cover Form

Program Narrative (3 page limit)

Outcomes & Indicators of Success (2 page limit)

Outreach Plan & Program Expertise (1 page limit)

Program Budget & Financial Narrative (2 page limit)


mailto:[email protected]



BOSTON PROMISE INITIATIVE PROPOSAL FORMCOVER SHEET (2 pages)

The Cover Sheet is intended to provide the essential data about the organization, the contact person, and the proposal. Complete this form and submit it with your full proposal.

Request to: Boston Promise Initiative, Attn: Sheena Collier

Date of Application:

Full Legal Organization Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip Code:

Website:

President/Executive Director:

Phone #: - Email:

Contact Person (if different):

Phone #: - Email:

Organizational Information:

501(c)(3)? If, YES, EIN: Year Est.:

If not a 501(c)(3), please provide fiscal sponsor name:

Total Org. Budget: $ Fiscal Year:

# of Board Members: Total # staff: Volunteers #:

Organizational Mission Statement (50 words or less):


Yes No

INVESTMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE RFPBrief Description of Organization (150 words or less):

Population Served (25 words of less, e.g. age groups, race & ethnicity, income levels, etc.):

Proposal Request:

Program/Project Name (if no name, leave blank):

Total Program Budget: $ Requested Amount: $ % Total:

Total Organization Budget: $

Geographic Area Served:

BPI Indicators you are proposing to address:

Are you a (check one):

I hereby verify that the information provided is accurate and honest to the best of my knowledge.

Authorized by (President or Executive Director):

Date:

Signature: __________________________________________________________

Boston Promise Initiative c/o Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative 617-442-9670 x126 - [email protected]

New Applicant Returning Applicant

INVESTMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE PROPOSAL1. PROGRAM NARRATIVE (3 pages or less):Please describe the proposed strategy for which funding is requested:

A) Briefly describe the challenge or issue you want to address.

B) Describe the goal for impacting the issue and the BPI Indicator it is connected to.

C) Describe the strategy you are using or will use to achieve that goal.

D) How will you evaluate and determine if that strategy is successful?

E) Why is this project important to the DVC? How will the DVC be different as a result of this project?

F) If collaborative partnerships will be utilized, specifically list roles and responsibilities of applicant and partner.

G) How will this strategy incorporate residents, families, youth, or other community assets?

H) What kind of technical assistance, training, workshops, etc., do you anticipate your organization might need to accomplish its goals?

2. OUTREACH PLAN & EXPERTISE (1 page or less):Please describe any prior experience working with the target population:

A) Explain how you will recruit participants.

B) Describe previous programming in the Dudley Village Campus.

C) Provide number of staff positions supporting this program the role and credentials/qualifications required for each position.

3. BUDGET & FINANCIAL NARRATIVE (2 pages or less):Please complete the program/project budget template at this link http://www.agmconnect.org/cpf/CPF_Budget_Template.xls and draft a corresponding narrative. The provided narrative will help DSNI understand the financial elements of both your project or program, and the organization overall.

1. Revenue: What other resources, if any, are being used to support this project or program? What resources, if any are needed, will continue to support the project or program after a potential BPI award? Please describe the nature of the earned and/or contributed revenue associated with this project or program.

2. Expense: How will the Boston Promise investment be used in the program or project to ensure that the true needs of the project or program can be met? Please describe any and all such expenses included in the project/program budget.

3. Surplus/(Deficit): What is the historic trend of surplus/deficit for the organization. Please describe the operating* profitability (surplus/(deficit)) performance of the organization overall over the past 3 years, why it has performed as such, and expectation of future performance.

*By operating, we intend you to articulate the profitability for only those activities associated with normal operations. Please exclude any capital purchases or capital campaign income.

4. Current Funding Streams: Please list the three funders who provide your organization with the greatest amount of funding.

5. Most Recent Financial Audits: Please provide the most recent year of audited financial statements. If audits are not available, please provide an internal balance sheet and income statement for most recent year.


http://www.agmconnect.org/cpf/CPF_Budget_Template.xls

OUTCOMES & INDICATORS OF SUCCESSPlease describe the outcomes and indicators the proposed strategy would pursue that would provide evidence of success. These intended results must be tracked appropriately and reported quarterly.

REQUIRED RESULTS EXPECTEDThe following results must be reported quarterly.

PROPOSED TOTAL TO BE SERVED: Indicate the target number to be served both quarterly and annually.

Quarterly Target AnnualTarget

Number of children/families (circle one) participating in program (unduplicated)

Desired result:

Specific program performance measures per child/student/parent:

Population-level outcomes measures in policy, practice, or public perception:

CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE


OUTCOMES & INDICATORS OF SUCCESSFill in the boxes below to indicate the system you will use to electronically capture and aggregate the requested results and program performance measures (ie Salesforce, Efforts to Outcomes, Excel):

a. Program Performance Measures to be tracked:

b. Individual child/student or adult demographic:

c. Household/Family demographics:

d. Participation data

e. Number and type of referrals to other services and resources in the community and follow up:

f. Additional Program Performance Measures to be tracked (list below):


INVESTMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE PROPOSAL

REFERENCE MATERIALS:DSNI/BPI Application Submission, pages 1-38http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/2012/app-dudleystreet.pdf

Budget Template Resources (credit Associate Grant Makers for template)http://www.agmconnect.org/cpf

CONTACT FOR QUESTIONS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Sheena CollierBoston Promise Initiative [email protected] 617-442-9670 x126


http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/2012/app-dudleystreet.pdf


http://www.agmconnect.org/cpf/

Investments in Neighborhood Change

Documents