School Turnaround AmeriCorps 2013-14 Pre-Proposal Conference

1. School TurnaroundAmeriCorps 2013-14 Pre-Proposal Conference March 22, 2013 CVS-13-074 Office on Volunteerism and Community Service

2. AmeriCorps at National Level • Administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) www.nationalservice.gov • AmeriCorps includes VISTA, State/National, and National Civilian Community Corps (NtripleC)

3. AmeriCorps State in Virginia • Office on Volunteerism and Community Service www.vaservice.org • Within Virginia Department of Social Services • OVCS administers Virginia’s AmeriCorps*State funds, and is the ‘base’ of the Governor-appointed State Service Commission • Last year approximately $2.9 million was distributed to 23 Programs under the ‘formula’ allocation • Provides opportunity for ‘direct service’ to meet compelling community needs

4. AmeriCorps State in Virginia The School Turnaround AmeriCorps FY 2013 Program is new. This is a first. The entire document is available through links and references at www.vaservice.org. Proposal deadline is April 11, 2013 at 3 p.m.

5. Pre-proposal Conference Elements Receipt of Proposal Sign In Sheet Purpose of Conference Addenda Questions Conference Conduct Welcome and Intros RFP Review

6. Welcome and Introductions • Donna Shropshire, VDSS Office of General Services • Virginia Department of Education Representatives • Potential Applicants • OVCS Staff • Amanda Healy, Program Manager • Tanisha Dorsey, Program Officer • Kim Brown, Program Officer • Jim Davidson, Fiscal Officer • Matt Fitzgerald, Program Officer

7. RFP Review Primarily tracks RFP, but uses all documents – RFP, NOFO, Instructions Highlights essential elements Applicants responsible for information in all documents

8. Essential Documents Virginia RFP, published 3/8 – available at www.vaservice.org and on eVa CNCS Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity, School Turnaround AmeriCorps FY 13 School Turnaround AmeriCorps Application Instructions Notice of Federal Funding Opportunity Addendum, School Turnaround AmeriCorps, Definitions, Suggestions regarding Data Collection, and Additional Notes

9. Section 1 - Purpose • To solicit proposals to establish Operational AmeriCorps*State School Turnaround Programs in Virginia in a very limited number of eligible schools (also see NOFO, Section I.A., including footnotes) • Increase educational achievement • Increase high school graduation rates • Increase college readiness • Increase volunteerism in schools

10. Section 2 - Background Collaborations and partnerships are encouraged, but there must be one lead applicant Required support letters outlined in NOFO, Pages 14 – 15, from eligible schools and local educational agencies Required letter of endorsement from VDOE, as identified in RFP, Page 2 Eligible schools described in NOFO, Section I.A., including footnotes Timetable, RFP, Page 3

11. Section 3 – Statement of Needs – Grant Types Cost Reimbursement Programs Education Award Programs • Open to new and re-competing applicants • Requires match • Flexible member slots (less than full-time) • Full documentation of all program costs • $13,300 per MSY maximum • Recompeting only • No specific match requirement, applicant provides significant funds to operate effectively • Flexible member slots • CNCS funds only for member support costs • $800 per MSY maximum

12. Section 3 - Statement of Needs, Miscellaneous Minimum Request – 5 MSY; CNCS recommends higher request – rightsize for your circumstances Eligible Applicants – see NOFO Page 6 for Eligible Organizations Care and feeding of members – recruitment, retention (NOFO, Page 10), stipends, and education awards (NOFO, Pages 10 -11)

13. Minimum and Maximum Living Allowances

14. Section 4 – Mandatory Pre-Application Training and Notices of Intent to Apply • Notices of Intent to Apply are mandatory. • By 5 pm on March 28, submit a Notice of Intent to Apply. • If applying for EAP program, must include that in Notice.

15. Section 5 – Proposal Preparation and Submission Requirements • Deadline: 3:00 pm, April 11, 2013 • Must have DUNS and SAM, NOFO Pages 8 - 9 • Multiple components, submitted three different ways • eGrants (covered later in this presentation) • See page limit, NOFO, Page 13 • Hard copy – by hand, or by U. S. Postal System, Fed Ex, or ? • Email submission

16. DUNS and SAM • Applications must include a DUNS number and register for SAM (NOFO Pages 8 – 9) • Apply for DUNS number • Register for SAM

17. “Complete” Proposal Components (RFP, Pages 6 - 7) • A complete proposal includes: • e-Grants submission • 3 signed originals of application mailed/delivered to 801 E. Main Street, 15th Floor, Richmond VA 23219-2901 • Documents scanned and e-mailed to rfp@vaservice.org • 3 executed certifications (attachments 1,2,3 to RFP) • Executed MOU’s, MOA’s, letters of agreement with partners • Executed Proposal Cover Sheet • Executed Budget Analysis Checklist • Executed W-9 Request for Taxpayer ID number • Draft member service positions • Additional documents if applicable (see page 19, V.) • Program Evaluation • Labor Union Concurrence • Federally Approved Indirect Cost Agreement All Proposal Elements Due by 3:00 p.m. April 11, 2013

18. Section 6 – Evaluation and Award Criteria • Program Design – 50% - See NOFO, Pages 15 – 19; • Organizational Capability – 25% - See NOFO, Pages 19 – 21 • Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy – 25% - See NOFO, Pages 22 - 23 These three sections will be part of your Narrative entry in eGrants. The RFP, NOFO, Instructions, and the NOFO Addendum contain a wealth of info that will support strong presentations of your program design, organizational capability, and cost effectiveness and budget adequacy.

19. Narratives • Read the Narrative recommendations and info in the Instructions (Instructions, Pages 9 - 12) • Narrative, including the executive summary and cover page, may not exceed 20 double-spaced pages as the pages print out from egrants(NOFO, Page 13) • Includes: • Cover Page • Executive Summary • Rationale and Approach (Program Design) • Organizational Capability • Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy • Evaluation Plan • Each subheading in the NOFO (beginning on Page 15) has leading questions to guide your responses

20. Executive Summary Who, what, where, when, why in ½ page or less

21. Rational and Approach (Program Design)(NOFO, page 15) • CNCS Priority – Education • Selection of Performance Measure(s) must be first item identified in Rationale and Approach Narrative • Virginia Priority – Volunteer Recruitment • Volunteer Recruitment (# and hours of volunteers) must be second item identified in R & A narrative

22. Rationale and Approach continued • Key elements • Great importance of evidence-based and measurable impact • Well-developed and thought out plans for recruitment, training, supervision, development – generally, how will you create a high-quality member experience?

23. Organizational Capability(NOFO, Page 19) • Convince reviewers that you have everything you need to achieve the outcomes you are promising • Staff • Experience • Resources (money, time, partnerships) • Can you keep the program compliant?

24. Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy (NOFO, Page 22) Did you budget CNCS funds of no more than $13,300 per MSY? Is your match adequate? Did you budget enough to successfully carry out the program? Did you include the 1% OVCS Program Support Fee? Is the budget clear and reasonable? Carefully review Instructions, Page 16, and 27 - 40 More about this later in the presentation

25. Evaluation Summary or Plan • N/A for new applicants • Re-competes must include an evaluation summary in this section • And submit an evaluation report

26. Section 7 – Reporting, Delivery, and Monitoring Requirements • Reports • Monthly reports • Quarterly reports • A Final report • Financial reports • Monthly expense report • Quarterly aggregate report • Delivery on time, in the format required • Monitoring • Desk • Site

27. Sections 8 – 11 - Read Carefully • Highlights: • Anti-Discrimination • Changes to the Contract • Non-Discrimination • Audit • Pre-Contract Requirements • Cancellation • Supplantation, Nonduplication, and Nondisplacement • Subgrantee Monitoring

28. Proposal Review Process Numerical scoring system that awards points specifically corresponding with the items required in the RFP Review by a panel including peer reviewers, one or more members of the Governor’s Advisory Board, and staff Applications will be ranked Package of applications will be submitted to CNCS CNCS will make final funding decisions Anticipated notification in mid July Anticipated start dates of August 15 or September 1

29. Time for Questions General questions (not specific to your application) can also can be submitted to rfp@vaservice.org

30. Make sure you submit Notice of Intent to Apply by March 28, 2013 THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST This concludes the Pre-Proposal Conference